Hong Kong: SJ backs Anti-sanction Law

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng

A new Anti-sanction Law was passed by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPCSC) on June 10. It is an opportune time for me to share with you some thoughts on this topic.

Sovereign equality and the principle of non-intervention

From the international law perspective, sovereign equality is a basic norm of international relations and a fundamental principle of international law, with the Charter of the United Nations (UN) expressly setting out this principle1, adding that nothing contained in the Charter shall authorise the UN to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state2.

The principle of non-intervention is an important concept central to sovereign equality. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted in 1970 the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (Friendly Relations Declaration), which declares, among others, that [n]o State or group of States has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other State. Consequently, armed intervention and all other forms of interference or attempted threats against the personality of the State or against its political, economic and cultural elements, are in violation of international law. The International Court of Justice in its judgment3 in 1986 reaffirmed non-intervention as a principle of customary international law.

Sanctions by the UN

Under international law, sanctions should be brought only in very limited circumstances which constitute a threat to international peace and security, such as dealing with terrorism or nuclear proliferation, etc., and in an appropriate forum, which is the UN Security Council. When instructed by the Central Peoples Government to implement any UN sanctions, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government would make regulations under the United Nations Sanctions Ordinance (Cap 537) to give effect to the relevant instruction. This mechanism has been in place for years and by which we have implemented a number of UN sanctions in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Unilateral coercive measures

Other so-called sanctions without the authorisation of the UN Security Council, better described as unilateral coercive measures, are contrary to international law and the UN framework, and most importantly violate the principle of non-intervention under international law.

We can see examples where states unilaterally impose coercive measures on other states or individuals with a view to exerting coercion or achieving implicit subjugation. Evidently, these are done with a political motive in mind, intending to suppress the actions of the effected state or individual, and trying to interfere with the internal affairs or exercise of sovereign power of the state. For example, following the enactment of the National Security Law, a number of foreign countries imposed unilateral coercive measures on government officials of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the Hong Kong SAR, suspending surrender of fugitive offenders agreements, and revoking Hong Kongs special trading status as a separate customs territory and relabelling of exports from Hong Kong.

Measures that have not been taken with authorisation of the United Nations Security Council are unilateral coercive measures, breaching the international law principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention, and a major barrier to international peace and stability.

Countermeasures taken in response to unilateral coercive measures

Unilateral coercive measures are without a doubt at odds with the principle of non-intervention, unbecoming of any civilised nation, and a hindrance to international peace and stability. In the face of international illegal acts, a state is justified in deploying any countermeasures as a response to a breach of the principle of non-intervention against itself. Such countermeasures are an accepted practice under international law, and the rules on their use have been formulated under international instruments, notably the Draft Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ILCs Draft Articles) adopted by the International Law Commission in 2001.

In accordance with the ILCs Draft Articles, a state that is subjected to unilateral coercive measures would be entitled to impose countermeasures as set out under Article 22 of the ILCs Draft Articles. The ILCs Draft Articles further provide in Chapter II of Part Three for, inter alia, the requirements of refraining from the threat or use of force, and any countermeasures being proportionate.

Anti-sanction Law is an accepted and legitimate practice under international law

In the Explanatory Note on the Draft Anti-sanction Law, the three necessities for legislating the law are clearly set out. China is entitled to impose countermeasures in response to unilateral coercive measures taken by foreign states and the law provides the legal framework for the countermeasures to be implemented. It states unequivocally that it has to be applied within the whole of China. As it is a national law, and as the imposition of countermeasures is entirely a matter of foreign affairs, the most natural and appropriate way for it to be introduced to the Hong Kong SAR would be to add it to Annex III to the Basic Law in accordance with Article 18 of the Basic Law. This of course is a matter for the NPCSC to decide after consultation with the Basic Law Committee and the Hong Kong SAR Government.

The Anti-sanction Law of the PRC was enacted as a countermeasure in the face of unilateral coercive measures which are prohibited under international law. Not only is the enactment of this law legitimate, reasonable and fair, it is also in conformity with the requirements relating to countermeasures as set out in the ILCs Draft Articles highlighted above.

Concerns have been expressed about the impact of the Anti-sanction Law introduced by China. Yet, the more appropriate questions to be asked are first, why does a foreign state interfere with Chinas exercise of its sovereign rights to legislate national security laws, and secondly, why should a state or group of states be allowed to impose unilateral coercive measures against other states and legislate long-arm statutes purporting to enforce such internationally wrongful acts without consequences. It is these foreign states that impose unilateral coercive measures that should be condemned and it is they that the international community should be concerned about. At this point, one cannot help but recall the treacherous and despicable acts by certain anti-China disruptors who relentlessly and shamefully seek foreign states to impose sanctions against China including Hong Kong. No one who loves China and Hong Kong would embark upon such abominable and contemptible acts.

As can be seen in the Explanatory Note, the law will provide a legal basis by which the countermeasures are to be implemented and enforced. It will supplement the legal tool box countering unilateral coercive measures, interference and long-arm jurisdiction of foreign states with a view to resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, dignity and core interests of our motherland.

1 See Article 2(1) of Chapter 1 of the United Nations Charter.

2 See Article 2(7) of Chapter 1 of the United Nations Charter.

3 Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua. The judgment of the International Court of Justice acknowledged that the principle of non-intervention forbids all States or groups of States to intervene directly or indirectly in internal or external affairs of other States(see para. 205 of the judgment of the International Court of Justice).

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng wrote this article and posted it on her blog on August 8.

This story has been published on: 2021-08-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hospitals in HCM City start using Remdesivir to treat COVID-19 patients

Around 10,000 vials of Remdesivir have been distributed to 10 hospitals in HCM City to treat COVID-19 patients starting today, according to the health ministry.













The southern city is currently the biggest COVID-19 hot spot with 4,000-7,000 cases recorded daily since mid-July, and the main objective right now is to reduce deaths among severe cases as medical facilities strain to handle large inflows of patients.



The health ministry noted that through donation sources in the past, the drug appears to help reduce the viral load in the infected, but cautioned that members of public should not look for or stock up on these drugs.



The administration and the doses required must be indicated by doctors.



Luong Ngoc Khue, Head of the Health Ministry's Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said that Remdesivir is still after all a new drug and the administration of this drug must be closely followed to see its actual effectiveness.



On August 6, the health ministry held a meeting on COVID-19 treatment, in which they discussed the use of anticoagulant (oral drug), antiviral drugs including Remdesivir, monoclonal antibody drugs, and prone positioning.



However, it has not officially approved the drug yet.



Future batches of the drugs will be allocated to HCM City and the southern region, and if other localities need some then adjustments could be made.



VinGroup said it had negotiated successfully for 500,000 vials of Remdesivir from Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla under licensing agreement from US-based Gilead Sciences. The first batch arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City on August 5.



A further 100,000 vials are expected to be delivered to Vietnam next week.
Three intensive care centres open, field hospitals to be set up in industrial parks in HCM City

Three COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) with doctors and medical personnel coming from three central-level hospitals across the country opened on Saturday (August 7) in HCM City.













Representatives of three central-level hospitals attend the inauguration ceremony of the three intensive care centres in HCM City which are designed to treat critical COVID-19 patients.  Photo courtesy of MoH

Doctors and medical personnel from three central-level hospitals including the Vietnam German Friendship Hospital and and the Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, and Hue Central Hospital, have arrived in HCM City to help set up the ICUs that have a total of 1,500 beds.



Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son, head of the ministrys taskforce to support HCM City in COVID-19 prevention and control, said the telehealth digital platform should be used to connect hospital departments, and a monitoring centre should be set up to coordinate the treatment of critical COVID-19 cases at the three intensive care centres.



HCM City is struggling to contain its largest outbreak despite serious prevention measures, according to Son. The city has also had to ensure a steady supply of medical equipment and supplies for treatment.



Despite the number of cases, the city is on the right track, he said, adding that the top priority is to save patients with serious health conditions and reduce fatalities.



In addition to medical staff, the ministry will send managers and administrators of leading hospitals across Vietnam to work in HCM City.



HCM Citys Cho Ray Hospital is currently operating the HCM City Intensive Care COVID-19 Hospital based in the HCM City Oncology Hospital in Thu uc City with a capacity of about 1,000 beds.



Field hospitals in IPs



The HCM City Export Processing Zone and Industrial Park Authority Business Association (HBA) has asked for approval from the HCM City government and the Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control to set up field hospitals to treat workers in industrial parks and export processing zones.



According to HBA, as of the beginning of August, nearly half of enterprises in 17 export processing zones and industrial zones in the city had registered to allow workers to stay at their workplaces.



Nearly 84 per cent of the companies have met the requirements, while 92 factories are adding necessary conditions to meet the requirements.



According to HBA, the Sepzone Linh Trung Company is working with investors to build a field hospital at ready-built workshops in the Linh Trung 2 Export Processing Zone. Many investors have said they would donate medical equipment to the field hospital.



HBA also urged the health sector to assist companies with technical and medical skills so they can conduct rapid tests for COVID-19.



The association recommended that the city prioritise vaccinations for workers in Cat Lai Industrial Park and Cat Lai Port.



The city has 17 export processing zones, industrial parks and high-tech zones with 1,500 businesses.



In a related matter, Tay Ninh Province plans to build a 600-bed field hospital in Thanh Thanh Cong Industrial Park and a 500-bed field hospital in the Phuoc ong Industrial Zone.



Volunteers join pandemic fight



More than 7,000 people across the country have volunteered to help HCM City fight the current outbreak, following a request from Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son last month.



Of the number, nearly 800 medical workers are working in private and public health clinics (including retired medical staff), and the rest are students and other staff.



Up to 2,500 of them have begun treating COVID-19 patients in the city.



The city will continue to call on volunteers, especially those with medical expertise such as doctors and nurses to support treatment, according to the Department of Health.



Dr. Tran Van Thanh, a volunteer in HCM City, said: Ive been a doctor in the military for 25 years and I worked abroad for 25 years. When the country needs me, Im ready to help treat and save patients.



The number of new infections since the fourth wave hit the country in late April has topped 190,000. Of that number, HCM City accounts for more than 116,000 cases.
Vietnamese culture to be introduced to international friends at Army Games 2021

In addition to showing off their skills, the delegation from the Vietnam Peoples Army will also take the opportunity to introduce the countrys traditional culture to international friends.

An opportunity to advertise Vietnamese culture



Cultural and artistic performances have been listed as a category for competition entitled Army of Culture for the first time at this years Games.



According to Colonel Dang My Hanh, head of the Vietnamese art troupe to the event, participating in the Army Games not only helps the troupe improve their performance skills but also introduces the land and people of Vietnam as well as the Vietnamese Peoples Army to international friends through the performances.









Colonel Dang My Hanh, head of the Vietnamese art troupe to the Army Games 2021.



We are tasked with featuring the cultural identity and traditional essence of Vietnam as well as the image of the Vietnamese Peoples Army in our performances, Hanh said.



Apart from the artistic performances, the team will host a display entitled Vietnamese Peoples Army  Integration and Development, utilising digital technology to increase the sense of interaction with visitors.



All costumes for the performances as well as musical instruments, and the way to deliver the performance to the audience were asked to highlight the authentic culture of Vietnam, a country on the path of global integration and development.



One of the performances that the Vietnamese art troupe will bring to the stage is a Chau Van (Spiritual Singing) song entitled Co Doi Thuong Ngan (Goddess of the Forest). The musical genre is often delivered during the practices related to Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of the Three Realms, recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.



To prepare for the performance, members of the Vietnamese art troupe had to translate the songs lyric into Russian, making a complete story which can help international friends understand more about Vietnamese peoples Mother Goddesses worship.



The troupe will also introduce the audience to traditional Vietnamese musical instruments such as the bamboo flute and dan t'rung (bamboo xylophone).



Bringing flavours of Vietnamese cuisine to Army Games 2021



Tran Dang Viet, a member of Vietnams Field Kitchen team at the Army Games 2021, revealed the team will bring the flavours of Vietnamese cuisine through signature dishes from different regions across the country, such as grilled fish with mac khen pepper, roasted duck, and nom bo kho (dried beef salad).



Popular dishes often served in Vietnamese peoples meals will also be introduced to participants at the event, including steamed chicken, beef rolls, fried shrimp with young sticky rice, nem (fried spring rolls), and prawn cracker.



As the Field Kitchen category will take place in Uzbekistan, a country with a majority Muslim population, the team will use lamb and poultry as the main ingredients for their dishes instead of pork.



We made careful preparations for this years event in order to promote the best of the team and achieve the best results at the competition, Viet said.
Conflict in Afghanistan is in a more destructive and deadlier phase as the Taliban take provincial capitals. Since U.S. President Biden announced in May that its forces would pull out, the Taliban has attacked and pressured Afghan forces.

The Taliban claims to have captured control of a second district capital in Sheberghan and released prisoners in the Jawzjan province.

Government sources are disputing the Taliban claims, but there is no denying the success of their offensive in recent months. More than half of the 398 rural districts are under Taliban control.

As with the city of Zaranj in southern Nimroz province on Friday, mobile phone videos appear to show Taliban fighters driving armed vehicles into the city, including American Humvees.

Fighting is reported from other provincial capitals, which are said to be under pressure, include Herat near Iran in the west, and the southern cities of Kandahar and Lashkar Gah. According to Afghanistan's military, they have killed dozens of Islamist fighters, including some senior commanders near Lashkar Gah.

But it is hard to deny the ascendancy of Taliban forces, as they have taken more territory in Afghanistan in the last two months than at any time since they were ousted from power by the international coalition in 2001.

An estimated 15 to 18 million Afghans  more than half the population  are thought to be living in areas controlled by the Taliban, or districts where they are regularly targeting government forces.

By controlling the rural provinces, the Taliban has in recent weeks secured important border crossings into Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan.

That allows them to control and block people and commercial traffic as they have at Spin Boldek crossing with Pakistan  and run a lucrative trade route to generate income from smuggling Opium and other goods.

It allows them to import fighters from other countries too.

An Afghan soldier at a checkpoint near the formally occupied U.S Bagram air base. The U.S. military has since left the base. /Reuters/ Mohammad Ismail

The fear of a civil war is making several neighboring countries nervous. Russian fighter jets are patrolling the northern Afghan border as they conduct joint manoeuvres with Uzbekistan's forces.

In Nimroz Province, a funeral for a government official took place. He was close to Afghanistan's leadership, and he was assassinated on Friday.

The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was present, and he vowed to fight the Taliban.

"They fill coffins with young people," he said.

"This isn't humanity. We stand for humanity, life, and dignity of Afghanistan, and this is our violation."

Dozens of bureaucrats, civil servants, judges, journalists, and social activists have been killed by Taliban fighters recently.

The Taliban want to install a hardline Islamic leadership, instead of the democratically elected more liberal Muslim government.

As Afghan security forces try to protect the most populated cities, U.S. soldiers may complete their pull-out by September.

An Afghan National Army soldier next to the site of a car bomb blast in Kabul. /Reuters

September 11 is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York's twin trade towers and the Pentagon in Washington DC.

Since 2001, the international forces have spent billions of dollars to support and train Afghan forces, and the Taliban has regrouped and gradually regained strength especially in rural and remote areas of Afghanistan.

At the United Nations, diplomats are reminded of what is at stake.

"You cannot terrorize the population, on the one hand, unleash a massive attack on cities, and then go to Doha and talk about peace on the other hand," said the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ghulam Isaczai.

Meanwhile, since January, some 350,000 Afghans have become refugees in their own country - displaced by terror and the fear of being killed in a crossfire of fighting between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters.

Unless there is a de-escalation in the violence, Afghanistan could see its highest ever number of such casualties in a single year. After Syria, Afghanistan has the second-largest displaced population in the world.

"We are on pace for record civilian deaths and injuries, with the majority being women and children," said Vicki Aken, Afghanistan's International Rescue Committee director.

"Schools are closed, food shortages abound, and people are turning to desperate measures such as child labor and early marriage for girls."
A Lebanese army member walks near a pickup truck with a rocket launcher that was used by Hezbollah to fire rockets into Israel. The truck was intercepted by residents of Chouaya in the south and the army has reportedly detained four people who launched the rockets, August 6, 2021. /Reuters

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Saturday that the Lebanese group does not fear any Israeli war and is fully prepared for it.

"We are fully prepared for the war and we are certain that we will win it," Nasrallah said in a televised speech to mark the 15th anniversary of a war between Israel and Lebanon in 2006.

Nasrallah's comments come after Hezbollah and the Israeli army exchanged cross-border fire this week. Hezbollah fired rockets on Friday against Israeli targets in the occupied Shebaa Farms in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Thursday in southern Lebanon.

The 33-day conflict in the summer of 2006 killed 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. It ended with a UN-backed ceasefire on August 14, 2006.

(With input from Xinhua, AFP)
-- The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the determining factor behind China's great changes and remarkable achievements.

-- Looking back over the one hundred years of history, always staying with the people is the secret of the CPC's great achievements in the annals of history.

-- Running a country as large as China, the CPC is providing a significant amount of experience that can be drawn on in the field of governance.

BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Since its founding 100 years ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has led China to make both enormous achievements at home and significant contributions to global peace and development.

As leaders of political parties across the globe try to decipher the CPC's success secrets upon its 100th anniversary, five things have been most frequently associated with the now 95-million-strong Chinese party.

Aerial photo taken on July 24, 2021 shows a view of a relocation site for poverty alleviation at Huawu Village in Xinren Miao Township, Qianxi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

ECONOMIC MIRACLE

At a grand ceremony on July 1 celebrating the CPC's centenary, General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee, who is also Chinese president, declared that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

China is now the world's second-largest economy, the largest recipient of foreign direct investment, and one of the world's largest consumer markets. Its GDP has exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan (about 15.47 trillion U.S. dollars) threshold.

Among the numerous foreign political leaders who have witnessed China's rapid economic progress is Abbas Zaki, a member of the Palestinian Fatah party's central committee in charge of relations with China and Arab countries.

Having visited China for more than 10 times since the first trip in 1974, he noted that in just one generation, China has transformed into a strong and modern country, and has successfully addressed prominent challenges, including meeting the basic needs of a huge population.

"What used to be poor villages have been transformed into productive, rich ones almost overnight. Some backward and desolate places in the past have become vibrant industrial parks," he said. "China's great changes are unimaginable."

Equally impressed by China's remarkable development is Shoichi Kondo, secretary general of the Sino-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians' Union.

"I went to China in 1981 to study, and now in 2021, China has developed at an incredible speed and created a miracle, which is what the Chinese people have achieved under the leadership of the Communist Party of China," he told Xinhua.

"China is still in development today, and at a staggering rate. This is a miracle," he added.

A China-Europe freight train bound for Barcelona of Spain waits for departure in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS

While achieving miraculous domestic progress, foreign observers have noted, the CPC has also led China to become an active contributor to world development, peace and stability.

China has actively taken part in regional and international cooperation mechanisms, and made significant contributions to promoting international cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, said Le Hoai Trung, head of the Commission for External Relations of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

To promote exchanges and cooperation across the globe, Xi has put forward visions like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The BRI is popular in the world because it connects people, and that is the beauty of it, said Richard Todwong, secretary general of Uganda's ruling National Resistance Movement party.

"In most of the economies of Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, we have seen the Chinese doing infrastructural projects," he said. "The Chinese came and built for us quite a number of dams, which has enabled us to power our economy."

A worker arranges the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at National Medical Stores in Entebbe, Uganda, July 31, 2021. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

To Andrzej Szejna, vice president of Poland's New Left political party, the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind can serve as a solution to the problems the world is facing, as "it is based on peace and cooperation."

"Under the CPC's leadership, China has greatly contributed to socio-economic progress for all mankind," said Khuon Sodary, second vice-president of the Cambodian National Assembly. "China will continue to play an important role in building global peace, promoting global development and maintaining international order."

GOVERNANCE SUCCESS

Behind China's great domestic development and global contributions is the CPC's strong leadership and successful governance of the large and populous country, foreign political leaders agree.

The leadership of the CPC is the determining factor behind China's great changes and remarkable achievements, said Ali Ahmadov, deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan and vice chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

Wind turbine blades wait for shipment at Lianyungang Port, east China's Jiangsu Province, April 16, 2021. (Photo by Wang Chun/Xinhua)

The CPC has a strong political mobilization capacity of uniting all the social forces of China to commit to serving the people, which has consequently attracted firm support from the masses, he said.

In the eyes of Vojtech Filip, chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, the "Chinese miracle" created by the CPC in the past decades has proved that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the right path leading to the country's success in development.

"Also, the policies China adopted gave full play to the initiative of the CPC members and the Chinese people," said Filip.

Besides, the CPC is also good at drawing on the experiences of both developed and developing countries to formulate a successful development model for China, said D.E.W. Gunasekera, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka.

The CPC, he noted, has successfully combined markets and state intervention in China's economic development, while remaining true to the country's history and culture.

A girl receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST

"Looking back over the one hundred years of history, always staying with the people is the secret of the CPC's great achievements in the annals of history," said former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Hatoyama's comment reflects a general consensus among political leaders across the world. Slimane El Omrani, deputy secretary general of Morocco's Justice and Development Party, concluded that the most noticeable aspect of the Chinese model is the "people-centered" ruling philosophy.

"This country is its people; the people are the country," Xi pointed out at the centenary ceremony. "The Party has in the people its roots, its lifeblood, and its source of strength."

"The Party has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese people; it stands with them through thick and thin and shares a common fate with them," he added. "The Party has no special interests of its own -- it has never represented any individual interest group, power group, or privileged stratum."

Speaking highly of China's effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak, former Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy noted that the CPC's "people first" approach was a key factor in successfully controlling the pandemic.

Chinese Communists have accomplished great achievements in the country's development by living up to their all-for-the-people commitment, said Jacques Cheminade, chairman of France's Solidarity and Progress party.

For the CPC, loving people is not only a political commitment, but also the source of strength, said Cheminade.

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 8, 2021 shows a bullet train passing Yihe Grand Bridge along the Xuzhou-Lianyungang high-speed railway, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES

Bassam Salhi, general secretary of the Palestinian People's Party, spoke for many when he said China's development model serves as an inspiring example for other countries in exploring an effective path of development.

Running a country as large as China, the CPC is providing a significant amount of experience that can be drawn on in the field of governance, said Mauro Alboresi, national secretary of the Italian Communist Party.

"The facts say a lot," said Alboresi, taking China's campaign of poverty alleviation as an example.

In the view of Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, China has set an example on how to combine economic and social progress. "The entire population benefits from the outcome of this development rather than a small group of people," he said.

When talking with Xinhua about China's governance experience, many experts referred to the book of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," which Salhi said is a window on observing and understanding China.

The book is very important and useful inside and outside China, because it explains the philosophy of the CPC's governance, both from the perspectives of history and in terms of looking into the future, said the Palestinian party leader.

With its 100-year-old history, the CPC has brought great inspirations to political parties in other countries, said Nalinee Taveesin, chairperson of foreign affairs of the Pheu Thai Party.

The CPC, she added, has demonstrated that "political parties must keep in touch with communities, serve the people, strengthen good governance and distribute wealth more fairly."
By Alessandro Golombiewski Teixeira

CFP

Editor's note: Alessandro Golombiewski Teixeira is a National Thousand Talent Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, and a professor of International Business at Schwarzman College in Tsinghua. He is a former special economic advisor to the president of Brazil and former Brazilian minister of tourism, and minister of development, industry and foreign trade. He was also president of the World Investment Association  WAIPA. The article reflects the author's views, not necessarily those of CGTN.

While the world is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, a small group of U.S. politicians are relentlessly trying to politicize the traceability of the coronavirus and stigmatize China for of their own ulterior motives. The House Foreign Affairs Committee minority staff, led by ranking Republican Michael McCaul (Tex.), released an 84-page updated version of the "Origins of COVID-19 Report" on August 2, smearing China with unwarranted attacks based on a deliberate patchwork of dates and events.

According to the report, Wuhan Institute of Virology, the world's leading bat coronavirus research center, as well as other labs in Wuhan, are the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also draws a conclusion that the virus was present as early as September 2019, pushing back the timeline of the pandemic by two to three months. The report continues to peddle the big lie of the "Chineselab leak theory", and is a complete rehash of the same old story.

In the absence of raw data and basic facts, the report holds the belief that the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic leaked from a Chinese research facility. Nevertheless, it's in contradiction to the consensus in the academic community that the coronavirus is of a natural origin.

On February 19, 2020, The Lancet, among the most respected and influential medical journals in the world, published a statement that roundly rejected the lab-leak hypothesis, effectively casting it as a xenophobic cousin to climate change denialism and the anti-vaxxer movement. Signed by 27 scientists, the statement expressed the "solidarity of all scientists and health professionals in China" and asserted: "We stand together to strongly condemn the conspiracy theories which suggest that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin."

Besides, the World Health Organization has wrapped up its investigation in China into the origins of COVID-19, saying it's highly unlikely that the virus leaked from a lab and more research is necessary. The WHO-led team traveled to China in early 2021 and had an in-depth scientific exchange with scientists from Wuhan Institute of Virology.

As the New York Times reported, reports of new cases in the U.S. have exploded in recent weeks as the Delta variant has spread. The country is averaging more than seven times as many cases a day than it was at the start of July. The core indicators of the pandemic, including new cases, deaths and hospitalization, have rebounded severely. The United States is flawed in the fight against the pandemic, and the last Republican government has to be blamed.

A healthcare worker prepares to administers COVID-19 vaccines and tests at the Austin Regional Clinic drive-thru vaccination and testing site in Austin, Texas, U.S., August 5, 2021. /CFP

Now, the pandemic is even more serious in the Republican-run U.S. states like Florida. In Florida, the epicenter of another outbreak, Governor Ron DeSantis even signed an executive order refusing to mandate masks in schools and promising "no lockdown." In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott denied the mandatory vaccinations of local and state agencies. The Republican politicians are taking the investigation into the origins of COVID-19 as a political tool to cover up their incompetency in fighting the coronavirus.

U.S. President Joe Biden in May ordered U.S. intelligence agencies to accelerate their hunt for the origins of the virus and report back in 90 days. With only about three weeks left before the deadline, there are still a lot of controversies surrounding the origin of the COVID-19 in the United States. The House Foreign Affairs Committee minority staff, chose this time to hype the "lab leak theory", attempting to hold the nose of the White House on the issue of coronavirus traceability.

Above all, the investigation into the origins of COVID-19 is a serious and complex scientific issue. It should be based on a global perspective and carried out by global scientists in cooperation. Only by putting science first can the investigation truly help human beings better prevent major pandemic risks in the future.

However, some U.S. politicians are still blind to science and facts, and are obsessed with political manipulation, shifting the responsibility for their own ineffectiveness in fighting the pandemic. They have fabricated and spread a series of lies involving China for political purposes since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At present, the coronavirus outbreak has not been effectively controlled, and the Delta variant has emerged in many countries especially in those countries that have relegated science to second place and have placed politics first. All stakeholders must strengthen their cooperation to prevent and control the global pandemic and save the lives of people in all countries. Meanwhile, on the issue of coronavirus traceability, we should get rid of political interference and strengthen the cooperation and exchange of scientific research among countries, avoiding a repeat of the tragedy.
By Franz Gayl

Vessels in the Taiwan Straits, July 20, 2017. /CGTN Photo

The US has publicly expressed concern that the People's Republic of China (PRC) is modernizing its defensive strategic weapons capabilities. All the while, it is known in the public domain that Washington is always ready with an immeasurably more powerful arsenal of nuclear weapons. Since our allegedly moral and humane Washington decision-makers are supposedly rational players, there must be an explanation for this continued preparedness to maintain at the ready a vastly overmatching weapons of mass destruction arsenal.

In this regard, a recent article in the mainstream foreignpolicy.com is timely. Author Daniel R. Mahanty states in part:

"Combined with recent research on the correlation between racist attitudes and white Americans' support for US military interventions in other countries, this survey result could serve as a warning that Americans might tolerate more devastating effects of war on Asians - even those living in an allied country - than on Europeans, just as they did during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War."

This research-based conclusion should have a sobering impact on Asian nations which Washington is pressuring to join forces in containing China, beginning with a defense of Taiwan island.

For example, so-called China hawks in Washington have strong-armed Tokyo to challenge the 0ne-China principle, thereby inflaming pre-existing bilateral grievances and making Japan a target of PRC wrath. That suits Washington's political class elites well.

The exclusive class of Washington elites who would profit from war with China, and their motivations, are well known. They include the retired military generals and admirals managing or sitting on the boards of the major US defense contractors; powerful members of Congress who are highly dependent on defense sector favors; and pay-to-play China-averse intellectuals and media. The class also includes the unelected, independent, and unaccountable members of the Council of Inspectors General (IGs) on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), each with a lifetime civil service appointment. The CIGIE functions as a federal government star chamber that shields senior Executive Branch officials from criticism, while silencing lower-level dissent. The outsized influence this deeply networked cabal of beneficiaries exerts on US policy continues to grow.

It is noteworthy that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against the emergence of such a falsely incentivized oligarchy.

Washington elites appear to think the densely populated Asian proxies, including their people, industries, and infrastructures could be sacrificed. The island of Taiwan is sure to suffer the worst of the devastation if a military clash concerning the island breaks out, and many US forward-deployed conventional forces will conceivably be sacrificed as a further tripwire to rally US public outrage. But in Machiavellian practice, the Taiwan citizenry and rank-and-file US military have only marginal value. The war's outcome will surely be determined by the deterrence of the US' intimidating nuclear capabilities advantage; or so the elites think.

If the American public fully comprehended the details of the macabre designs in advance they would certainly push back. Because it is their sons and daughters who will pay the price. Unfortunately, the truly clever talkers of the responsible decision-making class are experts at employing concealment. It is likewise a pity that Washington's regional Asian allies will fall into the same trap as the Vietnamese once did.

The US public will inevitably discover that the PRC's current determination to defend its territorial sovereignty mirrors America's past determination to preserve the Union. Unfortunately, by the time that they realize this psychological truth was concealed from them, it will be too late.

In contrast, opportunistic beneficiaries will readily desert their Asian allies and lick their political wounds by projecting failures onto others. But they will survive, and their amoral consciences will be clean because it was only Asians and rank-and-file US military that bore the brunt of what can then be written off as another global transaction gone awry.

The PRC is well acquainted with US elite priorities and decision making. The looming war promises to be a destructive tragedy for the region and the world, and even its US architects cannot assume they won't be impacted.

But despite the horrific prospects, neither the 19th century US nor 21st century China today will be deterred from defending their respective territorial sovereignty, and by any necessary means. Knowing these facts in advance, what compels good and reasonable Americans at large to continue to tolerate and sleepwalk down an absolutely insane path?

The author is a retired Marine Corps infantry officer who now serves as a US civil servant. Opinions are of the author and do not represent the US government.
Photo taken on June 29, 2020, shows a billboard about the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Central area in Hong Kong, south China. /Xinhua

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday urged the United States to respect China's sovereignty and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs after U.S. President Joe Biden signed a memorandum concerning Hong Kong.

The so-called memorandum smeared the national security law in Hong Kong and China's policy toward Hong Kong, said Hua Chunying, a spokesperson of the ministry.

In a written response published on the ministry's website, Hua said the memorandum was another manifestation of Washington's gross interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the move, she said, adding that China has lodged solemn representations to the United States.

The national security law in Hong Kong has improved the rule of law, restored security and stability in the city, and protected the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, she said.

She refuted Washington's claim to provide a "safe haven" for Hong Kong residents, stressing that the real purpose of the U.S. is to support and embolden anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong, sabotage Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and suppress China's development.

The U.S. should stop disturbing Hong Kong's rule of law and stop interfering in China's internal affairs, she said, urging Washington not to support or condone the anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong in any way.

Otherwise, the U.S. will seriously damage its own interests in Hong Kong, she warned.

A spokesperson of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Sunday also condemned the move of the U.S. government.

At the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council earlier this year, more than 70 countries expressed support to the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and urged certain countries to stop interfering in China's internal affairs, the spokesperson noted.

No external interference can weaken the will and determination of China's central authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to implement the national security law, nor can it obstruct Hong Kong's development and China's advancement, the spokesperson said.
U.S. and ROK forces conduct a joint military exercise on the coast of southeastern ROK, March 25, 2021. /CFP

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has tentatively decided to conduct a joint military exercise with the United States later this month as planned, despite a warning from Pyongyang, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Sunday, citing ROK government sources.

"We are working to stage the exercise as planned, which is a regular one and necessary for a combined readiness posture. We've maintained close consultations with the U.S. over the issue," a government source said.

The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training is expected to be held from August 16 to 26, which is likely to come after a four-day crisis management staff training, set to kick off on August 10, another source said.

The source said the exercise will be smaller in scale than the springtime one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, without any outdoor activity.

The ROK Defense Ministry has said that outdoor maneuvers have been carried out throughout the year, rather than done intensively at a specific period of time.

Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan said that it is still discussing details about the matter with the U.S., while closely following related circumstances.

Activists stage a rally against the U.S.-ROK military exercise near the presidential Blue House in Seoul, ROK, March 8, 2021. /Getty

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has repeatedly expressed strong opposition to joint U.S.-ROK drills, denouncing them as rehearsals for invasion.

Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the younger sister of DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, warned Seoul against carrying out the exercise with the U.S. on August 1. If the drill goes ahead, it will damage the resolve of Pyongyang and Seoul to rebuild relations, she said.

"Our government and military will closely watch whether South Korea (the ROK) will carry out their hostile war exercise once again or make a bold decision," she added. "Hope or despair? The decision is not upon us."

The DPRK and the ROK recently reconnected hotlines that Pyongyang severed in June last year. The two sides held their daily liaison phone call on July 28 after a nearly 14-month suspension.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Ministry Wang Yi said on Friday that it will be unconstructive if the U.S. and the ROK hold the exercise at a time when efforts are needed to create a positive atmosphere for restarting talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

"If the United States really wants to resume dialogue with the DPRK, it should not take any action that may lead to an escalation of tensions," Wang said at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the 28th ASEAN Regional Forum.
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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Remarks on the US President's Signing of the Hong Kong-related Memorandum

2021/08/08

Q: On August 5, US President Biden signed a memorandum criticizing the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR. It said that recognizing the significant erosion of the rights and freedoms of the residents of Hong Kong by the PRC, he is directing the deferral of removal of certain Hong Kong residents who are present in the United State for 18 months. It added that offering safe haven for Hong Kong residents who have been deprived of their guaranteed freedoms in Hong Kong furthers United States interests in the region. Do you have any comment?

A: The so-called memorandum blatantly defames and attacks the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR and China's Hong Kong policy, which is another embodiment of the US side's vile behaviors in grossly interfering in China's Hong Kong affairs. The Chinese side deplores and firmly rejects this and has lodged solemn representations with the US side.

The enactment and implementation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR has improved the rule of law in Hong Kong, restored security and stability in Hong Kong, and ensured the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong residents. The US claim of offering "safe haven" for Hong Kong residents is completely groundless. Its real purpose is to endorse anti-China, destabilizing forces in Hong Kong, undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and curb China's development.

The Chinese side urges the US side to truly respect China's sovereignty, abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, stop meddling in the Hong Kong affairs, stop disrupting Hong Kong's rule of law, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, refrain from supporting and condoning in any way the anti-China, destabilizing forces, otherwise it will seriously damage its interests in Hong Kong, reaping what it sows.
The early fractions were sizzling and the trip was a long one, but three-year-old pacing colt Bulldog Hanover scored his second Gold Series win at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (Aug. 7).

Starting from post 8 in the 12-horse field, driver Jody Jamieson settled Bulldog Hanover in the outer lane in fifth, tucked behind Meadowlands Pace champion Lawless Shadow. As P L Ozzy blazed while challenged by Lawless Shadow to a :25.4 quarter and a :53.4 half, Jamieson was content to bide his time from the second-over spot. By three-quarters in 1:22.3, the favourite was fourth  two lengths behind the pacesetter  and Jamieson was getting ready to hit the overdrive button. Once he squared up in the stretch, Bulldog Hanover hit the big gear and pulled away to a three-quarter length victory in 1:50. Powertrain sprinted up the inside to be second and Bettor Sun, having stalked Bulldog Hanover from the start, was third.

I thought there would be a few of them that were just gunning out of there so I just thought that if we could let them fight it out a bit, if we could somehow get in contention at the three-quarter pole, we should be okay, said trainer Jack Darling. But Jody made me feel better. We were just talking about the race before we went out on the track, about the 12-horse field, and Jody said, Yeah to be honest, the 12-horse field doesnt really worry me too much because I think this horse can overcome anything that happens to him. I guess he was right.

The win was Bulldog Hanovers third of the sophomore campaign and his second in Gold Series action. He was also a winner in the July 3 season opener, delivering a personal-best 1:49.1 from post 10. In the second Gold Leg, on July 25 at Georgian Downs, the Shadow Play colt finished third after struggling around the turns on the five-eighths mile oval.

The track up there is fairly loose and he was just having trouble on the turns. He was kind of spinning his wheels Jody said, so he just had to be careful with him, but when he got him straightened out in the straightaway he was flying at the wire, said Darling. I knew the horse was okay. It was just the track that affected him. He paced in 1:49.4 when he was having trouble on the track, so, you know, thats not too bad.

Cambridge resident Darling shares ownership of Bulldog Hanover with Brad Grant of Milton, Ont. The partners will watch the son of Shadow Play compete in one more Gold Series Leg, on Aug. 21 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and then he has a series of open stake races on his schedule, starting with the Somebeachsomewhere on Aug. 28 and followed by eliminations for the Pepsi North America Cup on Sept. 4.

Hes got next week off and then hes got another Sires Stake and then I think weve got four in a row. But hes very lightly raced, so hopefully hell be fresh enough for it, said Darling, adding that the winner of $432,786, through 11 lifetime starts, is very easy on himself both at home and at the racetrack.

Hes always nice and relaxed in the barn, and jogging hes just as relaxed as can be. Hell walk as long as you want him to walk, and when you ask him to go, hell go, just a really nice horse that way, said the owner-trainer. He comes to the track and hes quiet, hes relaxed for a stud, take him on the track he just warms up like a professional. Hell relax but then when you ask him, or if he sees another horse in front of him he likes to kind of get up and race them a bit. Hes about as close to the perfect horse as you can get I think.

Next on the Campbellville ovals Ontario Sires Stakes schedule is a single $158,800 Gold Series division for the three-year-old trotting colts on Monday, Aug. 9. Division point-leader Logan Park will be looking for his third Gold Series victory when he starts from post 1 in the fifth race. Fans can download a program and watch the live stream on the Woodbine Mohawk Park website or register to watch the colts in person.

(Ontario Sires Stakes)

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) said that the Abu Dhabi Government has reduced the requirements for starting a new commercial business by 71 percent.



In April 2021, a special task force, led by ADDED and launched as part of the departments Investor Journey Programme, coordinated with more than 20 government entities and the private sector to achieve the reduction, reported Emirates News Agency WAM.



Through several discussions led by ADDED, the Abu Dhabi Government identified and removed duplicate requirements and modified existing requirements to facilitate the process of starting a business while not compromising public safety and security.



Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED, thanked all local and federal entities for helping achieve the ambitious target in a short time. All relevant changes are already reflected in respective systems and will be effective from August 1.



Rashed Abdulkarim Alblooshi, Under-Secretary of ADDED, stated that this considerable reduction is only the start of the programme, which is not a close-ended initiative but is an ongoing collaboration that will maintain the capitals competitive advantage.



Sameh Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Executive Director of the Executive Affairs Office of ADDED, said that the move came after several recent announcements regarding the ease of doing business in the emirate. In early July, ADDED established the Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO) to attract talents and provide services to strengthen Abu Dhabis position as a preferred destination for living and working. Last week, ADDED announced that all licence issuance and renewal fees for Abu Dhabi Government entities have been reduced to AED1,000 ($272), and over 93 percent of economic activities can now receive a commercial licence within six minutes.



To further enhance investors experience, ADDED is working closely with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) to improve the commercial licensing services on the TAMM-Abu Dhabi Government Services website, Al Qubaisi added.
Bahrain Car Parks Company, a key player in the parking management and property leasing sector, has reported a operating income of BD444,000 ($1.17 million) for the second quarter, up 25 per cent over last year's figure of BD355,000 ($936,076).

Announcing the results for the three months ended June 30, Bahrain Car Parks Company said its net profit fell 41 per cent from BD285,000 to BD170,000 due to the poor demand for its main service amid the ongoing pandemic.

The total comprehensive income for the three-month period stood at BD71,000, 74 per cent lower compared to BD276,000 reported for the same period last year. Basic and diluted earnings per share were at 1.55 fils compared with 2.61 fils for the same period last year, it added.

On the results for the six months ended June 30, Bahrain Car Parks said it had registered a net profit of BD368,000 compared to BD423,000 last year, down 13 per cent over last year.

This was primarily due to the drop in demand for the companys main services resulting from the precautionary measures taken by the government to ensure effective social distancing in its efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Basic and diluted earnings per share were at 3.37 fils, compared to 3.87 fils for the same period in 2020, it added.

Commenting on the performance, Chairman Amin Alarrayed said: "The company proved to be resilient in face of a challenging environment. In line with our five-year strategy which is focussed on adopting the latest technologies, we will continue to expand our presence in the market as we collaborate with the private and public sectors to enhance our customers experiences."

Chief executive Tariq Aljowder said: Despite the continued adverse effects imposed by the pandemic on the global economy, we are happy to report positive results for the second quarter of the year."

"We are optimistic that our operations will recover during the next months till year end as we are planning to launch additional initiatives to diversify our portfolio of services," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah) will start work on upgradation of a complex for the Bahraini Women Development Centre (Riyadat) in co-ordination with Supreme Council for Women and Bahrain Development Bank (BDB).

The aim is to revamp the Riyadat Centre to turn it into a comprehensive one for creativity and innovation in the field of entrepreneurship and help raise the level of competitiveness of Bahraini women in economic participation, said the statement from Edamah.

An agreement was signed by BDB and Edamah in the presence of senior Edamah officials Board Chairman Amine Al Arayadh and Director General Walid Adel, BDB Group CEO Sanjeev Paul, SCW Secretary General Hala Al Ansari and Mayasem Holding Company Board Chairperson Dr Mai bint Suleiman Al Otaibi.

As per the deal, Edamah will oversee the operational and logistic services as a specialised company in the property management field.

Welcoming the move, Al Ansari expressed the councils keenness, under the presidency of Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty, to achieve the goals of the new agreement within the framework of joint responsibility.

She also stressed the role of Riyadat centre as an economic incubator, in supporting female entrepreneurs in the kingdom.

Paul stressed BDBs keenness to boost partnership with SCW to promote success of Riyadat centre and overcome challenges.

Edamah Director General Walid Adel lauded SWC for its support and care to Riyadat centre, stressing that the company will dedicate all its experience and capabilities to achieve the desired goals.

"Riyadat will be operated as a commercial centre that attracts visitors throughout the day through its services, innovative ideas and co-working spaces. It will serve as a place bringing together aspiring people and those interested in creative thinking and professional work," remarked Al Ansari.

"Its commercial outlets will boost its reputation as a development center with activities that meet the needs of the region and attract the public," she added.
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed an agreement to provide a concessionary loan valued at AED95.5 million ($26 million) to the Government of Guinea. It will finance developing a major interchange and roads project in the heart of Conakry, the nations capital city.

Conakry is the largest city in Guinea and a growing economic hub of the West African nation. Once completed, this project will significantly ease congestion in the city center while connecting key urban areas integral to economic growth and improving overall road safety.

The project will include construction of interchanges, roundabouts and tunnels designed to better connect service and feeder roads to the citys main thoroughfare, La Prince Road. In addition to funding support, ADFD will provide ongoing consulting and engineering services throughout the successful implementation and delivery of the project.

The development of Conakry represents an important piece of the Guinea economic diversification strategy. While the country is widely known for its agriculture and minerals economy, Conakry is viewed as the economic, financial and cultural hub of the nation. It is also home to the Port of Conakry, Guineas largest port that is key to growing Conakrys manufacturing and industrial sectors.

The loan agreement was signed by Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, and Mamady Camara, Minister of Economy and Finance in Guinea. The signing also drew the participation of Khalifa Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Deputy Director General of ADFD, and several senior officials from both sides.

Al Suwaidi said: ADFD has a long and successful history working with the government of Guinea. Together weve developed high-impact projects across a number of sectors that are important to the countrys sustainable social and economic development. This new interchange development project will be a catalyst for continued economic growth while also helping improve the quality of life for people across the city.

Camara said: Conakry plays an integral role in the Guinea national economic development strategy and this infrastructure project will help support continued economic growth in our capital city. While agriculture and minerals represent important economic sectors for the country, Conakry is central to our economic diversification strategy, further development of manufacturing and industrial sectors and to supporting the growth of SMEs.

ADFD and the Guinean government have a long and successful relationship dating back to 1977. The Fund has supported a range of sustainable development projects with a total value of AED345.6 million, including successful development of strategic projects in energy, food security, industrial development and agriculture sectors.

Since its inception in 1971, ADFD has funded development projects in 97 countries, including 39 African nations, through concessionary loans and grants. The Funds total expenditure in Africa amounts to AED30 billion. ADFD has also invested in seven companies and two private equity funds to boost a variety of sectors on the continent.-- TradeArabia News Service
AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation (MKF) has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AlQoud Enterprise, which includes training opportunities with the enterprise.

The agreement between both entities comes as part of the Foundations constant efforts to provide the best training opportunities for students within the Rayaat Scholarship Programme and the Ithra programme, with the aim of developing their skills and practical experience.

The training opportunities aim to enhance the students experience and provide them with the necessary expertise and practical skills required to ensure their success upon their entry into the labour market in the future. In addition, the training opportunities also aim to create awareness among students of job vacancies within local companies, enabling them to employ their maximum efforts, as well as inspiring them to be innovative and creative, whilst instilling a sense of social responsibility in them, which will lead them into becoming qualified cadres that contribute to advancing social and economic development in the kingdom.

AlQoud Enterprise, which is managed by its founder Khalid Al Qoud, is a professional management consulting company that seeks to provide a range of innovative services and solutions to business owners and institutions. The enterprise relies on the implementation of its corporate work on basic principles which include integrity, innovation, quality and commitment. The MoU between both entities aims to develop leadership skills within the youth, by ensuring that these development training programmes provide leadership and entrepreneurship skills which will boost the confidence of the participants within the programme.

We at AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation constantly aim to create a generation that possesses the best skills and practical experience required to succeed within the labor market. We also strive to ensure a better future for our graduates by equipping them with the necessary skills required to support them in their future journey within the business world, as well as contribute towards making them a generation capable of overcoming any challenges they may face. We aspire for graduates of both the Rayaat and Ithra programme to be an ideal choice for employment after successful completion of their studies, commented Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, Shaikha Zain bint Khalid Al Khalifa.

MKF is a non-profit foundation registered and licensed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development. Established in 2011 in Bahrain, its aim is to make a social impact in the education field and to empower Bahraini youth to reach their optimum potential.

-- TradeArabia News Service
Transactions completed by Dubai Customs reached 11.2 million in the first half of 2021, staggeringly growing 53.4% from 7.3 million transactions in the corresponding period in 2020.

"Dubai is leading the global recovery. The emirates non-oil external trade grew 10% to AED354.4 billion ($96.48 billion) in Q1, 2021, from AED323 billion in the corresponding period in 2020," said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs, a WAM report said.

"We work with all our energy to develop systems and programmes that speed up the completion of transactions and the flow of foreign trade movement in the emirate. This comes as part of our quest to realise the vision of Dubai Ruler His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to hit the AED2 trillion milestone in external trade.''

"The trade sector in Dubai plays a pivotal role in supporting the economy. We work hard in Dubai to ensure the continued success of this sector, helping Dubai maintain its leading global position as a global hub for business and investment. We developed several programmes and plans to facilitate trade including the recent Electronic Confirmation of Exit/Entry initiative, which was launched in cooperation with DP World, UAE Region. The project eases the process of refund claims submission at Dubai Customs, saves time and cost, while further expediting the exports of all kinds of goods.

"Dubai Customs has launched 24 initiatives, which are dedicated to serving the visitors and exhibitors of Expo 2020 Dubai. The initiatives are fully integrated with other government partners systems."

Dubai Customs completed 11.16 million transactions through smart and electronic channels (99.6%). Nearly 7.9 million customs transactions (70.8%) were completed through smart channels, 3.2 million (28.8%) through electronic channels, and only 41,800 (0.37%) transactions were done manually.

Customs declarations rose 66.6% in the first six months of this year to reach 10 million declarations compared to six million declarations in the corresponding period in the previous year. This means more than 55,500 declarations a day on average. This big figure would not have been achieved without the outstanding technological structure in place including the advanced Smart Workspace, which helped complete a declaration in four minutes on average.

The transactions also included 475,900 claim requests, 298,000 certificate and report requests, 139,800 customs inspection date booking requests, and 110,600 business registration requests.

-- TradeArabia News Service
Post pandemic, collaborating with the private sector should be embedded in UAE policy-making, a new report by the think tank Serco Institute, launched in July 2021, said.

The report examined how the UAE Government has and can continue to use strategic partnerships with private sector organisations to create the capacity and flexibility required to support the delivery of public services.

Commenting on the launch of the report Serco Institute Deputy Director Ben OKeeffe said: The pandemic has seen government services face some of their toughest challenges. However, through collaboration with the private sector, they have been more resilient than anyone would have imagined before the emergence of Covid-19.

The flexibility and capacity created by the private sector, as well as the expertise and insight it offered, allowed governments to rapidly make and then implement effective policy decisions in response to the changing conditions.

An example of this is from April 2020 when Dubai World Trade Centre was converted to a state-of-art, fully functional field hospital capable of supporting more than 3,000 Covid-19 patients. In support, Serco Middle East provided more than 80 healthcare staff who supplied a full range of non-clinical operations that eventually reduced cost (as compared to public sector equivalents) and increased efficiency.

Examining the impact the private sector can have when collaborating in the delivery of government services, the report identifies four key benefits:

*Cost efficiency - the commercial nature of outsourcers means there is a requirement for efficiency;

*Flexibility - companies providing services to government often have the ability to more easily scale-up and down operations, for example, through the movement of staff between contracts;

*Innovation & expertise - drawing on international expertise and cutting-edge practices, outsourcers are well-placed to capitalise on innovation in their delivery of public services; and

*Quality & accountability  clear quality expectations, performance measures and competition all increase quality in the delivery of services and ensure organisations are answerable to government.

The report, which is titled Working together: Lessons from government-private sector collaboration during the pandemic, also makes three policy recommendations.

Firstly, it calls for governments to build on their use of external expertise  from the private sector, as well as academia  which has been vital to responding to the pandemic, from the development of vaccines to the implementation of public health measures.

It says that applying the same approach in other areas of public services could see international best-practice brought to the design and delivery of UAE government services, benefiting citizens and residents.

Secondly, the report calls for a better understanding of the benefits external suppliers bring to government in terms of flexibility. Often used as a temporary or emergency measure, the longer-term efficiencies that can be gained by effectively leveraging external suppliers could extend beyond the pandemic, the report says. For example, services which do not have a consistent rate of demand can benefit from having a supplier who can scale up and down delivery as and when it is required.

Finally, the report calls for the relationships between government and industry developed during the pandemic to be formalised through supplier frameworks, forums and other channels. These could allow government-business partnerships to be more resilient and effective going forward.

Serco Middle East CEO Phil Malem added: There is an opportunity to take those new and impactful working practices forward post-pandemic. From reducing costs, to increasing innovation, the relationship between the government and private sector has proved to have many benefits during the crisis.

As we emerge into the new normal, both government and the private sector must now work together to embed the positive practices and important lessons of the last 18 months into their everyday operations outside of the health emergency.-- TradeArabia News Service
Kia has picked up two category wins at the annual What Car? Electric Car Awards, with an award each for the Kia EV6 and the e-Niro.

The EV6 has won the Readers choice award, a category in which the EV6 was voted the most exciting and highly anticipated upcoming EV by readers of What Car? magazine. The e-Niro earned the title of Best electric small SUV for the second year running.

The What Car? Electric Car Awards were launched in 2020 to celebrate fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids capable of at least 20 miles of zero-emissions motoring between charges. The awards demonstrate the changing landscape of the UK car market and recognise the best EVs on sale today.

The Kia EV6 was unveiled in March this year, boasting a range of up to 528 kilometres (WLTP combined; around 328 miles). It is also the first car to exhibit Kias new design philosophy, Opposites United. The upcoming EV6 has been designed with driver and passenger comfort and convenience at its core, with innovative relaxation seats and the ability to recharge its batteries from 10-to-80 per cent in just 18 minutes. An exhilarating GT model is also due to be added to the line-up in 2022, capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 260 km/h.

The EV6 caught the eye of the public, with the What Car? judges saying: This strikingly styled new model has captured the imagination of What Car? readers. It beat seven other contenders to win our online poll looking for the upcoming electric car that people are most excited about. The judges also praised the flagship EV for its abundance of standard equipment, incredible charging capability, and customisable, personal interior.

Kias established front-running EV, the e-Niro, has been no stranger to award wins since its launch in 2016. As well as picking up the same award for the second year running, the e-Niro remains the only fully electric car to ever win the coveted What Car? Car of the Year award in 2019.

The e-Niro is currently available in selected markets, with the EV6 coming to the MEA region in Q3 2022.-- TradeArabia News Service
Norwegian shipping company Rem Offshore has awarded a 100 million ($118 million) contract to Vard, a major global designer and builder of specialised vessels, to build two Construction Service Operations Vessels (CSOVs) with an option for two additional vessels.

The CSOVs are tailor-made for world-wide services and maintenance operations at offshore wind farms.

The Vard 4 19 design, developed by Vard Design in Alesund, Norway, is a highly versatile platform for all offshore windfarm support operations, focusing on onboard logistics, security, comfort, and superior operability.

The first vessel will be delivered from Vard in Norway in first half of 2023. The hull will be built at Vard Braila in Romania. The second vessel will be built and delivered by Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, scheduled for delivery in 2024.

Vards specialised high technology subsidiaries will be involved with major deliveries onboard, and in the shipbuilding process of the vessels.

Rem Offshores Chairman Aage Remy said: "We have during the last few years increasingly focused attention on building a sustainable platform for growth in offshore wind."

"Our shareholders are driving this development together with our Rem colleagues onshore and offshore. We are proud to continue our newbuild programme in Norway and support the local maritime industry," he added.

With a length of 85 m and a beam of 19.5 m, the vessels will have a height-adjustable motion-compensated gangway with elevator system, a height-adjustable boat landing system, and a 3D-compensated crane. The CSOVs will have an accommodation for 120 persons on board.

Vard CEO Alberto Maestrini said: "We are proud to be chosen as the preferred partner for Rem Offshore in this exciting project, and we are looking forward to working together with their team."

'These contracts confirm Vards leadership in the CSOV market, both in terms of innovative ship design, breakthrough technologies and shipbuilding quality," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Bahrains Sustainable Energy Authority and US-based Beacon Power Company, a global leader in the technology and solution of energy efficiency improvement, have signed a joint cooperation agreement, local media reported.



SEA President Dr Abdulhussain bin Ali Mirza, and the CEO of Beacon Power, Robert G Abboud, signed the agreement, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA).



The agreement is within the framework of SEAs efforts to attract investments in the energy efficiency projects in order to enhance the kingdoms role the energy economy, in general, and the energy efficiency fields, technology and applications, in particular.



On the occasion, Dr Mirza extended thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their unlimited support for the Sustainable Energy Authority for the aim of boosting the sustainable energy sector in the kingdom, as well as achieve the comprehensive development goals.



He also hailed the strong Bahraini-US economic relations, citing the agreements signed between the two friendly countries in various sectors.



He stressed the importance of building regional and international partnerships in order to enrich such a promising and pivotal sector (sustainable energy), as well as ensure the sustainability of the comprehensive development process, and avail of the US markets rich expertise and competitive potentials across various fields.
Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) today reported a 288% increase in net income for the second quarter of 2021 from the same quarter of last year to $25.5 billion, declaring a dividend of $18.8 billion.

The companys net income for the first half of the year was $47.2 billion, representing a 103% increase over the same period in 2020.

The results were primarily driven by higher oil prices and a recovery in worldwide demand, supported by the global easing of Covid-19 restrictions, vaccination campaigns, stimulus measures and accelerating activity in key markets, it said.

Aramco President & CEO Amin H Nasser, said: Our second quarter results reflect a strong rebound in worldwide energy demand and we are heading into the second half of 2021 more resilient and more flexible, as the global recovery gains momentum. While there is still some uncertainty around the challenges posed by COVID-19 variants, we have shown that we can adapt swiftly and effectively to changing market conditions.

Our historic $12.4 billion pipeline deal was an endorsement of our long-term business strategy by international investors, representing significant progress in our portfolio optimization program. Our landmark $6 billion Sukuk reinforced our robust balance sheet, further diversifying our funding sources and expanding our investor base. And, once again, we delivered a dividend of $18.8 billion for our shareholders.

We continue to move forward on a number of strategic programs, which focus on sustainability and low-carbon fuels, maximizing the value of our assets, and advancing our downstream integration and expansion journey. For all these reasons and more, I remain extremely positive about the second half of 2021 and beyond.

Financial Highlights

Aramcos net income was $25.5 billion in the second quarter of 2021, compared to $6.6 billion in the same quarter of 2020. Net income for the first half of 2021 was $47.2 billion, compared to $23.2 billion in the first half of 2020. The increase in both periods was primarily driven by higher crude oil prices, improved downstream margins and the consolidation of SABICs results, partially offset by lower crude oil volumes sold and higher crude oil production royalties.

Free cash flow* was $22.6 billion in the second quarter and $40.9 billion for the first half of 2021, compared to $6.1 billion and $21.1 billion, respectively, for the same periods in 2020.

The gearing ratio* was 19.4% on June 30, compared with 23% on December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily due to higher cash and cash equivalents on June 30 2021, mainly driven by stronger operating cash flows and cash proceeds in connection with Aramcos stabilized crude oil pipelines transaction.

Capital expenditure was $7.5 billion in the second quarter and $15.7 billion for the first half of 2021, representing an increase of 20% and 15%, respectively, compared with the same periods in 2020. This increase was primarily due to the start of initial phases of construction and procurement activities relating to increment projects, demonstrating the companys ability to mobilize capital to target growth opportunities, and the consolidation of SABICs capital expenditure. At the same time, the Company maintains a highly disciplined and flexible approach to capital allocation, and continues to expect its 2021 capital expenditure to be approximately $35 billion.

Aramco closed a $12.4 billion pipeline infrastructure deal with an international consortium that acquired a 49% stake in the newly formed Aramco Oil Pipelines Company, in which Aramco remains the majority shareholder. Under a 25-year lease and leaseback agreement, Aramco Oil Pipelines Company will receive a tariff payable by Aramco for stabilized crude oil flows, backed by minimum volume commitments. This investment demonstrates investor confidence in the Companys long-term outlook.

The company raised $6 billion through the sale of US dollar-denominated Sharia-compliant securities to leading institutional investors. The issuance comprised three tranches of direct and unsecured Sukuk trust certificates issued under Aramcos newly established International Sukuk Program. Funds raised were allocated for general corporate purposes.

Operational Highlights

Aramco continued its strong track record of reliable supply, achieving 100% reliability in the delivery of crude oil and other products in the second quarter of 2021.

The company also demonstrated its reliable Upstream performance, with average total hydrocarbon production of 11.7 million barrels per day of oil equivalent in the second quarter of 2021.

The Company successfully completed and tied-in the Ain Dar and Fazran crude oil increments during the second quarter. These increments target secondary reservoirs with a combined production capacity of 175 mbpd, Aramco said.

Representing a significant step in Sabic becoming Aramcos chemicals arm, Aramco is transferring the marketing and sales responsibility for a number of Aramco petrochemicals and polymers products to Sabic, and the offtake and resale responsibility of a number of Sabic products is being transferred to Aramco Trading Company (ATC). These changes are intended to focus Sabic on polymers and derivative products while ATC focuses on fuels, aromatics and MTBE, driving further operational efficiencies, strengthening the brands of both companies and improving overall competitiveness. Considerable synergies are being captured, mainly in procurement, supply chain, feedstock optimization, stream integration, operations and maintenance.

The company continued to contribute to Covid-19 vaccination efforts during the second quarter to protect its workforce and the wider community from the risk of infection. The companys ongoing vaccination campaign for employees and their families complements a government vaccine program, resulting in 95% of employees and 70% of their dependants receiving at least one dose by the end of June, it said.

Aramco participated in the creation of Altamayyuz Finance and Accounting Excellence Academy, a collaboration between leading accountancy firms and investment banks to establish a centre of excellence for finance and accounting in Saudi Arabia. The academy aims to build the capabilities of top finance and accounting graduates, supporting growth of the regions financial services sector and forming a highly-skilled talent pool for the Company and other private and public employers, it added. -TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the construction work related to the Cargo Express Village at the Bahrain International Airport (BIA).

The scope of work includes the construction, testing and commissioning of the Phase 1-A of Cargo Express Village, according to Bahrain Tenders Board.

The key facilities being planned include a warehouses zone spread over a 12,500-sq-m area; two power substations; a landside access road from Al Rayya highway; a car parking zone and security guard house at the entrance of the Cargo Express Village in addition to water tanks and pumping station and an emergency gate.

Zone A will boast a 5,000-sq-m warehouse facility exclusively for logistics group FedEx in addition to other storage facilities spread over 7,500 sq m area.

On the airside of the Cargo Express Village, BAC said the scope of work includes airside security wall with associated works; emergency gate and airside roads and yard, it stated.

According to the Tender Board, bids will be open to only Grade A and Grade AA-rated building contractors registered with the kingdom's Ministry of Works. The deadline for submitting the bids has been set at September 12, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Iraqi Airways yesterday (August 7) began operations to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi from its hub in Baghdad using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The flight landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 5pm local time.

The Iraqi national airline, founded in 1945 and one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, will start by operating one flight per week and will increase the number flights to two per week - on Saturdays and Tuesdays, upon travel demand.

Abu Dhabi Airports Chief Commercial Officer Francois Bourienne said: The introduction of the new flights connecting Abu Dhabi and Baghdad will support the Iraqi community in the UAE, facilitating a smoother travel experience for them.

"We consistently expand our network, meeting the travel requirements of all who live in the UAE as well as international tourists looking to visit our leading destinations, Bourienne added.

Iraqi Airways CEO Captain Kifah Jabar said: We believe that connecting the two capitals will strengthen the relations between our countries, delivering greater co-operation to enable successful operations in this sector.

Outbound flights will depart from Abu Dhabi on Saturdays and Tuesdays at 6pm and land in Baghdad at 7.15 pm, while on return, the flights will take off from Baghdad on Saturdays and Tuesdays at 1.45pm and land in Abu Dhabi at 5pm.-TradeArabia News Service
Regional buyers and influencers from the world of conferences, meetings, incentives, events, business and luxury travel will convege in Dubai next month for two days of making connections, learning, innovation & networking, at The Meetings Arabia and Luxury Travel (MALT) Congress.

The MALT 2021, which kicks off on September 6, puts forth a platform for executives and specialists, attracting suppliers and buyers alike.

The organisers have confirmed Dubai Business Events as the official host for the 2021 Annual event set to take place at the Intercontinental Festival City Dubai.

Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing CEO Issam Kazim said: Restarting business events was one of the citys key priorities in the wake of the global pandemic, and this was successfully achieved thanks to Dubais leadership as well as the efforts of stakeholders across the public and private sectors.

Hosting the MALT Congress allows us to give meetings and luxury travel industry professionals from across the region a platform to share knowledge and innovation and discuss the recovery and future of their sectors, while at the same time enabling us to showcase Dubais tourism and events infrastructure and latest offerings.

As more destinations across the region join Dubai in restarting face-to-face events, MALT Congress will be a vital forum in which stakeholders will be able to explore how they can provide their clients with memorable experiences while at the same time prioritising safety.

Ackash Jain, Director, QnA International, organisers of the MALT Congress, added: We have come so far as an industry in the last 18 months. There is so much to discuss for the future and so much to learn from, but, most importantly we need to meet face to face to connect, collaborate and rebound business tourism.

This years host city Dubai provides the ideal backdrop for an event of this nature as the industry is looking for face-to-face interactions with carefully sifted buyers and rebound tourism plus focused B2B meetings in a safe and secured environment.

Now in its 9th annual, the MALT Congress is counted on by leading hospitality & travel suppliers and regional business and luxury travel buyers as 'the quintessential platform' to do business and create long lasting partnerships, added Jain.-TradeArabia News Service
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They send a duel message of welcome and warning, of connection and isolation, and have come to symbolize solitude, service, history and hope, she said. Lighthouses represent the rich story of our nation, each as unique in design and origin as the people and the shores they protect.
Johnson also told detectives that two months ago Larry had told her he was tired and had lay down to sleep and never woke up, according to the charging documents. Johnson told detectives he had a wound on his left leg but she couldnt elaborate about what caused the injury. She said she then placed his body in a tote, which Johnson kept in the car next to the decomposing body of his sister, the documents said.
Police said the man was possibly walking in the 2400 block of Tolley St. in the Morrell Park neighborhood late Saturday night when he heard several gunshots. The man told police he fled the location and returned home, where he realized he had been shot. He then transported himself to the hospital for treatment, according to police.
This case has so many multiple layers of tragedies, starting with my clients childhood, and the abuse and neglect she has suffered, culminating in the tragic deaths of her niece and nephew, Finegar said previously. Were just beginning to uncover how her mental and emotional state played a role in the events themselves, but my client is absolutely devastated by the deaths of her niece and nephew, and we have a lot of work and a lot of layers to peel back to try to find out how all of this happened.
Unless they participated in events in the US Capitol Dome commemorating the Holocaust, or lectured, or volunteered at the Holocaust Museum I doubt the woman who died days before the gentleman knew each other. After all they had families, work lives, and other distractions that keep neighbors from knowing neighbors. Plus, they belonged to different congregations of worship. They both were very approachable people in their senior years. For their children the experience is the same. That one person was the one family members revolved around. Now he and she are gone.
Iran has announced the closing of one of its most important border crossing with Afghanistan amid an intensification of the violence in the war-torn country.

This comes as Afghan citizens are entering neighbouring countries to escape the violence by the Taliban, Middle East Monitor reported.

Mohammad Hadi Marashi, the provincial deputy governor for security affairs in Sistan and Baluchestan, told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that the border between Iran and Afghanistan in the Milak District of the province has been closed due to ongoing battles in the city of Zaranj, near the Iranian border.

Marashi added: "The city of Nomruz in Afghanistan fell last night and the Taliban movement controlled most of the city's areas, before they retreated after military reinforcements arrived at the city."

The Iranian official indicated: "The situation on the border is calm at the moment." He noted: "In order to protect national interests, the region's army, border forces and police are fully stationed in the border area and on Ibrahim Bridge to monitor any possible Afghan movements."

Iran, which shares 921 kilometres long border with Afghanistan, fears that the escalation of violence in the war-torn country will have a fallout effect in the neighbouring countries.

The country has three border ports with Afghanistan-the Dogaron port, which the Taliban took control over on 8 July, and the Islam Qala port.

The Islam Qala port is an important transit route between the two countries, linking the Herat district to the Razavi Khorasan province, north-eastern Iran.

The border between Afghanistan and Iran stretches over 921 kilometres.

As the military conflict intensified in western Afghanistan, Afghan families fled to the Iranian border areas on Friday night.

At the UNSC meeting on Afghanistan on Friday, member states expressed concern about the deteriorating situation and called for a political settlement.

In the past few weeks, Afghanistan has witnessed a surge in violence as the Taliban has intensified their offensive against civilians and Afghan security forces.

The Taliban forces have also taken control over several districts of Kandahar and have detained hundreds of residents whom they accuse of association with the government. The Taliban have reportedly killed some detainees, including relatives of provincial government officials and members of the police and army.

In another recent development, civilian casualties in Afghanistan in the first half of 2021 reached record levels with over 1,659 people killed and 3,254 others wounded.

The rise is mainly due to a spike in violence in May that corresponded with the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Ghulam M Isaczai said that the Taliban is receiving assistance from foreign fighters of transnational terrorist networks while committing "barbaric" acts in the war-torn country."In a deliberate act of barbarism, Taliban isn't alone."

"They're assisted by foreign fighters from transnational terrorist networks. Together they are threatening peace, security and stability in Afghanistan and also in our region and beyond," Isaczai said.

(ANI)

Also Read: Pakistan Police arrest 3 under controversial blasphemy law
She was there for my mom. She was reliable. ... Shes my sister, shes my little sister. And as much as I was there for her when we were growing up, she was there for me. And I was proud of her, Im still proud of her. Like this is  God took the wrong kid, he said. Ive done some really (expletive) things, because being in the Army you dont do beautiful things at all ... but my sister was a wonderful person, in all ways.
Five other people were injured during the shooting. A 23-year-old man suffered a graze wound to the face and was taken to the U. of C. Medical Center in good condition; a 37-year-old woman was shot in the back and taken to the U. of C. Medical Center, where her condition was stabilized; a 38-year-old man was shot in the stomach and taken to the U. of C. Medical Center in critical condition; a 56-year-old man was shot in the elbow and taken to OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized; and a 33-year-old man was shot in the upper body and taken to OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center, where his condition was also stabilized.
 Flash

Political interests should not interfere with efforts to uncover the origins of COVID-19, valuable work which could help prevent future epidemics, an epidemiologist has said.

In a video call with Xinhua, public health specialist Elena Reyes Rueda criticized "petty" interests that politicize the issue to discredit China.

"China has made great contributions to research in epidemiology, viruses and genetics, and I think it has done well to the best of its ability," said Reyes.

Unfortunately, there have been acts of "politicization, discrimination-seeking, and of making China appear as if it is not collaborating," she noted, warning of political biases and disinformation, which obstructs the fight against the pandemic.

The enemy is the virus, which is not about "race, color, sex, or nationality," and the outbreaks will only worsen if countries "do not contribute to the research and development of new public health policies," said Reyes.

The specialist from the National Autonomous University of Mexico shared the broad consensus of the international scientific and medical community in agreeing with the conclusion of a World Health Organization-China joint study, which found it "extremely unlikely" that the virus escaped from a Chinese laboratory, as the U.S. government has claimed.

Furthermore, China was one of the first countries to cooperate with the WHO in investigating the origins of the virus, she said.

"China's show of support for other countries is noteworthy ... it is important to mention that China is one of the countries that has invested the most in technological and biotechnological research," she said.

Origin-tracing is a complex scientific undertaking, so there should be more collaboration between governments to successfully identify the virus' hosts and the routes of transmission, she added.

"Tracing will allow us to learn more about viruses and how they resist environmental changes," the expert said.

While COVID-19 took all governments by surprise and exposed the weaknesses of healthcare systems in most countries, it was "a window of opportunity" for research and development of new methodologies that can better prevent future outbreaks and protect human health, she said.

Reyes, who has been studying COVID-19 for more than a year, participated in Mexico's investigation into the origin of the H1N1 flu virus, which emerged in 2009.
Hillsong Senior Pastor Brian Houston has expressed his "shock" at police charges for allegedly "concealing child sex offences" committed by his late father Frank Houston.

New South Wales police pressed charges against the 67-year-old on Thursday.

"Police will allege in court [that Houston] knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police," the police said.

Houston claims that he only came to know about his father's abuse 30 years after it happened.

In a statement toThe Christian Post, he said, "These charges have come as a shock to me given how transparent I've always been about this matter.

"I vehemently profess my innocence and will defend these charges, and I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight."

In a separate statement released on Friday, Hillsong Church said, "We are disappointed that Pastor Brian has been charged, and ask that he be afforded the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right."

The charges against Houston follow a two-year police investigation and a 2014 royal commission probe.

Friday's statement said it was the victim's wishes that the police not be informed.

"Upon being told of his father's actions, Brian Houston confronted his father, reported the matter to the National Executive Assemblies of God in Australia, relayed the matter to the governing board of Sydney Christian Life Centre, and subsequently made a public announcement to the church. Brian sought to honor the victim's multiple requests not to inform the police," it said.

"The statements made by the victim to the Royal Commission in 2014 corroborate this timeline and the fact that the victim did not want the matter reported to the police. The law at the time granted an exception to reporting a crime of this nature when a person had a reasonable excuse not to report. This state law has since further clarified that this type of situationwhen an adult victim of child abuse explicitly does not want the matter reportedqualified as a reasonable excuse under the law."
Since I have gotten older, more mature I have become very selective in the groups I become involved but more importantly with choosing leadership roles. I sometimes find myself reminiscing on my earlier years of leadership, trying to decipher if my zealous, full of energy and passionate younger self led anyone astray. How do individuals rush to positions of leadership when the responsibility of such a role brings with it so many consequences, especially, if the individual is not keen on being a good or godly leader?

The Importance of Leadership

All around the world, we are seeing democracies crumble, with riots and protests against leaders who they believe have handled the affairs of their countries without care creating struggling economies. We are seeing more leaders who have mishandled public funds, supported corruption or have disregarded the pleas and needs of their people.

We know what good leadership is, because men like Nelson Mandela and Jesus have taught us that it is more about service than it is individual promotion. And we know what bad leadership is because we see what happens to people when their leaders disregard their duty and seek after their own gratification rather than the common good of those they lead.

So we can agree that leadership is important and even more so, leadership is necessary.

Kings both chosen by GOD

Two leaders that come to mind are King Saul and King David. Their leadership is documented in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel.

God lead the children of Israel for years until they got jealous and demanded a King of their own. 1 Samuel chapter 1 verses 6- 8, But when they said, Give us a king to lead us, this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. It was then God chose Saul to be their King.

Saul then disobeyed God and God chose David, the son of Jesse, to be King over Israel.

None of these men were perfect, their leadership as Kings were both rigged with disobedience and bloodshed. They both enjoyed the wealth of the land and had the loyalty of the Israelites for the duration of their leadership. They both had to be reprimanded by prophets for decisions made that displeased the Lord, yet, they were both called  chosen by God to lead as KING of Israel.

So why reject one leader for another?

What differentiates your Leadership?

Reviewing the lives of these two Kings clearly what distinguished Davids leadership from Saul was his heart  his heart for God and his heart for people.

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will, Acts chapter 13 verse 22. Examination of Davids leadershipmade clearer my understanding of why God would have made such a statement and chosen David.

Although King Saul and King David had similar enemies and they were held responsible for following Gods instructions as they led the Israelites, Davids integrity, desire and fear for God makes him stand out as a man above men.

Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed 1 Samuel chapter 24 verse 10

Even amidst Sauls continuous pursuit to kill him, David, even when he had the advantage as we read would not lay a finger on Saul because he was anointed by God.

After Sauls death David sought to honour him by taking care of his family.

Davids care for people, his loyalty as a human, but more importantly his heart for GOD characterizes his leadership. He desired the presence of God and wanted desperately to house the Ark of the Covenant in a proper place and not just in a tent. Before battles he sought the Lord to know if he were to go up against his enemies. He was just and took responsibility for his actions- even the ones where he sinned against God and ruined the lives of those he lead.

Many of our leaders, and I dare say it, even in our churches, seek power not for the benefit of those they lead but for the benefit of staying in power which comes with its own perks at the demise of those they have authority over.

But God seeks leaders with Davids heart.

Leadership - 2021 & Beyond

Now more than ever  we need Godly men and woman, with a mandate from heaven, to speak up for what is just, what is moral and what is beneficial for the generations now and the generations to come.

If you desire leadership  you must be subject and surrendered to GOD.

This type of leadership is not characterized by platforms or an expansive audience. This type of leadership is specific to individuals and the God given mandate we each have been given.

We are to personify the principles and truths of the word of God as we seek daily to be like Christ.

Leadership of this nature is what should characterize our homes, our churches, our schools, our workplaces and our countries. Mothers and fathers, wives and husbands must lead within their homes. Pastors and elders must feed and spiritually guide and care for the needs of their congregation. Politicians and heads of states must plan, implement and provide for their nations and their nations future children - All under God.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Proverbs chapter 29 verse 2.

The mantle is heavy because it requires each individual to commit to Godly impact within their sphere of influence. But if we are surrendered to God, all things are possible.
One of the men arrested Thursday was charged with operating a drug factory and illegal possession of a pistol, a high capacity magazine and body armor. He was served a warrant at 22 Elliott, an L-shaped apartment building thats located less than 500 feet from Bulkeley High School and has been the site of drug raids and violent crimes in the past, including an FBI investigation that turned up 7,500 bags of heroin and fentanyl in 2017.
Its kind of annoying to still have to contend with the virus because it seems like there is no end in sight, Olson said. But it was great to see family, and its my feeling that it might get worse before it gets better, so this was a good opportunity.
For the past six years, municipalities have fully tapped the neglected cemeteries fund. Revenue comes from death certificate fees and is dependent each year on the number of certificates requested, OPM spokesman Chris McClure said. The money can be used to mow grass, clear weeds, briars and bushes, repair fences and walls and straighten gravestones. In 2015, the fund distributed awards of $2,000 each to communities that included Bloomfield, Bristol, Wethersfield and Rocky Hill. Although 40 applications were received, the grant had enough funds for only 15 awards, according to OPM.
Like rebating and catfishing, ghosting is yet another term and phenomenon that has emerged alongside the rise of online dating. In 2017, the term ghosting as it applies to dating today, entered the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In this case, the trend is one where people essentially disappear from a developing flirtation or relationship. To ghost is to stop responding to messages and to go radio silent without warning. (Tribune Content Agency photo) (Joy_Studio // Shutterstock)
We are acting, he said Friday during an unrelated news conference in New Haven. One of the changes that Ive ordered, going into effect next week, is to make sure that judges know the difference between that first-time offender whos just doing something stupid and can make the appropriate response to that and that chronic, repeat offender, which ... [can] create an awful lot of the ongoing problems we have especially when it comes to car thefts.
But in the first page, ordinary Nate is kidnapped, brought to the mansion of Vanslow DeGange, who maintains he can foresee some of the future. While it may seem that Unthinkable is entering the outlandish realm of the unbelievable with a soupcon of science fiction, Parks quickly reins in his story, using the laws of physics to enhance his plot but not overpower it.
Cooking had always been a part of his life since the day his father, an Italian immigrant and chef, asked him to help with a bowl of pasta. Now a creative top chef, Caruana honed his skills in the restaurant business from the ground up taking culinary classes and traveling throughout Europe.
Shortly after the countrys independence in 1946, the Americans reached an agreement that allowed them to recruit Philippine citizens directly into the U.S. Navy, mainly as hospitality stewards, for which there was an urgent need during the Korean War, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. Soon the agreement was amended to specify that 2,000 Filipino men would enter the Navy each year, and the program continued through the 1990s.
He was born in 1939, the year after his family immigrated to Palestine. His father, Moshe, was also a violinist and luthier and taught the craft to his son. In the 80s, after Weinstein repaired that violin for the Holocaust survivor, he started tracking down violins played by Jews in ghettos or in concentration camp orchestras,or who buried them to hide and save them.
When a CIC team is pretty sure, but not absolutely sure, if one of the dots or lines on its screens is a threat, that poses a different kind of challenge farther up the line -- especially when, as is the case in what is still the early days of the Large Scale Exercise, international tensions are high and nobody knows for sure when, if or where an adversary able to operate anywhere in the world might strike.
Who does not know of the Koh-i-Noor Diamond? Believed to be one of the worlds largest cut diamonds, it was one of the many treasures that were looted from India. The list of stolen Indian artefacts is long, and most of it is unknown.

Art Attack

India has a rich heritage with diverse cultures and a variety of art and sculptures. The artworks which have been returned to the country constitute only a drop in the ocean of what has been smuggled out of India. I understand most of these objects are as old as 2,000 to 2,500 years. If we look at our colonial past and the post-Independence era, over a period of 200 years innumerable priceless pieces of art which form a valuable part of our culture and heritage have been stolen or misappropriated, says Hiral Mehta, Founder, House of Hiral.



The news that the National Gallery of Australia in its single largest repatriation of art, has decided to return another 14 artefacts to the Indian Government has spread happiness in times of despair. Many of the articles were likely stolen or removed illegally from India. As an art curator, I feel jubilant, as the priceless artworks will enrich our cultural scene with their eternal beauty and historical significance. The plundered artworks worth three million dollars, which include paintings, sculptures, six photographs and a painted scroll will add to the wealth of our nation, says Priyanka Banerjee, Artist, Art Curator & Art Critic.

Heart for Art

From 1970 to 1977, almost 3,000 antiques thefts were reported in India. UNESCO transported nearly 50,000 items out of India during the same decade. Between 2014 and 2020, India was able to recover 40 artefacts, with another 75-80 on the way. This is a long battle, but we are committed to reclaiming what is rightfully ours. Thirteen antique pieces were returned to India between 1976 and 2014, while 40 art objects were returned between 2014 and 2020. Continuous efforts are being made to reintroduce our traditional cultural art. This art will push the other art forms that have been forgotten, says Raghuram Kuchibhatla, Founder and CEO, Yes!poho.



Dr Meenu Kumar, Director, Cosmo Arts (India) stresses that art reflects the values and cultural heritage of any country; it translates experience across time and space. Art is not only the mirror of society but its also a vehicle for social change. So, art and artefacts are rooted in history and at the same time act as a catalyst for social change.

Repatriation Woes

Most countries cite numerous reasons to block the repatriation of artefacts. But the underlying reason is the fear of emptying their museums. However, in the past, many artefacts have been received back by India from Australia, UK and the USA. Rakesh Gupta, Founder, Routes 2 Roots avers, it is a very welcome development for India, as historically important artefacts have found their way into many countries, and it is vital for India to retrieve its stolen glory. The return of artefacts from the Australian National Gallery paves the way for other countries to follow suit. We are sure that with diplomatic efforts, India can retrieve all its stolen glory.



Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil, Vice President and Curator, Prinseps Auction House, Mumbai, adds, there are different scenarios where repatriation of a cultural artefact may be pleaded for. The repatriation case for artefacts that are creations of a culture that can quite easily be traced to an existing, descendent culture are classified as Category One. An example of this would be the Elgin marbles, where the current inhabitants of Greece can roughly trace back their culture to the culture of the creators of those marbles. Then there are artefacts which are possessions that have not really been created by any culture as such.

Way Forward

Artists believe that Indias cultural heritage must be preserved to protect the countrys artistic past and ensure a greater appreciation of the art world. I suggest that educating ourselves and our society would be helpful in ensuring alignment on the issue of unlawful antique dealing. All cultural stakeholders like our government, law agency, art institutions, galleries and museums need to come together to educate people and create awareness through seminars and discussions. Hoping that India will soon implement a strict disciplinary system and laws addressing the Arts and Antiquities to control the loss, as India still has a large treasure of antiquities spread out all over the country, says Dr. Gunjan Shrivastava, a professional artist, educator, art critic and Co-founder of You Lead India Foundation.



Amrita Deora, Founder & CEO, The Designera, adds, every historical art creation carries immense cultural significance to the country it originates from. Historically, India has been a victim of colonisation. Over the years, our historical treasures and art were looted by Mughals and the British. The uphill battle continues for the repatriation of stolen art to India. Although we have taken notable steps in the right direction, the quest to repatriate our invaluable pieces continues.

Indian Treasures Abroad

 Jagdamba - Shivaji Maharajs Sword

 Tipu's Tiger

 Ring of Tipu Sultan

 Ambika Statue

 Royal Jade wine cup of Shah Jahan

 Maharaja Ranjit Singh's throne

 The Sultan Ganj Buddha

 Amravati Marvels

 Koh-i-Noor Diamond
The CBI release said it had registered a case on November 11 last against 16 accused and taken over the investigation into 12 FIRs from the state CID. (Representational Image: PTI)

VIJAYAWADA: CBI has arrested two more persons as part of the investigations into a case in which a group of people had made derogatory posts on social media against judges in Andhra Pradesh and the judiciary. With this, the number of arrests in the case went up to five. The CBI had registered a case against 16 persons in this connection.

In a press release here on Sunday, CBI said it arrested Pattapu Aadarsh and Lavanuru Samba Siva Reddy on August 7. On July 28, it arrested Dhami Reddy Konda Reddy. It put them in judicial custody. Another accused, Pamula Sudheer, is currently in police custody. CBI had previously arrested Lingareddy Rajasekhar Reddy, who was then sent to judicial custody on July 9. He had in the past worked in Kuwait.

The CBI release said it had registered a case on November 11 last against 16 accused and taken over the investigation into 12 FIRs from the state CID in pursuance of the orders of the high court of Andhra Pradesh in response to a writ petition of 2020.

The original FIRs were registered on complaints from the Registrar General of the high court of Andhra Pradesh. The case was registered under sections of the IT Act, 2000.

It was alleged that the accused, by intentionally targeting the judiciary, made derogatory posts on social media platforms against judges and the judiciary, following some verdicts from the AP high court.

After registration of the case, CBI traced 13 of the 16 men named in the FIR. Three of them were found to be living abroad. CBI so far examined 11 out of the 13 accused and arrested five of them.

Evidence against the remaining six accused is being evaluated for necessary legal action. CBI is pursuing the matter to secure the return of the two other accused living abroad, for their examination.

Searches were conducted by CBI at the premises of the accused which led to the recovery of several incriminating documents. It was found that one accused was using a passport with a different name.

CBI has also examined certain persons including an MP and ex-MLA to examine the suspected role of some others who were not mentioned in the FIR.

Alongside, action was initiated by CBI to get objectionable posts removed from the social media platforms and public domains and a lot of such posts/accounts were removed from the internet.

CBI stated that the investigation is continuing including through the channels of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and Interpol to collect evidence from abroad in relation to this case.
Though corporation authorities were alerted about the incident at 11 pm on August 3, they did not turn up till morning of August 4.  Representational image/ANI

HYDERABAD: Even as the search for Navalli Anantaiah continued for the fifth day on Saturday, the insensitivity of civic authorities over maintaining the drainage network has come as a shocker to the general public and human right activists alike.

Water from a 600 mm diameter stormwater drain (SWD) at LB Nagar acted as flood canal and washed away Anantaiah after he fell into the 10-ft deep manhole on August 3. Officials said the water velocity was so high that it could wash away anything coming its way. The other victim, Butla Shiva's body was recovered since his shirt got stuck to the ladder inside the manhole.

According to highly placed sources, due to the absence of sewerage network in the LB Nagar zone, the trunk main sewer line from about 500 colonies adjacent to BN Reddy Nagar were connected to the storm water drain.

According to sources, the GHMC finalising desilting tenders itself was in violation of rules. The authorities did not inform the contractor about the presence of sewer flow into the SWD which contains harmful methane gas. As soon as Shiva entered the drain through the manhole, he fell unconscious inhaling the hazardous methane gas.

When Anantaiah tried to rescue Shiva, he too fell unconscious after inhaling methane and fell into the manhole. Since the stormwater drain was functioning on a self-cleaning velocity mechanism, Anantaiah was immediately washed away. As the desilting works were carried out, the upstream storm water drained the water velocity way ahead than 0.6 metres per second.

Sources said the civic authorities had been carrying out desilting works aggressively on the upstream network to ensure free flow of water. Since the SWD was completely constructed on a flow gravity system, the sewer water flew at least 8 metre per second once the blockage was removed on the upstream network. This velocity would wash away anything that comes its way as the sewer would gush with a high velocity.

Sources said Anantaiah's body might have been washed away into the Pasimamula Cheruvu which is the only outlet from BN Reddy. They said there was a delay in rescue operations. Though corporation authorities were alerted about the incident at 11 pm on August 3, they did not turn up till morning of August 4. The rescue vehicles too reached at around 10: 30 am on August 4 which was too late to recover the body.

This apart, the GHMC authorities who were monitoring the works did not instruct the contract agency and laborers to conduct a methane gas test prior to entering the manhole even during the day. The authorities did not provide any safety gear to the labourers who were supposed to enter only one hour after opening the manhole. These key norms were ignored by the corporation, but in turn, it was blaming the laborers for entering into the manhole during the night time that too for desilting works.

Meanwhile, the search operation continued on the fifth consecutive day. Deputy commissioner A. Maruthi Diwakar told this newspaper that the corporation would continue the search operations even on Sunday and it would be stopped only after the instructions of higher authorities.
UCEK principal B.Balakrishna said that the salaries of the contract faculty members would be given as per the new salary policy and they need not worry about it. (Twitter)

Kakinada: The new proceedings that have been handed over to contract faculty in the constituent colleges of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) are causing concern as there is a noticeable discrimination between engineering and non-engineering Ph.D holders when it comes to fixing of salaries.

According to contract faculty members, previously both were treated on par and given equal salaries but now the non-engineering ones are paid less. According to the revised process, an assistant professor (contract) with Ph.D qualification in engineering/M.Pharm, MBA, M.Sc, MA, M.Com, M.C.A, M.P.Ed and MLIC with both Ph.D and NET and SLET or SET qualifications will be given a monthly salary of Rs. 40,000. In contrast, those with M.E, M.Techineering, M. Pharm, M.Sc, MA, M.Com, M.C.A, M.P.Ed and MLIC with Ph.D or NET/SLET/SET qualification will draw Rs. 35,000.

Contract faculty members state that this is in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, which does not discriminate between engineering and non-engineering Ph.Ds. Even JNTUK never had such a bias till 2019.

Every subject has its own significance. There is no salary hike for PG graduates without Ph.D and their condition is miserable. The university never considered their vast teaching experience, said a senior faculty member. He said that in the matter of permanent employees, all the engineering and non-engineering faculties draw equal salary as per UGC norms.

He wondered how the varsity could discriminate when it comes to contract faculty members, though they work full-time.

Meanwhile, in the new contract forms, UCEK contract faculty members have not been given any pay hikes, while constituent colleges like Narsaraopeta and Vizianagaram have renewed the agreements with revised salaries.

UCEK principal B.Balakrishna said that the salaries of the contract faculty members would be given as per the new salary policy and they need not worry about it. But in the matter of classification of salaries, they were fixed as per JNTUK guidelines, he clarified.
Minister Gautham Reddy pointed out that in keeping with the promise of Chief Minister, Rs. 600 crore had been extended to weavers last year.  DC Image/Narayana Rao

VIJAYAWADA: Advisor to government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and industries minister Mekapati Gautam Reddy have sought promotion of conventional handloom clothes to help weavers' community.

Attending the Seventh National Weavers Day celebrations here on Saturday, the duo advised weavers to introduce modern designs in their handlooms for attracting younger generations.

On the occasion, Ramakrishna Reddy pointed out that state government will distribute Rs 200 crore to weavers on Tuesday, August 10, under Nethanna Nestham welfare scheme. He said Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had realised the hardships faced by handloom workers during his Padayatra days. He is thus depositing into each weaver familys bank account Rs 24,000 using which they can expand their business. The government is taking measures to also provide training to those interested in learning latest weaving technology.

Minister Gautham Reddy recalled suicides by 48 handloom workers in Dharmavaram during the previous TD governments rule. He pointed out that in keeping with the promise of Chief Minister, Rs. 600 crore had been extended to weavers last year. Another Rs 200 crore will be distributed to weavers on Tuesday, August 10.

APCO chairman Ch. Mohan Rao said the state government is providing financial support to weavers like never before. Products of handloom workers are being marketed through APCOs 108 showrooms throughout AP.

Vijayawada mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, MLC Potula Sunitha, MLA Malladi Vishnu, handloom, textiles director P. Arjuna Rao and others participated in the programme.

Meanwhile, TD MLC Nara Lokesh on Saturday demanded that the state government immediately restore subsidies, benefits, and disaster relief assistance for overall development of weavers in the state.

Conveying his greetings to weavers on occasion of National Handloom Day on Saturday, Lokesh said it is unfortunate that YSRCP regime has stopped giving Rs. 50,000 worth of incentives and concessions to each weaver family per year.
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Israel is dead serious when it says Tehran could have a working nuclear bomb ready soon. It makes Iran more dangerous than it already is. The Islamic nation is threatening the peace of the Middle East, with troubles cropping courtesy of the Ayatollah.

This grim warning came after Ebrahim Raisi was sworn into office. Once begun, this bomb will be ready in 10 weeks. It is evident that the Shi'ite cleric, as mentioned in his first speech, is dedicated to pursuing a nuclear weapons program, despite threats from western nations. From the start, this state is considered dangerous to the overall peace in the region.

A Nuke is Under Way Once Tehran Acquires Neccessary Uranium

After the Iranian regime was booted from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran Deal, they have been sanctioned by the Trump administration. Despite this danger, the current administration is willing to deal with this rogue republic, reported the Express UK.

According to Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, in his speech on the eve of the ceremony, he gave a dire warning to concerned nations. He mentioned that Iran is 90 days away from a probable completion of a working nuclear bomb.They might have the needed weapons-grade Uranium needed for such a bomb.

Gantz added that talking would not do anything, and something must be done; otherwise, attacks will continue. Since the new US president took over, Israel's relationship with Washington has changed overnight.

Gantz reiterated that a movement using diplomatic, economic, or military means is needed to stop the attacks. President Raisi is attempting to whitewash the danger by saying Iran will not continue making a forbidden nuke, and their nuclear program is peaceful, cited Head Topics.

The 60-year old Iranian leader stated that the country's power could bring about security in the Middle East. He added that countries opposed to Tehran would be dealt with.

If Tehran could have a working nuclear bomb in its hands, the situation will have a dire dimension.

Read Also: US Ship Fires Warning Shots at 13 Armed Iranians After "Aggressive" Boat Attacks

Iran Urged to Negotiate Than Revive Nuclear Deal

Iran has tried to reinstate a 2015 nuclear deal with six other nations. It was dropped by then-president Trump three years back, who argued that Tehran was not forthright and that the deal was too soft on the rogue regime.

Iranian nuclear program halted on certain conditions for embargoes to be removed and resume international trade, but this did not convince then-president Trump. He stopped the agreement and heaped sanctions on Iran's exports.

Since then, Iran has violated the agreement after they made weapons-grade Uranium. President Raisi will take a hardline stance with the west because Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decides on a nuke policy.

Raisi added that Iran wouldn't be affected by pressure and sanctions. It will fight for its legal rights. The current US government told the Islamic leader that conditions should be followed, and negotiations should resume soon, reports the Daily Advent.

Tehran has to convince Washington that it will stick to another deal, but the actions of the Iranians have not been encouraging, especially in the vile rhetoric used against the west. Further, The US urged Iran to negotiate since the message is clear to the new Ayatollah, better shape up or be like his predecessors.

But, Israel has more at stake with a nuclear-capable Iran when diplomacy has not worked decisively. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is always on the watch, especially if Tehran could soon have a working nuclear bomb.

Related Article: Iranian Navy Sails to Support US-Foe Nicolas Maduro, Fears of a US Blockade of the Panama Canal

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The PAK-DA Stealth Bomber is one of Russia's new aircraft kept under wraps when the importance of a 5th generation plane is needed. This bomber is a new direction for Moscow as the introduction of the Checkmate recently has drawn attention, both being 5th generation.

Details about the plane draw attention to what this stealth bomber can do. But no one knows how good the tech it has compared to the B-21 Raider.

If the PAK-DA delivers on what it touts, then the U.S. will be in for some competition in producing steal capable aircraft that it only had until recently.

PAK-DA Design to be Realized by 2023

Some privy to the plane's progress remarked to TASS that the working prototype of the tactical bomber is being built. Adding the aircraft will be ready by 2023 at the soonest, with goodies included.

Plans for carrying hypersonic missiles are in the works, even drone wingmen as well. The U.S. uses the same concept, but they are closer to having an actual one, reported 19FortyFive.

A development of Tupolev, which is the one who built the tactical bomber, The PAK-DA will be the heir apparent when the older Tu-95MC and Tu-160 bombers are retired.

These long-range bombers are from the Cold War, which is merely upgraded, not new. It will have a new airframe based on a flying wing. Not a single conventional bomber has flown today.

One source said the finalization of the PAK-DA Stealth Bomber would be this year, and the maker is presumed to finish it in 2020. The prototype engine will be crucial to it and will be used for it.

Read Also: U.S. Air Force Wants to Make the B-2 Bomber More Resistant Against EMP Attack.

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is doing all the design and building of the first aircraft, with two more models in the works.

According to the RIA news outlet, some insiders had this to say about the PAK-DA, added it could avoid NATO radar defense with ease allegedly. Its shape is similar to the B-21 Raider that absorbs radar and has a less visible radar return. It has missiles to fire at longer distances which is farther than NATO radar equipment.

In 2021, more news about Russia's stealth bomber said that NPP Zvezda at the 2021 MAKS Airshow announced the ejection seats would be ready in twenty-four months. The firm is readying the center for the 2023 timeline of the prototype, as reported.

PAK-DA Features as Fifth Gen Stealth Bomber

The new bomber flies at subsonic speeds, like the B-21 or the Chinese H-20 (rumored) that emphasizes a stealthy profile and has more than enough weapons in its internal cargo bay.

It will enter enemy territories and fire its payload against crucial assets and infrastructures. Instead of a strike force of wild weasels, they go silent, strike, and then leave the area. How well the technology work or will it be successful is not known yet.

On paper, the PAK-DA Stealth Bomber is impressive as with all fifth generation plane that carries nukes or conventional warhead of 30 tons maximum and flies at a distance of 12,000 km. Since it isn't official yet, things may change accordingly.

Russian agencies said it would carry the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ballistic missile, which will be a deadly threat.

Related Article: B-21 Raider New Images Released by the U.S. Air Force After many speculations from the Lack of Information

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Syrian photojournalist Mouneb Taim, 20, poses with a camera in this undated photo. He is currently in Turkey, seeking asylum there. Courtesy of Mouneb Taim



A self-taught Syrian photographer chronicles children suffering the consequences of armed conflicts, asking people outside Syria to help end the war



By Kang Hyun-kyung



Mouneb Taim used to be an ordinary carefree, open-minded Syrian kid who was curious about the world outside his country and eager to get to know more about other countries  like Korea  as well as to interact with people of different cultures.



He would have followed his heart, if Syria had not been thrown into turmoil following the civil war there, which has displaced about half of the country's pre-war population.



The war began in March 2011 in the form of popular protests against the repressive leader, Bashar al-Assad, but later turned into a full-scale war involving foreign forces and Islamic jihadists, following the government's brutal crackdown on the protestors.



According to the Britain-based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, nearly 390,000 people had died, and 200,000 had gone missing by December 2020, with 120,000 of them being civilians. More than half of Syria's prewar population of 22 million have fled their homes.



The Syrian war has changed the course of his life dramatically. Instead of going to medical school to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a dentist, Taim has captured the war-torn country in photography in order to educate the international community about the suffering of Syrians and to rally their support to end the war.



Like other Syrians, Taim, now 20, has lived in daily terror of bombings and airstrikes, as the war has continued for 10 years.



But in fact, he has suffered in other ways as well. As a sexual minority and cause-driven independent photojournalist, he has learned that his existence itself has made him vulnerable to persecution.



"I am gay. I love colors and life and doing things like having my hair long and blonde," he said in an email interview with The Korea Times. He answered in Arabic which was translated into English by a translator before it was sent to this reporter.



"I was banned from everything by the hardline Islamic faction that seized the city of Ghouta where I lived. I was persecuted just because I am gay," he said.





A baby covered with blood and dirt is being taken to a hospital in Syria in this undated photo. This photo is part of Mouneb Taim's award-winning photo series, titled, "War Notes," submitted to the organizers of Unpublished Photo Competition 2021. Taim is one of the joint top prize winners. Courtesy of Mouneb Taim



Taim said that he was forced to be silent about his sexual orientation.



The Islamic faction perpetrated hate toward him as a sexual minority by putting up a sign in front of his house in Ghouta in order to humiliate him openly and make him seen like a sinner. It read, "Religion should be spread despite such insects."



He didn't provide further details about what the phrase meant, but considering the context, it seems to mean that queer people like him are an obstacle to spreading Islam to the public, but despite such hurdles, believers need to keep spreading the teachings of the religion.



Growing up in a conservative family in the religious city of Ghouta, near Damascus, he was an odd man out as a queer person.



Persecution of sexual minorities has intensified after the fundamental Islamic groups joined the Syrian war and captured his city.



He didn't violate any laws or hurt others. But he was arrested twice, first by the Syrian army forces in 2016, when he was filming Damascus for his project, "Damascus, the Land of Jasmin," and then the next year, by the Islamic rebel group that took over Syria's southwestern city of Ghouta, while taking photos of the protestors against the rebels.



The second arrest was particularly traumatic. Taim was brutally tortured by the Islamic group and then put in solitary confinement. His suffering occurred just because he was (and still is) gay.



Then the Islamic jihadist group, Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, threatened him that they would force him to leave the city.



But the continued persecution didn't stop him from covering the massacres there until recently, when he left Syria for Turkey to seek asylum.





Children watch a puppeteer as he performs in the rubble, in bombed area of an unnamed Syrian city in this photo taken by Mounbe Taim. The Syrian photographer has captured images of children in the war-torn country since he was 14. Courtesy of Mouneb Taim



Taim became a self-taught photographer after his brother was killed in the wake of militant Islamic groups having taken control of Eastern Ghouta. He took his brother's camera and has since chronicled war-torn Syria and people living in the terror of war.



He has no official training to be a photographer. Several winning works at international photography competitions that were available on the internet have taught him about composition and how to take photos.



Being aware of the power of photography as an effective medium to tell people outside his country about the suffering of Syrians, he has risked his life to capture images of the war. He soon became a common enemy of both the Syrian army and the militant Islamic groups. They banned his work, but that couldn't stop him from fulfilling his mission to reveal the catastrophic consequences of the war.



As a photographer, he has featured children whose lives were torn apart during the war. They were too young to understand what was happening in their country.



Children whose faces were covered with dirt after bombing attacks and airstrikes, those wounded with bandages and those critically injured, as well as those playing in the rubble, have all been captured in his photos.



Through those innocent children suffering from the consequences of the war, Taim saw himself: a young boy who was not accepted by other members of his society and still reeling from brutal torture and forced segregation.



Being gay in the war-torn Islamic country severed his ties with his family members. He was left alone, as his conservative family members cut him off, after he was arrested and tortured by the Islamic group.



Like the children he was capturing via his lens, he was a teen crying out for help, but there was nobody to answer his cries.



He was saddened when he worked on the photo project about child soldiers who were conscripted by the Islamic militant groups in Ghouta and forced to undergo military training in the name of religious education. "The youngest was a seven-year-old boy. The weapon he carried was longer than his entire body," he said.





Taim walking with his camera in an unspecified bombed city in Syria. Courtesy of Mouneb Taim
"Acquaintance insulting" ("ji-in neungyok" in Korean) is a form of online sexual harassment in which perpetrators post raw footage with humiliating stories, or edit the faces of their classmates, acquaintances or even family members onto pornographic images or videos, and distribute them on social media platforms. / Screenshot from Telegram



By Lee Min-young



This piece is the second in a series of stories on digital sex crimes and image-based abuse, supported by the Judith Neilson Institute's Asian Stories project. Watch our first production here, the documentary film, 'Nth Room: The making of a monster,' which explains the massive Telegram sex abuse case, and how similar patterns of digital sex crimes are being discovered across Asia.



The nightmare of being a victim of digital sexual abuse



A school teacher in her 20s one day receives a message from a complete stranger, telling her that her photos and personal information are being shared among thousands of Telegram users. She finds out that someone has been distributing what appears to be fake nude photos and pornographic videos of her, as well as saying extremely vulgar and sexually humiliating things about her.



She is completely unaware of who distributed her photos, how her personal information was leaked and how many people have seen them, making it difficult to seek help from the police.



What do you think are the odds of a person, let's say you, being sexually molested online with men sharing nude photos that you have never taken, videos you have never filmed, and having fun making up stories about your sex life and how promiscuous you are in real life?



As scary as it may sound, anyone can be a victim of sexual image abuse. It just takes a single photo from one's social media to create fake pornography.



Team Flame, the two college students who first broke the story of the "Nth room," a massive digital sex crime case where perpetrators forced young girls to perform sexually explicit acts on camera with thousands of users paying in cryptocurrency to watch on Telegram, told The Korea Times that they once personally contacted a victim of "acquaintance insulting" last year.



"We told her that her photos were being shared in Telegram chat rooms and that she was being sexually harassed there. Later she reported it to the police, but the only answer she got was that it was nearly impossible to track down those who had shared and distributed the images on Telegram," they said.



What is "acquaintance insulting?"



"Acquaintance insulting" ("ji-in neungyok" in Korean) is a form of sexual harassment that takes place via online platforms or messengers, including Twitter, Telegram and Tumblr, where perpetrators generate composite photos by adding the face of their classmates, acquaintances or even family members to pornographic images or videos for distribution.



Team Flame worked together with the victim to track down the individual who first uploaded the images and discovered that the perpetrator was an old former acquaintance. It turned out that he had feelings for her when he was attending the same school as her but that those feelings came out in a very lopsided and twisted way, to the point that he wanted to destroy her for not responding to him. "He uploaded thousands of photos of her, both raw and synthetic images. Some of them were photos that included the victim's friends, and he kept sexually harassing both her and her friends in the chat room."





Celebrities and K-pop idols have long been subject to digital sex crimes such as deepfake pornography and sexual image abuse. There are many Telegram chat rooms to this day that are called, "Let's rape OO (name of celebrity)." / Screenshot from Telegram



From K-pop stars to ordinary people



Generating fake images by editing a person's face into pornography has long been a type of crime that celebrities or members of K-pop girl bands only were subject to. However, these days, non-celebrities are also being targeted in many online platforms, such as Tumblr and Telegram.

"We are seeing a lot of men's communities active on these platforms that are grouped by different regions. They target specific girls living in that area and share real information about them, along with sexual images of them. They find it much more stimulating when they know that they could bump into those girls anytime," said Seo Seung-hee, the director of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center.



The most common types of acquaintance insulting are: editing the victims' faces into pornographic images, editing the images of one's male genitals or semen onto the victims' photos and creating fake X-ray vision photos where one can see through the victims' clothing.





Multiple chat rooms on Telegram can be found, where perpetrators post images of acquaintances and tell other users to rape the women when they see them on the streets in order to "put them in their place." / Screenshots from Telegram



The increase in these cases has prompted South Korea to pass new laws attempting to outlaw sexual image abuse of any sort, including deepfake videos and synthesized pornographic images, through legislation that went into effect in June of last year, setting punishments of up to five years in prison or fines of up to 50 million won.



If a crime was committed for commercial gain, the prison term can be increased to seven years. The new regulations do not, however, appear to have put an end to the problem.



Hard to catch



There are loopholes that perpetrators seem to be taking advantage of to continue the harassment.



"Recently, we are discovering new types of acquaintance insulting where perpetrators post raw footage from social media containing an acquaintance's personal information and spread false stories about them mainly to humiliate the victims sexually," Seo said. The new legislation only outlaws the creation and distribution of artificially manipulated images and videos. In order to punish those who share actual selfies downloaded from someone's Instagram and say inappropriate things about that person, the victims can only file a defamation suit at best.



Another problem is that the numbers of arrests are just not keeping up.



The Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Center has been helping acquaintance insulting victims since 2017, when cases began to be discovered on online platforms, but not many of the victims were able to seek justice, because the arrest rate has been very low.



According to the Korean National Police Agency, 94 perpetrators were arrested for creating pornographic images of women they know, using images taken from social media from Dec. 2020 through April 2021. The cases involve generating synthesized images of hundreds of women and operating a website or chat room on encrypted messenger apps to sell them, or creating fake nude photos of university colleagues using AI technology and distributing them on social media.



"We've seen thousands of people in a single chat room where victims were molested, so considering the fact that this kind of activity is not just happening in one chat room, on only one single platform, it's clear that the arrest rates are ridiculously low," Seo said.



She says victims more often do not know that their photos are being shared by strangers on these secret communities, unless someone tells them, or they happen to discover it themselves, which is very unlikely. Even if they somehow find out, it's very difficult to gather evidence and information to identify the perpetrator, due to the anonymous nature of sexual abuse in the digital world.



Even worse, most of the perpetrators of acquaintance insulting, which involves AI technology and advanced photo editing skills, are teenagers, young natives of the digital era who grew up in the presence of technology and use social networking platforms heavily. "Teenagers in most cases know how to engage in criminal activities and never get caught," Seo said.





The Korean National Police Agency has arrested 94 suspects for the production and distribution of fake pornographic images of women they know, using images taken from social media from Dec. 2020 to April 2021. / Graphics by Lee Min-young
Commuters pack the platform of Sindorim Station in Seoul, July 9. Subway operator unions in the nation's six major cities, including Seoul, are threatening to go on strike in protest of restructuring plans. Yonhap



By Lee Hyo-jin



Subway unions across the country are threatening to go on a general strike in solidarity with the Seoul union in protest against a proposed restructuring plan by the subway operator of the capital. In response to rising deficits, the contested plan includes employee layoffs and a wage freeze.



Members of the unions in the country's six major cities of Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Incheon and Gwangju will vote from Aug. 16 to 19 on whether to participate in the joint strike, according to the union of Seoul Metro, Sunday. This is the first time for these unions from different cities to push for a joint walkout.



Seoul Metro, which operates lines 1 to 8 in the capital, has been suffering rising deficits in recent years.



After two city government-affiliated corporations, one running lines 1 to 4 and the other lines 5 to 8, merged into Seoul Metro in May 2017, it posted a yearly deficit of around 500 billion won ($435 million) for three consecutive years.



In 2020, it recorded a deficit of 1.11 trillion won as ridership plummeted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the corporation is expected to see a 1.6 trillion won deficit, the biggest ever.



In response, Seoul Metro has proposed a restructuring plan including layoffs of 1,539 workers, or about 10 percent of the total workforce, reductions in other perks and a wage freeze.



The Seoul Metro union protested strongly, demanding withdrawal of the restructuring plan, implementation of feasible measures to resolve the financial crisis and countermeasures for the continuing deficit.



It said the main reasons for the operating loss are low subway fares which have been frozen for the past six years, discounts when transferring between modes of public transport, and the free subway ride policy for senior citizens aged 65 and older.



As the free rides issue is not just in Seoul, subway unions in the other five cities have decided to show solidarity through a joint action. The unions believe that a majority of their members will agree on the walkout, and plan to go on strike as early as September if the Seoul union fails to reach an agreement with management and the city government.



The Seoul union insisted that the central government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government should actively provide support to resolve the surging deficits.



"It's impossible to solve the financial crisis without support from Seoul City and the central government. The restructuring plan which requires the sacrifice of employees should not be a solution to this," the union said. "The responsibility should not be shifted to the employees."



The Seoul Metropolitan Government, however, believes that the chronic deficit is attributable to lax management.



"Seoul Metro is demanding a fare hike without streamlining its management system," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a press conference in May, adding that he does not consider a fare increase to be the solution to its financial difficulties.


By Peter S. Kim





Despite the prolonged pandemic, the South Korean stock market is at an all-time high on the back of frenzied buying from retail investors. The Korean government's ultra-easy monetary policy, coupled with its seemingly unlimited stimulus spending, are fueling fearless investor sentiment, leading to concerns of a dangerous asset bubble.



The desperation of Korean savers to escape the near-zero returns of bank deposit accounts has sparked the rush into riskier assets like equities. The search for yields is now turning into irreverent greed, typified by spectacular gains in cryptocurrencies and stocks like Tesla from the U.S.



While retail rushes into the stock market are being seen in many parts of the world, the Korean version is complicated by the political motivation of the government to keep the bull market sustained for everyday retail investors. On the other hand, the Korean government seeks to suppress its domestic property market, which is not far behind in terms of its bubble features.



The property market is likely the most crucial election issue, and may decide the next Korean president. Since being elected into office over four years ago, taming the residential property market has been a top policy priority for the Moon Jae-in administration. Residential property takes up over 70 percent of Korea's household assets, making it a critical economic and political issue.



Recently the Moon administration announced a set of property market clampdown measures to stop the soaring of property prices  its 26th during the past four years. Understandably, there is an air of desperation surrounding the announcement, as the property prices continue to rise despite repeated rounds of punitive taxation initiatives.



In a joint press briefing, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport warned of a possible crash in property prices reminiscent of the financial crisis of 1997. They emphasized the need to halt property speculation, which hurts the working class' prospects of owning a home. The latest warning is highly unusual considering the government's efforts to support the economy via fiscal and monetary stimulus measures.



With the COVID-19 pandemic looking like it will be extended for longer than first hoped, a rising property market would be a convenient way to support domestic consumption, with its positive wealth effect. Therefore, talking the property market down while the economy is struggling would seem counter-intuitive.



I postulate that Korea's central bank, the Bank of Korea (BOK), could diverge from its previous stance of following the U.S. Federal Reserve by pre-empting rate hikes early. This postulation is due to concerns over Korea's household debt  one of the highest globally  causing many analysts to predict it will be the next financial bomb to go off.



My analysis reveals that most of the rise in household debt is due to borrowing by individuals to finance home purchases. Therefore, the household debt issue will be manageable as long as the property market is stable. Besides the household debt concerns, political sensitivity due to the widening income gap, rooted in the rising property prices, is a bigger reason for the government's hawkish stance on Korean housing.



While the increasing prices surrounding the metropolitan area are not unique to Korea, the sensitivity around property prices and their importance for politicians means that the independence of the central bank could come under a cloud. Nevertheless, concerns of a property market crash leading to a banking crisis are premature.



Even though most of the rise in household debt is linked closely to residential property, the Korean banks are safely provisioned with a minimum of 50 percent value. Also, the rise in property prices is centered in select areas of Korea  particularly southern Seoul's Gangnam area. For the rest of the nation, the increase in housing prices remains modest, keeping the exposure of the speculative areas from getting large enough to pose a risk to the financial system.



Ultimately, the effective way to stop the rise of property prices is through tight monetary policy. With the BOK guiding a possible rate hike in the coming months, we could enter a period of instability in residential prices. But for there to be a significant downside to prices, it will require several aggressive rate hikes.



The weak economic conditions and the latest surge in COVID-19 cases make that scenario unlikely for now. But another year of rising prices could change the positive outlook rather quickly. In the meantime, we should expect more frustration from home seekers looking for affordable prices.





Peter S. Kim (peter.kim@kbfg.com) is a managing director at KB Financial Group.


South should not play into hands of North



South Korea is likely to conduct the upcoming summertime military exercises with the United States as planned, without heeding North Korea's warnings that the joint drills could cloud the future of inter-Korean ties. Yet the two allies are expected to scale back the size and scope of the annual exercises due to the resurging COVID-19 pandemic.



A government source said Sunday that Seoul and Washington have tentatively agreed on the scaled-back drills involving a minimum level of troops from both sides. The planned exercises will thus probably be smaller than the springtime one held in March, with no field drill. If the agreement is finalized, the computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) will take place for 11 days from Aug. 16 following four days of crisis management staff training starting Tuesday.



Holding the exercise even in a scaled-down manner is better than canceling or postponing it. Annual joint military drills are essential to upgrading combined defense preparedness and strengthening the alliance between Seoul and Washington. Our national security cannot and should not be compromised for whatever reasons. In this sense, there should be no room for the North to tell us not to hold any combined drills which are purely defensive in nature.



Regrettably, however, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned on Aug. 1 that the joint exercises will cast a cloud over South-North relations. Her warning came after the two Koreas restored their severed cross-border hotlines July 27. The reconnection has raised cautious optimism about a new round of detente on the peninsula.



But the problem is that Pyongyang is still seeking to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington by widening the differences between the allies over sensitive defense and security issues such as the combined military exercises. The North is also trying to create an ideological divide between conservatives and progressives in the South, particularly ahead of the March 2022 presidential election.



For this reason, the Moon Jae-in administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) should not play into the hands of North Korea. However, it is deplorable that more than 70 lawmakers of the DPK and minority progressive parties issued a statement calling for the postponement of the military drills. It is irresponsible for them to make such a demand even without any promises by the North to return to dialogue. They ignored DPK Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil's stance that the exercises need to be held as planned.



More disappointing is that President Moon gave the impression that he would opt out of the exercises in a bid to restart the deadlocked inter-Korean peace process. Moon, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, seemed to pass the buck on to the Ministry of National Defense by instructing the ministry to consult with the U.S. with "prudence"  without making a decision on the matter by himself. The Ministry of Unification also voiced its preference to put off the exercise. All these have only created confusion among the people and risked undermining the alliance with the U.S.


FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.



FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of 3,780 megawatts.

About the Opportunity



This is an open position with Penelec, at the Meadville Service Center, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.[PN]

Minimum Responsibilities:

Demonstrates a solid commitment to safety.

Performs various clerical and administrative duties including but not limited to timekeeping, telephone reception, sorting and distributing mail.

Capable of performing basic correspondence and reports utilizing Microsoft Office Products and SAP.

Maintains filing and record systems associated with the Operations Services Section.

Maintains appointment calendars, meeting schedules and travel arrangements when necessary.

After training, must be able to perform the following duties in SAP: process and/or record expense accounts, credit card accounts, timesheets, invoices for payment, requisitions for office supplies etc.

Demonstrates sound internal and external customer service.

Builds relationships and credibility across the organization.

Increases understanding of customer expectations.

Use effective communication skills with good judgment.

Participate in the storm process and be available to work extended hours as needed.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Summary of Qualifications--Distribution Associate:

Must have high school diploma or GED.

Must pass the Companys SASS test.

Must have ability to deliver quality, accurate work within established deadlines; ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Work effectively in a team environment.

Demonstrate strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize work load.

Excellent customer service skills.

Able to handle confidential information.

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.

Minimum 4-7 years related work experience equivalent position.

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity



At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.



Safety



Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.


The Queen City Academy Charter School (QCACS) is hosting a Career Fair on Monday August 9th from 10am-4pm at 815 W 7th St in Plainfield, NJ. There are open positions for High School and Elementary Teachers. Subjects on interest will be:



PE

ESL

SPED

Math

Science



Join our Learning Community Today!! On-the-spot Interview and Hiring with no appointment necessary. Bring your resume and passion for teaching.



If past August 9th, please send all resumes in by clicking apply here!

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Jensen Transport Inc., Independence, IA, is looking for a Full Time Dispatcher to join our hard-working, customer focused team. Since the company's founding in 1903, our theory on business can be summed up in three words: "Treat people right." That goes for clients, the community at large, and you!

Dispatcher Requirements:

Applicant must be professional and maintain service oriented culture to customers

Ability to plan load distribution among drivers

Ensure compliance with DOT regulation as well as health and safety regulations

Provide rotating on call support at night and weekends as needed

EXCELLENT computer skills a MUST

This is an excellent salaried position with 100% paid employer benefits. We offer Health, Dental, Life and 401k match.

Qualified candidates must pass pre-employment drug screen and intensive background check prior to starting work.

"From fruit rollups in Cedar Rapids to oatmeal in Canada, we are responsible for putting food on the table for millions. We are not just another transportation company. We are the Line that Service built." - Tim Jensen

Please click apply now to email your resume today!

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Administrative Assistant Privately held oil & gas company looking for an Administrative Assistant. This position is based in Woodsboro, TX. The primary role will be to provide versatile administrative support for the companys field operations office. The successful candidate will be professional, team-oriented, punctual, reliable, pro-active and willing to take on new challenges. Job Duties: Answer phones, screen and route calls, take and distribute messages

Responsible for information flow through e-mail, facsimile, scanning, and copying

Oversee the distribution and collection of all incoming and outgoing mail; stuff and seal envelopes, apply postage.

Prepare labels and packages for overnight mail delivery

Maintain office supplies, monitor inventory, place orders, verifying receipt, stock items

Maintain office equipment; call for repairs, monitor equipment, and initialize work orders

Review for accuracy payroll timesheets and related paperwork for transmittal to corporate.

Maintain accurate vacation and sick time tracking records for field personnel.

Code/voucher A/P invoices and Expense Reports: review for accuracy, obtain approvals and prepare for transmittal to corporate.

Maintain daily/monthly reports and spreadsheets to include AFE cost tracking, SCADA Report, gas loss and other various spreadsheets.

Maintain Right-of-Way files and perform file research upon request.

Perform other administrative office duties as requested by manager. Qualifications: Office administration/Office Manager experience

Working knowledge of general administrative processes

Strong initiative and customer service focus

Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and handle multiple task simultaneously

Flexible with changing priorities

Effective interpersonal communication skills; ability to interface with personnel at all levels

Ability to respond professionally and effectively to incoming calls

Exceptional attention to detail

Must be punctual and reliable

Willingness to learn and be mentored by others within the organization

Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Salary commensurate with level of experience; Benefits include medical, dental, vision, LTD, life, HSA, FSA and 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan; vacation and sick leave.

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!!NEWSPAPER CARRIERS NEEDED !!



$600 SIGN ON BONUS



Earn anywhere from $500 - $1200+ per month, become an Independent Contractor delivering newspapers. This is a great way to supplement your income, and there's no wait, as you can start earning money immediately. Also provide good service and you can get tips!

 Must have own vehicle

 Valid Drivers License

 Proof of vehicle insurance

 Be at least 18 years old



This is 7 days a week, all overnight hours. Routes open in the

Inola Area



- Limited routes available! UBER AND LYFT DRIVERS - If you like to burn the midnight oil, this is a great way to make extra income while you are waiting for the next call!





Apply Now!



Tulsa World Media Company owns a suite of brands that serve as the preeminent

sources of news and information for northeast Oklahoma. Our brands include Tulsa World, tulsaworld.com, Tulsa World Classifieds, Owasso Reporter, Skiatook Journal, Wagoner County American Tribune, Sand Springs Leader and more. Tulsa World Media Company is a part of Lee Enterprises Inc.



We serve the communities in northeast Oklahoma by

providing trusted news and

information to readers and viewers while helping businesses reach customers using

traditional and innovative marketing solutions.



We have been a part of this community for more than 110 years and are honored to

deliver outstanding journalism to our community.



We invite you to #JoinOurStory

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Description



System ID 719578

Category Food Service

Relocation Type No

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

Sodexo is currently seeking an experienced General Manager in food services to join our team at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls, MN, which is part of the CHI St. Gabriel's health network. In this highly visible role, you will direct and participate in all the daily food operations for patient feeding. Responsibilities will include: overseeing overall food and service operations, working with unit financials, some HR functions, direct customer interaction, management of hourly staff. This position will be responsible to ensure the highest level of client satisfaction through exceptional food and service. Additional Job Responsibilities include: Manages all food contract operations including patient feeding, cafeteria/retail and catering services.

Integrates fully within our client's organization becoming a trusted adviser and member of the accounts leadership team.

Works to achieve company and client financial targets and goals.

Works to achieve high quality resident and client satisfaction scores.

Responsible for all Sodexo and client required reporting.

Responsible for collaborating with the client on achieving annual operational projects and goals.

Ensures compliance to food safety, sanitation, and overall workplace safety standards.

Must meet (or exceed) Sodexo standards of operations.

Creates a positive environment and successfully motivates and manages team. The ideal candidate has: a culinary background with food service experience in healthcare;

excellent hospitality, leadership and communication skills with the ability to maintain the highest of standards and implements company policies; and

strong management skills.

Computer literacy

A strong working knowledge of food safety and sanitation guidelines Learn more about this hospital network at CHI St. Gabriel's Working for Sodexo: How far will your ambition, talent and dedication take you? Sodexo fosters a culture committed to the growth of individuals through continuous learning, mentoring and other career growth opportunities, along with the performance of organizations. We believe it is important for our work to be meaningful to all who contribute to it, and we remain faithful to our mission, our core values and the ethical principles that have guided us since 1966. We support these values and help them thrive in each employee. Not the job for you? Please visit the Sodexo Network with Us page and consider signing up

At Sodexo, we offer Food Service Management positions in a variety of business segments, including Corporate, Schools, Universities, Government and Agencies, Healthcare, Senior Living and Sports and Leisure locations across the United States. See more Food Service Management jobs here.

Position Summary

Directs all contract management service operations at a single account/unit. Plans and supervises special functions. Maintains cash control and payroll records. Hires and trains unit personnel. Maintains customer satisfaction and good public relations. Manages through managers and is accountable for the contract. Senior-most person assigned to a one client account

Provides local leadership and strategic direction while developing team for new and emerging business solutions that sustain growth in the day to day operations.

Key Duties

- Provides team leadership & training

- Controls unit financials

- Directs daily food operations for quality & safety standards

- Supervises day to day activities

- Delegates authority

- Assigns & prioritizes activities

- Monitors operating standards

- Establishes a safe work environment

- Support workplace inclusion activities

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Basic Management Experience - 3 years

Basic Functional Experience - 3 years Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description






Salary $15.12 - $24.55 Hourly Location Arlington, VA Job Type Part-Time Temporary Department Department of Parks and Recreation Job Number 7231-22A-DPR-SD Closing 8/19/2021 11:59 PM Eastern Position Information The Department of Parks and Recreation is seeking a temporary part-time Preschool Extended Day Assistant Supervisor to assist the Supervisor with the Lubber Run Creative Preschooler's and Summer Camp Extended Day programs, which serves a diverse audience of twenty preschool children daily, from three to five years of age, including children that may have disabilities.



Specific duties include : Assisting the preschool extended day supervisor with managing activities, maintaining administrative records, and preparing required reports;

Supporting the planning and preparation of the learning environment including materials and supplies for students' daily activities;

Assisting with the behavior management of participants;

Operating and maintaining instructional equipment used in the classroom;

Ensuring that materials are prepared prior to implementing activities and assisting in inventory and maintenance of equipment;

Attending staff meetings and recommended training programs and seminars; and

Enforcing federal, state and local policies, procedures, rules, and administrative regulations.

Selection Criteria Minimum: High school diploma/GED;

Six (6) months experience in administering recreational programs or facility monitoring; and

Must be CPR and First Aid Certified as of the first day of the program. Desirable: Preference may be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

Assessing the needs of preschool age children;

Training staff on pre-school issues;

Working with a culturally diverse population and d eveloping and maintaining relationships with parent groups or community organizations; and

eveloping and maintaining relationships with parent groups or community organizations; and Working knowledge of Arlington County and Virginia Department of Social Services State licensing regulations.

Special Requirements This selected employee will be required to: Attend monthly preschool teacher meetings and 16 hours of training a year;

Complete MAT- Medication Administration Training (provided by employer); and

Provide negative TB results or submit to a TB screening.

If the applicant drives themselves to meetings and trainings, the applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record.



A pre-hire background check will be made on all candidates who are selected for employment. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Additional Information Work Hours: This position operates year-round, part-time, 22.5 hours weekly. Monday - Friday, 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., including afternoon meetings 1-2 times per month and occasional morning and weekend hours. This is a part-time job that pays based on hours worked.



Program Information: The fall, winter and spring program consists of two classes; Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Some children may participate in both sessions.



The official job title is Recreation Assistant II.



Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process and are required for this position. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled.



Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: (see application details)



Permanent, Full-Time Appointments

All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:



Paid Leave : Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year.



Health and Dental Insurance : Three group health insurance plans are offered - a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs.



Life Insurance : A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee's age and smoker/non-smoker status.



Retirement : The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan.



For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay.



Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits.



Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:

Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.



Limited Term Appointments:

Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.



Temporary Regular Appointments:

Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.



Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:

Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.




Location: Devens - Massachusetts Job Description The Commercial Engineer is knowledgeable in assigned groups of products/technologies and their use. This position will specifically focus on Rockwell Automation's Independent Cart Technology including iTRAK and MagneMotion. Experience with RA Motion Control products and architectures is a plus. Position Summary Provide technical support to new and existing customers for the Rockwell Automation Independent Cart Technology including iTRAK and MagneMotion.

Pre-sales support includes proof of concepts, system architecture review and recommendations, and the creation of application notes and white papers.

Post-sales support includes providing technical training, diagnosing issues with hardware, application, and system software as well as providing corrective actions.

The Commercial Engineer is knowledgeable in assigned groups of products/technologies and their use. Complexity Works on issues of moderate scope where analysis of situations or data requires a review of relevant factors.

Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.

Supervision Normally receives general instructions on routine work, detailed instructions on new projects or assignments. Knowledge/Skill Developing professional expertise.

Applies company policies and procedures to resolve variety of issues. Minimum Requirements Requires a minimum of 1 to 2 years of demonstrated experience in an industrial technical field.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering or equivalent combination of skills and education. BSEE or BSME preferred.

Knowledge in automation equipment and motion is a plus.

Capable of using of personal computers and the appropriate applications, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Project and OneNote.

Solidworks or AutoCad experience is a plus.

Familiarity with test equipment such as oscilloscopes and other related test software.

Solid business writing skills. Able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize accordingly.

Systems troubleshooting ability, potentially utilizing telephone skills.

Ability to travel domestically and/or internationally 40-50% of the time.

Fluent in English Desired Qualifications Proficient in design tools including: Pro Engineer or equivalent CAD System, Matlab, Simulink, Microsoft Office.

Prior knowledge or experience with:

- Analysis or Design of linear or rotary motion automation systems

- Analysis, Design or Use of Robotic systems

- Providing customer support, interaction and communication

- Working in an Engineer to Order environment

- Analysis or Design of linear or rotary motion automation systems - Analysis, Design or Use of Robotic systems - Providing customer support, interaction and communication - Working in an Engineer to Order environment Ability to solve complex system problems

Engineering Master's degree a plus.

Good presentation and communication skills with internal & external customers.

Passionate for results

Working knowledge of Rockwell Automation core products (i.e. PLCs, PACs, Motion Control, Drives, Operator Interface, Networking, and I/O) and PLC/PAC programming languages. Career Band C EEO Statement Rockwell Automation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, email our Talent Acquisition representative at (see application details). We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans. If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (see application details).




Department: Public Works-Facilities (Reports to Economic Development Manager) Salary Range: $20/hour To Apply: https://www.snohomishwa.gov/FormCenter/Human-Resources-10/Snohomish-Job-Application-64 (Application can also be downloaded from website) Closes: Open until filled Position Summary: This temporary/ part-time position works part time performing duties in support of the Snohomish Carnegie. Under the supervision and direction of the Economic Development and Communications Manager this position prepares the Snohomish Carnegie for events such as weddings, trade shows, auctions, banquets & corporate events held at the City facility. This position is limited duration and consists of working on an "as needed" basis with hours and shifts that may vary on any given day of the week and will vary in length, Monday through Sunday. The hours available are based on the hours the venue has been rented by a client. Must be able to work weekends. The work includes, in part: opening the facility for clients, lifting and moving tables and chairs, overseeing event activities, assisting clients when needed, keeping the facility clean and organized, and cleaning up before and after events. The work is usually performed independently and must be carried out in a manner consistent with broad department and City goals and objectives, intermittent supervisory direction, timeline pressures and applicable City ordinances and procedures. This is a broad classification with individual positions assigned to specific functional areas; duties and assignments may overlap depending on the operational needs of the department and staffing levels. The positions may last for up to 5 months. Examples of Job Duties: Represent the City of Snohomish with professionalism and superb customer service. Maintain clear and discrete presence at events, providing assistance as needed in areas of facility issues; directions needed; and point of contact for guests and vendors. Help lead indoor and/or outdoor special events such as weddings, trade shows, auctions, banquets & corporate functions held at the Snohomish Carnegie. Communicate with event planners, caterers, bartenders, DJ's and all other hired vendors for the event day of. Oversee event activities and provide on-site assistance during the event to clients, including supervisory monitoring of guest conduct. Assist clients as needed during their event with layout changes, facilities questions and use recommendations, etc. Open facility for clients and complete event equipment layout for the event, which routinely includes tables, chairs, garbage, sound system, AV equipment, signage, and barricades. Lift and move tables and chairs weighing up to 50 pounds as needed. Maintain program equipment in good working order. Inspect equipment for damage while setting it up and checking it against an inventory list. Ensure facility and grounds are kept neat, clean and litter free. Occasionally perform custodial and light maintenance duties, which most commonly includes light restroom cleaning & restocking, sweeping, mopping, garbage transport, emptying garbage inside and outside the facility, garbage transport, picking up litter in the parking lot, gazebo and courtyard areas, etc. Lead and monitor client event clean-up after each event ensuring that equipment is organized in proper locations and cleaning is completed thoroughly. Perform tear-down & clean-up of facility owned equipment and lock the facility. Perform related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications: Education/Training Must be at least 18 years of age.

Must be able to work weekends.

Must be able to stand for extended periods of time. Travel Non-required. Other Requirements Must successfully pass pre-employment criminal background screening.

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On Monday 9th August 2021, administration of the 2nd dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be carried at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport and the Omnicane Business Gateway, Plaine Magnien.

1. All those persons who received their 1st dose of AstraZeneca Vaccine at Mohabeer Burrenchobay Government School, Plaine Magnien on 31st May 2021 will receive their 2nd dose at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport Vaccination Centre, Plaisance on

Monday 9th August 2021 from 09 00 hrs to 15 15 hrs.

2. All those persons who received their 1st dose of Sinopharm Vaccine at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport Vaccination Centre, Plaisance on 14th July 2021 will receive their 2nd dose at Omnicane Business Gateway, Plaine Magnien on Monday 9th August 2021

from 09 00 hrs to 15 15 hrs.

All persons are kindly requested to bring their National Identity Card and their vaccination card along with them.
The list includes conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, running to become the first Black Republican woman in the Senate; Jeff Bartos, a real estate investor who was the partys nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018; Carla Sands, Trumps former ambassador to Denmark; and Sean Parnell, a friend of Donald Trump Jr. who launched a career as an author after writing a memoir of his tour of duty as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan.
Duh! Really? Are people seriously shocked by this? This is exactly what happens when your body is not in contact with germs; the immune system breaks down. Keep kids isolated for a year or more and then put them all back together ... kids get sick because of germs.
I lived with the Jakobs family. That was our home, our Mayberry, if you wish. The fact that I would have been attacked by the very people we were willing to give our lives for because of a lie makes me sick.
Sayre, PA (18840)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
National

Modi to chair UNSC debate on maritime security

New Delhi, Aug 8 | Publish Date: 8/8/2021 1:55:53 PM IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level open debate on Enhancing Maritime Security  A Case for International Cooperation on Monday via video conferencing.

His office said on Sunday the meeting is expected to be attended by several heads of state and government of member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and high-level briefers from the UN system and key regional organisations.

Modi would be the first Indian prime minister to preside over a UN Security Council Open Debate, the Prime Ministers Office said.

The open debate will focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity, and strengthen coordination in the maritime domain.

The UN Security Council has discussed and passed resolutions on different aspects of maritime security and maritime crime, the PMO noted. However, this will be the first time that maritime security will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high level open debate, it added.

Given that no country alone can address the diverse aspects of maritime security, it is important to consider this subject in a holistic manner in the United Nations Security Council. A comprehensive approach to maritime security should protect and support legitimate maritime activities, while countering traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain, it said.

The oceans have played an important part in Indias history right from the time of the Indus Valley civilisation, it noted, adding that based on the countrys civilisational ethos that see the seas as an enabler of shared peace and prosperity, Modi had put forward the vision of SAGAR - an acronym for Security and Growth for all in the Region in 2015.

This vision focuses on cooperative measures for sustainable use of the oceans, and provides a framework for a safe, secure, and stable maritime domain in the region.

In 2019, at the East Asia Summit, this initiative was further elaborated through the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) with a focus on seven pillars of maritime security including Maritime Ecology; Maritime Resources; Capacity Building and Resource Sharing; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport, it said.
THE government is pressing ahead with the construction of a mausoleum for the late former president Robert Mugabe, an indication that his remains could still be exhumed.

Close Mugabe family members said the construction of the mausoleum was being done without their involvement.

Zimbabwes long-time ruler died in September 2019, two years after he was toppled in a military coup.

Mugabes family blocked the government from burying him at the Heroes Acre, saying the former Zanu PF leader made it clear on his deathbed that he did not want his erstwhile colleagues to preside over his funeral.

He was buried at his rural home in Zvimba in a heavily fortified grave. In May, Chief Zvimbas court ruled that Mugabes remains had to be exhumed after charging former first lady Grace Mugabe with violating traditional norms by burying her husband at their homestead.

Mugabes family says revelations that the construction of the mausoleum had resumed showed the governments hand in the bizarre ruling by the traditional leader.

The construction is on-going without the familys knowledge and this has raised suspicion that the government is up to something, said one of Mugabes relatives, who requested to remain anonymous.

It confirms they are behind the chiefs actions to call for the exhumation of the body.

Mugabes nephew, Leo, who is authorised to speak on behalf of the family, said he was not aware of the continued construction of the mausoleum.

We have nothing to do with that, Leo said. Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister Kazembe Kazembe said the construction of the mausoleum was being handled by the ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

Kazembe refused to comment on why it was being constructed when Mugabe was long buried.

That is being done by the Ministry of Local Government, they are the ones constructing that, you can talk to minister July Moyo, he said.

Moyos mobile number was not available while his deputy Marian Chombo was not picking calls. Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa also referred questions to Moyo.

Chief Zvimba accused Grace of neglecting Mugabes property at Zimbabwe House, the State Houses in Harare, Bulawayo and Chinhoyi.

Mugabes children, Bona, Bellarmine Chatunga and Tinotenda Robert (Jnr) in June appealed against Chief Zvimbas ruling, saying he acted outside his jurisdiction. The case is yet to be heard at the Chinhoyi magistrates court.

President Emmerson Mnangagwas government has consistently denied accusations that it is behind attempts to exhume Mugabes remains. Standard
City lawyers appealed the decision, and an appeals court largely upheld the lower courts decision, ruling in June that the DOE must extend free coronavirus testing to charter school students. The appeals court said the city does not need to include charter school staff, and that the ruling only applied to kids in the charters listed as plaintiffs in the original suit.
It used to be the MTA got a pat on the back from the world because we had the highest farebox recovery ratio, Lieber said  referring to the fact that train, bus and subway fares provided more of the agencys money than similar systems elsewhere in the world.
During a week-long trial in Manhattan Federal Court, Lt. Angelique Olaechea testified that the officer then in charge of the 9th Precinct in the East Village, Captain Vincent Greany, and his second-in command, Lt. Daniel Brown, transferred her to Brooklyn, brought her up on departmental charges and spread rumors that she was having an affair with another cop to punish her for testifying against them at an NYPD departmental trial.
Ive lived here for 23 years. Never have these things happen. Right here? Its scary, said Mary Forrester, 62, who lives two doors down from the shooting. We used to be hanging out here on the steps at night but no more.
A gunman walked up to the 28-year-old victim on Amsterdam Ave. near Hancock Place about 4:40 a.m. July 17, blasted him once in the right leg then fled on the moped, police said.
I hear what I thought was fireworks and then the police came quickly after, said the worker, who did not want to give his name.
Please pray for the family and loved ones of the fallen officer who will now face a world without her. Please also pray for the recovery of the officer who is fighting for his life. I ask you to please hold their fellow officers in your thoughts as they process this heartbreaking tragedy. We will never forget the sacrifices these officers made to protect this city. We cannot forget.
Lynn Gay Keenes family reported her missing on July 30, but said they had last spoken to her on June 14, when she was at her home in Linville Falls, according to the Avery County Sheriffs Office.
He lies, Williams said of the governor. He just always lies. Theres a lot of Trump-like qualities with Cuomo. People try to pretend thats not true. One of them is the ability to lie and act like hes not lying. Its just astonishing. I think he actually might believe he didnt do these things. He probably believes everything doesnt apply to him.
We treat victims the same. We investigate the same. This one has more eyes on it, he said during a press conference. Im not going to rush it because of who he is and Im not going to delay it because of who he is.
Sooner or later, youre going to see an attenuation to the point where were going to have to give an additional boost to people, very likely the elderly, before you give it to otherwise normal people who are not old, Fauci told NBCs Meet the Press. Thats going to happen as soon as the data gets to us.
Theres still a lot of procedure to be gotten through, he continued. But we are within days, possibly within hours of seeing this historic legislation thats going to get us better roads and bridges, better ports and airports  a better future for our economy and creating millions of jobs.
This ridiculous assertion about the thousands who stormed Congress in the midst of the counting of Electoral Votes chanting stop the steal! looks especially obscene in light of new evidence confirming the depths to which Trump went to try to cling to power when it was clear he had lost the will of the voters, as fairly expressed at the ballot box.
What worries these parents most is that face mask mandates have been dropped as Florida sets new records for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. That worry is especially acute for parents who want their children vaccinated but do not have that option because their kids are younger than 12 and no COVID-19 shots are yet available for them.
We also need to work toward sensible, fair solutions toward citizenship. Those who are here, and have earned the right, should have a path to stay here. A 2021 poll by Vox and Data for Progress found that most Americans support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants  and even more support citizenship for Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. as children.
I was moved to write this letter after a colleague canceled his Disney World travel plans a week out. His family of five is making alternate plans. Another colleague who regularly takes his family to Florida during the summer didnt even consider the state due to the threat it poses to his familys health. A friend with Tampa-area family canceled an upcoming reunion trip for the same reason. My wife and I have previously met up with her side of the family at a vacation rental in Florida, but next week we are taking our daughter to visit them at their home in New York, a state that takes the pandemic seriously.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A Libyan coast guard ship has rescued 96 illegal migrants of different African nationalities who were heading to European shores in a dinghy, as the phenomenon of illegal immigration off Libya continues
If the navy actually performs its duty and prevents Indian fishermen from entering into Sri Lankan waters, there wont be any trouble in this regard from fishermen, Mr Ponnambalam

by S. Rubatheesan

When the Department of Fisheries with the help of the Sri Lanka Navy dumped some 20 discarded buses off Delft Island sea in Jaffna during the fish breeding ban in June, they hope to achieve two things: one is to create an artificial reef, and other is to discourage Indian bottom trawlers who frequently enter through this route to Sri Lankan territorial waters.

Nearly two months on, Indian fishermen are navigating into Sri Lankan waters. They sail closer to the Northern sea shore for bottom trawling and then damage the nets of local fishermen.

Indian fishermen are able to navigate [around] the discarded buses dumped on the seabed, after [some] initial accidents. They use satellite coordinates or Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in their trawlers, Jaffna District Fishermens Association Secretary Annalingam Annarasa told the Sunday Times.

The location of the bus barrier is widely shared among Indian fishermen, Annarasa said.

A 45-day annual fishing ban ended on June 14, and hundreds of Indian trawlers are intruding into Sri Lankan waters via Mannar and Kachchathivu islet for bottom trawling, banned in Sri Lanka.

Local fishermen in Munai, Maruthankerny of Point Pedro and Palaly allege that 48 fishing nets, worth Rs 5.37 million had been destroyed by Indian trawlers on Monday.

A complaint has also been filed at the regional Fisheries Department in Jaffna demanding compensation, or livelihood assistance from authorities.

This was raised in Parliament on Thursday when Jaffna District All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, alleged that the navy turned a blind eye to the Indian fishermen.

If the navy actually performs its duty and prevents Indian fishermen from entering into Sri Lankan waters, there wont be any trouble in this regard from fishermen, Mr Ponnambalam said. He also accused the navy of acquiring land belonging to the people of the North to extend the bases, while failing miserably to take action against Indian poachers.

He also asked whether the government is deliberately silent.

Tired of repeated assurances by politicians and government authorities, a group of fishermen representing fisherfolk across the district met the commander northern naval area, Rear Admiral Priyantha Perera last week. The Assistant Director of Fisheries in Jaffna was also present. The meeting was held at Northern Naval Command in Kankesanthurai.

Fishermen at the meeting  that went for over two hours  were not happy with responses from the Northern Navy Commander for their request to take tough action against Indian fishermen.

At one point, fishermen leaders from Point Pedro warned that if the navy failed to take action, it would lead to clashes between fisherfolk of the two countries, suggesting local fishermen would be forced to take the law into their hands to detain Indian fishermen at mid sea.

The Navy Commander failed to give us any solid undertaking to stop the Indian fishermen in our waters, although we pointed out the hardships we face, particularly after the pandemic, fishermen leader Annarasa, who was among attendees at the meeting, said.

Ahead of plans to protest in front of the Consulate-General of India in Jaffna, Northern fishermen are to meet the newly-appointed consul-general on August 11.

Days after the meeting with local fishermen leaders, a fisherman from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu was reportedly injured in a shooting incident, allegedly by the Sri Lanka Navy at mid sea last Wednesday.

Eight Indian fishermen on that Indian trawler are registered under a politician of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in Tamil Nadu, according to Indian media reports.

Navy Spokesman, Captain Indika De Silva, said navy sailors are advised about standard protocols during patrols. We dont shoot at them but chase them away from our waters, he said.

He also said Indian fishermen who engage in illegal trawling in Sri Lankan waters are not arrested due to coronavirus concerns.

As local fishermen are demanding compensation for the damage caused by Indian bottom trawlers, the Fisheries Ministry is considering auctioning seized Indian trawlers and fishing gear in Sri Lankan custody.

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda told the Sunday Times that this week he would go to the sites where seized Indian trawlers are anchored to understand their quality before an auction.

By 2018, at least 174 Indian trawlers had been released by the authorities and an Indian delegation visited Sri Lanka to retrieve the trawlers that were in good condition.

( Sunday Times, Sri Lanka)
The world over and even in little Lanka, this COVID-19 War has quite a large component of politics involved although it is really a battle between the deadly covid virus and the medical profession with scientists.

by Gamini Weerakoon

World War III has been going on for a year and a half. More than a million have died around the world, including our own Sri Lankans. As we watch these events on TV and read them in print in our hansiputtuwa, we are confused and confounded. There are so many experts on this world war than the previous two where the battles were fought by the three forces, intelligence services and, of course, politicians.

Didnt Carl von Clausewitz, the renowned Prussian general, say war is an extension of politics by other means.

The world over and even in little Lanka, this COVID-19 War has quite a large component of politics involved although it is really a battle between the deadly covid virus and the medical profession with scientists.

There are a dime a dozen experts on TV and other media telling us what to do  wash hands, keep the social distance, masks on and now vaccinate, vaccinate and vaccinate.

We were certainly quite willing to be vaccinated but till a week or two ago vaccines were in short supply. So, in solidarity with Third World countries, we were lambasting our former imperial masters for vaccine imperialism while the United States President Joe Biden was offering vaccines round every street corner with $ 10 as a reward for taking the jab.

At that time we met a fellow Sri Lankan who was willing to offer $10 to the Government for a vaccine shot but was not successful in his attempts. It is only when the wicked Western imperialists and the Japanese  who have been so generous to Lanka for the past seven decades  decided to flood Lanka with vaccines that our Lankan politicians and military top brass swung into action patting themselves vigorously on their backs for their government leaders success. The state-owned media blared in coconut sized letters on their front pages: Army in 24/7 Drive for AZ Second Dose.

Well done  our side, we said to ourselves as we dozed into a midafternoon nap in our hansiputtuwa.

We noted at the commencement of these comments that the many experts on COVID-19 have us confused and confounded with their knowledgeable advice on the disease. All along, we were made to believe that the covid virus was a killer and those vulnerable groups: diabetics, cardiac patients, those suffering from allergies and the aging people  over 70s  are likely to take off to other worlds sooner than those not in these categories.

But last week we read of a report quoting Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana as saying that Most coronavirus victims died of comorbidity and not purely because of the virus.

The report defined comorbidity as the effect all other conditions the patient might have other than the primary condition of interest. The report also quoted Pathirana as saying: While there has been an increase in the number of Covid-related deaths, most victims had died of other complications also known as comorbidity.

What does all this mean to a layman? Does it mean the same thing as what was said before: Those in the vulnerable groups, if they are infected with COVID-19, are likely to take off to a netherworld sooner than others who are not in their categories? Or that covid is not the only culprit but other diseases are?

This sound as abstruse as the Quantum theory to an ordinary layman? Sure, with or without the covid virus, people will die but right now the issue is that people are dying of covid in millions and not of other vulnerabilities cited earlier.

Does this comorbidity fall in line with the current Lankan political trends? The country has been opened and as far as the Rajapaksa government is concerned its back to normal. Another Cabinet Spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwela, has said the Government needs to ensure the economy is stable and will the country open as much as possible while taking health-related precautions.

The Government, it appears, wants the people to think that the terror of the epidemic can be countered. Theories like comorbidity may help to reduce public fears about COVID-19 and come out into the open.

In this context, we cite a quotation on propaganda by one of Americas foremost thinkers, Naom Chomsky: Good propaganda creates a slogan that nobody is going to be against and everybody is going to be for it. Nobody knows what it means because it doesnt mean anything. We have so much of information and know so little.

The general population doesnt know what is happening and doesnt even know that it does not know.

We also quote George Orwells writing over half century ago:  in our age, there is no such thing as keeping out of politics. All issues are political issues and politics is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia. Political language  and with variations, this is true of all political parties from Conservatives to Anarchists  is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable and give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.

Powerful as well as impotent countries are facing the same problem in fighting this Third World War: Mixing up of politics with an issue that has to be fought scientifically by scientists and those of allied professions. The countrys foremost body of medical professionals, the Association of Medical Specialists, has clearly described the Governments move of opening up of the economy in very simple language: Relaxing restrictions is like adding fuel to fire.

With the Delta variant being commonly detected making the number of patients increase, the relaxation of covid restrictions is like adding fuel to fire. The president of the association, Dr. Lakkumar Fernando, has said that it was the prime duty of their organisation to alert and warn the decision makers of the current grim situation. With such relaxations reaching the people who are complacent in obeying guideline rules, they will invariably start behaving like free birds aggravating the crisis further.

Dr. Fernando has pointed out that the relaxation should have begun once we had achieved vaccination targets along with the declining number of COVID-19 cases which may happen in four to eight weeks time.

Indeed, all governments would like to open up their economies that have been under lockdown for long. But most countries, including the United States, Britain and many European countries, opened up their economies only after the required proportion of citizens have been vaccinated.

That should have been the obvious course. But Sri Lankans are different. We are original thinkers.

(The writer is a former editor of The Sunday Island, The Island and consultant editor of the Sunday Leader.)
Israel, Russia and Hungary have already started providing third booster doses to wide swaths of their populations, while Germany and France have announced they will do so starting September 1

White House press secretary says it is a false choice to demand wealthy nations halt third doses in order to supply poor countries

The United States on Wednesday rejected an appeal from the UN health agency for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and for rich countries to focus instead on supplying poorer nations.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had urged the countries and companies controlling the supply of doses to change course immediately and prioritize addressing the drastic inequity in vaccine distribution between rich and poor nations.

We definitely feel that its a false choice and we can do both, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, adding that the United States has donated more than any other country and was asking others to step up. Also in this country [we] have enough supply to ensure that every American has access to a vaccine, she added.

We will have enough supply to ensure if the FDA decides that boosters are recommended for a portion of the population to provide those as well. We believe we can do both and we dont need to make that choice, Psaki added.

The WHO has for months been sounding the alarm over a glaring and growing imbalance in vaccine availability against a disease that has killed 4.2 million people worldwide.

Some 4.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, according to an AFP count.

People receive the AstraZeneca vaccination against the coronavirus at the forum of the DITIB central mosque in Cologne, Germany, on May 8, 2021. (Martin Meissner/AP)

The WHO wants every country to have vaccinated at least 10 percent of its population by the end of September, at least 40% by the end of the year, and 70% by the middle of 2022.

In countries categorized as high income by the World Bank, 101 doses per 100 people have been injected. That figure drops to 1.7 doses per 100 people in the 29 lowest-income countries.

Israel, Russia and Hungary have already started providing third booster doses to wide swaths of their populations, while Germany and France have announced they will do so starting September 1. Other nations, including the United States and Britain, are considering plans to do so in the wake of the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Israel began administering COVID vaccine booster doses to the immunosuppressed last month, and rolled them out to all Israelis over age 60 on Sunday.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged the elderly population to make appointments to receive a third dose in order to better protect themselves.

The booster, the third vaccine, simply reloads the bodys defenses and allows us to save lives, Bennett said on Tuesday as he accompanied his mother, Myrna, to receive her third dose. I ask everyone  children, grandchildren and parents: Go and get vaccinated. Vaccinate a third time whoever is over age 60 The more we vaccinate, the more we protect our mothers and fathers and also safeguard an open Israel.
Central Coast Amateur Radio Club News

8 August 2021

Due to current public health orders, the clubrooms are currently closed for access until at least Saturday the 28th of August. The club's executive team continue to monitor the ongoing public health situation are hopeful the doors can reopen again soon.



The clubs final general business meeting prior to the AGM was held yesterday online via Google Meet. The clubs executive team provided their final reports and discussed the milestones the club has achieved over the past several years along with future goals in the pipeline for the new committee to follow through with.

The clubs upcoming Annual General Meeting will also be held online via Google Meet on Saturday the 21st of August at 1:00 PM. As the current executive team will not be standing for re-election, all board positions will be open. Nominations forms have been sent to club members via E-mail. With the current restrictions, the clubs executive team will accept signed and scanned copies of the committee nomination form no later than 12:00 PM Wednesday the 18th of August.



A reminder that the clubs Brand Meister DMR repeater is currently offline due to an unknown power-related fault. The team have not yet been able to fully isolate and locate the cause of the issue and are hoping to investigate this further when travel restrictions ease.

The club would like to thank Bob VK2AOR and Dave VK2KFU continue with the club's Morning Tea net every day. With stay-at-home orders expanding to now include the Hunter region, it is a terrific way to get to know your fellow operators. This week the club would like to give a shout out to Laura VK2LLJ from the Newcastle Region who has dropped in to say hello every day. A massive thanks go out to Bob and Dave for running these nets, you will be sure to learn a little piece of history each day.

Alan VK2MG hosted a brief Thursday Evening 2-meter net with only a handful of stations quickly visiting. Discussions ranged from configuring new DMR Radios to the history of Dairy Farms at Menangle in Sydney. Cheers Alan for running the net!



Both nets are held on the VK2RAG 2 Metre repeater, 146.725Mhz with a 91.5hz sub-audible tone. Unfortunately, the Echolink and IRLP system remains offline, and the team hope to have this returned soon.

The club is still looking for more operators to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the RAAF at the end of August so far only two operators have put their hand up. This is a fantastic opportunity to get out on the bands and share in celebrating this momentous occasion portable or otherwise. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to the club directly.

Did you know the club has a YouTube channel? It contains lecture recordings from previous events as well as a number of technical videos covering a wide range of topics.

You can find out more about the CCARC on the web at www.ccarc.org.au; via telephone on 02 4340 2500 or Search for Central Coast Amateur Radio Club on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to find us. Remember to give the club a like to follow for any updates.



Brad VK2NMZ

Vice-President & Publicity, Central Coast Amateur Radio Club.
The unsung lives of radio hams from Bengaluru The Deccan Herald newspaper reports communication turns out to be a major challenge when natural calamities strike, and even a hobby can come in handy as a life-saving resource in such times

The story says:



One such intriguing hobby, which has saved lives multiple times in the hour of need, is that of Ham radio. Amateur radio is internationally accepted as the main means of emergency communication. In India too, Ham radio operators have rallied around in every possible emergency, from earthquakes to floods and cyclones, and their efforts have been lauded. Even in the recent flood situation across many parts of the country, Ham radio communication helped save many lives.



Ham radios are currently active from the Sundarbans in West Bengal to the Western Ghats in the Konkan region. Both the areas were hit with cyclones and floods recently. When it is difficult to establish mobile connectivity, Ham radios high-frequency signals connect to the vulnerable areas to send relief.



Metrolife spoke to two Ham radio aficionados  Nagesh Naidu VU2LNN and TS Ganesh VU2TS  to understand more about the Ham radio community and their work. Both Naidu and Ganesh have been on Ham radio for over four decades.



Read the full story at

https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-cityscape/the-unsung-lives-of-ham-radio-operators-from-bengaluru-1017033.html

One such intriguing hobby, which has saved lives multiple times in the hour of need, is that of Ham radio. Amateur radio is internationally accepted as the main means of emergency communication. In India too, Ham radio operators have rallied around in every possible emergency, from earthquakes to floods and cyclones, and their efforts have been lauded. Even in the recent flood situation across many parts of the country, Ham radio communication helped save many lives.Ham radios are currently active from the Sundarbans in West Bengal to the Western Ghats in the Konkan region. Both the areas were hit with cyclones and floods recently. When it is difficult to establish mobile connectivity, Ham radios high-frequency signals connect to the vulnerable areas to send relief.Metrolife spoke to two Ham radio aficionados and to understand more about the Ham radio community and their work. Both Naidu and Ganesh have been on Ham radio for over four decades.Read the full story at
In a much less gaudy gesture, Ryder System in Miami said it is continuing an incentive program it started in February. Its available to roughly 40,000 employees of the transportation services company and offers up to six hours of paid time off to employees who receive a COVID vaccine. It includes three hours for the first vaccine and an additional three hours for treatments that require second doses.
We have been without our neighborhood parks for two years, Currie said. People are frustrated. They had to deal with 113 million gallons of raw sewage flowing through their neighborhood. They want their public spaces back. They want their sidewalks back. They dont want flooding in front of their homes. They want their driveways finished. They want this all wrapped up and for the city to be out of our hair.
Diazs attorney explained that before the first trial a prosecutor offered a 30-year sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. The defense lawyer urged Diaz to take the deal but never explained the risks of a possible life sentence if Diaz declined  which he did, according to the claim.
Ultimately, the internal and external pressure combined was enough to topple the Soviet Union and bring freedom to millions of people. Following Reagans death, Walesa wrote the following: When talking about Ronald Reagan, I have to be personal. We in Poland took him so personally. Why? Because we owe him our liberty. The lesson here is clear. By simply supporting the principles of freedom, Reagan was able to stoke and sustain a passion for freedom where it was being suppressed. Unfortunately, in our more recent history, America did not take as much action to stand up for the oppressed people of Iran and Venezuela.
As I sit in the hospital waiting for my husband to recover from surgery, I hear from nurses that so many non-vaccinated people are now being admitted to the hospital  some dying or on ventilators  who regret not getting the vaccine. So next time, unvaccinated people, when you get into your car and buckle up, think about how your life is being saved. Get the shot before its too late.
An international dialogue of women of Central Asia was held in Avaza on the sidelines of the third consultative meeting of the heads of Central Asian states. The forum participants included the heads of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS.

The dialogue focused on the role of women in strengthening interstate cooperation, developing socio-economic ties, cultural and scientific contacts and interaction in the area of health care. The agenda also included issues related to womens participation in state and public affairs and implementation of reforms to ensure gender equality and protection of their rights and interests.

Promoting gender equality in the countries of the region was discussed during the plenary session. The meeting participants looked into the experience of various global and regional associations of women of the Central Asian group to support the expansion of opportunities to influence decision-making processes on topical issues related to ensuring peace, stability and development in the region.

It was also noted that the current meeting was intended to become an effective step towards achieving the objectives of the global agenda Women, Peace and Security and goals of other multilateral international documents adopted under the auspices of the UN to ensure gender equality.

The Forum adopted the Declaration with recommendations on measures to be taken at the national and regional levels to enhance womens participation in the political and socio-economic life of states.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
An Economic Forum of Central Asian countries was held at the congress center of the Avaza National Tourism Zone on the sidelines of the third consultative meeting of the heads of Central Asian states. The forum was attended by government officials, heads of ministries, departments, financial organizations, private businesses and mass media from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

During the thematic sessions, the forum discussed issues related to trade, economic and investment opportunities of the countries of Central Asia, promising vectors of cooperation in the energy and chemical industries, as well as transport and logistics. The results of discussions and ensuing recommendations were presented in the final documents of the forum.

11 interdepartmental documents were signed during the side events of the Economic Forum of Central Asian countries, confirming their intention to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of transport, international container and multimodal cargo transportation, industry, oil and gas and electric power spheres.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
An international exhibition of national products of Central Asian countries was held in the city of Turkmenbashi on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea on the sidelines of the consultative meeting of the leaders of the region. The exhibition vividly demonstrated the economic growth and industrial potential of the Central Asian countries.

Expositions of the leading ministries, departments, organizations and businesses of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan occupied more than 2000 square meters. The exhibition featured the products of the fuel and energy complex, construction, agriculture, automotive, textile industry and food industry.

As part of the exhibition, there was held exchange trading of Turkmen products of the petrochemical, building materials and light industries.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
Bengaluru, Aug 8 (UNI) The National Investigation Agency conducted search operations on the premises of a suspect at two locations in the city in a human trafficking case.

"The NIA yesterday conducted searches at two locations in Bengaluru at the premises of a suspect, who is suspected to be involved in making fake ID proof documents for the Bangladeshi traffickers and the trafficked victims," NIA said in a statement.

The case was originally registered at Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station against 13 persons relating to a raid conducted by Karnataka Police at a rented house where seven Bangladeshi women and one child were rescued from the custody of human traffickers.
Srinagar, Aug 8 (UNI) In a major crackdown, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted raids at over 40 locations in 14 districts of J&K, including all 10 districts of Kashmir valley, in connection with a terror funding case.



Official sources said that the NIA sleuths, assisted by Police and CRPF, conducted raids at the offices of some charitable trusts and residences of the members of Jamaat-e-Islami -- an outfit that was banned by the centre in 2019 for its closed links with militants.

The raids started at around 0500 hrs on Sunday.



The sources said that the raids were conducted in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal in central; Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipore in north and Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam in south Kashmir. In Jammu division the raids were being conducted in Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and Rajouri districts, they added.



Sources said that the raids were being conducted to check the resurgence of Jamaat-e-Islami activities in J&K despite the five-year ban.



Earlier this week, NIA carried out raids and detained a man for questioning in a case pertaining to terror connection in the north Kashmir district of Bandipora. On July 31, the NIA raided 14 locations in J&K in connection with cases related to the recovery of IED and the arrest of Lashkar-e-Mustafa top commander Hidayatullah Malik.

UNI ABS RHK1051
Jammu, Aug 8 (UNI) Appealing to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to reexamine the content of the return and rehabilitation policies with regard to internally displaced Hindus of Kashmir over the years--Panun Kashmir--on Sunday said that treating the Hindu employees of PM package as second class citizens is not merely a dereliction but a crime.

"We appeal to LG of J&K to reexamine the content of the return and rehabilitation policies with regard to internally displaced Hindus of Kashmir over the years and recognize that such policies were never meant for their permanent sustainable return but only aimed at handing them over to a social and political order that perpetrated Genocide against them," Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman, Panun Kashmir flanked by convener Agnishekhar here told reporters at a press conference.

Raising questions, the Panun Kashmir asked whether the government is aware that conversions have actually happened in Kashmir in recent times? Is the government aware about the demeaning and dehumanizing acts taking place against such employees from time to time? Is government aware about the reasons why GoI and the then state government was unable to fulfill the package for 6000 employees which it tom- tommed in front of the nation and international community? Why did the state government refuse to bear the financial burden of 3000 employees as per the declared Prime Minister's employment package?
ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban.

IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-23 21:52:00|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The first president of Namibia Sam Nujoma has hailed the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team for specialised health-care delivery in the southern African country.

Nujoma extended his gratitude in a letter addressed to the Health Commission of Zhejiang Province in China.

"I write to extend Namibia's appreciation for the wonderful medical service rendered by the Chinese Medical Team from Zhejiang province of the People's Republic of China," Nujoma said.

The team of two doctors and two nurses have provided medical services at the Acupuncture Department at the Katutura State Hospital in the Namibian capital of Windhoek since January 2020.

He said that the Namibian people benefited immensely from the skilled team's medical expertise, diligence, commitment, and dedication to quality public health provision.

"Indeed, the medical team consisting of Dr. Fan Lianqiang, Dr. Niu Ming, nurses Liao Yun and nurse Xu Yunmei have been excellent medical services to the Namibian nation as well as to myself and my wife for the past 18 months," Nujoma said.

According to Nujoma, the sustained quality service delivered by the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team is a showcase for China-Namibia ties. "The People's Republic of China is indeed Namibia's all weathered friend," Nujoma said.

Meanwhile, Kalumbi Shangula, minister of Health and Social Services, said that the knowledge and skills of the medical team have also significantly contributed to the government's efforts in accelerating health access, ensuring the health and well-being of the nation.

"One of the consistent and much-valued support over the years came through the Chinese Medical Teams. Now that the term of the team from Zhejiang has come to an end, allow me to express my sincerest appreciation to the team for the services rendered to the Namibian people," Shangula said.

Fang Lianqiang, the medical team leader, said that the 13th batch had treated more than 7,000 locals from the country's 14 regions during their term.

Since 1996, a team of traditional Chinese medical practitioners has been stationed at the Katutura hospital as part of the cooperative medical projects between China and Namibia. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-07-24 19:27:42|Editor: huaxia

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A Chinese doctor conducts acupuncture treatment for a patient at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, on May 11, 2020. The 13th batch of Chinese medical team arrived in Namibia in January this year. (Xinhua/Sharon Kavhu)

The first president of Namibia Sam Nujoma has hailed the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team for specialised health-care delivery in the southern African country.

WINDHOEK, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The first president of Namibia Sam Nujoma has hailed the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team for specialised health-care delivery in the southern African country.

Nujoma extended his gratitude in a letter addressed to the Health Commission of Zhejiang Province in China.

"I write to extend Namibia's appreciation for the wonderful medical service rendered by the Chinese Medical Team from Zhejiang province of the People's Republic of China," said Nujoma.

The team of two doctors and two nurses have provided medical services at the Acupuncture Department at the Katutura State Hospital in the Namibian capital of Windhoek since January 2020.

He said that the Namibian people benefited immensely from the skilled team's medical expertise, diligence, commitment, and dedication to quality public health provision.

"Indeed, the medical team consisting of Dr. Fan Lianqiang, Dr. Niu Ming, nurses Liao Yun and nurse Xu Yunmei have been excellent medical services to the Namibian nation as well as to myself and my wife for the past 18 months," said Nujoma.

A Chinese doctor conducts acupuncture treatment for a patient at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, on May 11, 2020. The 13th batch of Chinese medical team arrived in Namibia in January this year. (Xinhua/Sharon Kavhu)

According to Nujoma, the sustained quality service delivered by the 13th batch of the Chinese medical team is a showcase for China-Namibia ties. "The People's Republic of China is indeed Namibia's all weathered friend," Nujoma said.

Meanwhile, Kalumbi Shangula, minister of Health and Social Services, said that the knowledge and skills of the medical team have also significantly contributed to the government's efforts in accelerating health access, ensuring the health and well-being of the nation.

"One of the consistent and much-valued support over the years came through the Chinese Medical Teams. Now that the term of the team from Zhejiang has come to an end, allow me to express my sincerest appreciation to the team for the services rendered to the Namibian people," Shangula said.

Fang Lianqiang, the medical team leader, said that the 13th batch had treated more than 7,000 locals from the country's 14 regions during their term.

Since 1996, a team of traditional Chinese medical practitioners has been stationed at the Katutura hospital as part of the cooperative medical projects between China and Namibia.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-07 09:08:58|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday condemned "in the strongest terms" the cowardly terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwest Pakistan on July 14, which left nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis dead.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the governments of Pakistan and China, and wished a speedy and full recovery of the injured.

The council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

They underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.

They urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the governments of Pakistan and China, as well as all other relevant authorities in this regard.

The council members reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 15:05:01|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- More agricultural products in China met quality and safety standards in the second quarter of this year, official sampling results show.

During the period, 97.8 percent of the sampled farm produce, covering vegetables, fruits, tea, livestock and aquatic products, met national standards, up 0.7 percentage points year on year, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Livestock products boasted the highest qualified rate at 99 percent, followed by tea and vegetables.

The second quarter's sampling involved 109 cities in 31 provincial-level regions nationwide, according to the ministry.

It also urged local agricultural authorities to crack down on defective products and ramp up regulation to ensure food safety. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 15:34:41|Editor: huaxia

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BRASILIA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Brazil refuted on Saturday the wrong remarks made by spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Brazil Tobias Bradford on Chinese tech firm Huawei.

Bradford issued on Friday a statement on U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's visit to Brazil, claiming that the United States expressed strong concerns about Huawei's potential role in the field of communications facilities in Brazil and other countries.

In a reply to reporters, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this kind of interference in the 5G construction of other countries and undermining of normal cooperation between China and Brazil.

The malicious attacks on China's 5G technology security and Chinese companies disregard facts, and their true intentions are to smear China, suppress Chinese high-tech companies, and safeguard the "America First" and its technological monopoly, said the spokesperson.

Referring to the United States as the world's number one "hacking empire" and a real threat to global cybersecurity, the Chinese spokesperson said that the U.S. side abused its national power without any basis in facts to discredit China's high-tech enterprises, and its outright hegemonic acts have been and will continue to be widely resisted by the international community.

"We believe that Brazil will provide open, fair and non-discriminatory market rules for companies from all countries, including China, and continue to create a good business environment for China-Brazil economic and trade cooperation," said the spokesperson. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 15:53:56|Editor: huaxia

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Police officers check vehicles during curfew hours in Tripoli, Libya, on Aug. 7, 2021. Libya has imposed a 24-hour curfew from Saturday to Monday to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Libya has imposed a 24-hour curfew from Saturday to Monday to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The government announced the decision on Thursday. When the curfew ends, the previous prevention measures will continue.

In late June, the government imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (1600-0400 GMT) for two weeks, and ordered that those who violate the restrictions be punished.

The government has recently launched an "exceptional" vaccination campaign to set up temporary vaccination centers, where people above the age of 18, Libyans or foreigners, can get vaccinated.

According to the National Center for Disease Control, the country has registered more than 260,000 cases so far, with nearly 200,000 recoveries and 3,689 deaths. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 16:15:46|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The cumulative turnover of China's main over-the-counter (OTC) equity market has reached 81 billion yuan (about 12.5 billion U.S. dollars) so far this year.

The National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ), also known as the "new third board," registered a turnover of 2.9 billion yuan in the transaction week spanning Aug. 2 to Aug. 6.

As of Friday, there are 7,391 companies on the board.

Launched in 2013, the board aims to offer small and medium-sized enterprises a new financing channel with low costs and simple listing procedures.

China has outlined a series of reforms to better orient the NEEQ to the needs and features of small enterprises, and to support the quality growth of the real economy. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 19:13:29|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain's Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the Foreign Ministry Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa arrived in Israel on Sunday morning and started his four-day visit.

The Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement that the senior Bahraini diplomat has scheduled meetings with Israel's President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.

"The undersecretary will also meet with various groups representing Israeli civil society, universities and research institutes to strengthen ties between Israel and Bahrain," the statement read.

Israel and Bahrain signed U.S.-brokered agreements to normalize their ties in 2020. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 20:54:37|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Somalia on Sunday received 108,000 additional doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to help intensify the fight against the pandemic in the country.

The vaccines were donated by the French government through the COVAX Facility in continued efforts to protect Somalia's population from COVID-19.

Fawziya Abikar Nur, Somali Minister of Health and Human Services said the arrival of the new batch of COVID-19 vaccines comes at a critical time as cases in Somalia are on the rise.

Since the outbreak began in March 2020, Somalia has reported a total of 15,257 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 789 deaths as of July 24.

Nur said Somalia will continue to prioritize frontline health and other essential workers, the elderly, and people with chronic health conditions in this next phase of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

An estimated 186,094 people in Somalia have to date received their first dose of the vaccine and 92,792 have received their second, the health ministry said.

Owing to low vaccination coverage in the country where less than 1 percent of the country's population is fully vaccinated, the country faces the dual challenge of improving the uptake amongst its general population as well as ensuring an equitable and predictable supply of COVID-19 vaccines to support an effective rollout of mass vaccination.

Mohamed Ayoya, UNICEF Somalia Representative said the timely support will be critical in increasing the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19, particularly the health workers so they can continue to provide essential health care for Somali children and their families.

The WHO and UNICEF said they will continue to support the Ministry of Health to ensure the safe and equitable distribution of the vaccines through the management of cold chain systems and in the training of vaccinators and in the monitoring of vaccine utilization.

The two UN agencies said efforts will also continue to promote the safety and uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:07:02|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and two others wounded in three attacks by militants of the extremist group Islamic State (IS) on security forces in Salahudin province north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a provincial security source said Sunday.

In one of the attacks, IS militants struck an Iraqi army base in Nibai area in the southern part of Salahudin, Colonel Mohammed al-Bazi told Xinhua.

The attack sparked a fierce clash between the two sides, leaving a soldier killed and another wounded, al-Bazi said.

On Saturday night, IS militants clashed with a police force member guarding a gas station in Shirqat area, some 280 km north of Baghdad, killing a guard and wounding a civilian worker in the station, al-Bazi said.

After midnight, a third IS attack targeted a joint army and police unit near a village south of Salahudin's provincial capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad, sparking a clash between the two sides, al-Bazi said, adding the attackers later withdrew from the scene without causing casualties.

Over the past few months, IS militants have intensified attacks on Iraqi security forces in the province the militants previously controlled, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces defeated the IS militants in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted into urban centers or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:10:19|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON -- New Chinese ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has called on the two countries to join hands to combat the still-spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

"How about our two countries working together on solutions, e.g. more effective vaccines & helping other countries?" Qin tweeted on Friday.

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PHNOM PENH -- Fifty-four years on, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has succeeded in ensuring peace, stability, security and steady development, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said in a written message to mark the ASEAN Day on Sunday.

"Together, we have embarked on a long and fulfilling journey to nurture the growth of this regional organization into a closely-knitted and people-oriented entity," he said.

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BUENOS AIRES -- Argentine academic Patricio Giusto spoke highly of China's decision to provide 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the world this year and offer 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme.

"China's position and announcement are consistent and valuable," considering that COVID-19 vaccines "are global public goods and that the solution to the pandemic must be provided by the world as a whole, through cooperation and multilateralism," Giusto, director of the Sino-Argentine Observatory, told Xinhua after the first meeting of the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation, which was jointly held on Thursday by 23 countries via video links.

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LUSAKA -- The Zambian government and officials with United Nations on Saturday commended the Chinese government for its plans to supply more COVID-19 vaccines to the world.

Nathan Bakyaita, World Health Organization Representative to Zambia, said the gesture is commendable because the economy of most developing countries has been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

He said the COVAX Facility was established to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, adding that China's move will go a long way in realizing the goal. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:12:22|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday warned Lebanon that his country "will not accept" rocket fire.

Bennett made the remarks a day after Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, fired rockets from Lebanon at the Israeli territory.

Speaking at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting, Bennett said that the Lebanese government and army "should take responsibility for what happens in their backyard."

On Friday, about 19 rockets were fired at northern Israel by Hezbollah, causing no injuries. The Israeli army said in a statement that most of the rockets were intercepted by its aerial defense systems and the rest landed in open areas adjacent to the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Hezbollah said the rockets were in retaliation to the Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon a few days earlier.

The airstrikes were carried out after three rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel on Wednesday, causing no injuries. Israel said the rockets were fired by a Palestinian group. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:20:46|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Many of the top universities in Britian have refused to bring back full face-to-face teaching in the autumn, despite government advice that they can lift all COVID-19 restrictions, local media reported Sunday.

According to The Sunday Times report, 20 of the leading 24 Russell Group universities said a proportion of undergraduate teaching will continue to be held online, which means they will offer blended learning to mix the online and face-to-face teaching for classes, seminars and lectures.

Meanwhile, two-thirds of the 65 universities polled by the Times Higher Education magazine confirmed that most lectures would remain online for the coming academic year, but that they planned as much in-person teaching as possible.

They said the decisions were driven by the risk of coronavirus spreading in large lecture classrooms, as well as the educational benefits of blended learning.

Most universities said they would require students to wear masks on campuses. Some will also instruct students to socially distance. Students may also need to be double jabbed to attend concerts, discos or other social events.

The decision has dismayed college students who coped with severe disruption last year.

Students in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool have launched petitions calling for a full return to "normality in terms of teaching" and demanding fee refunds. In Manchester, where some of the strictest lockdowns took place, nearly 10,000 have signed.

Claire Marchant, chief executive of the universities admissions service Ucas, said that online teaching might mean that universities could enrol more students.

It was predicted that top universities in Britain have to cope with a 10-percent surge of applicants with A and A+ grades, compared to 2019, due to the cancellation of college entrance exams in the pandemic.

Most COVID-19 restrictions in England have been lifted last month as part of the final step of the British government's roadmap out of the lockdown.

Britain has reported another 28,612 coronavirus cases in the 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,042,252, according to official figures released Saturday.

Nearly 90 percent of the adults in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine, while more than 74 percent have had their second jab, 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| 2021-08-08 23:37:17|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD -- Five kidnappers were killed in an exchange of fire with the police in the Pishin district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

The criminals were involved in several cases of kidnapping for ransom, and recently they abducted and killed a senior leader of a political party in the province, the report quoted police as having said. (Pakistan-Police-Kidnapper)

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MOGADISHU -- Somali President Mohamed Farmajo has issued a directive barring all government officials and public institutions from entering into new economic, political and security agreements during the electioneering period.

Farmajo said the directive which is aimed at safeguarding the national assets and sovereignty of Somalia will remain in force until the next government is sworn in and takes office. (Somalia-Elections)

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JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday warned Lebanon that his country "will not accept" rocket fire.

Bennett made the remarks a day after Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, fired rockets from Lebanon at the Israeli territory. (Israel-Lebanon-Rockets)

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TRIPOLI -- Libyan authorities on Sunday recovered 10 unidentified bodies from a newly discovered mass grave in the northwestern city of Tarhuna.

Located some 90 km south of the capital Tripoli, Tarhuna was once the eastern-based army's main military operation center during the war against the former UN-backed government in and around Tripoli. (Libya-Mass-Grave) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 00:31:54|Editor: huaxia

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LHASA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Agricultural science and technology have contributed greatly to the effective supply of agricultural products, and raised the incomes of farmers and herders in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, local authorities have said.

Spending on research and development in agriculture and animal husbandry has long accounted for more than 60 percent of the region's total research and development investment, according to the Science and Technology Department of Tibet.

The region has popularized a series of new agriculture and animal husbandry varieties, technologies and equipment over recent decades, with more than 150 new crop varieties having been nurtured, it said.

Tibet's highland barley yield surged from approximately 80 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares) before the region's peaceful liberation in 1951 to some 380 kg per mu at present.

Sci-tech innovation has also helped increase the incomes of farmers and herders, the department said.

In 2020, the per capita disposable income of Tibet's rural residents was 14,598 yuan (about 2,250 U.S. dollars), up 12.7 percent over the previous year and marking the 18th year of double-digit annual growth, according to a white paper released in May. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 00:33:36|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Sunday 8,990 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the North African country to 696,282.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased by 6,959 to 612,390.

The death toll rose to 10,335 with 80 new fatalities, while 1,600 people were in intensive care units.

Meanwhile, a total of 15,065,672 people have received their first vaccine shots against COVID-19 in the country, with 10,903,123 having received two doses.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccine. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 01:12:27|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Sunday strongly opposed and condemned the U.S. intervention in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's domestic affairs.

A spokesperson with the office made the statement in response to a Hong Kong-related memorandum from the U.S. government.

When the U.S. government said that it wanted to stand with people in Hong Kong, it obviously wanted to stand with those few anti-China forces seeking to disrupt Hong Kong, the spokesperson said.

The U.S. government wanted to recreate turbulence in Hong Kong and hoped the anti-China forces seeking to disrupt Hong Kong would continue working for it, the spokesperson said.

Sponsoring Hong Kong-related organizations, and adopting Hong Kong-related bills and administrative measures, the U.S. government wanted to disrupt Hong Kong and contain China, instead of defending democracy, human rights and freedom or safeguarding the principle of "one country, two systems" as it claimed, the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong has regained stability and prosperity since the national security law took effect, the spokesperson said, adding that the continuous defamation from the United States and other few countries only showed that the law effectively struck anti-China forces seeking to disrupt Hong Kong and curbed foreign intervention.

"External intervention will not weaken the determination and will of the central government and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to fully enforce the national security law nor will it stop the development of Hong Kong and China," the spokesperson said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 01:22:24|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres repeated his call on Sunday for calm on the Lebanon-Israel border.

"The secretary-general expresses his deep concern about the recent escalation between Lebanon and Israel across the Blue Line, including rocket fire into Israel and return airstrikes and artillery fire into Lebanon," said Guterres' press office in a note to correspondents.

The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations in 2000.

The secretary-general calls on all parties to exercise utmost restraint and to actively engage with the liaison and coordination mechanisms of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, said the press office. "It is paramount that all actors involved avoid actions that can further heighten tensions and lead to miscalculation."

Guterres made a similar call on Friday.

The latest escalation came as Lebanon is struggling both politically and economically, one year after the devastating Beirut Port blast. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 02:21:51|Editor: huaxia

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KUNMING, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The herd of 14 wild Asian elephants roaming around in southwest China's Yunnan Province is approaching their traditional habitat.

At about 8 p.m. Sunday, the herd crossed the Yuanjiang River with artificial guidance, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring their migration.

The herd could have not crossed the Yuanjiang River without help as the water level rises in the rainy season. More efforts will be made to ensure the security of the herd on their way back, according to the headquarters.

It has been around 17 months since the herd bid farewell to their original habitat in a nature reserve in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture.

Wild Asian elephants, a flagship species in the rainforest, are under A-level state protection in China. Thanks to stronger environmental and wildlife protection efforts, its population in the country has grown to about 300, mostly scattered in the province of Yunnan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 04:33:22|Editor: huaxia

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TUNIS -- Tunisia on Sunday kicked off national vaccination against COVID-19 as 335 centers across 24 provinces started to vaccinate citizens aged 40 and above.

This initiative was organized by the health ministry in coordination with the defense, interior and education ministries and in cooperation with several departments and components of the civil society. (Tunisia-COVID19-Vaccination)

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JERUSALEM -- Bahrain's Undersecretary for Political Affairs in the Foreign Ministry Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa arrived in Israel on Sunday morning and started his four-day visit.

The Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement that the senior Bahraini diplomat has scheduled meetings with Israel's President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. (Israel-Bahrain-Ties)

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KHARTOUM -- Sudan on Sunday summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations, said the Sudanese foreign ministry in a statement.

"Sudan has summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations to determine its options regarding the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region," the ministry said. (Sudan-Ethiopia-Ambassador)

----

TEHRAN -- Iran reported on Sunday 39,619 new COVID-19 cases and 542 deaths, both the highest daily figure since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

The country's caseload amounted to 4,158,729 with 94,015 deaths, according to a briefing published by Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on its official website. (Iran-COVID19) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 05:23:09|Editor: huaxia

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Workers fill up oxygen cylinders at a medical oxygen plant in Tajura, Libya, on Aug. 8, 2021. The Libyan Ministry of Health has provided oxygen supplies to some hospitals in the capital Tripoli. Major hospitals in the city recently suffered from a severe lack of oxygen, as the country continues to record new COVID-19 cases. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Ministry of Health has provided oxygen supplies to some hospitals in the capital Tripoli. Major hospitals in the city recently suffered from a severe lack of oxygen, as the country continues to record new COVID-19 cases.

Directors of the hospitals appealed to the Ministry of Health, which spared no efforts to provide the much needed oxygen. Oxygen supplies were provided from Egypt, as well as local private plants.

Despite the severe lack of medical oxygen, no major hospitals or medical centers were closed and they continued to receive patients and treat them with available treatment, the ministry said.

The ministry denied reports that the lack of oxygen supplies killed patients in any hospital or medical center, confirming that the storage of oxygen was increased significantly to meet the demand.

According to the National Center for Disease Control, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Libya so far is more than 260,000, including nearly 200,000 recoveries and 3,719 deaths. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 22:09:22|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Sunday summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations, said the Sudanese foreign ministry in a statement.

"Sudan has summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations to determine its options regarding the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region," the ministry said.

On Saturday, Ethiopian officials reportedly accused Sudan of crippling the efforts aiming to end the conflict in the Tigray region.

The Sudanese foreign ministry criticized the Ethiopian statements, reiterating Sudan's supportive stance to resolving the conflict in the region.

"Sudan's concern to resolve the conflict in Tigray is part of its commitment to the regional peace and stability," it noted, voicing Sudan's expectation of Ethiopia's stability and its solidarity with Ethiopia in facing the challenges.

The ministry further mentioned the initiative proposed by the Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok aiming to encourage the parties in Ethiopia to reach a cease-fire and enter into a comprehensive political dialogue to preserve the unity and stability. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 23:05:22|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Libyan authorities on Sunday recovered 10 unidentified bodies from a newly discovered mass grave in the northwestern city of Tarhuna.

Located some 90 km south of the capital Tripoli, Tarhuna was once the eastern-based army's main military operation center during the war against the former UN-backed government in and around Tripoli.

"The teams today recovered 10 unidentified bodies after continuous search in Tarhuna," said the General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons, adding that search is underway for more mass graves in the city.

A few days ago, the authority said it recovered 12 unidentified bodies from two mass graves in the city.

Since the beginning of the search in June 2020, 30 mass graves have been discovered and 139 unidentified bodies recovered.

The forces of the former UN-backed government accused the rival eastern-based army of mass killings in Tarhuna. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 14:44:52|Editor: huaxia

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FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Taliban militants have been killed or injured as the armed group's attack on Faizabad city, the capital of northern Badakhshan province, has been repulsed, an army statement sent to media on Sunday said.

"Taliban rebels attacked Faizabad city from four directions at 8:00 p.m. local time on Saturday but faced stiff resistance and fled away after leaving 35 bodies behind and 25 others injured," the statement said.

A few more militants have been arrested in the gun battle which lasted for a couple of hours, the statement further said.

Taliban militants haven't commented on the situation in Faizabad yet. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 16:19:44|Editor: huaxia

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KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants have gained ground in the strategically important Kunduz city along the border with Tajikistan amid government forces' operations to beat back the insurgents, a local official said Sunday.

The official on the condition of anonymity said, "Taliban rebels launched a massive offensive on Kunduz city yesterday and have captured police district (PD) 1, PD 3 and PD 4 and have been attempting to overrun Balahisar area to control the road leading to the Kunduz airport."

In the meantime, Kunduz police chief Zabardast Safi in talks with Xinhua confirmed the fighting but said that the security forces would beat back the insurgents.

However, Ehasanullah Faizi, the head of Kunduz hospital told Xinhua that, "a dozen dead bodies and 60 injured civilians have been taken to hospital" since Saturday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in contact with media claimed that the Taliban militants had captured Kunduz city including the provincial governor's office, but the claim was rejected by officials as well as locals as baseless.

According to locals, the governor's office, police headquarters and other government entities are in control of government forces.

Fighting planes, as well as military helicopters, are flying over the city.

Taliban have captured one battle tank and three more were burned in the city, an eyewitness said.

Taliban militants who have captured the Nimroz provincial capital Zaranj in the west and Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzan province in the north over the past couple of days, have been fighting to overrun Kunduz city, the capital of northern Kunduz, its neighboring Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar and the neighboring Badakhshan provincial capital Faizabad. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 17:11:53|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants have overrun major parts of Sari Pul city, the capital of northern Sari Pul province on Sunday. This is the second provincial capital after Shiberghan, the capital of Nimroz province, fell to the Taliban over the past three days, a local official said.

"Major parts of Sari Pul city have fallen to the Taliban militants today morning and fighting has been continuing between government forces and Taliban fighters," the official told Xinhua but declined to be named, saying authorized officials would talk to media.

In the meantime, Zabihullah Mujahid, who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, on his twitter account said, "Mujahidin captured all government departments in Sari Pul city today."

The police and defense ministry are yet to make comment.

Taliban militants have earlier captured Nimroz provincial capital Zaranj in west and Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzan province in the north over the past couple of days. They have been fighting to occupy Kunduz city, the capital of northern Kunduz, its neighboring Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar, and the neighboring Badakhshan provincial capital Faizabad. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 18:52:13|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Three terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire with the police in the country's eastern city of Lahore, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police said on Sunday.

The exchange of fire took place when the CTD personnel early Sunday carried out an intelligence-based coordinated raid in the Ferozewala area of Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab province, according to the CTD in Lahore.

Three terrorists belonging to the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during the operation, said a statement issued by the CTD, adding that the militants were living in a rented house in the city and were identified as Afghan nationals.

The killed militants were planning to target sensitive installations, security forces and political and religious personalities, said the statement.

During the raid, a huge cache of arms and ammunition including suicide jackets, hand grenades, assault rifles, and maps of sensitive buildings were recovered from their residence.

Police registered a case against them and kicked off an investigation. The law enforcement agencies also launched an operation to arrest the accomplices of the killed terrorists. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 19:33:44|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Five kidnappers were killed in an exchange of fire with the police in the Pishin district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

The criminals were involved in several cases of kidnapping for ransom, and recently they abducted and killed a senior leader of a political party in the province, the report quoted police as having said.

An uproar by political leaders and on social media by the public were caused by the killing of the leader and the leaders and public demanded the police to nab the suspects.

After identifying the kidnappers in an investigation, the police raided their hideout after receiving a tip-off, in the wee hours of Sunday morning, police sources told Xinhua on the condition of anonymity.

The criminals were told to surrender after the police cornered them during the raid, but the kidnappers opened fire at the cops, triggering off a gun battle, the sources said.

In the shootout, five kidnappers were killed and others fled by taking advantage of the darkness.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from the compound, according to the sources. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 19:47:44|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia recorded a fresh high of 360 single-day death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total deaths to 10,749, according to the Health Ministry.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that another 18,688 new COVID-19 infections were reported, of which 10 are imported and 18,678 are local transmissions, bringing the national total to 1,262,540.

Some 17,055 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 1,026,398 or 81.3 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 225,393 active cases, 1,095 are being held in intensive care units and 571 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Separately, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the lifting of certain restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated for parts of the country.

These include being allowed to dine in, certain non-contact sporting activities, inter-district travel, and Malaysian citizens and non-citizens returning from overseas will be allowed to home quarantine, he said in a televised speech. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 20:24:48|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) announced on Sunday that another 58 new cases of the Delta COVID-19 variant were detected, taking the kingdom's total number of the Delta variant cases to 385.

Laboratory testing conducted by the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia found the Delta variant on 51 local people, including four health workers, and seven laborers returning from neighboring Thailand, the MoH said in a statement.

The local infections were spotted in capital Phnom Penh and the provinces of Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Battambang, Kandal, Kampong Thom and Ratanakiri, it added.

MoH's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine called on people to be more cautious as the Delta variant spread much faster than previously circulating strains.

"Based on the above-mentioned results, the Delta variant has been spreading in our communities," she said in the statement. "People who are required to undergo a quarantine must strictly abide by the rules in order to prevent large-scale community transmission."

The spokeswoman also advised citizens to continue following a guideline on three do's and three don'ts to stem the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.

The three do's include wearing a face mask, washing hands regularly, and maintaining physical distancing of 1.5 meters, and the three don'ts are avoiding confined and enclosed spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and avoiding touching each other. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:30:00|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Amid the Taliban's attempts to capture more cities in Afghanistan, the defense ministry launched counter-offensive to evict the advancing Taliban militants from the strategically important Kunduz city on Sunday.

A spokesman for the Defense Ministry Fawad Aman said in his twitter account that the Units of Special Force have been fighting in Kunduz "to clear the city from terrorists."

Taliban militants in a surprise move entered major parts of Kunduz city, the capital of northern Kunduz province along the border with Tajikistan early Sunday, forcing hundreds of families to leave their houses for safer places.

Although Kunduz police chief Zabardast Safi has down-played the Taliban influence in Kunduz city and asserted that security forces would beat back the insurgents, locals say that fighting has been continuing and the militants have captured major parts of the city.

Ehasanullah Faizi, head of a Kunduz hospital told Xinhua that "a dozen dead bodies and 60 injured civilians have been taken to hospital" since Saturday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in contact with media claimed that the Taliban militants had captured Kunduz city including the provincial governor office.

The armed outfit, after capturing nearly 200 districts over the past three months, has overrun Nimroz provincial capital Zaranj in the west, and Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzan province in the north over the past couple of days. It has also claimed that it had captured Sari Pul city, the capital of the northern Sari Pul province.

Taliban militants have also been mounting pressure on Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar province, Herat city, the capital of western Herat, and Badakhshan provincial capital Faizabad city.

Aman has insisted that the Taliban's attempts to gain land in Faizabad, Taluqan and Herat have been repulsed.

Taliban-led activities have also claimed scores of lives including those of 10 civilians in the eastern Khost and the neighboring Paktia provinces.

Confirming conflicts, Aman stated that more than 570 Taliban fighters have been killed and more than 300 others injured in Kunduz, Kandahar, Nimruz, Takhar, Ghazni, Paktia, Herat, Nangarhar, Laghman, Farah, Jawzjan, Sari Pul, Faryab and Badakhshan provinces over the past 24 hours. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 21:55:41|Editor: huaxia

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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Brunei reported 17 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 15 local infections and two imported cases, bringing the national tally to 364.

According to Brunei's Ministry of Health, five of the new cases were classified as the Al-Falah Cluster and seven of the new cases belonged to the TOTAL Cluster. All 12 patients are close contacts of earlier infections detected on Saturday.

Investigation is currently ongoing to identify the source of infection for the rest of three local cases, who have mild symptoms but no overseas traveling history.

Meanwhile, the imported cases are two men who arrived in the country on Aug. 4 from Manila, the Philippines.

The health ministry said that contact tracing for all these new cases is still actively running.

The ministry also reminded the public that according to revised face mask guidelines, which require face masks to be worn at all times and to cover the wearer's nose and mouth, any individual who fails to comply with the directive will be liable to a compound fine of 100 Brunei dollars (74 U.S. dollars).

There are currently 67 active cases being treated and monitored at the National Isolation Center. Before the detection of local cases on Saturday, Brunei has kept a record of 457 days without community infections since May 6, 2020.

There have been a total of 294 recovered patients and three deaths reported from COVID-19 so far in the country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 22:53:16|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Health Ministry on Sunday received a new batch of Sinopharm vaccine from China as a mass scale vaccination program against the COVID-19 is underway in the country.

The vaccines arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport, onboard two Sri Lankan Airlines flights that flew in from Beijing.

Sri Lanka is presently in the midst of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with over 500 deaths reported during the past 10 days alone.

The total COVID-19 active patient count has reached 28,664 while the total death toll has reached 5,017.

According to the Health Ministry, Sri Lanka has administered over 10 million vaccines to date with over 8.7 million Sinopharm doses administered as the first jabs. Out of this, over 1.9 million had been administered with their second jabs as well.

The other vaccines being administered countrywide are Sputnik V, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and the Moderna vaccines.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said recently that the government aims to inoculate all citizens above the age of 30 with the first doses by September. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 00:01:00|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Two policemen were killed and several others injured when a bomb went off in Quetta city of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Sunday night, local reports said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 00:06:22|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants on Sunday took control over Taluqan city, capital of Afghanistan's northern Takhar province after day-long heavy clashes, according to local residents.

"Taliban militants took control of all government offices roughly at the evening on Sunday in Taluqan. They also broke the provincial prison and released the inmates," resident Mohammad Salim told Xinhua via phone.

The security forces retreated to areas on the outskirts of the city, he said.

Meantime, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on his social media that the Taliban took control of Takhar province after capturing its capital late on Sunday. He said that local residents, including people who worked for government, reporters and activists in different sectors will be safe and they will not face any threat.

The militant group had control over all suburban districts of Takhar in recent weeks while they were fighting to seize Taluqan and capture the whole province.

Earlier in the day, the militant group seized Sari Pul city, capital of northern Sari Pul province while they also gained ground in Kunduz city, capital of Kunduz province, in the west of Takhar.

On Friday, Taliban seized Zaranj city, capital of western Nimroz province.

Many Afghan cities and about half of the country's 34 provinces have been the scene of heavy battles and street fighting in recent weeks, as Taliban continued their fighting against security forces since the start of withdrawal of U.S.-led troops in May. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-09 00:38:56|Editor: huaxia

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An injured policeman is treated at a hospital in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, on Aug. 8, 2021. At least two policemen were killed and over 10 others injured when a blast went off in Quetta city on Sunday night, according to hospital and police officials. (Photo by Asad/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least two policemen were killed and over 10 others injured when a blast went off in Pakistan's southwest Quetta city on Sunday night, according to hospital and police officials.

Waseem Baig, spokesperson for the Civil Hospital Quetta, told Xinhua that at least 11 people including six policemen were injured in the blast that occurred near the Unity Chowk area of Quetta, the capital city of the country's southwestern Balochistan province.

The attack happened when a police mobile on a routine patrol was passing by the blast site, the police officials in the area told local media.

Police said that explosive material was fixed in a motorbike, adding that the police vehicle was targeted in the attack.

Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the injured to the Civil Hospital in the city.

Security forces cordoned off the area and kicked off a search operation.

No group or individual has claimed the responsibility for the attack yet. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-08 14:10:05|Editor: huaxia

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CHICAGO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chicago police officer was killed and another seriously wounded in a shooting Saturday night in the South Side area of the U.S. city, local media reported.

Both officers were taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where one of them, a female officer, was pronounced dead, while the other was in critical condition, according to local authorities cited by media.

Police said two suspects were taken into custody shortly after the shooting incident.

What sparked the shooting remains unclear. Enditem
The independent international organisation Human Rights Watch has urged authorities in Cameroon to protect civilians caught up in a conflict pitting the central African country's army against separatists in the west, denouncing atrocities committed by both sides.

More than 3,500 people have been killed and over 700,000 have fled their homes to escape the conflict that erupted in 2017 in Cameroon's English-speaking regions.

"Cameroonian security forces killed two civilians, raped a 53-year-old woman, destroyed and looted at least 33 homes, shops, as well as a traditional leader's palace in the Northwest region on June 8 and 9," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

The organisation said it had interviewed several victims, their relatives and witnesses, as well as local journalists and civil society activists.

#Cameroon New Abuses by Both Sides #AnglophoneCrisis has had a devastating impact on civilians, but those responsible for abuses have yet to face any consequence. The UNSC should impose targeted sanctions against those responsible for abuses.@hrw https://t.co/mOS4uAfHvU pic.twitter.com/3krCOZGbma - ilaria allegrozzi (@ilariallegro) August 2, 2021

The alleged rape victim said her ordeal began when soldiers asked her and her husband where the separatist fighters were.

"We said we didn't know," she said, according to HRW. "They said my husband had a gun. We said we had no gun. They said they would kill us, and then one of them raped me."

Her husband's body was found three days later, shot in the mouth, HRW said.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Cameroon Conflict Human Rights 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.

Urgent need to protect civilian communities

"Cameroon's security forces have an obligation to lawfully counter attacks by armed separatist groups, and protect people's rights during periods of violence," said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior researcher at HRW.

"But yet again, we learn that they have responded to the threat from separatist groups with attacks on civilians and serious human rights violations of their own."

The defence ministry declined to comment on the report.

Catalogue of rights abuses by Anglophone separatists in Cameroon: report

Women bear the brunt of violence in Cameroon's Anglophone crisis

The statement also detailed killings -- including of a 12-year-old boy -- and kidnappings carried out by separatist fighters.

The abuses by both sides in the conflict "highlight the urgent need to protect communities at risk and to hold those responsible for abuses to account," the statement said.

Other humanitarian groups including Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have also raised the alarm recently about the risks faced by civilians.

Members of the English-speaking minority in the western provinces of Cameroon have long complained of being marginalised by the French-speaking majority and 88-year-old President Paul Biya, in power for 38 years.

Their demonstrations escalated into conflict in 2017.
analysis

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has linked his cabinet reshuffle to a larger purpose. As he put it:

We are unwavering in our determination to build a capable state, one which is ably led and which effectively serves the needs of the people.

Realising this vision will take a transformation in the way in which South Africans conceive of how to achieve public purposes - one that prioritises people and problem-solving over a preoccupation with plans and systems.

South Africans of many ideological hues have in their minds an image of the public sector as a well-oiled, top-down machine - always effective in delivering on clear goals set by planners and political leaders. "Get the plans right." "Co-ordinate effectively." "Fix the systems."

These become the mantras of reform. But continuing pursuit of these dicta will not get the country where it needs to go.

For one thing, the image of a well-oiled machine presumes an omniscience which no organisation anywhere, public or private, actually has. For another, systems reform is a painstaking process; its gains are measured in years, with gains in the quality of service provision coming only after the upstream improvements are in place. Time is running out.

Most fundamentally, the preoccupation with plans and systems ignores a reality that increasingly has become recognised the world over - that, in shaping feasible ways forward, context matters. Even in places where bureaucratic "insulation" seems to prevail, public administrative systems are embedded in politics.

In some settings, background political, economic and social conditions support top-down bureaucratic machines. Such conditions are very far from South Africa's current realities.

But South Africa's current public sector challenges are anything but unique. Indeed, counter-intuitive as it might sound to many South Africans, its public sector works somewhat better than those of most other middle-income countries, and those of almost all low-income countries. Yet many countries, even in the midst of messiness, have managed to achieve gains.

How?

By focusing on problems and on people.

Problems and people

A focus on concrete problems provides a way to cut through endless preoccupation with empty initiatives - endless plans for reform, endless upstream processes of consultation. Processes that are performative rather than practical, too general to lead anywhere. Instead, gains in public capacity can come via a different path - through learning-by-doing, focusing in an action-oriented way on very specific challenges, and on evoking energy to address them by the responsible departments (or individual state-owned enterprises).

Action to address concrete problems needs to come, of course, from South Africa's public officials. How to evoke their sense of agency?

Engaging with South Africa's public officials, one quickly discovers that even the best of them are deeply disillusioned by their experiences. Yet many continue to have a deep reservoir of commitment to service. Evoking commitment is a classic challenge confronting managers everywhere. As Francis Fukuyama puts it:

All good managers (private and public) know that it is ultimately the informal norms and group identities that will most strongly motivate the workers in an organisation to do their best ... They thus spend much more time on cultivating the right 'organisational culture' than on fixing the formal lines of authority.

Looking beyond the public sector, what of South Africa's citizens more broadly?

A focus on people also involves transforming the relationship between the public sector and civil society (including the private sector). For reasons both good and bad, public officials generally engage with civil society cautiously. The good reason is that such relationships can all too easily fester corruptly in the shadows. The bad reason is a more generalised wariness - fuelled by a combination of arrogance, fear and inertia - to step outside the comfort zone of tightly managed bureaucratic processes.

The benefits of a transformed relationship can be large. It can be the basis for new, cross-cutting alliances between public sector reformers and reformers within civil society, across national, provincial and local levels. Investment in such alliances can help developmentally oriented stakeholders to overcome resistance to change, including by pushing back against predation.

To renew a relationship, all parties need to change their behaviour. What new behaviours does civil society need to learn?

Civil society and transparency

Shaped by its history, South Africa's civil society organisations generally focus on holding government to account. This is a constricted vision of the role of civil society in a democracy. Indeed, it sometimes can have the unintended consequence of fuelling cynicism and despair, thereby deepening dysfunction. The Global Partnership for Social Accountability highlights how less confrontational approaches can add value:

We have learned that focusing only on scrutinising and verifying government actions can have limited value in our problem solving. When they engage to focus on the problem at hand, civil society, citizens and public sector actors are better able to deliver solutions collaboratively - especially when they prioritise learning. When social accountability mechanisms are isolated from public sector processes they are not as effective as collaborative governance. Collective action requires efforts that build bridges.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa 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.

Transparency remains key. Transparency in how civil society engages with officials in the public sector can reduce the risk that more collaborative governance becomes a vehicle for corrupt collusion. Transparency vis-a-vis outcomes can signal to citizens that public resources are not being wasted but are helping to improve results. The combination of participation and transparency can help enhance social solidarity and legitimacy of the public domain.

As Ramaphosa put it in his cabinet reshuffle speech:

The task of rebuilding our economy and our society requires urgency and focus. It requires cooperation among all sectors of society and the active involvement of all South Africans.

Or, as per Hugh Masekela's classic song (quoted by Ramaphosa in his first state of the nation address to parliament as president in early 2018, "Thuma Mina". Send me.

This article builds on a piece that appeared in The Conversation's 'foundation' series.

Brian Levy, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Johns Hopkins University
Malawi is doing worse on reducing poverty, hunger, and unemployment and other indicators, according to a recent Afrobarometer Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Scorecard for the country.

Afrobarometer SDG Scorecards for 31 countries are being released between May-August 2021. Afrobarometer's national partners in all regions of Africa conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent's choice. In the recent survey in Malawi, the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi interviewed a nationally representative, random, stratified probability sample of 1,200 adult Malawians. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

The Afrobarometer SDG Scorecard, which provides citizens' assessments of Malawi's progress over a recent five-year period on important aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reflects partial progress in only two areas - access to medical care and infrastructure.

Trends are negative when it comes to gender equality in financial control and climate action, and there are mixed results on gender equality in technology use, access to clean water and sanitation, and trust in state institutions (police, judiciary, and Parliament). The country has made no progress on increasing access to education and electricity or on reducing ethnic inequalities and payment of bribes.

The newly developed Afrobarometer SDG Scorecards highlight citizens' experiences and evaluations of their country's performance on democracy and governance, poverty, health, education, energy supply, water and sanitation, inequality, gender equity, and other priorities reflected in 12 of the 17 SDGs.

"These citizen assessments can be compared to official UN tracking indicators. They present both summary assessments for each SDG - via blue, green, yellow, and red "stoplights" - as well as the data behind these assessments.

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Afrobarometer, an independent Pan-African survey research network, released scorecards for Malawi and five other countries as part of a series of regional webinars focusing on progress toward the SDGs in Africa.

Abel Oyuke, Afrobarometer project manager for East Africa, says the Afrobarometer SDG Scorecards provide an additional perspective - one that is usually missing from other sources - that can be compared and contrasted with other indicators and thus enrich the discussion, help identify gaps, and support action to move forward in each country.

"Afrobarometer data relevant to the SDGs are especially valuable because of the frequency of collection (in survey rounds every two to three years) and the independence, quality, and reliability of the data.

"They can offer an independent check, from a grassroots perspective, on the data points reported by government statistics offices and other sources," he is quoted as saying in a press release issued last month, July.
Since the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) started monitoring green turtles' nesting in the early 1980s, there has been an almost 500 percent increase in the number coming ashore to lay eggs, an officer at the foundation said.

The green turtle is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered. Much reduced from their previous numbers, the green turtle nesting populations in the inner islands are on the verge of extinction.

Higher levels of nesting are occurring in the Amirantes Group, with the most important green turtle nesting populations being those of the southern islands, especially Aldabra, Assumption, Cosmoledo, Astove, and Farquhar atolls.

The Aldabra scientist Luke A'Bear told SNA that prior to the establishment of the Aldabra research station in 1971, turtles were being harvested for their meat and eggs almost continuously.

"In fact, one of the main reasons Aldabra was settled in the first place in the late 1800s was to exploit the abundant turtle population, as well as the giant land tortoises, fish and mangrove wood. One of the first leaseholders of the atoll, Mr James Spurs, intended to export 12,000 turtles a year," said A'Bear.

He outlined that by the time the research station was established it was very rare to see even one green turtle nesting on Settlement Beach, the largest beach on the atoll. The situation gradually started to change with the SIF sea turtle protection programme.

"Remember that until recently none of the ocean surrounding Aldabra was protected, so the turtle numbers have increased without the assistance of a large Marine Protected Area. Just by stopping harvesting on land, their numbers have skyrocketed. In March this year, we had on average nearly 50 turtles a night coming ashore to nest, with 88 turtles one night come up to the beach," said A'Bear.

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During March, SIF rangers patrolled the beach in front of the research station every morning to count the number of tracks left by the nesting green turtles during the night.

The research team counted 1,516 tracks in March - an average of 50 turtles a night. The previous highest month was April 2019, with 1,377 tracks and an average of 45 turtles per night.

According to an article in the SIF newsletter recently released, the numbers really started to increase from 2000 onwards, increasing dramatically almost year on year since then.

"Green turtles usually take between 25 to 30 years to reach sexual maturity, so it could be that the increase in numbers from the year 2000 is those first-generation protected hatchlings returning to nests. With 50 years of protection, Aldabra is an example of the power of conservation and the resiliency of turtles and nature to recover if left undisturbed," said SIF.

Green turtles nest at night in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, and nesting is year-round, with hatching two months after eggs are laid.

Adult green turtles usually forage several hundred km from their nesting grounds and females tagged nesting on the beaches of Aldabra have been subsequently encountered along the east coast of Africa and Madagascar.
The Chairperson of the Chibok Girls Movement, Yakubu Keki, expressed joy over the return of the abducted woman.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno on Saturday in Maiduguri received Ruth Pogu, one of the 276 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok by the Boko Haram terrorist group in April 2014.

A statement by Isa Gusau, the special adviser to the governor on communications and strategy, said Ms Pogu and a man claiming to be her husband, surrendered at a location in Bama Local Government Area of the state.

"Ruth, alongside someone she was said to have married during her captivity, surrendered themselves to the Nigerian military on July 28, 2021, at a location in Bama. Ruth returned with two children.

"Under Zulum's supervision, security and government officials kept the development secret and used the last 10 days to contact her parents and the association of parents of the missing schoolgirls in order to ascertain her identity," Mr Gusau said.

He said the governor received the Chibok schoolgirl at the Government House, Maiduguri, in the presence of overwhelmed parents who reunited with her.

"Zulum said reuniting with Ruth was a boost to keeping the hopes of parents, other family members and Borno government alive in the optimism that all others, still in captivity, will be safely found and in good health.

"Ruth and her parents, will undertake a rehabilitation and reintegration programme that will focus on her health, psychosocial wellbeing and her chosen path to a productive future, all of which will be determined by her.

"The Governor commiserated with families of those still in captivity and urged them to remain optimistic, prayerful and cooperative with security agencies should they be required for any measure," Mr Gusau said.

The Chairperson of the Chibok Girls Movement, an association of all affected parents, Yakubu Keki, expressed joy over the return of the abducted woman.

Mr Keki thanked security operatives and all those who continue to show concern over the plight of parents whose daughters were abducted.

Agency Report
Ekiti State government has warned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against undue politicisation of matters bordering on security of lives and property in the state, saying that this will do no one any good.

Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Kayode Fayemi on Inter-party Relations, Sam Oluwalana, gave the warning while speaking with journalists on the telephone in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.

Oluwalana appealed to the party to refrain from comments that could portray it as mocking the dead, saying that lives should be considered sacred.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Oluwalana's was reacting to a statement earlier issued by the PDP, criticising the APC-led government over the recent spate of insecurity in the state.

The party, in the statement, said that the state government might have entered into an accord with the bandits who were killing and kidnapping people on daily basis.

The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr Raphael Adeyanju, lamented that Ekiti, hitherto regarded as the most peaceful state in the South-West, had turned into a haven of bandits and political thugs.

"Time has come for stakeholders in the state to confront Gov. Kayode Fayemi and ask him whether or not he has understanding with these marauding bandits not to touch them," Adeyanju had said.

In his reaction however, Oluwalana said that PDP's action was capable of portraying it as mocking the dead, adding that lives should be considered sacred and that the party should rather mourn them rather than dancing on their graves.

"For PDP to have politicised this type of issue, where life was lost, showed that it is irresponsible and lazy. The issue of insecurity is one that affects the entire country, and Ekiti is not an exemption.

"I want to say that the governor is working hard to secure the lives of citizens and we should all join hands with him to ensure that criminals are exposed, rather than making political comments capable of heating up the system," Oluwalana said.

NAN
It is not always advisable to hastily react when one is accused of any wrongdoing. This is what happened in the case of the suspended Commander of the police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), DCP Abba Kyari.

Kyari came under fire after Ramon Abbas, the self-confessed international fraudster better known as Hushpuppi, who is being tried in the US, alleged that he bribed the officer to arrest one Vincent Chibuzo, a co-fraudster.

Immediately the news broke, Kyari rushed to release a statement on his social handles narrating how he only connected the socialite to a fabric dealer whom Hushpuppi paid about N300,000. His response was the most unintelligent piece an intelligence officer can ever drop. Perhaps he thought like every issue in the country, the matter would be quickly swept under the carpet as it broke.

Having seen the overwhelming evidence against him, the senior police officer has removed the part where he said Hushpuppi sent N300,000 for clothes, saying the Instagram celebrity only called his office about two years ago that somebody in Nigeria "threatened to kill his family here".

The suspect, Kyari said, was trailed and arrested, but after investigation, they discovered there was no actual threat to anyone's life and "they are long-time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail".

He also said his office was reached a second time to help recover N8 million.

"Nobody demanded or collected any money from Abbas Hushpuppi. He can be interviewed publicly in the presence of the world media by the people holding him to confirm this," Kyari wrote in the new post.

"He also called for another case in June 2020 and complained about a financial transaction with a second person whom he said his friend sent N8 million to and pleaded for his friend's money to be recovered. He sent transaction slips and other evidences to prove their case against the person.

"All these can be verified from the Hushpuppi since he is still in custody. And it can be verified from person who collected 8 million naira from Hushpuppi's friend whom they complained about is alive and is in Nigeria."

Coming from a high-ranking police officer in the calibre of Kyari, who is touted as super cop in the country, not a few Nigerians expressed their disappointment. They believe that he should know better that this is clearly an after-thought. He should have carefully weighed his comments before reacting. Who knows what he would say next.
Ugandans have not forgotten the 2007-08 post-election violence in Kenya. Ugandan truck drivers have told and retold many harrowing tales of what they went through during that trying period.

To Ugandans, Raila Odinga's followers declared war against them by blocking essential goods.

Mr Odinga has been in Uganda a number of times and courted some politicians but he has not been welcomed by the National Resistance Movement establishment as it has done to Deputy President William Ruto. To President Museveni circle, Mr Odinga is bad for business. But they consider Dr Ruto an astute businessman they can deal with. Some commentators say that aside from seeking investment opportunities in Uganda, Dr Ruto is courting President Museveni for support in the post-election period in 2022 and beyond.

While Dr Ruto's allies have said they are seeking to learn the political game plan from President Museveni's NRM, political commentators say Dr Ruto needs the NRM political machinery as he prepares for a showdown with Mr Odinga who, with the support of President Uhuru Kenyatta, is crafting a political juggernaut to rout him out.

But that has not helped Dr Ruto's image, as the NRM machinery has been accused of vote rigging by opposition politicians, a claim the party denies.

With this backlash, NRM director of communications Emmanuel Dombo told The EastAfrican that NRM kingpins would play no role in Dr Ruto's quest for power. But he said it would not be a surprise that DP Ruto would occasionally visit Uganda and meet with Museveni because they have cultivated a tight friendship. "Ruto is a very good friend of President Museveni, Uganda and the NRM as a party. That is why he came and campaigned for our presidential candidate one time. This is the brotherhood of the African people," Mr Dombo said. "The two have built a reputation and given the role that Museveni has played in Uganda and the East African region, he is someone regional political leaders always consult."
Brussels  Morocco is facing mounting pressure over its crackdown on civilians and human rights activists in the occupied Saharan territories, the International Crisis Group has affirmed.

The Group highlighted in its July report - reviewed by Sumoud - that international pressure was aimed at forcing the Moroccan regime to end the repression against Sahrawis, which escalated dramatically after the outbreak of the war in Western Sahara in mid-November.

The report noted that the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, had called on Morocco to stop the criminalization of human rights activists, especially those who demand the rights of the Sahrawi people.

The UN official condemned the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and torture of Sahrawi activists and prisoners, the report added.

The report quoted Amnesty International as confirming the escalation of repression against Sahrawi pro-independence activists as the Moroccan regime has intensified its human rights violations since November 2020, including ill-treatment, arrests and harassment with "22 reported human rights violations by Moroccan security forces against Sahrawi activists and human rights defenders.
South African demonstrators march to Parliament to protest against Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip during May, 2021.

The African Union Commission has defended the continental body's decision to grant Israel member status, saying it was at the "express demand of many member states".

In a statement, chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said the move was on the basis of "the restoration of diplomatic relations [with Israel] by more than two thirds of AU member states".

This comes after South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, among others, rejected the rights bestowed on Israel.

South Africa went as far as describing the move as "unjust, unwarranted and inexplicable".

The countries objecting to the observer status reiterated that the people of Palestine were still suffering because of Israel.

However, Mr Mahamat hopes the move will contribute to the intensification of the advocacy of the AU for the fulfillment of the principle of two States and the restoration of peace between the two States and the two peoples.

"While accepting this accreditation, the chairperson reiterates, as he clearly stated at the time of the presentation of the credentials by the Permanent representative of Israel to the AU, the unflinching commitment of the PanAfrican Organisation to the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people," he said.

He said this included "their right to establish an independent national state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, within the framework of a global, fair and definitive peace between the State of Israel and the State of Palestine."

He said, however, that the reservations expressed by "a few members" about this decision justifies his intention to include it in the agenda of the forthcoming session of the Executive Council.

Israel obtained AU observer status last week after 20 years of diplomatic efforts. It had previously held the role at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) but was long thwarted in its attempts to regain it after the OAU was disbanded in 2002 and replaced by the AU.

According to Israel's foreign ministry, the new status could enable the country and the AU to forge stronger cooperation on various aspects, including the fight against the coronavirus and the prevention "of the spread of extremist terrorism" on the African continent.
File photo of a beach in Phuket (Getty Images)

A man has been charged with the murder of a Swiss tourist who was found dead in Phuket, police have said.

Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, was found face down in water in a rock crevice near a waterfall Thursday afternoon by an island resident.

She was found with her phone, shorts and trainers nearby and covered by a black sheet.

On Sunday, Krisana Pattanacharoen, a national police deputy spokesperson, confirmed that police have charged a suspect with murder and robbery.

Teerawat Thothip, 27, admitted to killing Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf and even spoke via telephone at a police press conference to reveal the crime he committed.

Thothip, a Thai man who lives in Phuket, told reporters he went into a forest on Tuesday to attempt to find wild orchids to sell but was unsuccessful.

On his way back, he said he passed by the waterfall and saw Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf. He said he strangled her.

He then covered her with a black sheet, took 300 baht (6) from her backpack and threw her shoes away.

I would like to apologise to the family of the tourist and plead for all Thais to forgive me, he added.

Thothip was arrested on Saturday after investigators were able to track the suspect using security camera footage.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, and an autopsy report has yet to be released by the authorities, Mr Pattanacharoen said.

Swiss media reported that Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf was a member of Switzerlands diplomatic service.

Her death comes weeks after Thailand launched its "Phuket Sandbox" scheme, which allows vaccinated tourists to the island without the need to quarantine, but cannot travel to the mainland within 14 days.

Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf reportedly arrived in Thailand on July 13.

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The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit will come to Cayuga Community College from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 9.

The 1,400-square-foot mobile museum provides information about the service of veterans and appreciation for their sacrifice. It includes interactive exhibits, short films, shared stories and family activities. Veterans will also be honored with a pinning ceremony at 6 p.m., and Wreaths Across America representatives will be available for tours of the exhibit and to answer questions.

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter No. 704, of Cayuga County, partnered with the college and the Cayuga County Community College Foundation to bring the free exhibit to the area. The chapter and the college's Criminal Justice Club, led by Theresa Misiaszek, as well as Port Byron students led by Dr. Linda Townsend, have hosted the Wreaths Across America ceremony in Cayuga County for 14 years.

"The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember, honor and teach about our veterans and their stories of service to our nation," Townsend said in a news release. "Each year, a new theme is chosen to help volunteers and supporters focus their messaging and outreach in their own. This year the theme is 'Live Up to Their Legacy.'"
"Maybe there's some local people who enjoy that line of work but they're not in a position to work full-time for whatever personal reasons they have," he said. "So that would be a benefit for them and a benefit to us as well."

Staffing is still anticipated to be at 25 seats with 12 paramedics and 12 EMTs, but the amount of full-time and part-time workers will depend on the responses the city receives.

As of Friday morning, Dygert said, the city received about 20 applications for EMT and paramedic posts. Applicants have ranged from those who are certified but have little to no experience to people who have been in the field for years.

Dygert said he is confident about the Auburn service meeting its Nov. 1 starting date. He added that the city's financial projections are still showing that the service can be done without dipping into Auburn's general fund, and a tax won't be raised to support the service.

The city manager said the Auburn Fire Department is helping the city get the program off the ground. The ambulance program's director of operations will take over from the AFD management once that person has been brought in.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could face misdemeanor charges if investigators substantiate a criminal complaint accusing the governor of groping an aide last year, the Albany County sheriff said Saturday.

Sheriff Craig Apple promised a very comprehensive investigation in partnership the Albany County district attorney's office but said it would be premature to commit to a timeline or say whether Cuomo himself will be questioned.

We have a lot of fact-finding to do. We have a lot of interviews to do," Apple told reporters. "I'm not going to rush it because of who he is. And I'm not going to delay it because of who he is.

The complaint, filed this week, is the first known instance where a woman has made an official report with a law enforcement agency over alleged misconduct by the Democratic governor. The executive assistant has sat down for an interview set to be televised Monday.

The aide says Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her when they were alone in a room at the Executive Mansion last year. The woman also told investigators with the attorney generals office that Cuomo once rubbed her rear end while they were posing together for a photo.

Cuomos lawyer, Rita Glavin, has said the allegation was fabricated.
HIT: The Auburn Hunger Task Force recently began using a kitchen at the Fingerlakes Mall food court to prepare meals for families in the community. The task force is distributing food from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays at Melone Village and Brogan Manor in Auburn. People do not need to live at those locations, and anyone in Auburn in need may come and pick up a meal. The task force said that its goal is to have the food delivered within 15 to 30 minutes of being prepared and packaged so that people will be getting warm meals. The task force hopes to be delivering meals three days a week by the end of the year and partner with other food nonprofits. For more information, visit auburnhtf.org.
Under the process for removing a sitting governor in New York state, an Assembly vote in favor of impeachment removes the office holder pending the outcome of a trial run by the Senate.

It's a procedure that makes sense, given the intent of an impeachment. If a majority of the Assembly believe a governor has acted so egregiously that they need to be removed from office, the person shouldn't be allowed to stay on the job and potentially do more damage.

That's how just about every employee in the private and public sector would be treated. They would be suspended from working until the credible charges lodged against them could be given a review that includes due process. The danger of letting such a person stay on the job is that they will continue the detrimental conduct or perhaps commit new violations.

In New York state, it's clear that Gov. Andrew Cuomo needs to be removed from the office now. The overwhelming evidence about his sexual harassment conduct outlined in the state attorney general's office special investigation shows that this governor not only violated state and federal workplace laws, but that his top aides have already done tremendous damage in attempting to defend his behavior.
Chinese top 6 NEV startups achieve best-ever monthly insurance registrations in June

In June 2021, China's insurance registrations of locally-produced new energy passenger vehicles (NEPVs) amount to 218,949 units, zooming up 172% year on year, while also rising 23% month on month, according to the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC).

The cumulative registrations reached 988,442 units for the first half of the year, rocketing 222% compared to the year-ago period.

According to Chinese policy, NEPVs hereby only include all-electric, plug-in hybrid electric, range-extended electric and fuel cell-powered cars, SUVs, MPVs, and minibuses.







Tesla saw its June registrations of China-made vehicles jump 29% over the previous month to 28,508 units. Notably, the U.S. manufacturer also outstripped the joint efforts of NIO, Li Auto, and XPeng, which are regarded as its top 3 rivals in Chinese market.





To be specific, there were 16,995 Model 3s (+82.3% MoM) and 11,513 Model Ys (-10% MoM) registered last month. Among all locally-made NEV models sold in China, the Model 3 and the Model Y ranked second and third respectively by June insurance volume, following the Wuling Hongguang MINIEV (28,608 units).

The registrations of the top 6 Chinese NEV startups totaled 34,460 units in June, leaping 30.3% over a month ago. Li Auto and NIO were the only two with an insurance volume exceeding 7,000 units. All of the 6 companies closed the month of June with a record-breaking monthly figure.



With only one production model (Li ONE) for sale, Li Auto for the first time topped Chinese startups by monthly insurance registrations.

It is noteworthy that the Li ONE was the highest-ranked full-sized SUV model, and also the runner-up on the list of new energy SUV models in terms of June registrations.

In May 2021, Li Auto launched the 2021 Li ONE, which features many upgrades in range-extended electric system, ADAS, smart cockpit, and seating comfortability, while is only 10,000 yuan ($1,540) dearer than the old model. The company said as the 2021 Li ONE continues to gain traction rapidly and drive a surge in orders, Li Auto's new order volume in June surpassed 10,000 units and hit a record high.





Despite being outsold by Li Auto, NIO scored a 28% growth compared to the previous month thanks to the rise achieved by all of its three models. As the biggest sales contributor, the ES6 accounted for 47% of the company's June registrations.

NIO is getting its business back on track after gaining capital support from Hefei municipal government. According to William Bin Li, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO, the startup has already started the construction of its second plant, located in the Hefei-based NeoPark. The factory is scheduled to begin vehicle production in the third quarter of 2022.

NIO is vigorously developing the battery swapping model as part of its core competitiveness. As of June 2021, the startup already had over 300 battery swapping stations across China and aims to make the number exceed 700 by the end of this year.

XPeng's registrations in June jump 15.8% from a month earlier to 6,627 units. The cumulative registrations for the first half of this year amounted to 29,898 units, already topping the full-year volume of last year.

With 4,846 vehicles registered, the P7 sedan recorded its highest-ever monthly registrations in June. The company said the P7s Navigation Guided Pilot (NGP) highway solutions are attracting wide customer appeal, reinforcing its commitment to technology innovation.

The G3 had an insurance volume of 1,776 units last month. The compact SUV is expected to see sales growth in the near future after its mid-cycle facelift, the G3i, hit the market.

HOZON Auto, the owner of Nezha brand, recorded 4,593 units in June registrations. As for the semi-annual volume, there were 17,041 Nezha-branded vehicles registered, representing a 253% hike year over year.

However, 86.7% of the year-to-date registrations were contributed by the Nezha V, signifying the marginal presence of the other two models, the Nezha N01 and the Nezha U.

In June, Leapmotor saw its monthly registrations surpass 3,000 units for the first time. With 3,782 units registered, the T03 ranked 15th among locally-made NEV models by June registrations, immediately followed by the ES8 and the Nezha V.



WM Motor saw its registrations in June shoot up 46% month over month to 3,715 units, 87.2% of which were the EX5 SUVs. Among the 3,239 EX5s registered, 1,953 units were recorded for car rental business, versus 1,086 units for private users.
Li Auto reports best-ever monthly deliveries

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Li Auto, an innovator in Chinas new energy vehicle market, reported another new monthly delivery record today.

In July, the automakers monthly deliveries totaled 8,589, increasing by 11.4% month over month and 251.3% year over year and surpassing 8,000 vehicles for the first time.

Currently, Li Auto only has one model for sale, namely the Li ONE. By the end of July, Li Auto has delivered 38,743 Li ONEs this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 224.3%, bringing cumulative deliveries of the Li ONE to 72,340 since its market debut.

Yanan Shen, co-founder and president of Li Auto, said that the new high volume was driven by the outstanding features and performance of the 2021 Li ONE, whose deliveries started from June 1. The automaker plans to launch several major OTA upgrades before the end of this year.

2021 Li ONE; photo credit: Li Auto

Besides, the company is also accelerating the expansion of its direct sales and service network. According to its website, Li Auto had 109 retail stores in 67 cities, as well as 176 servicing centers and Li Auto-authorized body and paint shops operating in 134 cities by the end of July.

On July 26, Li Auto received the permission from Hong Kong stock exchange for a listing there. According to the prospectus, it will launch its first X platform-based model in 2022 and two range-extended SUVs on the X platform in 2023. From 2023 on, the company will launch at least two high voltage battery electric vehicle models per year based on its Whale and Shark platforms.
The facts of the case are not in dispute. The defendant was the last person to see her husband alive. His disappearance coincided with a weekend do-it-yourself bathroom remodeling project that went south.

The prosecution wants you to believe that the defendant murdered her husband over a botched bathroom tile project, even though neither a body nor evidence of foul play has been presented. The prosecutions entire case is based on hearsay and circumstantial evidence.

It has been a lengthy trial. You have been inundated with depositions and hundreds of hardware store receipts. Please, if you will, set aside the facts as the prosecutor has presented them. I want you to consider the possibility there is another, less nefarious explanation for the disappearance of the defendants husband.

But first, the burden of responsibility should be placed at the feet of the media. Who among us has not been enticed to tackle a home-improvement project based on a television program that reveals how professional craftsmen can afford to send their children to private schools.

Remodel your bedroom into a replica of the Sistine Chapel, complete with frescoes, in just one weekend. Well be back in a minute to show you how.
PHOENIX (AP)  The Arizona governor and Democratic lawmakers called Friday for state Sen. Tony Navarrete to resign after he was charged with sexually abusing a boy and attempting to abuse another.

These allegations are abhorrent, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey wrote on Twitter. My prayers are with the young victims and their loved ones during this traumatic time.

Navarrete, 35, is accused of repeatedly abusing a boy with whom he was living over a period of several years, according to court records. The boy, now 16, told detectives that Navarrete touched his genitals with his hands and mouth, starting when he was around 12 or 13 and continuing through his 15th birthday. The teen said he suffers from anxiety and anger that stems from the abuse.

In a phone call recorded by police on Thursday afternoon, Navarrete apologized to the teen, saying he regretted his actions and would have to live with them for the rest of his life, according to the court records. When asked why he did it, he told the boy he wasnt well, detectives wrote.

The teens younger brother, now 13, told police that Navarrete touched his upper leg inside his shorts, causing the boy to slap away the hand and get up, detectives wrote in a probable cause affidavit filed in court.
It is surprising and disappointing to see the U.S. administration implementing such harsh measures at a time when humanitarian needs could not be higher, said Olga Byrne, director of immigration at the International Rescue Committee.

The Trump administration flew many Mexican adults deep into Mexico last year in an effort to deter repeat crossings, which have become common under the pandemic-related authority because there are no legal consequences for getting caught. Those flights, often to Mexico City, Guadalajara, Queretaro or Villahermosa, tapered off early in the Biden administration.

The Biden administration also appears to be flying more migrants out of Texas' Rio Grande Valley, by far the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, to other U.S. border cities. Witness at the Border, an advocacy group that tracks flights, said there were likely 24 flights from Brownsville, Texas, to El Paso, Texas, during July and likely five to San Diego and four to Tucson, Arizona, in the last few days of July.

It is unclear how many flown from Rio Grande Valley to other U.S. cities were allowed to remain in the United States to seek asylum and how many were expelled to Mexico. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not responded to questions about those flights.



Salomon reported from Miami. Associated Press reporter Maria Verza in Mexico City contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Aerial photo taken on Aug 6, 2021 shows the Danxia landform, a landscape characterized by reddish sandstone features, in sunrise in Longzhou town of Jingbian county, Northwest China's Shaanxi province. [Photo/Xinhua]










What are Chipmans policy proposals? He has called for gun registration and licensing of the vast majority of semi-automatic rifles, with a $200 fee. He refers to the AR-15 as a particularly lethal weapon, when in fact Montanans understand it is functionally identical to any small-caliber semi-automatic hunting rifle. It fires the same bullets at the same rapidity (one bullet per pull of the trigger) and does the same damage. It is a hunting rifle that simply looks like a military weapon.

In his testimony during his Senate confirmation hearing, Chipman defined an assault weapon as any semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine above the caliber of .22, which would include a .223, which is, you know, largely the AR-15 round.

The ATF doesnt just enforce the laws passed by Congress. It also determines what qualifies as a firearm and whether it complies with the law.

Take stabilizing braces for pistols, which were originally designed to allow wounded and disabled veterans to hold handguns. These are just straps attached to the guns, and they help disabled individuals protect themselves from criminals who may see them as easy targets. But Biden now wants to regulate their use as strictly as machine guns.
However, these proposals will do more harm than good to energy states like Montana. Federal policies must ensure a smooth energy transition without hurting the budgets and economies of communities that rely on natural gas and oil production. After such a devastating year filled with immense grief and financial hardship, now is the worst possible time to increase taxes and limit operations for Montanas oil and gas operators, as well as American businesses, workers and the supply chains they rely on as we all collectively recover from the global pandemic.

Oil and gas production on federal lands brought in roughly $25 million in tax revenue for state funding this past year. This revenue goes directly into Montanas General Fund Budget, which provides critical funds for public outlays like education, health care and conservation. In fact, in Richland County we just donated $1 million in oil and gas severance tax revenue to Sidney Health Center for an air ambulance, something that is crucial to reach those in need in a region as large and rural as ours. Without revenue from oil and gas operations, residents in Richland County and throughout the rest of Montana will see their quality of life suffer and their local communities and economies negatively impacted.
We may not agree on much anymore as Montanans, but I think we can all agree that we want our children and all future generations to enjoy the Montana we knew as kids. This summer has been a stark warning of whats to come if we continue to drag our feet on climate change: scorching hot days, drought, and oppressive smoke from life-threatening wildfires. While a problem of this magnitude will require a multi-pronged approach, one solution within our grasp is a price on carbon. This common-sense policy is easy to enact, spurs economic innovation, levels the energy playing field, and will help us stay internationally competitive. Putting a price on carbon pollution will get us to net-zero and help save lives and livelihoods.
Im a native Montanan, recently returned for vacation. I was appalled to see basically no one wearing masks indoors. This began at the airport, despite a federal mandate, and continued everywhere, despite a crummy 45% vaccination rate. Unsurprisingly, there was a COVID-19 surge during our visit from 250 to 1,000 cases per week. With no meaningful response from the states so-called leaders, we left early.

This saddened me, but not as much as no longer being a proud Montanan. The Montanans I remember, sure, dont want outsiders butting in, but are pragmatic and willing to help their neighbors out. That spirit is sorely missing, but sorely needed in these times.

Go ahead: Who cares, you dont live here anymore. Fine, but my tourist dollars are a significant part of your economy, and I and plenty like me wont be back any time soon.

Next: Nobody tells me what to do." OK, but for the same reason you cant target-shoot your AR-15 in city parks, you cant expose others to a fatal infection thats prevented by putting a piece of cloth on your face when youre at the store and by getting a shot. Vulnerable folks who cant get vaccinated are at the mercy of your sociopathic, self-centered behavior.
Alex Reichert, a criminal defense lawyer from Grand Forks who has handled numerous homicide cases but who has no connection to the Isaak case, told The Associated Press before the trial that motive isnt necessary for a conviction. But he also said juries want to know why something happened, and that It gets very difficult in a circumstantial case without a motive.

Quick also noted during his opening statement that police didnt interview the ex-husband of a woman who allegedly had an affair with Robert Fakler, and he alluded to the ex-husband having a violent past.

The subject of the affair took a twist when Robert Faklers wife, RJR co-owner Jackie Fakler, testified that comments she made about having her husband taken out if he ever cheated on her were made in jest.

Investigators confirmed the affair through text messages and informed Jackie Fakler about a month after the killings. Mandan Police Lt. Pat Haug testified that authorities dont think she had seriously threatened her husbands life.

The woman with whom Robert Fakler allegedly had the affair is one of the 25 witnesses expected to be called by the defense later in the trial.
Four firefighters were taken to the hospital Friday after being struck by a fallen branch. More 20 people were initially reported missing, but by Saturday afternoon authorities had contacted all but four of them.

The fires cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started by Aug. 16.

Cooler overnight temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week.

But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat.

Studebaker sought shelter at an evacuation center before setting up her tent in a friends front yard.

She is counting on returning to her job if the restaurant where she works stays open. Her boss also evacuated when the town of Chester, northwest of Greenville, lost power and the smoke was so thick that it made it hard to breathe.
The two-story house  the couple's dream home, and a weekend retreat for their extended family  took five years to plan and four years to build. It replaced a 10,000-square-foot home that the LoVullos used to own along Ellicott Creek in Amherst. And they have been fighting the assessment battle for years, starting with the 2013-14 valuation, when the home was still under construction.

According to an appraisal by Darrel R. Lloyd Jr. for the LoVullos, the property was worth $473,000 in that year, rising to $945,000, then $1.7 million and finally $2.1 million for 2017-2018.

The town hired Joseph H. Emminger  who is also Tonawanda town supervisor  for their own appraisal, which started at $1.7 million and then rose to $2.18 million, $4 million and finally $4.56 million.

Both appraisals looked at comparable sales, with an estimated completion percentage for the first three valuation dates. For the interior, Emminger used building plans and conversations with the contractor and architect, while the appraisal for the LoVullo's "made the extraordinary assumption the subject's interior was commensurate with the quality of luxury homes in the Western New York market," the judge noted.
Drozic's was one of many interesting cases investigated by Jay, who is nearing the end of a 47-year law enforcement career. At age 68, he is the longest-serving cop in the entire State University of New York police force. He retires on Aug. 18.

Its been a long ride, but Im proud of the work we did and the people I served with, Jay said.

In addition to heading all investigations at UB for 36 years, Jay took a deep dive into the science of crime scene investigation. He is considered one of the regions top experts on fingerprint analysis and evidence collection.

Over the past 20 years, Jay taught courses on crime scene investigation to hundreds of police officers and lawyers at the Erie County Central Police Services Academy and UB Law School.

"In terms of his expertise, intelligence and integrity, Dan Jay is absolutely one of the best police officers I ever worked with in 31 years as a prosecutor, said John C. Doscher, a former prosecutor and supervisor with the Erie County District Attorneys Office. I worked on exactly 61 cases with him and we got convictions in every single one.
More often than not, the stars, moons and planets of New York's political heavens have aligned perfectly for Kathy Hochul.

From rising through former Chairman Joseph F. Crangle's Democratic organization, to her appointment and subsequent election as county clerk, to the three-way race allowing victory in a Republican congressional district, to her selection as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's running mate, opportunity has always followed Hochul.

Even missed opportunities have served her, like resisting party pressure for a county executive run in 2011. That paved the way for the successful congressional bid that year following Rep. Chris Lee's unexpected resignation. And her 2012 reelection loss to Republican Chris Collins eventually proved fortuitous, freeing her for Cuomo's choice as his 2014 running mate.

Now the Buffalo resident, New York's 77th lieutenant governor, is poised to emerge as the ultimate survivor of New York politics. As Cuomo precariously clings to power in the face of sexual harassment allegations, the twists and turns of politics present another opportunity. If Cuomo leaves office through either resignation or impeachment, as is widely expected, Hochul will begin another chapter in her career  as governor of New York.

And New York's political establishment  dominated by men from New York City  must also brace something new  a woman governor from upstate. Former Rep. John J. LaFalce, whom Hochul has often called her mentor, says she will weather the new challenge, too.

"Anybody who dismisses Kathy is just not seeing straight," he said. "Never dismiss Kathy."

'Tenacious' work ethic

Hochul may have established herself as a statewide force in her own right while running for a second term with Cuomo in 2018. The process did not begin well, as The Buffalo News reported in April that Cuomo forces were angling to dump her from the ticket after Jumaane D. Williams, a New York City councilman from Brooklyn, launched a primary challenge against her. Williams, now the city's public advocate, loomed as a powerful sitting office holder in the state's densest concentration of Democrats.

Conventional wisdom pointed toward thwarting Williams with a new, downstate running mate. And Cuomo hardly came to her rescue. In Buffalo, he told reporters that he fully backed Hochul  but for her old congressional seat. The lieutenant governor held firm, however, walking a fine line as Cuomo loyalist while fending off those seeking her ouster.

In the September Democratic primary, Hochul prevailed with a convincing victory over Williams, now considered a future statewide candidate. And the Western New Yorker even captured three of the city's five boroughs  Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx  to win her second statewide primary (she also beat Tim Wu in 2014).

LaFalce credits her "tenacious" work ethic for the 2018 victory, which served her well as she traveled the state touting Cuomo's programs.

"She visited not only every county in New York State, but every town and village and every borough in New York City," he said. "And in every single instance, when she left, people liked her."

'She's very disarming'

Hochul, 62, may have not only survived but prospered in New York politics because of that ability to connect with people. Whether mingling with Batavia senior citizens or visiting a Brooklyn community center, the Hamburg native from an Irish Catholic family may practice retail politics as well as anyone. Unlike Cuomo, who usually appears only before invited audiences and rarely mingles with ordinary citizens, Hochul relishes any chance to plunge into crowds.

Leonard R. Lenihan, the former Erie County Democratic chairman who has worked closely with her through the years, says Hochul has succeeded throughout the state by easily winning over movers and shakers.

"She's humble, she's kind, but she's also tough," he said, "with a friendly and approachable demeanor. And not all politicians are approachable.

"I think everyone will soon grasp the contrast between the departing governor and incoming governor," he added. "Her style is: 'Hey, isn't it a great honor to represent the people of this state?' "

The lieutenant governor has never shied away from Erie County's hardball brand of politics, but somehow emerges from tough battles with new friends. Republican William A. O'Loughlin, whom Hochul decisively defeated for county clerk in 2007, goes out of his way to greet Hochul and her husband, Bill, if he encounters them in public.

"She's very disarming ... with incredible energy like I've never seen," he said.

Hochul decisively beat O'Loughlin 67%-33% that year as both candidates opposed then-Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer's plan to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. The losing Republican said he left the political arena with lasting impressions about his opponent, and has followed her since as a congresswoman and lieutenant governor.

"She became a powerful juggernaut in the City of New York and she doesn't even live there," he said. "Those who underestimate her power, strength and talent are doomed to their own execution."

Reputation for flip-flopping

Along the way, however, Hochul has earned a reputation for flip-flopping on political issues. When representing New York's most Republican congressional district, she earned a 100% rating on gun rights issues from the National Rifle Association. As Cuomo's lieutenant governor, she supported his strict gun control law known as the SAFE Act.

Also with Cuomo, she performed a turnaround and supported driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. And though consistent in her support of abortion rights, an ugly 2012 town hall meeting in Lancaster remains one of the lowlights of her congressional career. She was booed by a crowd critical of her support for certain reproductive rights for women and the conflict with her own Catholic faith.

Christopher M. Grant, the Clarence political consultant who managed former Rep. Chris Collins' successful congressional campaign against her in 2012, remains especially critical of his old adversary. He says Hochul will fit in with other "fraud" governors like Spitzer and Cuomo, because she has "no commitment to principle."

He cites her changes on issues upon arriving in Albany, that she triumphed over Williams in the 2018 primary only after the Cuomo team came to her rescue, and that Collins recognized her weaknesses early en route to beating her in 2012.

"We didn't have to convince a lot of people that she was a phony," he said, "and we found she couldn't take the heat. When we saw a candidate come unglued that easily we knew we had a winning message."

Grant, who manages GOP campaigns around the nation, acknowledges Hochul has scored her share of wins and now stands on the cusp of the top political job in New York, and that she is a survivor.

"To me, there are survivors as a function of skill and of luck  I think she is the latter," he said. "She is not a skilled politician as much as a lucky one, and that will be on full display in coming months."

And in a possible sign of Republican strategy to come, state Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy has in recent months set her squarely in his sights. When accusations of harassment began surfacing against the governor in March, Langworthy demanded Hochul reveal her knowledge of the administration's response to the allegations, as well as to hiding data on nursing home deaths stemming from Covid-19  even if few Albany hands count her as among the governor's inner circle members.

"She talks about how she's the governor's right hand and she's working directly with Andrew Cuomo to get so many great things done," the chairman said then. "If you don't know what was going on in the administration, what the hell were you doing?"

Upstate roots a disadvantage

But as Hochul prepares to claim the historic gubernatorial office on the Capitol's second floor, her "survivor" status will require more challenges. Though she stands to become the office's first female occupant, her upstate address may prove her most serious impediment to running and winning in 2022. No true upstater has been elected governor since Nathan L. Miller of Syracuse in 1920, no Buffalonian since Grover Cleveland in 1882, and she is currently the only person outside the metropolitan area to hold statewide office.

Though she must overcome the Democratic Party's downstate domination, some say her past history may point to her ability to break another barrier. Lenihan, for many years the leader of upstate's largest Democratic contingent, notes she has spent almost six years criss-crossing the state while Cuomo is usually ensconced in his Albany bunker.

Hochul, he said, has made a career out of meeting with officials of small towns, upstate cities and throughout New York City. That includes leaders of Democratic county organizations, he said, many of whom have become her friends. She will have 10 months before the party names its next candidate for governor, and as the incumbent will hold the overwhelming advantage in raising money.

"I know I'm a 'homey' on this, but who else could be better prepared?" he asked. "She will have a full year ahead, and it will be refreshing to have the first female governor of the state with the opportunity to show what she can do."

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Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers.

Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices  $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL.

The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the group's roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan.
I would bet his most important element of support is Black women in the Assembly, Sheinkopf added. African Americans have been consistently loyal to Cuomo no matter what. Has that changed?

It should be remembered that Cuomo sought early refuge in African American enclaves like Harlem, rallying Black leaders and posing for photos to demonstrate support in the face of withering criticism. It should also be recalled that Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who is Black, joined Peoples-Stokes in discouraging any rush to judgment on Cuomo until the attorney general had issued her report.

But by late Tuesday, Heastie joined the chorus by noting his Assembly Democrats were demanding Cuomos exit. Peoples-Stokes, too. It was a clear signal that the governor had nowhere else to turn  that he could no longer find support in refuges like Harlem or Buffalos East Side.

So we took Sheinkopfs advice and asked Peoples-Stokes about this most loyal of Democratic constituencies. She had a simple answer for why Black Democrats were now abandoning Cuomo. In a reflection of how African Americans are wary of a justice system that can often rush to judgment, the Buffalo assemblywoman summed it up.
Indian Army returns cattle of POK (Photo/Army)

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 8 (ANI): To strengthen the ceasefire agreement, the Indian Army Saturday returned a cow and an ox belonging to Bijildar village in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), at Chakoti-Uri Crossing Point.

The Army Statement said: By sending the cattle back, the Army had shown its commitment to peace and harmony along the Line of Control (LOC) through its continued efforts and display of humanitarian values.

In a statement, Army said that these animals apparently had crossed over inadvertently in the month of May from Bijildar village in Pakistan occupied Kashmir to Jabri village in Karnah tehsil.

"Indian proactive approach and commitment culminated into successful repatriation which portrays the humanitarian values of the nation. The repatriation event was organised in presence of the officials of the Civil Administration of Karnah and Uri tehsil. People of Bijildar village of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir were extremely appreciative of the humanitarian gesture by the Indian side to return their animals back," Army said.

It informed that in reciprocation, Pakistan also returned back a pony that had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Notably, in the past five months, the Indian Army has made deliberate attempts to uphold the cease-fire agreement displaying total commitment.

"People of villages close to Line of Control have expressed their gratitude on a number of occasions towards the Indian Army for the continued peace along Line of Control. These small acts of kindness indicate the commitment and trust a nation places in keeping peace and harmony. The Awam is hopeful of a continued Cease-Fire Agreement between both neighbors," added the statement. (ANI)
By next tax season, some households with no working adults will receive more than $10,000 in these payments. No work required. Just free money on top of Americas existing safety net, Rubio wrote.

According to the White House, the American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children over the age of six and from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of six, and raised the age limit from 16 to 17. All working families [emphasis added] will get the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent.

That includes families who pay no net federal income taxes.

The IRS also sees the CTC as something other than a tax cut. The IRS says although both reduce the amount owed to the federal government, a tax cut reduces the percentage that is paid to the IRS based on income, while a tax credit reduces the amount owed after that percentage has already been calculated.

Whats more, the 2021 CTC is fully refundable, meaning that even if you have no income or didnt pay taxes last year, you are still eligible to receive the credit.
(CNN) -- Few cases of femicide make headlines in Pakistan, but the beheading of an ambassador's daughter promises to test a legal system activists say has repeatedly failed victims of violence and needs urgent reform.

According to a police report seen by CNN, Noor Mukadam, 27, died on July 20 after being allegedly tortured and killed by an acquaintance -- Zahir Jaffer, the 30-year-old son of an influential family and a dual Pakistan-US national.

Mukadam's death may have been lost in Pakistan's crime statistics, if not for her status and Jaffer's family connections, as well as the affluent location of the killing in block F7, one of Islamabad's most exclusive neighborhoods.

In the days after her death, Pakistanis demanded #JusticeforNoor on Twitter, and a GoFundMe page to raise money for her family's legal fees hit almost $50,000 before her family requested it be closed, according to a message on the site.

The message suggested the family faces a long legal battle, despite claims of "strong circumstantial and forensic evidence" of Jaffer's guilt by their chief legal counsel, Shah Khawar.

Jaffer was arrested at the scene of the alleged attack and later charged with premeditated murder. His lawyer, Ansar Nawaz Mirza, said he hadn't spoken to Jaffer since the alleged attack but said his client "deserves a fair trial."

Activists are using this case to renew calls for the country's Parliament to pass a law criminalizing domestic violence. Although the law -- if passed -- would only apply to the Islamabad Capital Territory, activists believe it would encourage other provinces to pass similar legislation as the capital is controlled by the country's ruling party.

After being held up in the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, the bill was sent for review to the all-male member Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the constitutional body that advises the legislature on whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam.

The council has a poor record on domestic violence -- in 2016, it proposed its own bill to allow men to "lightly beat" their wives.

Women's rights activists fear the conservative council will use its influence on the legislation to kill the bill, sending a message that violence against women in their own homes is allowed, or even condoned.

Mukadam didn't answer her phone

Pictures of Mukadam shared by her friends and family with CNN show a tall, vivacious young woman, posing in the glow of fairy lights and shimmying for gifs. Another photograph shows her with strings of jasmine in her hair, clutching a tiny dog to her chest, her long wavy hair askew.

Her friend and feminist activist Zahra Haider told CNN that Mukadam "was the kind of girl who went the extra mile for her loved ones" who liked going for drives to pick up fast food and "dancing on the roof in the rain."

She was born in Jordan, said her father, Shaukhat Mukadam, a distinguished Pakistani diplomat and former envoy to South Korea and Ireland. He told CNN his daughter was an artistic, soft-hearted girl who "loved animals and making her family laugh."

According to the police report he filed on the night of her death, Shaukhat Mukadam said he and his wife were in different parts of the city on July 19, shopping and running errands ahead of the Eid holiday. They returned to the family home, where their daughter lived, around sunset, to find she had not returned to the house.

They tried to phone her, but her mobile phone was switched off, so they began searching for her with the assistance of her friends, according to the report. That night, Noor Mukadam called her parents saying that she would be traveling with friends to Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city, and they shouldn't worry. They didn't hear from her again, according to the police report.

The next afternoon, on July 20, the Mukadams received an unexpected phone call from Zahir Jaffer stating that Noor was not with him. Hours later, police phoned her father to tell him Noor Mukadam had been killed, and he should report to the police station. He was then taken to the Jaffer family residence to identify his daughter's body.

Police have not speculated on a motive for the alleged murder. Jaffer and Mukadam, and their families, were known to each other, according to the police report. Police are not commenting publicly beyond the police report.

Jaffer's parents, Asmat Adamjee Jaffer and Zakir Jaffer, the director of Ahmed Jaffer & Company (Pvt) Ltd, one of the oldest family-run trading and project management companies in the country, were also arrested on charges of concealing evidence and abetment, according to the police report. Both had their bail pleas rejected Thursday as information provided to the judge suggested both made the "utmost efforts" to remove evidence of the alleged murder, according to a court judgment seen by CNN. In a statement to CNN, Rizwan Abbasi, the lawyer for both parents, said his clients had publicly condemned the murder. "We stand with the affected party (and) we don't stand with our son," the statement said.

A statement on the company's website condemned the incident, and said "what cannot be disassociated is our family link to the tragedy, which is undeniable but we request you not judge us all by the horrific actions of one."

Pakistan's proposed new domestic violence law

Mukadam's death has drawn attention to the plight of women and girls in Pakistan, where violence against them is considered a "serious problem," according to a 2020 country report from Human Rights Watch.

Around 28% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, Pakistan's Ministry of Human Rights said, citing the country's Demographic and Health Survey from 2017-2018.

Often, violence occurs within marriage and goes unreported, because it is considered a cultural norm in Pakistan's patriarchal society, according to a World Health Organization review of literature on domestic violence in Pakistan from 2008 to 2018.

Campaigners say it's not just societal norms that stop women from reporting abuse -- the legal system is stacked against them.

Lawyer and women's rights campaigner Sahar Bandial said Pakistan's criminal justice system sees domestic violence offenses as a "private matter" between couples and families.

There is no national law, though some provinces have their own legislation. Sindh and Balochistan provinces, for example, outlaw domestic violence including physical, emotional, economic and verbal abuse. If convicted, offenders could face a prison term and be ordered to pay compensation to the victim. Punjab also has domestic violence legislation, though no criminal penalties.

In other parts of Pakistan, women have no recourse.

Nighat Dad, a Pakistani lawyer and founder of Digital Rights Foundation, said criminalizing domestic violence would force the country to confront some difficult truths.

"People are much more comfortable with the concept of stranger violence because it externalizes the threat," she said.

"The criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul in order to be women and survivor-centric.

"Currently, from top to bottom the system is geared towards discouraging survivors from reporting and pursuing cases," she said. "The entire process leaves victims retraumatized. There needs to be structural reform."

What the new bill proposes

The Pakistan Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill calls for offenders to be fined or imprisoned for abusing women, children or vulnerable people.

It was passed in the National Assembly, the lower house of the country's Parliament, on April 19. However, its progress through the Senate stalled when opposition members succeeded by one vote to refer the bill to the Senate Committee on Human Rights for further review. It was ultimately passed by the Senate on June 21 and progressed to the next step, presidential assent, for final approval.

However, in early July, the adviser to the prime minister on parliamentary affairs, Babar Awan, wrote a letter to the speaker of Parliament, seeking a review of the bill by the Islamic Council.

In the leaked letter, Awan stated "the bill contravenes the Islamic (injunctions) and way of life as enshrined in responsibility of the state."

It's not clear when the Islamic Council will respond.

Ghulam Dastagheer, the council's chief research officer, told CNN it hadn't received the bill from the office of the speaker of Parliament.

"It's only when we officially receive the paperwork that we can start assessing it," he added.

The proposed national bill has become a lightning rod for feminists who claim its delay is a classic example of how legislation regarding violence against women is treated in the country.

Asma Khawar Khawaja, a human rights lawyer based in Sialkot, told CNN the wave of cases of violence against women in the country was like "standing next to a tsunami".

Digital Rights Foundation founder Dad said it "was disappointing" to see Prime Minister Khan refer the matter to the Islamic Council, a move she said points towards "a lack of political will at the very top" to bring about change, since it is not common for bills to be referred to the body.

It took Khan 12 days to comment on Noor's killing, a delay some are interpreting as a sign that he is bowing to more conservative elements of his party -- and the country.

Last Sunday, in a televised town hall, Khan called Mukadam's death a "tragedy."

"I have been following all developments of the case closely, and no one will escape justice," he said.

Pakistan "cannot afford more Noors"

In the days after Mukadam's killing, her hometown gathered to protest and hold a vigil in her memory. A sea of white candles was lit, surrounded by portraits of her smiling face and bouquets of roses.

Since then, there have been protests in cities across the world, including Dublin, Los Angeles, New York, London and Toronto, in the memory of Noor and against femicide in Pakistan.

The crime dominated conversation on Soul Sisters Pakistan, a closed Facebook group with almost 300,000 members that provides a safe digital space for Pakistani women.

Kanwal Ahmed, the group's founder, said women had been expressing their fear "because of the helplessness of the victim's family, the lack of attention by the leadership and there being the potential of no accountability," which she called "terrifying."

However, the outpouring of grief provoked backlash within the country.

On Monday, a mural of Mukadam at a vigil in the city of Sialkot was defaced with black paint, and in the city of Faisalabad on Sunday, local authorities refused to allow a protest led by female activists, a situation Amnesty International said was of "serious concern."

Rafia Zakaria, a feminist author and columnist for Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, said what we're seeing is a moment of "reckoning" as people realize "these are the last stands of this sort of patriarchy."

"The country cannot afford more Noors. There is a sense of collective trauma, and the only deliverance is a kind of catharsis that we can't do this anymore," she said.

Noor Mukadam's older sister, Sara Mukadam, said her younger sibling was a "beautiful person" who wanted to change the world. "She was here to change the world, she always talked about it. Her being my younger sister, I would brush her off and say, 'What do you mean, you want to do something'?"

She and others now hope Mukadam's death will lead to change -- and create enough impetus for stronger laws to protect women against violence.

"Her sacrifice will change the world and women will fights for their rights because of Noor. We will miss her forever," she said.

Shaukhat Mukadam said his family wants justice.

"It's not just the murder of my daughter. We have to have justice because (there are) implications ... for all Pakistani people's daughters."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "The beheading of a diplomat's daughter shows how badly Pakistan is failing its women"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8)  Vice President Leni Robredo said she rejected the "unification formula" versus the Duterte administration that Senator Panfilo Lacson proposed for the 2022 elections as this would demand candidates to eventually withdraw from the race in support of one common bet.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo explained that he did not like the proposal of Lacson, which asks all potential contenders to file their Certificates of Candidacy but also calls them to withdraw their candidacies to support a common bet who performs best in pre-election surveys.

"Ako kasi ang paniniwala ko, kapag nag-file ang kandidato ng COC, prini-prisenta na namin ang mga sarili namin. 'Yung mga naniniwala sa amin, tataya na sa amin," she said.

"Simple ang dahilan ko sa pagtutol: kapag nag-file ako, kailangan kong ituloy ang laban, hindi ako pwedeng umatras kahit gaano kahirap," Robredo added.

[Translation: I believe that when a candidate files a COC, we will present ourselves. Those who believe in us will bet on us. My reason for objecting is simple. When I file for candidacy, I have to continue the fight, I cant back down no matter how hard the situation is.]

Lacson, who earlier bared his desire to secure the presidency, made Robredo's decision known during a television interview last week.

RELATED: 'Possible unity' ahead of 2022? Robredo meets with Lacson, Gordon

In a separate statement issued Sunday, Lacson said he respects the decision of Robredo, but insisted the proposal was "a selfless move" on his part.

"I admit that while there could be some complications attendant to my suggestion, nevertheless, it was a sincere and selfless offer in support of her equally sincere efforts to have one common candidate against whoever will be the administrations bet," Lacson said.

Robredo said she will continue her exploratory talks with other potential candidates once the COVID surge eases.

READ: Robredo in talks with other potential candidates in 2022 elections

"Suspend muna ang pag-uusap dahil ECQ ngayon. May mga bagay na mas urgent. Pagpaalala ito na may bigger concern tayo," she said.

"Sana in two weeks, maging okay na ang number natin para makapaglaan na ng oras para sa 2022 preparations," Robredo said.

[Translation: We're suspending the conversation first because of ECQ. There are things that are more urgent. This is a reminder that we have a bigger concern. Hopefully in two weeks, the number of cases will be okay so that we can make time for 2022 preparations.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8)  More Moderna vaccines were received by the government Sunday to boost the fight against COVID-19.

The shipment of 326,400 doses of the American-made vaccine arrived at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino Internatioal Airport just before 4 p.m.

In a briefing after the vaccines arrived, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the procurement of the vaccines was done with the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI).

"Ang bibigyan natin nito ay yung mga areas na merong surge, at saka dito sa Metro Manila considering na Moderna nakita na limited lang yung volume ngayon...it will be deployed in NCR and other surge areas," said Galvez.

[Translation: This will be given to areas where there is a surge and Metro Manila considering there is a limited volume of Moderna now...it will be deployed to the NCR and other surge areas.]

An earlier shipment of three million Moderna vaccines from the United States was welcomed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 3 in Pasay City.

The Moderna vaccines were coursed through the COVAX facility co-led by the World Health Organization.

This August, the country expects to receive a total of 22.7 million coronavirus shots  both donated and procured from different vaccine brands, according to Malacanang.

The Moderna vaccines were coursed through the COVAX facility co-led by the World Health Organization.

At the briefing, Galvez said over 24 million vaccine doses have been administered, with over 11 million fully vaccinated.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8) - Two big Metro Manila hospitals declared they have reached full capacity for COVID-19 patients.

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City said Sunday that it would limit emergency room admission to emergency and urgent renal cases only due to an increase in COVID-19 cases they have admitted. Hence, other cases may have to be transferred to other hospitals, it said.

Right now, we are in full capacity of our COVID-19 in hospital beds and the five tents, with more than 50 patients at the ER (emergency rooms), NKTI said in an advisory.

The hospital said that it would also limit ER admission to emergency and urgent renal cases only. Hence, other cases may have to be transferred to other hospitals, it said.

The NKTI added that it has converted some of its facilities to accommodate confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases.

We have converted our PD ward to our COVID-19 suspects. We have opened the modular hemodialysis facilities not only to confirmed COVID-19 cases but also to COVID-19 suspects, it said.

Starting tomorrow, Monday, August 9, we shall further decrease our Internal Medicine and Nephrology outpatient consults [] Our surgeries are confined only to those which have been previously scheduled in the next two weeks and for patients who are already in the hospital, so as not to compromise our patients, the advisory said.

Moreover, the NKTI said that it is also facing an increase in leptospirosis cases.

Meanwhile, St. Lukes Medical Center chief medical officer and vice president Dr. Benjamin Campomanes told CNN Philippines that rooms for COVID-19 patients in its Taguig City branch are now 100% occupied. He added that the intensive care unit in the said branch is 80% full.

In the Quezon City branch, Campomanes said that 79% of COVID-19 rooms are occupied, while the ICU is 93% full.

The country on Sunday tallied 9,671 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the overall case count to 1,658,916. Active cases stand at 77,516, which account for 4.7% of the total infections nationwide.

CNN Philippines correspondent Tristan Nodalo contributed to this report
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8) - The military has now identified at least 37 of the 49 soldiers killed in the C-130 plane crash in Sulu.

In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Sunday said that three more bodies of crash victims were identified last Aug. 7 by the Scene of the Crime Operatives Crime Laboratory in Region 9. They were:

- Corporal Jerome Balivado

- Private Joey Loterte

- Private Kevin Damole

The AFP added that 13 other bodies are still being identified.

The AFP through Western Mindanao Command has already reached out to the families of the deceased and is now arranging for the immediate transport of the cadavers to their hometowns, said AFP.

Aside from military personnel, three civilians were also killed in the incident that happened last July 4.

The black box, which contains an aircrafts flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, has been sent to the United States for data analysis that could shed light on the incident.
Verizon was unable to stop the delivery of Bidgoods phone records, leading her counsel to file a motion to enforce the protective order in this case. That order asked the court to order Hofts counsel to treat Bidgoods privileged phone records as recalled information under the protective order and to immediately destroy them so as to preserve the status quo while Bidgoods motion to quash was pending.

According to Bidgoods memorandum of support, courts in Virginia recognize a qualified journalists privilege rooted in the First Amendment. Citing in part the LaRouche v. NBC case, Bidgoods counsel wrote that, unless overcome, that privilege protects reporters from being compelled to disclose information obtained in the course of their newsgathering.

Nothing in the record or in the subpoena served on Verizon gives any clues as to how Bidgoods phone records are even tangentially relevant to the claims or defenses in this case, much less how Hoft could possibly satisfy the LaRouche test, the memorandum reads. Certainly, the vast majority of the calls reflected in the Verizon records have absolutely nothing to do with this case: As is clear from a simple search on The New York Times website, Bidgoods research and reporting on the Unite the Right rally and related topics represented only a fraction of her journalistic work between March 2017 and March 2018.
I dont wait until World War II to talk about it, he said. Ive already prepped my students from the beginning with a variety of activities. But once we get to that portion, I feel confident that the students are going to at least come away with knowing more than if they were in another classroom.

Hell be teaching U.S. History, World History and the African-American History elective at AHS this coming school year. This will be his second year at Albemarle and 21st in education.

I think its important that our students really understand that when we say about the Holocaust that we cannot let this happen again, its not a bumper sticker saying, he said.

He said he wants students to think about what it means to be indifferent to another individual.

It doesnt have to be on a grand scale, he said. It can just be something as indifferent as ignoring your classmate or teasing your classmates. While that may not be a genocide, it will lead you to experience that you can put that person that youve been indifferent to, you can put them on the margin, and that thats what Im trying to get at. To have students really look at themselves and really hone in on asking that question: Am I doing something today thats going to make a person feel less on the margins?
He said he doesnt understand how anyone could feel betrayed. The owners are within their rights to allow the project on their property.

All of that went through the permitting process, Owen said. Neighbors had an opportunity to attend zoning meetings. If you were adjacent to the project, you were sent a letter. Its not like it was hidden from them.

In addition, the project is on Owens property in front of his house, he said.

Whitt and her neighbor, Art Brunner, support solar power, but Whitt said, I think its a great thing, but I dont want it in my backyard.

Brunner believes solar can play a role in the nations energy needs.

Solars a good idea, but its not 100% effective for curing all the problems with energy, he said, adding that the project on Climax Road has created noise problems.

But the noise will only be temporary, until the project is built, Owen said.

In less than a year, it will be very quiet, Owen said.

SCOPE

Whitt is also surprised by the scope of the project. Ragsdale said its limit of disturbance would be about 860 acres.
It represents unity because you can only imagine how much strength that it would have taken back then to create your own Black newspaper in Jackson Ward, said Carter.

A specialized license plate runs for $20, whereas a standard plate for $10. Carter wanted to keep the price low and accessible for potential supporters so he kept the price at the standard rate.

In order to have the license plate offered in the DMV, Carter must acquire 450 pre-registrations and have it passed in the General Assembly with the backing of a politician. Carter kicked off the projects in early 2021 and obtained a few signatures.

Determined, Carter has until Dec. 31 to collect the needed orders in time to present his plate to the assembly floor. Hes already secured the backing of Sen. Joseph Morrisey (D-16) and Del. Jeff Bourne (D-71) and Mitchells descendant, John Mitchell Jr. and the Richmond Planet Foundation.

Now, Carter is sitting on 390 pre-orders. He expects to hit his goal long before the December deadline.

The Richmond Planet Plate projects attained the support of local organizations. The JXN Project, a Richmond-based organization focused on uplifting the Black experience in the city, came to the scene at the same time as Carters project.
Contrast that with Dominion University, which gets nearly $8,000 per student but has a 38% low-income student body; Radford University, which receives just over $7,000 per student and has a 33% low-income enrollment; and George Mason University, which gets only $4,500 in per-student funding but has a low-income enrollment of nearly 29%.

The report doesnt bypass the University of Virginia, which it describes as having the nations fifth highest in-state tuition and fees among public flagships. But the reports own figures show the main campus getting just $5,839 per student in state aid in 2018  one of the lowest on its list. The Charlottesville campus serves a student body that is 12.5% Pell-eligible.

In other words, UVa serves a slightly higher percentage of low-income students than does W&M, but at far less in state cost.

UVas College at Wise receives the highest amount in state aid among all public colleges and universities, $14,121 per student, but also serves a respectable percentage of low-income enrollees  nearly 36%. The university has committed itself to supporting Wise, located in economically depressed rural Appalachia, as part of its mission to reach underserved students.
The Bruler Fire burning in Linn County is now considered 75% contained, though fire experts estimate that it could keep burning until well into October.

First detected on July 12, the Bruler Fire is named after Bruler Creek, located in the area northeast of Green Peter Reservoir and within the Quartzville Recreation Corridor where the fire is burning. As has been the case for weeks, its currently estimated at 195 acres in size.

Crews have managed to contain the fire since then, with moderate backing (and) creeping occurring but minor spread. Crews established multiple containment lines around the fires perimeter, both immediate response lines and contingency lines that are intended to hold the fire from further spread if weather conditions lead to more activity than previous weeks.

The incident management website for the fire describes varying levels of fuel within and surrounding the fire perimeter.

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The fire area is dominated by heavy timber litter and varying degrees of live understory with some pockets of lighters fuels, the report states. Roll out of material along steep underslung lines continue to be a threat to containment. Lichen drape in trees is reported to be the primary ladder fuel to get fire into (the) canopy and establish some isolated tree torching.
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From there we moved into the back seat of my fathers 1978 black Olds 98, which he no longer needed after his heart had given out back on May 24, a night filled with images I remember clearly to this day, like watching my brother Dean try desperate CPR on him.

Three months later was a happier night, with Dean changing from possible hero to my best man, not to mention chauffeur of the 98. He drove us across the river to the parish hall of Immaculate Conception, where KM had gone through the eighth grade before entering Mount St. Marys in the late summer of 1971. At about the same time her future spouse, who she hadnt yet met, was getting off a bus, not far away at Catholic High.

Little did I know then that the Fates were already weaving their tapestry of our life together, dictating destiny through their belief that our joys and struggles on this earth were to be shared with each other. In any case, they got that right.

I credit the Fates because with the difference in our ages KM could have been easily placed into the class ahead of me. With that December birthday of hers we may never have met. And then there is the issue of me almost not getting into CHS at all. As proof, I have a letter from Father Tribou to my parents, concerning my application and basically saying thanks but no thanks, something about there not being enough room.
Club Yesepoch Inc. is honored to announce the recipients of the annual 2021 Scholarship Awards.

The awardees, Collin Harrison and Isaiha Baxter, two outstanding high school graduates in the local area, will be eagerly embarking upon new educational journeys this fall.

Collin Harrison, the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship, has been accepted at Troy University where he will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with plans to progress further toward a Master of Science in Nursing degree as a Nurse Practitioner. He is the son of Kayla Harrison.

Collin states, Even though I have taken numerous medical courses throughout high school, after dealing with COVID for an entire year, this was the deciding factor that helped me to make up my mind and enter into the field of Nursing.

Collin, a 2021 graduate of Elba High School, has excelled as a student and as a humanitarian evidenced through his completion of honors courses, his providing tutorial services to struggling students, his extensive memberships and leadership roles as well as community service.

Isaiha Baxter, the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship, has been accepted at Alabama A&M University where he will pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is the son of Brinda Baxter.
Sixty-five thousand doses have been wasted. Thats extremely unfortunate when we have such a low vaccination rate and of course, there are so many people in the world that still dont have access to vaccine, Harris said.

Florida has been especially hard hit. It makes up more than 20% of the nation's new cases and hospitalizations, triple its share of the population. Many rural counties have vaccination rates below 40%, with the state at 49%. The state again set a record Saturday, reporting 23,903 new cases.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, while encouraging vaccinations, has taken a hard line against mask rules and other restrictions. Running for reelection next year and eyeing a 2024 Republican presidential bid, he and President Joe Biden have verbally sparred in recent days. DeSantis has accused the Democratic president of overreach, while Biden has said DeSantis should get out of the way of local officials if he doesn't want to fight the outbreak.

Some people have been scared off from the vaccine by bogus warnings on social media and from some non-medical media personalities.
Jones was one of a group of state senators who called on Kemp to call a special session to consider overturning Georgia's presidential election results and who signed a court brief supporting a failed lawsuit by Texas officials challenging election results in Georgia and other states. Jones also mounted an unsuccessful challenge to Miller for president pro tem. Those two actions led Miller and other Senate Republican leaders to strip Jones of his committee chair position.

Jones has worn his demotion as a badge of honor. He spoke Saturday at a Republican rally in Rome, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, winning applause when he said he was punished for his advocacy for Trump.

He also called Saturday for reducing the states income tax, increasing funding for police, likening himself to Trump by saying, I think we have a real swamp in Georgia.

Jones earlier appeared at an Election Integrity Town Hall, with U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene where organizers handed out Trump Won signs to attendees.
Workers living in an apartment complex in HCMC's Hoc Mon District line up to receive food provided by local authorities. Photo by VnExpress/Thu Thao.

Hundreds of landlords in Ho Chi Minh City have reduced rental fees for poor workers and invited those from vulnerable communities to stay for free amid the pandemic.

Le Thi Hai Duong, 52, has been doing checks on her six-room apartment for the past few days to accommodate those in need for free. Three years prior, she became the landlady of an apartment in Binh Thanh District after taking out a loan of over VND1 billion ($43,464) for construction. She rented the rooms, each spanning 25 square meters and equipped with existing furniture and appliances, to college students for VND2.5 million a month.

But when the pandemic hit, those students had to return to their hometowns. As Covid-19 social distancing kicked in, Duong thought she could help those in dire circumstances with a place to stay for free. So she contacted the Vietnamese Fatherland Front committee of Binh Thanh seeking help.

Vo Thi Phuong Uyen, its deputy chairwomam, said Duong's offer would be communicated to 20 wards in Ho Chi Minh City. Local authorities would then find poor workers and those who could not return to their hometowns to help. Wards would provide free Covid-19 tests for potential tenants and make sure they test negative before moving in.

"I will provide rice, noodles and other basic food items so people coming to stay can be self-isolated for at least another seven days," said Duong, adding that even though she has to pay around VND30 million each month to the bank, it is nothing compared to what others are facing during the pandemic.

Le Thi Hai Duong checks an apartment in HCMC's Binh Thanh District. Photo by VnExpress/An Phuong.

Around 20 kilometers from Duong's, Nguyen Thi Tien, 50, and her family in Hoc Mon District also gave up trying to return to their hometowns after their landlady said their rent would be wavered.

"However much I made I had to send it all back to my hometown to pay off debts, so I have no saving," said Tien, adding she had to take out several loans six years prior to treat her only daughter from a severe illness. After the girl recovered, the family moved to HCMC to make a living.

Tien sells fruits at Hoc Mon Market while her husband works in construction. Both lost their jobs when the pandemic hit, plunging their family into a precarious financial situation. Just last month, some of their friends invited them to return to An Giang to cut down on living expenses, but their apartment was locked down soon after, forcing them to stay put.

"There's always been silver linings. When we were quarantined for 14 days, we received a lot of food, and a philanthropist even gave each unemployed worker VND800,000," Tien said while pointing at stacks of rice, noodles and eggs in a corner of her kitchen.

When the lockdown was lifted, Tien's landlady Nguyen Thi Thanh announced that all rental fees for August would be wiped and convinced her tenants to stay. With the financial and sustenance burden lifted, Tien's family decided to hold out and wait for the storm to pass.

There are around 300 migrant workers living in Tien's apartment complex. Just last month, their landlady had cut their rental fees by half and distributed rice or noodles.

"Ive been renting apartments for around 20 years, and have never seen workers facing such difficult conditions," Thanh said, adding prolonged social distancing in the city has forced many of her tenants to stay home without a job.

Many are migrants from faraway localities like Nghe An or Ha Tinh in the north central region, some a bit closer like the Mekong Delta's An Giang and Ca Mau. Thanh thought it would be too dangerous for them to return to their hometowns on motorbike so decided to cut their rent and convince them to stay.

"I used to have a hard life, so I know just a few hundred thousand dong could mean the world to those in need," she said, adding she would continue lowing the rent if the situation persists.

Pham Chi Tam, deputy chairman of the HCMC labor federation, said over 620 apartment owners across the city have agreed to cut down rental fees for over 34,000 tenants, totaling over VND5 billion.

Amid the Covid-19 social distancing order, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested localities to provide support for residents so they could stay put and not return to their hometowns spontaneously, risking new infections.

HCMC in particular has given out financial packages worth billions of dong to help its poor and vulnerable communities during the pandemic, while also providing them food and other necessities.

Vietnam has recorded 201,692 local Covid-19 cases ever since the fourth coronavirus wave hit the country in late April. HCMC has recorded 119,802 cases, the highest number of infections among all affected localities.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CVAA) has proposed that all flights between Hanoi and HCMC are stopped as the nation fights a prolonged Covid-19 wave.

The CVAA said Saturday that it has asked the Ministry of Transport to freeze all regular flights between localities that are under social distancing orders, including Hanoi and HCMC.

It has proposed that only special flights are flown on air routes between social distancing localities. While flights to bring workers back to their hometowns can be considered, it would be necessary for the localities to pick up passengers at the airport to test and quarantine them, it said.

For now, flights from HCMC to Hanoi and many other localities have been suspended; and there are very few flights from Hanoi to HCMC.

The airports in the southern region that are implementing social distancing campaigns include Tan Son Nhat, Can Tho, Phu Quoc, Rach Gia, Ca Mau and Con Dao.

In the north, theres the Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. So far, flights from Hanoi to Rach Gia, Ca Mau, Con Dao, Can Tho and Phu Quoc have been stopped.

Hanoi authorities decided Sunday to extend the ongoing social distancing order until August 22 as a response to several Covid-19 clusters being detected in the capital city.
The service, with full honors for a line-of-duty death, was livestreamed by the Nevada Department of Public Safety and local television stations.

May was posthumously awarded another Medal of Valor and a Purple Heart. Carpenter, the highway patrol commander, noted that four people received his donated organs when he died.

Mays brothers, Paul May and Seth May, remembered growing up in Greenfield, Massachusetts  splashing in streams, climbing trees, jumping from the roof into snowdrifts  and once when their 17-year-old older brother, who didnt have a drivers license, crashed the family car off a dirt road into a ditch near the Vermont state line.

Seth May, who was 8 or 9 at the time, said he walked home and never told their parents until this week that he had also been along for the ride.

Paul May said their boyhood image of heaven was of people looking down on the living from beyond the clouds. Both Paul May and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman invoked images of rainbows around Micah May.

Surely he is a hero, the mayor said said of Micah May, a role model, an idol and a champion ... who chose to be a selfless caretaker of others in law enforcement and as a first-responder.
While the delta variant of the coronavirus has quickly become the dominant strain in the United States, it's not the only variant circulating.

Lambda variant

The Lambda variant, first identified in Peru, is also beginning to make headlines as it has started to be identified in several states. Infections caused by the Lambda variant have been emerging in the United States, including in Texas, where Houston Methodist Hospital last month reported its first case. Scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina recently announced they had found the variant in a virus sample taken in April.

What do we know about Lambda

Dr. Stuart Ray is a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he specializes in infectious diseases. Ray opened one of the first covid-19 wards at Johns Hopkins in March 2020, and he has also overseen Johns Hopkins' covid-19 sequencing efforts. He told NPR that Lambda is "sort of a cousin of the alpha variant" - one of the earliest identified variants of concern.

Genomic sequencing has identified 1,060 cases of covid-19 caused by the Lambda variant in the United States so far, according to the independent data-sharing initiative GISAID. While that number is a far cry from the surge in cases caused by the Delta variant, representing about 83% of new cases in the US, infectious disease experts have said that Lambda is a variant they are watching closely.

"Variant of concern"

In a paper posted on bioRxiv ahead of peer review, the researchers warn that with Lambda being labeled a "Variant of Interest" by the World Health Organization, rather than a "Variant of Concern," people might not realize it is a serious ongoing threat.

"I think any time a variant is identified and demonstrates the capacity to rapidly spread in a population, you have to be concerned," Dr. Gregory Poland, a professor of medicine and director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told CNN.

"There are variants arising every day, if a variant can be defined as new mutations," he said. "The question is, do those mutations give the virus some sort of advantage, which of course is to human disadvantage? The answer in Lambda is yes."

Plenty left to learn about Lambda



There is still plenty left to learn about Lambda. Early studies suggest that it has mutations that make it more transmissible than the original strain of the coronavirus.

"Lambda has mutations that are concerning but this variant remains quite rare in the US despite being around for several months," Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Michigan, wrote.

"It's difficult to know for certain how transmissible Lambda is and how well vaccines work. So far, it seems that Lambda is more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus," which is similar to Delta and other variants, wrote Malani, an expert with the Infectious Diseases Society of America. SARS-CoV-2 is the name of the coronavirus that causes covid-19.

Senior researcher Kei Sato of the University of Tokyo says "Lambda can be a potential threat to the human society."
-- The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the determining factor behind China's great changes and remarkable achievements.

-- Looking back over the one hundred years of history, always staying with the people is the secret of the CPC's great achievements in the annals of history.

-- Running a country as large as China, the CPC is providing a significant amount of experience that can be drawn on in the field of governance.

BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Since its founding 100 years ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has led China to make both enormous achievements at home and significant contributions to global peace and development.

As leaders of political parties across the globe try to decipher the CPC's success secrets upon its 100th anniversary, five things have been most frequently associated with the now 95-million-strong Chinese party.

ECONOMIC MIRACLE

At a grand ceremony on July 1 celebrating the CPC's centenary, General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee, who is also Chinese president, declared that China has realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

China is now the world's second-largest economy, the largest recipient of foreign direct investment, and one of the world's largest consumer markets. Its GDP has exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan (about 15.47 trillion U.S. dollars) threshold.

Among the numerous foreign political leaders who have witnessed China's rapid economic progress is Abbas Zaki, a member of the Palestinian Fatah party's central committee in charge of relations with China and Arab countries.

Having visited China for more than 10 times since the first trip in 1974, he noted that in just one generation, China has transformed into a strong and modern country, and has successfully addressed prominent challenges, including meeting the basic needs of a huge population.

"What used to be poor villages have been transformed into productive, rich ones almost overnight. Some backward and desolate places in the past have become vibrant industrial parks," he said. "China's great changes are unimaginable."

Equally impressed by China's remarkable development is Shoichi Kondo, secretary general of the Sino-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians' Union.

"I went to China in 1981 to study, and now in 2021, China has developed at an incredible speed and created a miracle, which is what the Chinese people have achieved under the leadership of the Communist Party of China," he told Xinhua.

"China is still in development today, and at a staggering rate. This is a miracle," he added.

GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS

While achieving miraculous domestic progress, foreign observers have noted, the CPC has also led China to become an active contributor to world development, peace and stability.

China has actively taken part in regional and international cooperation mechanisms, and made significant contributions to promoting international cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, said Le Hoai Trung, head of the Commission for External Relations of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee.

To promote exchanges and cooperation across the globe, Xi has put forward visions like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The BRI is popular in the world because it connects people, and that is the beauty of it, said Richard Todwong, secretary general of Uganda's ruling National Resistance Movement party.

"In most of the economies of Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, we have seen the Chinese doing infrastructural projects," he said. "The Chinese came and built for us quite a number of dams, which has enabled us to power our economy."

To Andrzej Szejna, vice president of Poland's New Left political party, the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind can serve as a solution to the problems the world is facing, as "it is based on peace and cooperation."

"Under the CPC's leadership, China has greatly contributed to socio-economic progress for all mankind," said Khuon Sodary, second vice-president of the Cambodian National Assembly. "China will continue to play an important role in building global peace, promoting global development and maintaining international order."

GOVERNANCE SUCCESS

Behind China's great domestic development and global contributions is the CPC's strong leadership and successful governance of the large and populous country, foreign political leaders agree.

The leadership of the CPC is the determining factor behind China's great changes and remarkable achievements, said Ali Ahmadov, deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan and vice chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

The CPC has a strong political mobilization capacity of uniting all the social forces of China to commit to serving the people, which has consequently attracted firm support from the masses, he said.

In the eyes of Vojtech Filip, chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, the "Chinese miracle" created by the CPC in the past decades has proved that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the right path leading to the country's success in development.

"Also, the policies China adopted gave full play to the initiative of the CPC members and the Chinese people," said Filip.

Besides, the CPC is also good at drawing on the experiences of both developed and developing countries to formulate a successful development model for China, said D.E.W. Gunasekera, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka.

The CPC, he noted, has successfully combined markets and state intervention in China's economic development, while remaining true to the country's history and culture.

PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST

"Looking back over the one hundred years of history, always staying with the people is the secret of the CPC's great achievements in the annals of history," said former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Hatoyama's comment reflects a general consensus among political leaders across the world. Slimane El Omrani, deputy secretary general of Morocco's Justice and Development Party, concluded that the most noticeable aspect of the Chinese model is the "people-centered" ruling philosophy.

"This country is its people; the people are the country," Xi pointed out at the centenary ceremony. "The Party has in the people its roots, its lifeblood, and its source of strength."

"The Party has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese people; it stands with them through thick and thin and shares a common fate with them," he added. "The Party has no special interests of its own -- it has never represented any individual interest group, power group, or privileged stratum."

Speaking highly of China's effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak, former Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy noted that the CPC's "people first" approach was a key factor in successfully controlling the pandemic.

Chinese Communists have accomplished great achievements in the country's development by living up to their all-for-the-people commitment, said Jacques Cheminade, chairman of France's Solidarity and Progress party.

For the CPC, loving people is not only a political commitment, but also the source of strength, said Cheminade.

EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES

Bassam Salhi, general secretary of the Palestinian People's Party, spoke for many when he said China's development model serves as an inspiring example for other countries in exploring an effective path of development.

Running a country as large as China, the CPC is providing a significant amount of experience that can be drawn on in the field of governance, said Mauro Alboresi, national secretary of the Italian Communist Party.

"The facts say a lot," said Alboresi, taking China's campaign of poverty alleviation as an example.

In the view of Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, China has set an example on how to combine economic and social progress. "The entire population benefits from the outcome of this development rather than a small group of people," he said.

When talking with Xinhua about China's governance experience, many experts referred to the book of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," which Salhi said is a window on observing and understanding China.

The book is very important and useful inside and outside China, because it explains the philosophy of the CPC's governance, both from the perspectives of history and in terms of looking into the future, said the Palestinian party leader.

With its 100-year-old history, the CPC has brought great inspirations to political parties in other countries, said Nalinee Taveesin, chairperson of foreign affairs of the Pheu Thai Party.

The CPC, she added, has demonstrated that "political parties must keep in touch with communities, serve the people, strengthen good governance and distribute wealth more fairly."
Sudan summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations after statements issued by senior Ethiopian officials rejected Khartoums mediation in the conflict raging in the Tigray region on the grounds of non-neutrality and the occupation of Ethiopian lands.

Diplomatic sources said that the Sudanese Ambassador to Addis Ababa, Jamal Al-Sheikh, will meet with Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok to discuss these developments in Sudanese Ethiopian relations.

In a statement, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the suggestion that Sudan played a role in the conflict, and the claim of occupation, is a continuation of Ethiopias practice of overriding facts in its relationship with Sudan and promoting allegations that it has no basis for based only on the ambitions of circles in the Ethiopian government.

Sudans interest in resolving the conflict is part of its commitment to regional peace and stability, and an expression of its keenness to stabilise the situation in Ethiopia, and for solidarity in the challenges it faces, the statement added.

It also noted that Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdoks initiative, within the framework of his presidency of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), aims to encourage Ethiopian parties to reach a ceasefire and to engage in a comprehensive political dialogue process to preserve Ethiopias unity and stability.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry stressed that the two countries communication remains the basis for overcoming the complications that arise, as it is the basis for upgrading relations between them, noting that Sudans efforts did not stop by virtue of its responsibility, and it will continue to push for a solution to the conflict in Ethiopia.

Being responsible and embracing the great human suffering in the region will [encourage] Sudan and everyone capable of positive action to provide whatever assistance they can, especially with Sudan being a neighbour affected by the conflict, given the influx of refugees from Ethiopia to Sudan, the statement concluded.

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Ethiopias Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen has asked that Algeria play a role in correcting what he described as the Arab League's misperceptions about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Mekonnen made the request on Wednesday to Algerian counterpart Ramtane Lamamra.

Mekonnen asked Lamamra, who is currently on a visit to Addis Abbas, to correct the Arab Leagues perceptions about the GERD issue, underscoring Ethiopias intentions to fair and equitable utilisation of the Nile water, the Ethiopian foreign ministry said in a statement on the meeting.

In June, the Arab League issued a resolution after convening in Doha, rejecting any measures that would undermine the water share of Egypt and Sudan, in reference to Ethiopias second filling in July despite of the lack of an agreement between the three countries on the filling and operations of the dam.

The Arab League had also called for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to intervene in the crisis, which it said risks aggravated tensions in the region.

At the time, Ethiopia denounced the resolution, expressing its dismay at the misguided position of the regional organisation.

The Ethiopian deputy prime minister also expressed in the meeting with Lamamra Ethiopias firm commitment to resuming the trilateral negotiations under the auspices of the African Union.

Demeke also said that Ethiopia concluded the second filling last week in accordance with the Declaration of Principles (DoP) that was signed in 2015.

Both Egypt and Sudan have said that the first and second filling of the dam, in 2020 and 2021 respectively, actually violate the 2015 DoP.

Ethiopia has also asked Algeria to persuade Sudan to solve their border issue peacefully according to existing joint mechanisms and refrain from using force, since it would never settle the matter amicably.

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The large gap in water resources in Egypt, which is one of the driest countries in the world, is overcome by importing 54 percent of its virtual water and reusing 42 percent of its renewable, Egypts Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati said on Wednesday.

Abdel-Atis remarks came during a virtual forum on "Climate Dialogue," organised by the Adaptation Action Coalition.

The forum is seeing the attendance of a number of water ministers and representatives of non-governmental organisations and the private sector from many countries.

Virtual water  which is the embedded water required to produce commodities  has been for decades relied on in the form of food Imports.

Virtual water, which is measured as a percentage of the already existing water resources, is increasingly recommended as a good policy for water-scarce areas.

Several global and local factors are adding to Egypts water challenges, such as climate change and overpopulation, Abdel-AtI said.

More than two million babies are born in Egypt every year.

Developed by the UK in partnership with Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia and the United Nations in January 2021, the Adaptation Action Coalition works to turn international political commitments made through the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience into on-the-ground support for vulnerable communities.

Abdel-Ati stated that Egypt is facing a major water challenge in balancing between its resources and needs, especially with around 97 percent of its water resources flowing in from outside its borders.

Egypts annual share of water is 560 m3 per person, cabinet figures indicate, placing the 100-million-plus country well below the international threshold for water scarcity. When annual water supplies drop below 1,000 m3 per person, according to the UN, the population faces water scarcity, and below 500 cubic metres "absolute scarcity."

To meet the water challenge, Abdel-Ati said the ministry developed a four-pronged National Water Resources Plan, running through 2037. The strategy is based on rationalising water use, improving water quality, providing additional water resources, and creating a climate suitable for optimal water management.

Under this strategy, many projects are being implemented to increase the capacity of the water system to deal with water challenges, Abdel-Ati said during his speech at the opening session of the forum.

The projects include wastewater treatment, desalination of seawater, rehabilitation and lining of canals, and switching from surface to modern irrigation systems in agriculture.

Egypt is currently building 14 seawater desalination plants that are expected to be completed by June 2022, with a total capacity of 476,000 m3 of water per day, at a cost of EGP 9.71 billion. When completed, the plants will bring Egypts tally of desalination stations to 90 with a total capacity of 1,307,69 million m3 per day due to the operation of 76 existing seawater desalination plants, with a total capacity of 831,690 m3 per day.

According to the Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Assem El-Gazzar, Egypt is also constructing 151 dual and triple sewage treatment plants across the country, with a total capacity of five million m3 of water per day, at a cost of EGP 31.59 billion.

In parallel, the irrigation ministry is also working on the national project of lining canals  which is meant to improve the management and distribution of water -- through 7,000 kilometres and is set for completion in 2022 at the cost of EGP 18 billion. Out of the 7,000 kilometres, the ministry has successfully rehabilitated more than 1,248 kilometres of canals so far.

The ministry also encourages farmers to adopt modern irrigation techniques, instead of surface irrigation, to reduce water consumption. Some 237,000 feddans are currently being irrigated with modern techniques.

In his speech, Abdel-Ati said climate change negatively affects the water sector, as a result of the sharp fluctuations in the climate, and the resulting reduction in the predictability of water quantities, the minister said.

Abdel-Ati highlighted the adverse effect of climate change on the Nile Delta as the rise in sea levels makes it one of the worlds prime candidates in danger of drowning or decreasing fertility.

The climate change also adversely affects water quality, threatens sustainable development, and consequently people's right to access water, he said.

GERD on top

The minister added that, over and above all such challenges, the unilateral measures that are being undertaken by Addis Ababa with regard to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) amplify the magnitude of challenges Egypt is facing in the water sector.

Egypt suffers from a water deficit of 30 bcm as its annual need accounts for more than 110 bcm of water. However, it currently has only 80 bcm, 55.5 bcm of which come from the River Nile.

The populous state fears Ethiopias 6,000-megawatt near-complete project will significantly cut its crucial water supplies from the River Nile, while Sudan fears it could endanger the safety of its own dams and consequently threaten national security.

Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating with Ethiopia for a decade now to reach a comprehensive and legally binding agreement over GERD but to no avail.

Talks have repeatedly stalled due to Addis Ababa's refusal to include an international mediator to bridge gaps between the negotiating parties and its insistence to pursue guiding terms rather than a legally binding agreement as has been the norm in international agreements on the management of transboundary water resources, such as the River Nile.

Adding to its intransigence, Addis Ababa aims at collecting around 18.4 bcm of Blue Nile water in GERD's reservoir during the second filling scheduled for July  as it has said with or without reaching an agreement with the downstream countries  up from the 4 bcm it secured last year.

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Former Housing Minister Hasaballah El-Kafrawy passed away on Thursday aged 91, his son, Abdel-Aziz announced on Facebook.

El-Kafrawy, a career civil engineer, served as the housing minister between 1977 and 1993 during the tenures of late presidents Anwar El-Sadat and Hosni Mubarak.

He also served as the governor of Damietta for one year in 1976.

The cabinet in a statement mourned "with deep sadness and sorrow" El-Kafrawys death and extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased.

Today we lost one of the civil engineering symbols in Egypt, who had been considered of great stature in the sector of building and construction, the cabinet said.

The cabinet hailed El-Kafrawy for his great services to the country in all the posts he assumed.

El-Kafrawy was born in Damietta in 1930 and obtained his bachelors in civil engineering from Alexandria University in the 1950s.

He became the chairman of the executive organization for reconstruction in the Suez Canal Zone in the 1970s.

He was also the head of the New Urban Communities Authority in 1980 and head of the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate in 1991.

According to local reports, El-Kafrawy was behind the establishment of the first generation of new cities in the country as housing minister, and left the post after the establishment of 17 new cities.

He established the Housing and Development Bank in 1978, which funded housing projects for youth, leading to the construction of two million housing units for low-income people, according to the reports.

El-Kafrawy was awarded the Order of Merit and the Order of the Republic, first class.

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The amount of water reaching the Aswan High Dams lake has been increasing due to mounting rates of rainfall over the River Niles headwaters, Egypts Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati said on Sunday.

This was measured during the continuous follow-up on the position of the Nile River's revenue for the current water year, and the monitoring of heavy rains and torrential rains at the rivers headwaters, a statement by the ministry said.

Abdel-Ati directed in the statement, which was issued following a meeting of the Permanent Committee for Regulating the Nile Revenue, the necessity of continuous follow-up on the protection facilities from the dangers of existing torrents, and follow-up of the implementation status of protection projects currently being implemented.

As a result of the rising amounts of water reaching the High Dam lake, additional quantities of water have been released into the Nile River to wash its course and improve the water quality during the months of August and September, Abdel-Ati said.

Egypt, which is considered one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, receives around 60 bcm annually, mainly from the Nile. However, its needs stand at around 114 bcm, placing the 100-million-plus country well below the international threshold for water scarcity, at 560 cubic metres per person annually.

The large gap in water resources in Egypt is overcome by importing 54 percent of its virtual water and reusing 42 percent of its renewable, Abdel-Ati said in an earlier statement.

The minister directed on Sunday that the committee should be in a continuous session to take the necessary measures to deal with the river's revenue, follow up on the water situation, and deal with heavy rains and torrential rains, the statement noted.

Egypt relies on the Blue Nile  which originates in Ethiopia and is one of the two main tributaries of the world's longest river  and the White Nile, which converges in Khartoum, before flowing north through Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea.

The annual Nile flooding, which takes place in August, September, and October, is caused by heavy rain in the Ethiopian highlands.

According to the Sudanese irrigation ministry, the River Niles levels in Khartoum recorded on Saturday16.86 meters, exceeding the flood level by 36 centimetres.

In a statement on Sunday, the Sudanese ministry urged the citizens in all sectors to take all necessary precautions.

This comes in parallel with the torrential rains Sudan has been witnessing in the previous few days due to heavy flooding, with many streets in the capital Khartoum deep in water leading to the damage of thousands of homes, according to AFP.

Moreover, the official Sudanese news agency SUNA reported that a number of houses has "collapsed" due to the heavy rains in Atbara, a city in Sudan's north-east.

The UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said on Thursday that some 12,000 people in eight out of the country's 18 states had been affected with "over 800 homes have reportedly been destroyed and over 4,400 homes damaged.

In 2020, Ethiopias unilateral first-year filling of the GERD resulted in a double crisis for Sudan. Lands in Sudan saw drought due to the sudden filling of the 6,000-megawatt dam before witnessing catastrophic floods for concluding the GERD filling without notification and also because of the heavy rainfall the Ethiopian highlands witnessed.

The Sudanese Roseires dams reservoir, the capacity of which is only a billion cubic metres (bcm), is located 15 km away from the GERD, which Addis Ababa has been building since 2011 with a storage capacity of 74 bcm.

According to the Sudanese irrigation ministry, the Blue Niles levels in Sudan rose in late August and September 2020 to 17.57 metres (57 feet), breaking all records since measurements began more than a century ago and leaving more than 100 people dead and damaging tens of thousands of houses.

In Egypt, the level of the River Nile rose dramatically and caused the sinking of some lands in the Delta at the time.

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Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, discussed during a meeting in the Bahraini capital, Manama, on Sunday coordinating the stances and exchanging the visions of the two brotherly countries regarding the successive developments in the region, according to a short statement by Egypts Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez.

During the meeting, Shoukry and Al-Zayani also engaged in extensive fraternal talks on ways to advance bilateral relations between the two countries, Hafez said.

The Egyptian top diplomat headed to Bahrain on Saturday night in an official visit in which he is scheduled to deliver a written message from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifaa, a previous statement by the ministry said.

The message calls for advancing bilateral relations across various fields and coordinating responses to regional developments in a way that enhances regional stability and preserves Arab national security, the statement noted.

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Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has invited Bahrains King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa to visit Cairo and stressed the need of boosting the prospects of bilateral relations and coordinating on regional developments, in a message delivered by Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to the monarch on Sunday.

The top Egyptian diplomat, who is visiting Bahrains capital, Manama, held a meeting with Al-Khalifa, in which he affirmed Egypt's keenness on continued coordination and consultation with Bahrain regarding the successive regional developments.

Shoukry highlighted the two countries' efforts to bring peace to the region and prioritize political solutions to its crises away from regional interferences or destructive polarizations, especially in light of Egypt's "firm" stance towards Gulf security.

The security of the Gulf state is part and parcel of Egypt's national security, the Egyptian minister stressed, according to a statement by Egypts foreign ministry.

King Al-Khalifa expressed his great pride in the "close and historical" relations between Egypt and Bahrain.

He also highlighted the consensus of visions between them towards ways to deal with the current regional challenges, the statement added.

He also praised the role of Egypt in this regard, describing it as a main pillar of stability in the region.

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The Egyptian private sector will take next Thursday as a paid day off to commemorate the Islamic (Hijri) new year, Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan announced on Sunday.

The new Hijri year, 1443, is estimated to start on Monday, according to astronomical calculations, but the government decided last year to grant Thursdays as a day off in cases where national holidays fall on weekdays.

While employers can still assign employees to work on that day, they should be paid double the normal wage, the manpower minister explained in a statement.

This statement comes on the heels of an announcement by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly last week stating that Thursday will be a holiday for the public sector employees, a cabinet statement read.

The premiers decision applies to ministries, governmental bodies, general authorities, local administration units, public enterprises and public business sector companies.

Earlier today, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) also announced Thursday off at all banks operating in the country.

The Egyptian stock exchange announced it will be off on Thursday for the same occasion.

Egyptian banks and the stock exchange are to resume their work as of Sunday 15 August.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a decree to renew Osama Rabie's chairmanship of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) for another one-year term, according to the official gazette that was published on Sunday.

Admiral Osama Rabie, 66, has been serving as the SCAs chief as per a presidential decree since August 2019.

He graduated from the Egyptian Naval Academy, served in many senior military posts, and received many national commendations throughout his illustrious career.

Rabie had served as the deputy chief of the SCA since 2016, until he succeeded Mohab Mamish as the chairman of the authority in 2019.

He led the efforts to refloat the 400-metre-long, 200,000-tonne container ship, Ever Given, that ran aground in the Suez Canal in March and blocked trade in the international route for six days.

The container ship was freed from Egyptian waters last month after the SCA and the ship's Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen, signed a settlement agreement ending the legal dispute that arose from the blockage.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi urged on Sunday the completion of the studies required to ensure effective application of advanced technology related to seawater desalination, a presidential statement read.

In a meeting with the premier as well as ministers and other officials, El-Sisi urged the completion of the required studies so that Egypt reaches the best results in all aspects in the water desalination field.

The statement mentioned that these efforts should be carried out with consideration given to the diversified factors affecting Egypts use of this technology, including the countrys wide and deep coasts that overlook the Red and Mediterranean seas.

The meeting reviewed opportunities to benefit from the latest technological systems for seawater desalination, the statement read.

All the technical details of the advanced seawater desalination technology were presented, particularly in terms of economic feasibility, water quantity and quality, production capacity and electricity consumption, the statement added.

Since President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has taken office, Egypt has been aiming to maximise the use of water and reuse treated water, Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar said in April.

El-Gazzar revealed that 14 seawater desalination plants are being built in Egypt, with a total capacity of 476,000 cubic metres of water per day, at a cost of EGP 9.71 billion (about $618 million).

The 14 plants, expected to be completed by June 2022, are being constructed in the governorates of Marsa Matrouh, the Red Sea, North Sinai, South Sinai, Port Said, Daqahliya, Suez and Alexandria, El-Gazzar's statement read.

When built, the plants will bring Egypts tally to 90 desalination stations with a total capacity of 1,307,69 million cubic metres per day due to the operation of 76 existing seawater desalination plants, with a total capacity of 831,690 cubic metres per day, the minister said.

El-Sisi also met separately on Sunday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir, during which they reviewed the work status of a number of transport projects nationwide.

During the meeting, the president ordered that the new road axes system on the Nile River be integrated in all aspects and not be limited to transportation, a presidential statement read.

El-Sisi ordered that the new axes system  serve as development and life arteries for all citizens on both banks of the Nile Valley and ease the daily heavy traffic, the statement added.

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Six more bodies have been found floating down the river separating Ethiopias troubled Tigray region from Sudan, refugees and a physician said on Saturday. They urged Sudanese authorities and the U.N. to help in search efforts.

Around 50 bodies have been discovered over the last two weeks in the Setit River, which flows through some of the most troubled areas of the nine-month conflict in Ethiopias Tigray region, according to Tigray refugees.

Physician Tewodros Tefera said Friday he personally witnessed refugees pull several bodies from the river over the past week. Tefera is a surgeon from the nearby Tigray town of Humera who fled to Sudan at the start of the war.

Ethnic Tigrayans have accused Ethiopian and allied forces of atrocities while battling Tigray forces. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted in March that ethnic cleansing has happened in parts of Tigray.

The latest discovery raised fears that even more bodies could be dumped into the Setit, known in Ethiopia as the Tekeze. The refugees say the corpses found in recent days have been bloated and drained of color. Some had been mutilated, they say, including with severed genitals, gouged eyes and a missing limb. Others were found with their hands bound or had gunshot wounds.

Two bodies were pulled out on Friday and four more on Saturday, according to the Tigray League, a newly created group of Tigrayan refugees in Sudans Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces. It helps other refugees who fled the conflict to Sudan, and has also helped search for and bury the bodies.

The six bodies, like the previous ones, were buried in graves dug by refugees in the border village of Wad el-Hilu on the Sudanese side of the river.

Since the Tigray war began in November, more than 60,000 Tigrayans have fled to Sudan, where thousands remain in makeshift camps a short walk from the river in the hope of hearing news from new arrivals.

Tefera said the group has contacted Sudanese authorities in the area and other aid groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to help with search efforts along the river, identifications of the bodies and the causes of their deaths.

A senior Sudanese official said the military, in cooperation with the local community, would start search missions, possibly next week. The official said he believes more bodies could be found in the river. He didnt provide additional details and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic and frayed ties between Sudan and Ethiopia.

Erika Tovar, the ICRCs spokeswoman in Sudans capital of Khartoum, said forensic examinations are the work of Sudanese authorities, but the ICRC is ready to support with materials for the proper handling of the bodies. Forensic procedures for investigations and other related activities are the work on Sudanese authorities however, she added.

The U.N. refugee agency visited the village earlier this week and confirmed seeing one of the bodies pulled from the river along with what appear to be several fresh graves. It said it was unable to confirm the identifies of the dead or how they died.

Refugees believe the bodies were Tigrayans who were dumped into the river at Humera, which has seen some of the worst violence since the war began in November.

Doctors who saw the bodies pulled out from the river said some had tattoos or facial markings common among Tigrayans, raising fresh alarm about atrocities in the least-known area of the Tigray war.

Ethiopias government has accused rival Tigray forces of dumping the bodies themselves for propaganda purposes. A fake massacre, the spokeswoman for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Billene Seyoum, told reporters Thursday.

The bodies discovery has added international pressure on the government of Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. It faces accusations by the U.N., the United States and the European Union of besieging Tigray and blocking food and other aid to millions of people.

Hundreds of thousands face famine conditions in one of the worlds worst hunger crises in a decade, as the war expands to other regions in Ethiopia, Africas second-most populous country and the anchor of the often-volatile Horn of Africa.

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Rwandan forces deployed last month to help Mozambique's army battle jihadists said Sunday they had recaptured control of the key northern port of Mocimboa da Praia from the extremist militants.

"The port city of Mocimboa da Praia, a major stronghold of the insurgency for more than two years has been captured by Rwandan and Mozambican security forces," the Rwandan Defence Forces said in a tweet. q

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Hundreds of firefighters fought fires that have devoured record numbers of woodlands in Greece on Saturday and left hundreds of families homeless, but heavy rains brought respite to hard-hit Turkey.

More than 1,450 Greek firefighters backed by at least 15 aircrafts were battling the blazes, with reinforcements arriving from abroad, the fire service said.

In Pefkofyto, in the north of Athens, pensioner Tasos Tsilivakos struggled to contain his tears.

"This is a horrible disaster," he told AFP.

"I'm really afraid that maybe only our great-grand children will have the chance to walk again in these areas."

One 62-year-old man from nearby Agios Stefanos told Alpha TV how after being evacuated he watched his house burning on television. "My child is still crying from the shock," he said.

France and Britain said they were rushing to help Greece.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had spoken with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about the crisis.

"Solidarity as Europeans always," Macron tweeted, saying France had deployed 80 firefighters and rescue workers as well as three Canadair firefighting planes.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted Saturday that Britain is sending "a team of experienced firefighters to support Greek firefighters currently battling the huge blazes".

Egypt is also expected to send two helicopters and Spain one Canadair plane.

'Nightmarish summer'

With strong winds and temperatures of up to 38 degrees C (100 F) forecast in some regions on Saturday, the blazes in Greece are expected to continue for some time. And this year's fires have already been far more destructive than in previous years.

In the last 10 days, 56,655 hectares (140,000 acres) have been burnt in Greece, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. The average number of hectares burnt over the same period between 2008 and 2020 was 1,700 hectares.

"When this nightmarish summer ends we will reverse the damage as soon as possible," Prime Minister Mitsotakis pledged on Saturday.

Greece and Turkey have been fighting devastating fires for more than a week as the region suffers its worst heatwave in decades. Officials and experts have linked such intense weather events to climate change.

So far, they have killed two people in Greece and eight in Turkey, with dozens more hospitalised there over 10 days.

A UN draft report seen by AFP labelled the Mediterranean region a "climate change hotspot", warning that heatwaves, droughts and fires would become more fierce in the future, supercharged by rising temperatures.

Rains help Turkey

But the weather gave Turkey some relief Saturday.

Officials in the coastal city of Antalya said the blazes were under control in the southwestern province after rainfall.

And heavy rain was expected till afternoon in areas including Manavgat, one of the most affected by the fires.

The situation remained serious however around the tourist hotspot of Mugla, where at least three neighbourhoods have been ordered to evacuate.

There have been over 200 fires in 47 of Turkey's 81 provinces, Agriculture Minister Bekir Pakdemirli tweeted Saturday. Thirteen of those fires in five provinces were still burning.

Fears of more high winds

Civil Protection deputy minister, Nikos Hardalias said Saturday that 55 blazes were raging across Greece.

They were burning on Evia, the country's second largest island, which lies east of the capital; in the Peloponnese region in the southwest; and in Fthiotida in Central Greece.

The fire front on Evia alone ran a length of 30 kilometres (18 miles), said Fanis Spanos, regional governor of Central Greece.

On the north of the island, another 23 were evacuated Saturday morning after 1,300 were plucked off the beaches by ferry boats the night before. Navy warships were on high alert off the coast in case more evacuations are required.

Meanwhile officials reopened part of a motorway linking Athens to the north of the country.

Central Greece governor Spanos told the Athens News Agency (ANA) that more than 300 families whose homes had been burned down were being sheltered in hotels.

And the situation remained dire in Mani, in the Peloponnese, where 5,000 people were evacuated Friday.

Eleni Drakoulakou, mayor of East Mani, told ERT TV on Saturday that half the municipality had been destroyed by the flames. She blamed a lack of water-bombing air support during the critical first hours of the wildfire.

ANA reported that two people had been charged for arson: a woman was arrested in Athens Friday carrying two lighters, petrol and flammable material, just after a fire broke out there.

And a 43-year-old man was arrested in Krioneri, northern Attica.

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Iran's new ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday named the chairman of a powerful state-owned foundation sanctioned by the United States as his first vice-president, the president's official website said.

Mohammad Mokhber, long rumoured by local media to be top pick for the position, has for years headed the foundation known as Setad, or the Execution of Imam Khomeini's order, in reference to the Islamic republic's founder Ruhollah Khomeini.

Mokhber was appointed to the position by the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in 2007, following a string of official positions at the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

The Setad was originally founded in the late 1980s to manage confiscated properties following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

It has since turned into a sprawling conglomerate with stakes in various industries, including health, and its Barekat Foundation produced out Iran's first local Covid-19 vaccine project.

The vaccine received emergency approval in June from health authorities in the Middle East's worst-hit country.

The Setad and Mokhber were blacklisted by the US Treasury in January. Washington had said that Setad "has a stake in nearly every sector of the Iranian economy, including energy, telecommunications, and financial services."

Raisi, who won a June 18 election marked by record abstention, takes over from moderate Hassan Rouhani.

On Thursday, Raisi took the oath of office before parliament, to which he must present a list of ministers within two weeks.

A former judiciary chief, Raisi has been criticised by the West for his human rights record and sanctioned by the US since 2019.

Raisi also picked Gholamhossein Esmaili, the judiciary's spokesman during his tenure, as his chief of staff.

A former prosecutor, Esmaili is under sanctions by the European Union.

He was first blacklisted in 2011 as Iran's prisons' organisation chief over "serious human rights violations".

Raisi's presidency is due to consolidate power in the hands of conservatives following their 2020 parliamentary election victory, which was marked by the disqualification of thousands of reformist or moderate candidates.

Also on Sunday, ultraconservative MP and 2021 presidential candidate Alireza Zakani was elected as mayor of Tehran, state news agency IRNA reported.

He won the majority of conservative-dominated city council votes, but he cannot take over before resigning from the parliament, it said.

He succeeds Pirouz Hanachi, a veteran public servant with a background in urban development seen as close to the reformist camp.

Zakani has served in parliament between 2004 and 2016, and won a seat again last year.

A doctor in nuclear medicine, aged 55, he dropped out of the June presidential race in favour of Raisi.

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Tunisia has launched its largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign as the country faces a surge of cases.

Authorities aim to vaccinate over 1 million of people aged 40 and over in only one day, compared with 30,000 to 60,000 a day previously.

In a televised address Sunday, President Kais Saied called on people to get the shot so that life gets back to normal in Tunisia.

Authorities provided free buses for people going to vaccination centers, many set up in schools.

Over the past weeks, several millions of doses have been delivered to Tunisia from other nations including the United States, France and Italy.

The director of the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Hachemi Louzir, who is leading the campaign, said Tunisia is to receive more than 8 million of doses by September and hopes to be able to vaccinate about 50% of the population.

Tunisia, with a population of 12 million, has reported more deaths per capita in the pandemic than any African country. More than 20,000 Tunisians have died from the virus. So far 9% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

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A prolonged civil war in Afghanistan is more likely than a rapid Taliban takeover as the United States' full military withdrawal nears, Washington's former ambassador to Kabul said Sunday.

The insurgents have snatched five provincial capitals since Friday in a lightning offensive, almost a month before the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that sparked the American-led invasion.

"A prolonged civil war is a more likely outcome than a swift Taliban takeover of the entire country. They're being very smart about this. They're not launching major strikes into Kabul," former US ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, told ABC's "This Week".

Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Taloqan in the north fell within hours of each other Sunday, lawmakers, security sources and residents in the cities confirmed.

Kunduz is the most significant Taliban gain since the insurgents launched an offensive in May as foreign forces began the final stages of their withdrawal.

It has been a perennial target for the Taliban, who briefly overran the city in 2015 and again in 2016 but never managed to hold it for long.

"They're doing what they're doing in part to create a climate of fear and panic. They are succeeding wonderfully," Crocker added, referring to the Taliban.

The withdrawal of foreign forces is due to finish at the end of this month and Crocker said he could not see any circumstance under which the United States would send its troops back.

"President (Joe) Biden has made that clear. We're going out and are staying out," the diplomat added. "He owns it. It's already an indelible stain on his presidency."

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Four times a week, an Iraqi Airways Boeing 747 leaves Baghdad Airport for Minsk, the capital of Belarus, with hundreds of Iraqis on board. The passengers are not going to one of Europes newfound tourist destinations but are refugees seeking shelter in the Old Continent.

Once they are in Belarus, the Iraqi asylum-seekers try to make their way to neighbouring Lithuania, where they hope they can arrange to travel to richer EU countries where they can apply for resettlement.

The influx has triggered an uproar in Lithuania, where the government has accused Belarus of orchestrating the massive refugee inflows in retaliation against EU sanctions on the former Soviet Republic.

After Minsk forced a European airliner to land in Belarus in order to arrest a dissident journalist in May, Brussels has threatened to ratchet up the sanctions that it slapped on Belarus last year over a crackdown on protests in the country.

Yet, the controversy has unexpectedly gone beyond the Belarus-Lithuania tensions to underline Iraqs unending conflicts and raise new concerns about the future of the country.

It has overshadowed the larger and more crucial issue of the transition in Iraq, which has become increasingly precarious amid concerns that the country remains marred by conflicts and the challenges of reconstruction and reintegration.

The increasing political uncertainty has stoked fears of a new wave of refugees to Europe similar to the ones precipitated by the sectarian conflict in Iraq in 2006-2007 and the rise of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in 2014.

This week, hundreds of people have been detained while trying to cross from Belarus into Lithuania, and the countrys border guard service said that all the migrants had come from Iraq.

The EU said last week that about 2,700 migrants, most of them from Iraq, have crossed illegally into the Baltic EU member state in recent months and been taken to detention centres.

Brussels has intensified the pressure on Iraq to help stem the flow of migrants to Belarus. EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson said the EU had been in contact with the Iraqi government in order to better control flights to Belarus.

This is an issue of concern not only for one member state, but also for the entire EU. We count on Iraqs support, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell tweeted after talks with Iraqs foreign minister to further press him on the issue.

The bloc has said that a large part of those crossing into Lithuania did not appear to be eligible to claim asylum in the EU. It said Iraq had set up a joint committee with the EU to discuss migration matters including the alleged smuggling of people into Lithuania.

The EU has already been pressing Baghdad to facilitate the return of Iraqi nationals who have been denied the right to remain in the EU.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has made it clear that it can do little to help in the crisis. It said that Iraqis were travelling to Belarus legally and that it could not stop them as long as Minsk allowed them entry as tourists.

No government in the world can do that as long as they are travelling legally, said a statement by the office of the countrys National Security Adviser.

The Iraqi government has also publicly said it will not accept Iraqi refugees being returned against their will, but EU officials have said that Baghdad has pledged to facilitate their return.

The row has highlighted the dilemma of millions of Iraqis who have been either internally displaced or have sought refuge abroad since the US-led invasion of their country in 2003.

A number of European states have shown a willingness to return rejected asylum-seekers to Iraq over the past few years. Hundreds of Iraqi migrants who had been living in EU nations have returned to Iraq under arrangements with Baghdad after they were denied permits to stay.

The EU has described their return as voluntary.

Some EU countries have announced their intention to cancel residency permits for Iraqi refugees, as they now consider Iraq to be safe enough for refugees to return to.

More than a million migrants and refugees, including some tens of thousands of Iraqis, crossed into Europe in 2015, sparking a crisis as countries struggled to cope with the influx.

The vast majority arrived by sea, but some migrants have made their way in over land, principally via Turkey. Since then, Turkey has been acting as a gatekeeper for the EU in exchange for billions of dollars in aid.

Iraq is among the top five most-common countries of people seeking asylum in the UK. The British government is reportedly considering plans to hold asylum-seekers in Australian-style offshore processing centres or even opening new ones in the African nation of Rwanda.

In the US, the authorities are conducting an investigation into allegedly fraudulent applications from Iraqis seeking resettlement in the country by claiming refugee status.

The US media reported in July that the state department was re-examining applications from more than 104,000 people after about 4,000 applications were found to be suspected of containing false information.

Over 500 Iraqis who have been accepted as refugees in the US have already been implicated in the alleged fraud and could now face deportation to Iraq.

Iraqis have also fled sectarian conflicts, terrorism and a failed state at home to neighbouring countries. There are some two million Iraqis living in urban centres across the Middle East rather than in refugee camps.

The conflict in Iraq has produced one of the biggest movements of displaced people in the Middle East in recent years, with millions returning after the end of operations to damaged and unsafe houses lacking basic necessities and healthcare.

Both migration and internal displacement have had a transformative impact on the political, economic and social aspects of forced population movements in Iraq as well as sometimes also on demographic changes.

With Iraq battling apparently endless conflict, as well as continuous violence, a protracted political deadlock, severe drought, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and diminishing resources as its future remains uncertain, many Iraqis still hope to flee the country and seek safety and a better life abroad.

Like many other asylum-seekers, Iraqis escaping their battered country may also use gaps and loopholes such as the conflict between Lithuania and Belarus to make their way to safe havens abroad.

As a result, the international community should stop dealing with Iraqs refugees as a political tool, using them as a pawn for revenge or to flatter or manipulate the corrupt Iraqi leadership to make it take the refugees back.

Iraqs refugee problems can only be solved through a comprehensive and integrated strategy that will ensure an equitable worldwide sharing of responsibility to deal with the refugee problem and support efforts to end Iraqs miserable state of affairs.

Under the UN refugee convention, people cannot be penalised for entering a country to claim asylum if they are coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom is threatened.

A short-term stopover, such as transit through Belarus, should not mean that the Iraqis have to forfeit their right to claim refugee status elsewhere, let alone force them to go back to where they feel their lives are imperiled.

Though there are still relatively small groups of Iraqis using the Belarus route to the EU, it is the clearest indication yet of a brewing crisis in Iraq that could trigger a bigger exodus if the country begins to crumble.

For nearly 20 years, the international community, primarily made up of the US, the EU and the UN, has failed Iraq because of the unwise decisions, haphazard policies and strategic mistakes applied there.

The basic goal following the US-led invasion in 2003 was to rebuild Iraq as a democratic and stable system. However, bad governance, rampant corruption and cronyism in the country have undermined stability and allowed terror groups and militias to entrench themselves.

If the EU wants to stem a new refugee crisis, it should address the core issue of state failure in Iraq, which often appears to be out of reach of current EU diplomatic initiatives and political dynamics.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 5 August, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Egypt, Bahrains FMs discuss coordinating stances, exchanging visions on regional developments



Ahram Online, Sunday 8 Aug 2021



During the meeting, Shoukry and Al-Zayani also engaged in extensive fraternal talks on ways to advance bilateral relations between the two countries, Egypts Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said



Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, discussed during a meeting in the Bahraini capital, Manama, on Sunday coordinating the stances and exchanging the visions of the two brotherly countries regarding the successive developments in the region, according to a short statement by Egypts Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Hafez.



During the meeting, Shoukry and Al-Zayani also engaged in extensive fraternal talks on ways to advance bilateral relations between the two countries, Hafez said.



The Egyptian top diplomat headed to Bahrain on Saturday night in an official visit in which he is scheduled to deliver a written message from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifaa, a previous statement by the ministry said.



The message calls for advancing bilateral relations across various fields and coordinating responses to regional developments in a way that enhances regional stability and preserves Arab national security, the statement noted.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/418631.aspx
By Siti Rahil, KYODO NEWS - Aug 8, 2021 - 18:07 | World, All

ASEAN's newly appointed special envoy on Myanmar is willing to take time before meeting with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying he plans to prepare well before such a meeting and will instead place priority on tackling the looming humanitarian crisis in the member country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We have to finish a lot of the consultations first, it will take some time, and then we will have that visit" to Myanmar, said Brunei's second foreign minister, Erywan Yusof, in an interview in the sultanate on Saturday.

"It is an utmost urgency to go there but it has to be a well-prepared visit," the diplomat also said, adding, "I haven't actually formally asked" Myanmar's military authorities to be given access to Suu Kyi, who has been in detention following a coup in February that ousted her democratically elected government.

Erywan's appointment was agreed on among foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Wednesday after ASEAN leaders agreed at a special summit in Indonesia in April to a "five-point consensus" to help defuse the coup-sparked crisis in Myanmar.

The consensus calls for constructive dialogue to be started among all parties concerned to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the Myanmar people. It also says an ASEAN special envoy shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process.

As part of his mandate, Erywan said he aims to contact and nudge all feuding sides in Myanmar's political crisis toward dialogue. "What we want is they start dialogue, at least start."

But he said his top priority now is to ensure that assistance is extended to Myanmar as soon as possible as the country grapples with the humanitarian crisis caused by deepening food shortages among the people amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Noting the need to "quickly get in the humanitarian assistance" to help the Myanmar people, Erywan said a donors conference is being planned for mid-August.

He plans to start consultations with other countries and parties in the coming days, including China, the United States and the European Union to "see how they can help and how they think we can help Myanmar," the minister said, adding that he has already started consultations with Japan.

Erywan is expected to report progress on his efforts to ASEAN foreign ministers at a meeting in September with a clear timeline on the implementation of the five-point consensus.

The diplomat indicated that he plans to hold online meetings with representatives of the National Unity Government, launched by pro-democracy forces as a parallel government following the coup, as well as of ethnic minority groups in Myanmar.

But he said that while he will try his best to mediate and foster dialogue between all sides in Myanmar, he hopes that people will be realistic about his role.

"My role is pretty clear as special envoy. That is, talk to all sides to stop the violence, ensure all sides can talk to each other."

"I am not here to negotiate or to impose conditions," he said, adding, "I cannot push to them (Myanmar people) what they don't want."

Erywan also made it clear that demanding the release of Suu Kyi is not part of his mandate. "That is something that we have to be careful about. Not to overstep the mandate that I have been given."

He cautioned that resolving "this problem will take time," saying he will probably serve as the special envoy until Cambodia takes over the rotational chairmanship of ASEAN at the end of this year and appoints its own envoy.

The 55-year-old, who was trained in genetics and biophysics in Britain, was appointed the special envoy after an earlier deadlock that saw a tussle for the post between a Thai nominee, whom the Myanmar military had openly said was its preferred choice, and an Indonesian nominee.

Erywan became a diplomat in 2005. He has been in his current ministerial post since 2018. With Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah doubling as Brunei's foreign minister, Erywan is effectively the country's top diplomat.

==Kyodo
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the first lot of houses constructed in tea plantation areas under Indian Housing Project for estate workers in Sri Lanka. Addressing the ceremony via video conference the prime minister said, "We're crafting new future together and Sri Lanka will always remain special for us".

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe along with several other ministers and Indian officials was present at the ceremony, which took place at Dunsinane estate, Nuwara Eliya.

"These aren't just physical structures but realisation of your and our dreams. We've dreamt of peaceful and secure future for Sri Lanka where aspirations for development are met," PM Modi said.

Out of the committed 60,000 houses in Sri Lanka, around 47,000 houses are built so far while the additional 10,000 houses would be constructed in shortest possible time, the prime minister said.

Read | From NRC issue to lynching incidents to Indo-Pak relations: Top 5 takeaways from PM Modi's interview

The "innovative Indian Housing Project with grant of over $350 million is one of the largest Indian grant assistance project across the globe, Modi added .

Meanwhile, remembering the historical links between India and Sri Lanka, PM Wickremesinghe said, I thank Prime Minister Modi. He has kept the promise he made last year". Earlier Modi had promised to keep Sri Lanka in a special place in its neighbourhood first policy.

People of Sri Lanka brave the rain and come together to celebrate the moment of handing over the houses, as Hon PM @RW_UNP and High Commissioner H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu arrive at Dunsinane estate pic.twitter.com/tNDQce2u4r  India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) August 12, 2018

Read | Delhi Metro timings and parking details for Independence Day

On Sunday, Sri Lanka has also embraced PM Modi's suggestion to establish direct air links between Colombo and Varanasi to facilitate lakhs of pilgrims from the island nation.

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New Delhi:

It seemed as if MK Alagiri, elder brother of DMK working president MK Stalin, was only waiting for their father to breath his last to mount a challenge to his brothers leadership and stake a claim to his fathers political legacy.

Even as the family is yet to come out of mourning for the demise of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on August 7, Alagiri sounded the bugle for war against his younger brother Stalin with caustic remarks that question his leadership abilities and dismissed him as a leader of consequence.

Alagiri, considered the DMK strongman in southern districts, was at one time a very powerful satrap of the party with his own fiefdom  with a finger in every pie of business and political activity that took place in the region.

Now not even a primary member of the DMK, after he was expelled from the party for anti-party activities in 2014, Alagiri as such cannot do much of a damage to the chances of Stalin who is about to be formally elected as the DMK president, in due course. On Tuesday, the DMK is to meet for a crucial executive council meeting in Chennai to decide the schedule for holding the general council which alone can elect a new leader of the party.

Alagiri timed his attack on Stalin and mounted his challenge as a comeback bid into the party at a time when the DMK can ill afford to lose any of its political clout and workers, especially in the southern region ahead of the two crucial bye-elections  at Thiruparankundram and Tiruvarur  that will be held along with general elections to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh shortly.

Stalin is not working, was his cryptic remark to a question from a scribe on the elevation of Stalin as the president from the post of working president that he currently holds.

Read | Karunanidhi Funeral: An era ends as Kalaignar is laid to rest at Marina Beach in Chennai

It was seen in Chennai bye-election, how DMK lost its deposit in RK Nagar bye-election that TTV Dhinakaran won, Alagiri told media persons in Chennai after paying homage to his father at his memorial at Marina Beach in Chennai.

And it is in the TTV region that the two bye-elections would be held shortly and the DMK would like to avoid any erosion in its ranks ahead of such a crucial test of Stalins leadership. Taking back Alagiri into party is just not possible, said a DMK leader on condition of anonymity. He is speaking out of frustration, the leader said echoing the sentiments of many in the party.

Alagiri is trying to compare his past track record of success in southern region against the seeming failure of Stalin in bye-elections as also in the 2016 general elections and the previous 2014 Lok Sabha general elections. Alagiri had also put up rebel candidates in some assembly seats to spite Stalin and this may have some impact in DMKs loss.

In fact, just before 2014 polls, Alagiri had predicted that the DMK would not win more than two of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu.

His challenge to Stalin will come to a nought, as it must be remembered that it was Karunaidhi who himself expelled him from the party. Besides, Karunanidhi had anointed Stalin as his political heir and allowed to take full control of the party, by placing his key trusted aides and replacing all Alagiris men. Besides, all the henchmen of Alagiri were neutralised by tough police action by the Jayalalithaa government.

Most of the Karunanidhi supporters and cadres are with me. Only the money minded people in party positions are with Stalin, Alagiri had said.

His outburst is being dismissed as false bravado and described as an attempt to stay relevant in the state politics. All his attempts to enter the DMK when Karunanidhi was alive. So not many in the party are going to go along with Alagiri, said a political analyst.

Read | Karunanidhi Burial: DMK, AIADMK continue to trade barbs on Marina beach issue

Alagiri may cause some perception damage but cannot do any collateral damage to either Stalin or the DMK, said perception expert and political strategist John Arokiaswamy.

Alagiris frustration also stems from the fact that he tried to re-enter the party and made several attempts to persuade his father. But to no avail. Even now, he is trying to work this around through Selvi, his sister, to soften Stalin and facilitate his comeback bid. But this divide within the DMK first family is something that its rivals  AIADMK will be thrilled about. But it is hardly in a position to take advantage over this as it itself is a house divided.

The BJP may want to fish in DMKs troubled waters, but Alagiri would know in Tamil Nadu he has future only if he is with the DMK.

The BJP is waiting and watching the unfolding drama in DMK first family with glee but would refrain from making any comment other than saying this was an internal matter of the DMK. Everyone knows, DMK is a party of a family and not of cadres. But it is shameful that brothers are fighting it out less than a week of their father death for his legacy," BJP leader P Selvam said.
New Delhi:

Celebrated for his extensive commentary on both, colonisers and colonised, in fiction and non-fiction, V S Naipaul walked the controversy tightrope, admired for his prose but scorned by those who perceived him as an apologist for imperial powers.

Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, or Sir Vidia, as he was sometimes known died at his London home at the age of 85 today, leaving behind a legacy of lucid prose and unapologetic narratives strewn across dozens of works that earned him both applause and brickbats, say experts.

Looking back at the Nobel Laureates elaborate literary career of over five decades, Patrick French, the author of his biography The World is What It Is, remembered him as a very funny and witty person who was always conscious of his Indian family background.

Born to an Indian family in Trinidad, Naipauls portraits of Africa, India, West Indies and the Islamic faith brought him hostility for his views.

In his books, he tried to describe the best and the worst of India as it changed between the 1960s and the 1990s. His conclusions were insightful, even when they were harsh, French told PTI.

Also Read | Sir VS Naipaul  The hard-hitting controversial Nobel Laureate

After his first three comedic novels, he explored the questions of identity and belonging to a family, a place in A House of Mr Biswas, which was inspired by his fathers life.

While the book won him accolades in the literary world, the novel destroyed some memories, according to the biography.

Naipauls prose were strung around the themes of loss, identity, oppression and exile, said author Chanchal Sanyal, describing him as an unapologetic author who was not writing to please an audience.

Naipaul, not only in his writings but also in whatever he said, was completely unapologetic. For example, his views on Islam, on colonisation, immigration, or even his writings about his visits to prostitutes, he was his own man. We all are pleasing an audience, he was courageous and unapologetic, he said.

Sanyals The Glass House can be compared to A House for Mr Biswas, both following the theme of a man aspiring to own a home.

Honestly, I have read a lot of Naipaul, but I dont think anything moved me as much as House for Mr Biswas. But I did read with great interest his writings on Americas deep south. In some of his short stories in his early writings, there was a certain style they were not completely finished and you could make out the writer was a bit raw, but you certainly felt he showed promise, he added.

Naipauls views against the commonplace perception towards colonised countries and their people were not the only thing controversial about the famed author.

In an interview in 2011, Naipaul raised eyebrows when he said he did not consider any female author to be his equal. And then there were also reports of him physically abusing his mistress Margaret Gooding.

Looking at him as a flawed genius, international publishing consultant Jaya Bhattacharji Rose said Naipaul will nonetheless be remembered as a giant among writers.

Read More | Bill Clinton's debut novel, The President is Missing, is a million seller

V S Naipaul was a titan of 20th century English literature, who made visible a landscape beyond the canon that held sway when he began writing. His life experiences frequently appeared as thinly disguised vignettes in his writing, and his references to Trinidad added diversity and depth to his oeuvre, Rose said.

His 1971 book, In a Free State, won him the Man Booker prize. In An Area of Darkness, India: A Wounded Civilization, and India: A Million Mutinies Now, Naipaul commented extensively on subjects varying from politics to religion, from business to films in the country.

According to Saugata Bhaduri, professor at School of Language Literature and Culture Studies, JNU, his critics loved him too despite the general perception of his writing as a problematic rightist kind of politics.

He has been somewhat of a trigger in making Indian writing in English become so global, and all Indian writers in English, in spite of him not being an Indian technically, looked up to him.

His writing style, general mode of characterisation was so good and it often has been perceived as problematic rightist kind of politics. So he transcended it, and his greatness is mocked by that. His art is so good, his craft is so good that even his harshest critique would read him with lot of love and passion, Bhaduri said.

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Amman:

Four members of the Jordanian security forces and three terrorists have been killed during a raid on a militant hideout after an officer died in a bomb blast near the capital, the government said on Sunday.

Five suspects were also arrested during Saturdays raid in connection with the home-made bomb that exploded under a patrol car at a music festival.

A joint unit of special forces, police and army troops raided a house in the town of Salt northwest of Amman in search of a suspected terrorist cell, government spokeswoman Jumana Ghneimat said.

She said the militants were sought in connection with Friday nights bombing that killed a police sergeant and wounded six others in the town of Al-Fuhais west of Amman.

The suspects refused to surrender and opened heavy fire toward a joint security force, Ghneimat said on Saturday.

Also Read | Attempted suicide attack on Egypt church foiled: state media

They also blew up the building in which they were hiding, and which they had booby-trapped earlier, she added.

Three members of the security forces were killed in the shootout with the gunmen who were holed up in an apartment in a four-storey residential bloc in Salt, she said in a statement.

A fourth who was critically wounded died of his injuries on Sunday, she added.

The bodies of three terrorists as well as automatic weapons were found under the rubble of the building, and a total of five militants were arrested during the operation, Ghneimat said.

Bomb blasts targeting security forces are rare in Jordan, although the small desert kingdom bordering Syria and Iraq has had to struggle with a rise in Muslim fundamentalism in recent years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Fridays bomb blast in Al-Fuhais, a mostly Christian town, and the identities of the suspects were not known.

A clean-up operation is still under way, Ghneimat said, adding that units of the civil defence were at the scene to assess the damage at the building and sift through the rubble.

Ghneimat urged civilians to stay away, warning that it could totally collapse at any minute.

An excavator was later seen demolishing the structure.

Medical sources said that 11 people were wounded during the raid, including members of the security forces and civilians who were residents of the building where the militants were hiding.

Read More | Lombok quake sends shudders through tourist industry

Women and children were among those hurt, they said, without giving further details.

Ambulances, bulldozers and police cars were deployed around the building in the Naqab al-Dabour residential neighbourhood in Salt, television footage showed.

The government set up a crisis cell to follow the developments, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz, who chaired the meeting, vowed yesterday that Jordan would not be complacent in the hunt for terrorists.

Jordan has played a key role in the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, using its air force against the jihadists and allowing coalition forces to use its bases.

The kingdom was hit by a string of attacks in 2016, including a shooting rampage claimed by IS that killed 10 people including a Canadian tourist in Karak, known for its Crusader castle.

Read More | Nobel-winning writer VS Naipaul dies aged 85

The United States strongly condemned the attacks against Jordanian security forces in Al-Fuhais and in Salt, in a statement released Sunday by its Amman embassy.

The United States stands in solidarity with Jordan in the face of these terrorist actions and emphasises our shared resolve to counter the plague of terrorism, the statement said.

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New Delhi:

Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad "Vidia" Naipaul or VS Naipaul, the Trinidad-born Nobel Laureate, an anti-social yet fragile personality, the writer of majestic novels such as A House for Mr. Biswas and A Bend in the River that made him a renowned and one of the most controversial writers, died on Saturday at his London bungalow at the age of 85.

VS Naipauls writing was all about his journey from Trinidad to London and his pits and stops in the developing countries as his books unearthed the controversial topic of colonialism and decolonization banishment and the struggle of a common man in the ever evolving world.

The legendary writer was awarded the Nobel award for Literature in 2001 for having united perceptive narrative and incorruptible scrutiny in works that compel us to see the presence of suppressed histories.

His controversial and offensive remarks often made headlines! Once he called India a slave society, said Africa has no future, and even said that Indian women wear Bindi to say my head is empty.

However, a fellow Trinidadian writer, CLR James once wrote that Naipaul says what white people want to say but dare not.

Naipauls father was a self-taught novelist whose dreams were crushed by lack of opportunities. But, Naipaul left his homeland as soon as he could to complete his dreams as he moved to England after being awarded a rare scholarship to begin his English literature at University College, Oxford.

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I was born there, yes, he said of Trinidad to an interviewer in 1983. I thought it was a great mistake.

In England, Naipaul met his first wife and married her without informing anyone.

On completion of his graduation, he was completely dependent on his wife as he suffered poverty and unemployment for a short period.

Naipauls major breakthrough was in 1957 after his first published novel The Mystic Masseur  based on the lives of poverty-stricken people in a Trinidad slum.

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Naipauls work triggered the anger of Indians and Muslims, for example, Salman Rushdie, who thought he was promoting Hindu nationalism.

He received the much-coveted knighthood in 1990 and was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.

His one-time old friend and American writer, Paul Theroux once described him as a racist, sexist miser who beat up women and throw tantrums.

Naipauls later books lost the Midas Touch as he spent his later life living quietly in an isolated area in Wiltshire, England.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Meanwhile, even though US troops have returned from Afghanistan, the US does not seem to be in a mood to release the Taliban under any circumstances and is constantly assisting the Afghan army. Us B-52 bombers have carried out airstrikes at locations of the Taliban, a terrorist group, in Sheberghan, the capital of Afghanistan's Jawzjan province, killing more than 200 terrorists.

In a tweet late on Saturday night, The Same Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman said that US bombers carried out airstrikes at Taliban locations in Sheberghan, the capital of Jawzjan province, this evening, killing more than 200 terrorists. More than 100 vehicles were destroyed in the airstrike.

He said US aircraft have been sent to weaken the Taliban's grip on Nimruz, Jawajjan, Kandahar, Herat, Lashkargah and Helmand provinces. The Taliban on Saturday announced that it had captured the southwestern province of Nimruz and the northern province of Jawjjan. The capital of Nimruz, Jaranj, has become the first provincial center in 2016 to be occupied by the Taliban.

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Greece's prime minister has talked of a "nightmarish summer" as forest fires continue to ravage the country. Thousands have been evacuated from their homes in parts of Greece and more than 1,000 firefighters have been deployed to bring the flames under control. The country is experiencing its worst heatwave in more than 30 years. Authorities have warned that the risk of further fires remains high in many regions including Athens and Crete.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the government's priority has been "first and foremost , to protect human lives". In the last 10 days, more than 56,000 hectares (140,000 acres) have been burnt in Greece, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. Dozens of wildfires have broken out in the last 24 hours with the largest fronts in Evia - Greece's second largest island - and areas in the Peloponnese including Arkadia and Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.

On Saturday, a fire just north of Athens on Mount Parnitha spread smoke across the capital. Authorities set up a hotline for people with breathing difficulties. Thousands of people have been evacuated from the area since Thursday but by Saturday the flames had receded. However with strong winds forecast, there are concerns that the fire could flare again.

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Jammu: In a bid to strengthen the ceasefire agreement, the Indian Army on Saturday returned a cow and a bull from Bijiledar village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the Chaktori-Uri crossing point. "By sending back cattle, the Indian Army has conveyed its commitment to peace and harmony along the Line of Control through its constant efforts and display of human values," the Army said in a statement.

The animals had come from Bijiledar village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to Jabri village in Kanah tehsil in May, the Army said. "India's active approach and commitment have resulted in successful repatriation that reflects India's human values," the Army said. The repatriation ceremony was held in the presence of civil administration officials of Kanah and Uri tehsils. The persons from Bijildar village in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir praised the Indian army's humanitarian decision to send back their cow and a bull.

The Army said that after the animals were returned, Pakistan also returned a Pony to India which had accidentally gone to the border of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the last five months, Indian Fars has made several efforts to maintain the ceasefire agreement with full commitment.

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Kathmandu: Nepal got the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from Japan, local media reports said. Japan's representative to Kathmandu Kikuta Yutaka handed over 5,13,420 vaccines to Nepal`s Minister of Health and Population Umesh Shrestha at the country`s Tribhuvan International Airport. On Sunday evening, the vaccine`s second batch will arrive in Kathmandu. The remaining half doses will be brought to the country soon, Nepal`s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

Through the vaccine sharing scheme COVAX, Japan had promised to provide nearly 1.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Kathmandu."Nepal appreciates Japan for their generous provision of life-saving vaccines to Nepal through COVAX. These Japanese-made AstraZeneca COVID vaccines will be administered to the senior citizens who are waiting for second shots of vaccines of this group," the country`s foreign affairs ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

Let us tell you that on Saturday, the country reported 2,231 new infections in the last 24 hours with the total number of cases reached to 7,12,740. Nepal has vaccinated nearly 68,02,415 people so far across the country.

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Russian Troops and Uzbekistan stated joint military drills on August 2 near the Afghan border, amid fears in both countries that a worsening security situation in Afghanistan could spill over into Central Asia. Russia said 1,500 Russian and Uzbek troops would take part in the five-day exercises that began at the Termez military site in Uzbekistan. In a sign of how serious Moscow is taking the potential threat from Afghanistan, it said it would send a much bigger military contingent to Tajikistan for separate trilateral exercises due to begin there later this week.

Those separate drills are expected to take place on August 5-10 and involve Russian, Tajik and Uzbek forces. Uzbekistan said on Monday its unit had arrived in Tajikistan. Security has rapidly deteriorated in Afghanistan as the United States withdraws troops. Moscow fears that could destabilize its southern defensive flank and push refugees into its Central Asian backyard.

Tajikistan's defence ministry said in its statement that the drills would involve more than 300 armored vehicles, 25 combat and transport helicopters and an undisclosed number of fighter and bomber jets as well as artillery. "The aim of the drills is to effectively test the combat ability of military units in the event of the situation being destabilized on the state border," it said.

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Bennett said Weakley told him: I love a challenge, I embrace a challenge, but man, this is a lot of challenges.

In the months that followed, the same officials said Weakley was up to the task. Bennett said during a report later in 2019 that Weakley has been a steady hand on the wheel. He cited his licensure in both water and wastewater, which is rare in this industry, and his honesty, both with preparing budgets and assessing the situation.

Cathy Binder, who has served on both the Service Authoritys Board of Directors and the countys Board of Supervisors, got in the trenches with Weakley in his first year as she vowed to learn everything she could about what happens after you flush, she said.

She found Weakley to be a quiet gentleman, a leader who immediately called for meetings with state regulators to determine the situation, then kept them and board members apprised, every step of the way.

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He has been working really hard to right the ship in the time he has been with us, she said. He respects everyone, his employees like him and they know they get a fair shake from him.
Taliban fighters overran three provincial capitals, including the strategic city of Kunduz and Sar-e Pol in the north of the country on August 8, local officials and a spokesman for the militants said, as the group stepped up its northern offensive and threatened more urban centers.



The militants have already taken two provincial capitals since August 6, but Kunduz, a northeastern city of some 375,000 inhabitants, would be the most significant to fall since the Taliban launched an all-out offensive in May as U.S.-led forces began the final stages of their withdrawal scheduled to be completed by the end of the month.



Taliban fighters seized key government buildings in the city of Kunduz, leaving government forces hanging onto control of the airport and their own base, a provincial assembly lawmaker said on August 8.



Provincial lawmaker Amruddin Wali in Kunduz told Reuters that the militants had taken key buildings in the city, raising fears that it could be the latest to fall to the Taliban. The main prison building in Kunduz was under Taliban control, he said.

"Heavy clashes started yesterday afternoon. All government headquarters are in the control of the Taliban. Only the army base and the airport is with ANDSF (Afghan security forces) from where they are resisting the Taliban," Wali said.



But the Afghan Defense Ministry denied that Kunduz had fallen, saying in a statement that commandos have launched a clearance operation in the city. The ministry said the main roundabout in the city center was recaptured and the national TV building had been cleared of Taliban fighters.



In Kunduz, an Afghan security forces spokesman said that "extremely [heavy] fighting is going on."



"The enemies have intensified attacks in the city of Kunduz over the past 24 hours, during which they suffered heavy casualties, Taj Mohammad, an Afghan forces commando leader, said.



Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group had largely captured the government's buildings, including the National Directorate of Security, and were close to the airport.

In comments to Al-Jazeera TV, a spokesman for the extremist group's political office said the latest military action was taken in reaction to "government attacks" and said there was no agreement for a cease-fire with Kabul's forces.

Health officials in Kunduz said that 14 bodies, including those of women and children, and more than 30 injured people had been taken to hospital.



The Taliban also appeared to be in control of the northern provincial capital of Sar-e Pol, driving officials out of the main city to a nearby military base, Mohammad Noor Rahmani, a provincial council member of Sar-e Pol province, said.



"Government headquarters, including the governor's house, police command, and the National Directorate of Security compound are captured by the Taliban," Rahmani said.

"Sar-e-Pol fell today at 3:45 a.m. (local time). The Taliban has occupied the capital of Sar-e-Poul Province," Abdul Haq Shafaq, the provincial governor, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi on August 8.

Nabila Habibi, the head of the provincial women's affairs department in Sar-e Pol, described a dire situation for her and other women who worked on behalf of womens rights. She told Radio Azadi that she feared for her life and those of the other women who worked in the field.



"Today I received a message from the national security office, who themselves may have fled around the city, that I should leave the city because [Taliban militants] have issued my death order," Habibi said from Sar-e Pol.



She said it was clear that the Taliban never want women to be present or active in society, especially in politics and have never accepted women's rights activists. She said she had been threatened many times by the Taliban and in the past three days had been warned over the phone.

A third city, Taloqan, fell to the Taliban on August 8, Radio Azadi reported. Several civil society activists and residents of Takhar spoke to Radio Azadi by phone, saying the city had been seized after the militants captured the central prison, freeing all the prisoners.



The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, said the entire province has fallen.



All local officials and security personnel have retreated toward the Farkhar district, Radio Azadi reported, based on local information.



In another northern province, Takhar, a local police source and an official said the provincial capital, Taloqan, was also under pressure, with civilians trying to flee the city and heavy fighting taking place after the Taliban seized some government buildings. There are also reports of heavy fighting in Faiz Abad, the capital of Badakhshan Province.



On August 6, the Taliban seized a first provincial capital, Zaranj in the remote southwestern Nimroz Province, followed a day later by Sheberghan, the capital of the northern Jawzjan Province.



In Sheberghan, a police official told Radio Azadi that the Taliban had set fire to the palace of warlord and longtime foe of the militant group Abdul Rashid Dostum and the Jawzjan provincial office building. The officials spoke to Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity.

Sources quoted by TOLOnews said that Babur Ishchi, the head of the Jawzjan provincial council, had surrendered to the Taliban.



Dostum, who only returned to Afghanistan this week from medical treatment in Turkey, is currently in Kabul, where he was meeting with President Ashraf Ghani on August 7 in an attempt to persuade the country's leader to fly in reinforcements.



"We have demanded that the government deploys at least 500 commandos so we could work to retake the city," said Ehsan Niro, a spokesman for Dostum's party.

Dostum, a warlord with a fearsome reputation fighting the Taliban in the 1990s, has also faced accusations that his forces massacred thousands of Taliban prisoners of war.



In a first respite for Afghan forces, U.S. warplanes bombed Taliban positions in Sheberghan on August 7.



"U.S. forces have conducted several air strikes in defense of our Afghan partners in recent days," Major Nicole Ferrara, a Central Command spokesperson, told AFP in Washington.



Fighting was also reported on the outskirts of the major cities of Herat, in the west, and Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south.

In Lashkar Gah, provincial council member Majid Akhund said government air strikes damaged a health clinic and high school in the city, which is the capital of Helmand Province.



A Defense Ministry statement confirmed that air strikes were carried out in parts of the city of Lashkar Gah. It said strikes targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others, but made no mention of a clinic or a school being bombed.



The U.S. Central Command said the troop withdrawal is more than 95 percent complete and will be finished by August 31.

This story includes reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi correspondents on the ground in Afghanistan. Their names are being withheld for their protection.

With reporting by AFP and TOLOnews
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 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
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 57F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
On the night of Oct. 21, 2020, Jodie and Donnie Kern were looking forward to enjoying a full rack of slow-cooked ribs, a family favorite.

Before the meal could be finished, smoke from the East Troublesome fire  earlier in the day considered relatively stable  began pushing into Grand Lake and its surrounding neighborhoods. The skies grew so ominous that many residents, including the Kerns' son and his girlfriend, decided to leave, although the first evacuation notice hadn't been received.

Some 90 minutes later, Jodie, a 9-1-1 dispatcher, told Donnie to start packing. Within minutes, a pre-evacuation notice was issued, and a final notice went out a scant 20 minutes later. The couple rushed out of the home in separate vehicles with their two dogs, Mia, a German Shepard, and Vince, an Akita.

"I've been a 9-1-1 dispatcher for 22 years, so I like to think I'm pretty chill when things are going really bad," Jodie Kern said, "and I was freaking out. "I even called 9-1-1 as we were leaving just to tell them, 'Hey we just left our house, this is where it is and it was on fire when we left.'"

About 3 a.m., the Kerns received a call from the Grand County Sheriff's Office. The house in which they'd raised their two children, Damien, 23, and Rowan, 19, during the two decades it had been their home had been reduced to ash. The family kitchen where they spent hours talking about each other's day was gone, as was Donnie's 19-foot tie-dyed teepee, his man cave.

Ten months later, Jodie and Donnie still live on Mustang Trail, but in a rental, just yards from their lot that is dirt and ash.

"It's been hard," said Donnie Kern, a retired firefighter wearing his favorite tie-dye sweatshirt and sweatpants. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't."'

Between the time that Jodie began smoking the rack of ribs and the following afternoon, the East Troublesome Fire exploded from 18,550 acres to 187,964 acres, as wind gusts of 60 mph struck the region, according to InciWeb. Throughout the night and into the following day, 370 homes, including the Kerns', were destroyed. An additional 188 outbuildings including barns and sheds were also destroyed, according to data from the Grand County Office of Emergency Management.

While much of the town of Grand Lake proper, its homes and businesses, were spared, surrounding and outlying neighborhoods were devastated by the East Troublesome inferno. It will take years for those areas abutting the popular west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park to recover.

Twenty-five percent of the destroyed homes were insured and an additional 40% were "severely under insured," officials said.

But as the acute chaos and destruction of The East Troublesome Fire has cooled, the response to the fire has switched into recovery mode. Life in the much-loved mountain town of Grand Lake has resumed.

Recovery is going smoothly, community members told The Denver Gazette, with many citing the support and kindness of their neighbors and many others from far away as the reason.

"To whatever extent you've lost faith in humanity, you start to see it back again when something like this happens," said Dan Mayer, the fire marshal for the Grand Lake Fire Protection District. "I think it's shown me how great people are when you need them."

Recovery efforts in Grand Lake began almost as soon as pre-evacuation orders were issued Oct. 21. Grand County's Office of Emergency Management quickly established emergency shelters and resource centers for those impacted, while the firefighters and members of the sheriff's office worked to get residents out, officials said.

"Typically if you've got a fire, the firefighters are going to be fighting the fire, they're going to be out working on it, but at that point, we had recalled all of our employees and we had all of our firefighters (at the station)," Mayer said. "We used our entire fire department to help the sheriff's department with evacuations and just get people out."

The Kerns didn't utilize the shelters because a family friend found a condo at the Silver Creek Inn in Granby for them to stay. But the following day, as the fire continued its rampage, they were ordered to evacuate again. They left for Denver.

"We were like, 'We're done, we're going to Denver because the fire won't reach us in Denver,'" Donnie Kern said.

While evacuations were taking place, county commissioners were considering how to best establish a disaster relief fund. At the time, the Grand Foundation, a non-profit, was already administrating and facilitating federal coronavirus relief funds.

Because of the foundation's experience, two county commissioners asked if it could take on fire relief, as well.

"I said to this county commissioner, 'Yes  we can do whatever you want,'" said Megan Ledin, the foundation's executive director.

And within a few hours the Grand County Wildfire Emergency Fund was created. To date, it has received $3.8 million in donations for recovery efforts.

Firefighters worked continuously fighting the blaze around Grand Lake by rotating around various neighborhoods and putting out as many spot fires as they could. Sheriff's deputies were responsible for making sure everyone was out, no one returned, and they helped wherever they were needed.

Both fire marshal Mayer and Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said they didn't sleep for 48 hours.

"I was more scared than I've ever been in my entire life and (that includes) 34 years of being a cop," Mayer said. "You felt helpless."

An outpouring of support

It wasn't just first-responders who were prepared to do anything for those impacted by the second-largest wildfire in Colorado's history. County Commissioner Merrit Linke took in more than 100 horses, 25 goats, equipment and even an old Model T on his homestead near Fraser for residents and businesses evacuating their properties.

An outpouring of support from people from Grand County, from Colorado and from across the United States began. In Grand Lake, donations of food, water and clothes began to pile up at the fire house for first responders and for people who lost their homes.

"You didn't know how all of this was happening because you weren't involved in it, but it was," Mayer said.

Some of the food, water and other donations came from community members who purchased items at the City Market in Granby, officials said. Food came from the O'Conners, who own Blue Water Bakery Cafe in Grand Lake and Midtown Cafe in Granby. They began cooking for first responders on Oct. 24, said Erin O'Conner, the restaurant's general manager.

The firefighters "were coming back to essentially no food after 12 hours on the line, so they'd have like a granola bar, so we came back and started pushing food out, while we were camping on the floor of Midtown," O'Connor said.

Ledin said she walked into the Grand Foundation office in Fraser and every phone was ringing with people on the other line from across the country wanting to help in anyway possible.

"I worked 58 days straight taking phone calls from people who wanted to donate, and they realized the devastation that had happened in our community," Ledin said.

As the fire moved northeast into Rocky Mountain National Park and towards Estes Park, more people were allowed to return to their homes and witnessed the devastation for themselves firsthand.

Some, like the Kerns, waited until they found housing in Grand Lake before returning. Roughly three weeks after the fire, the family returned to where their home had been.

"We weren't there very long the first time," Donnie Kern said. "We sat in the cul de sac and took our time to walk to the driveway, and we kind of walked out a little bit and thought, 'Yep, we'll come back.'"

Debris riddled each of the 370 lots where homes once stood with metal, concrete foundations, melted glass and other remnants . To remove the debris from each it can cost between $5,000 and $9,000, said Joel Cochran, director of the Grand County Office of Emergency Management.

One of the first callers to the Grand Foundation relief line was Dennis Belz, the state director of the Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief, whose organization has spent hundreds of hours helping clear destroyed homesites and recovering such valuables as they could.

Since May, the group has assessed 114 properties, cleaned and removed debris from lots and sifted through burned areas to find precious and everyday items that survived the blaze.

"It's a dirty job," said Belz, the director of the relief program, "but someone has to do it."

They've found 12 rings, wedding bands, guns and other items that survived the blaze.

"It's amazing to help people and see them go from their depression and being so upset," Belz said. "It's tough to see people loose everything they've ever had, so we sift and if we can find one little item that'll perk 'em up and they get excited, but for us to see that makes it all worth it."

Several other organizations such as Team Rubicon and Manic Training of Highlands Ranch have helped residents, including the Kerns.

Manic Training "saw us on Channel 31 and said they wanted to come up and help us, so they arranged to have a dumpster delivered to the house and they came up with 47 people and cleared out all the big metal debris, the foundation," Jodie Kern said. "It was amazing. Anytime we spent time at what was left at the house was with that crew."

And without these volunteers, recovery wouldn't nearly be as far ahead as it is, Cochran said.

"It's been real vital resource to really the people of the greatest need in this community," Cochran said.

But it's not just nonprofits and other organizations lending a helping hand. Neighbors who have started groups such as the East Troublesome Adopt-A-Family, which connects families impacted by the fire to a sponsor family for support, said Emily Hagen, the executive director for the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.

"This community really knows how to circle up around each other," Hagen said. "Even sometimes it's almost like a sibling rivalry, you might not like someone else, but you have their back."

As the fire became more contained, officials allowed assessors to begin evaluating the damage caused by the fire. The total destroyed property in Grand County was over $146 million last year, according to the county assessor's office.

While people were returning to their homes, assessments of the total damaged continued. It was during this process that officials learned that 25% of the properties destroyed were uninsured and an additional 40% were "severely under-insured," which left people not only wondering where they were going to live, but how they would have the money to afford another home, said emergency relief director Cochran.

To that end, a presidential disaster declaration was sought to provide assistance to impacted homeowners, and to provide access to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief programs.

Former President Donald Trump made the declaration, but because of the overflowing support from the community and beyond the county declined several assistance programs from FEMA, said county commissioner Linke.

National Park heavily impacted

The East Troublesome Fire also ravaged through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Forty-eight miles of trails were devastated by the fire and will take time to repair and reopen, according to park officials. Additionally, a number of structures, historic buildings and park houses were destroyed.

As with the Grand Lake area, recovery efforts in the park began even as the flames continued to burn, said Karen Nydick, chief of resource stewardship at the park.

"I brought in a lot of experts to assess the conditions both on the ground where it was safe to do so, and where we could actually see because of the snow on the ground," Nydick said. "We also used satellite imaging and created modeling of potential flooding and debris flows."

To park officials surprise, soil damage in some areas was not as extreme as feared.

"Frankly, many areas looked torched," said Nydick. "But in looking more closely with the soil scientist lens, we saw that the as was mostly black rather than white, which means it still has some organic matter in it."

The samples indicated that there were still some roots intact in the ground.

Although park officials received positive feedback from experts, they are unsure how the forest will recover.

"Some burned forested areas may not come back as forests or they may come back as different types of forests as they burn more frequently, and climate conditions shift, potentially, to no longer supporting the same species that previously made up the forest." Nydick said. "

In that way, in the era of climate change, fires may not be "good" for sustaining the way things have been on our timescale. Disturbances like fire may essentially speed up ecological change that would have occurred more gradually as climate changes. But, we just don't know yet about tree seedling regeneration in the burned areas. What is certain is that these forests are going to burn. Whether the shift to landscapes of the future will be good or bad depends on your perspective."

Even though park officials have reopened several impacted trails, they're asking people to go in with an open mind.

"It's the same trail, but it looks very different," said Doug Parker, the park's trail and program supervisor. "In some areas it's really beautiful, but in others it isn't recovering as quickly and is still very black and dark and you can walk through there and it still smells like post-fire."

Lingering effects, booming summer

While recovery efforts are in a second phase that includes clean up and debris removal, rebuilding and issues housing permits, it will take years for the Grand Lake region to recover from the East Troublesome Fire.

Mudslides and debris flows are expected to continue for up to five years around the fire's burn scar, especially around U.S. Highway 125. And it could be years before vegetation returns to the area, officials said.

"This was so destructive," fire marshal Mayer said, "I don't see a positive about something like this coming through."

But regardless of the fire and its lingering affects, locals and people from all over continue to support the Grand Lake community. Carol Silk, hotel manager at the Historic Rapids Lodge and Restaurant, said since May they've been fully booked every night.

Suzy Adams of Omaha and Jennifer Love of Wilmington were two of these travelers, friends who said they felt they had to come back.

"It's been my happy place for 54 years," Love said. "I grew up in Kansas and we used to come here every August. It was just breaking my heart to see how close that fire was getting, so you really just want to support the rebuild and want to make sure this place is here for all of us to enjoy."

Adams and Love's sentiment can be seen across Grand Avenue as visitors flock into restaurants and stores from vehicles with Texas, Ohio or Minnesota plates. Chamber of Commerce executive director Hagen said the community is projecting around 2 million visitors this summer, which would be a record.

"Back in October, I thought, 'Who's going to come? Who's going to come to Grand Lake?'" she said. "And the people who love us have shown up for us."

The feeling of caring

While recovery is ongoing, progress is being made.

The Grand Foundation has spent $850,000 to help those who lost homes. Another $550,000 has been committed for debris removal.

A community member with a vacation house paid for the damage sustained by fire department vehicles. Children made cards thanking firefighters and an abundance of signs reading, "We love our firefighters" and "Thank you firefighters" hanging from residences along U.S. Highway 34.

And the feeling of caring is felt throughout the community, whether someone lost a home or not.

"'Special' is not a big enough word (to describe this community," Hagen said. "It's been remarkable to see the outpouring of love from not just our community, but our Grand County community and even nationwide. There's been some really remarkable volunteer groups that have come and done some really amazing things here."

Because of the community support received since Oct. 21, 2020, the Kerns ultimately decided to stay in Grand Lake and rebuild, instead of taking the insurance money and moving away.

"It confirmed that this is where we should be, because we definitely thought, 'our kids are gone now, and there's really nothing keeping us here, so maybe this is a sign,'" Jodie Kern said. "After that, there's no way we could leave."

On the wall of their living room of their rental sits a diagram of Mount Everest, and it's being used to track the process of their rebuild. Currently, it's still at the base of the mountain as the family is waiting for their building permit to be approved.

Once they reach the peak, the Kerns said they will be hosting a party "of the century." And there will even be another 19-foot teepee installed in the backyard, Donnie Kern said.

"We've never been able to build a new home," Donnie Kern said, "so that's probably the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
Govt-and-politics

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More parents interested in teaching their kids to drive

CEDAR RAPIDS  The number of Iowa parents taking steps to teach their children how to drive skyrocketed more than 900 percent in the first month that a law allowing them to replace certified instructors took effect.

However, the more than 600 pre-qualification requests the Iowa Department of Transportation has received from those parents represents only about 2 percent or less of the more than 30,000 intermediate licenses the department issues to new drivers annually.

A Cedar Rapids-based driving school has seen a small number of cancellations since the law took effect. But the majority of parents dont want the final responsibility for preparing their teens to hit the road, said Stacia Bissell, who with her husband, Barry, started Right Way Driver Education 13 years ago.

Since 2011, Iowa parents who home-school their children have been allowed to include drivers education in their curriculum. Senate File 546, which was approved earlier this year by the Iowa Legislature, extended that option to all parents in the state.

Andy Abeyta, The Gazette Barry Bissell of Right Way Driver Education goes over parking tips with Linn-Mar senior Nahom Fikreselassie, 17, while stopped in a parking spot at Linn-Mar High School in Marion on Thursday.

Mason City summer camp students get ready for new school year Summer camp at Roosevelt Elementary is a chance for students to prepare academically and to try a new skill.

Before the change took effect July 1, Steven Stonehocker, driver ed coordinator for the Iowa Department of Transportation, received between 45 and 50 applications per month from parents who wanted to teach drivers ed to their children. That more than doubled in June, and in July he received 531 prequalification applications.

So far, very few of those students have completed parent-taught courses so its still too early for us to know if this is just a bubble or if it's going to be sustained growth, Stonehocker said.

In a typical year, Kirkwood Community College provides drivers ed to more than 600 students from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Linn-Mar and College Community school districts. Program Developer Zach Johnson hasnt seen any change in enrollment for the classes starting the end of this month.

Its just too early to tell if the law change will have an impact, he said, adding he doesnt expect to any change in enrollments before next summer.

Bissell expects some parents will choose to be drivers ed instructors to save the $350 or more the lessons cost.

Project Gratitude in Mason City aims to create a ripple "It gives us all a collective moment to get together, share our feelings, and express our hope and also our gratefulness."

However, she predicted 98 percent of parents will do what they should be doing  taking responsibility for getting their kids ready for driver education. Most parents want the second set of eyes of a reputable driver education program for their children.

Theres another reason parents would choose to have someone else be the drivers ed instructor, Bissell said.

Its not as easy as it sounds, she said about the time and documentation required of parents. A parent-taught course requires 30 hours of driving time that has to be logged to show when lessons take place, what skills are taught and what deficiencies need to be corrected. That is sent to the state for someone to either approve or deny before moving on to the next step.

With Right Way and other drivers ed companies, you buy the package, you perform the package, we do all the record-keeping and we send out the certificate.

Andy Abeyta, The Gazette A Right Way Driver Education vehicle is seen parked for a one-on-one session at Linn-Mar High School in Marion on Thursday.

Another difference, Stonehocker said, is that students in parent-taught programs will have to take an Iowa DOT driving test before receiving their license. Only about 7 percent of students from certified programs are required to take the test.

Even before a parent can teach drivers ed, he or she must qualify with the Iowa DOT by showing a drivers license and a clean driving record for at least two years. A few parents have been denied because of driving violations, Stonehocker said.

He spends time answering questions about teaching drivers ed from parents, who in many cases havent looked at the requirements and dont understand what is required, he said. The how-to questions are a giant red flag, Stonehocker said.

The vast majority of the parents of the 600 to 800 students Right Way teaches each year do a great job preparing their children for drivers ed and driving with them during the program, Bissell said.

LISTEN NOW: Latest Globe Gazette podcast episode explores formation of the Wright on the Park It takes a village to turn a vision into reality. The latest episode from our podcast "2021: 10 Successful Years of the Historic Park Inn" shows us just that:

However, her concern is that bad driving habits or a lack of knowledge could get passed on in parent-taught instruction. For example, she said, some people arent in the habit of looking over their shoulder before changing lanes. In most cases, that would be an automatic fail in an Iowa DOT driving test, Bissell said.

When you get somebody professional behind the wheel, they're going to constantly teach from the perspective of this is what you do, this is what you do all the time, she said.

The Iowa DOT now doesnt track the records of drivers who go through a parent-taught program because the numbers are minuscule compared with the numbers completing state certified drivers education programs, Stonehocker said. However, the Iowa DOT is preparing to capture more data so we can show if there is a difference in driver performance, he said.

Our main concern is really just putting safe drivers on the road, Stonehocker said. With the volume we now have in the parent-taught program, we have to be able to show where, if any, deficiencies lie.

For more information on parent-taught drivers ed, visit iowadot.gov/mvd/driverseducation/Parent-taught.

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Senyah said he doesnt see any immediate need to overhaul any aspect of the communitys life and experience.

I have been here barely a month and am still building the situational profile ... at a time when the church continues to be affected by the pandemic, he said. The church has its identity as a family of believers, but the effect of the pandemic on community life can never be over-emphasized. If anything at all, my focus now is to continue the healing process begun by my predecessor.

Individuals and families are hurting and affected in different ways all over the world, including ours. Staying focused and directing attention towards the hope we can all have in Christ and the difference that can make in a time like this is key.

He said the church is strengthening its online presence and offering every support it can in the celebration of the sacraments.

As a priest, my primary responsibility to the community in a time like this will be availing myself for the celebration of the sacraments. Any member within the large Danville community is free to call in for fellowship at any time, he said.

His background

Senyah said his journey toward the priesthood was neither a direct and nor easy one.
Only a small subset of COVID-19 positive samples are available to undergo a process that determines the exact strain.

The Delta variant is here in Virginia, and it is hitting our unvaccinated population especially hard, State Health Commissioner Dr. Oliver M. Norman said. We have a very effective tool to stop transmission of COVID-19: vaccination.

Locally, the Danville and Pittsylvania County area is experiencing a wave similar to last summer. On Friday, both localities reported 41 new cases of COVID-19, the largest figure since Feb. 21. That brings the 7-day rolling average to 22.

The health department no longer updates its dashboard on weekends. Itll be Monday before figures from Saturday and Sunday are known to the public.

Breakthroughs

Even those who are fully vaccinated cannot escape the impacts of the delta storm. However, they are most likely to only experience mild symptoms at worst. The unvaccinated population is at the greatest risk from the faster spreading variant can cause more serious illnesses.

Its not exactly clear how many local infections are in vaccinated individuals. The health department tracks these breakthrough cases at the state and regional level.
There has been a great increase in the number of stores I service weekly, Neal said. I started off with one store in 2016, within my first month of being in business, I secured 10 more stores, and today I service over 60.

Her diagnosis with Stage 3 breast cancer tested her faith, but that same faith propelled her to take a chance on Divine Lemonades.

I thought it was the end, she said. All I could think about was not being able to take care of my three children.

After weeks of treatments, congestive heart failure, excruciating headaches and a near-death experience with pneumonia, all from which she recovered, she decided to start a new business. Neal said the recipe for her drinks was divinely given, hence the name Divine Lemonades.

Honestly, I had a thriving mobile car detailing business, and the lemonade was far from my mind and not part of my plans, but it was Gods plan for my life, Neal said.

Running Divine Lemonades is her full-time job now. In addition to her 68 flavors of lemonade and tea, she also sells popsicles, spiced tea, coffee and hot cocoa. Shes in the process of developing some new products that she hopes to introduce to the public soon.
DANVILLE, Va.  Danville and Pittsylvania County on Wednesday recorded the most daily COVID-19 cases since March 11, and another death from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus brought the toll to 230.

Between both localities, 35 new infections were added in Wednesday mornings update from the Virginia Department of Health, the most since the trend shifted to more vaccines and fewer cases. The latter trend is now reversed.

Now, the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District is averaging about 17 new cases per day, a dramatic rise from only two new infections in July.

Across Virginia, 1,717 new cases were added Wednesday based on data received by 5 p.m. Tuesday, also marking the highest number since mid-March.

The increase mirrors the direction the nation is heading as the powerful delta variant  an altered version of the coronavirus first discovered in India  sweeps across the still mostly unvaccinated landscape. Fewer than half the adults in Danville and Pittsylvania County are considered fully vaccinated, meaning they have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna shots or just one of the Johnson & Johnson version.

When factoring in children, less than 40% of the population in the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District is vaccinated.
WENTWORTH  The Rockingham County Sheriffs Office announced on Thursday that a juvenile has been charged in connection with the May 24 shooting deaths of two motorcyclists on the U.S. 29 Bypass in Reidsville.

The juvenile, who was not named because of laws that protect the privacy of underage offenders, was charged via juvenile petition with two counts of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and one count of accessory after the fact to attempted first degree murder, the sheriffs office said in a news release.

The suspect was taken into custody by the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the release.

Browns Summit resident Martin Cox Jr., 41, was previously charged in the shootings.

Virginia residents Kwandre Marcell Carey, 24, of Montross, Va., and Haneefa Fitzgerald, 42, of Fredericksburg, Va., were shot and killed around 4:45 p.m. May 24 as they rode on the U.S. 29 Bypass. The riders, traveling on two motorcycles, were headed northbound along the bypass between Barnes Street and N.C. 14, officials said.

Carey was pronounced dead at the scene and Fitzgerald died at an area hospital, authorities reported.

Fitzgerald served in the U.S. Marines for 15 years before her retirement in 2015.
N.C. man steals

vet's Purple Heart

LENOIR  What is a Purple Heart worth? One man traded a dead veteran's medal, which he stole, for a Mountain Dew, authorities said.

Erica Laws came home recently to find her family home "ransacked." Gone was the Purple Heart her father had earned while serving in Vietnam. He also earned another Purple Heart and two bronze stars that went missing.

"I felt so bad because he protected the country and I can't even protect his memory," she said.

Now, 31-year-old Charles Carr is accused of trading one of the military medals for a Mountain Dew Code Red, authorities said.

The medal has since been recovered.

Woman found entombed

in concrete in N.C. home

A 70-year-old woman was found entombed in concrete at her home in the North Carolina mountain town of Linville Falls, authorities said Saturday.

The womans 53-year-old live-in caretaker is a person of interest in the death, they said.

Lynn Gay Keene was found entombed in concrete in the basement of her home, investigators said.
In the late 1980s, on a school day in early March at Pikesville High School in Baltimore County, classes were suspended for a day. The entire student body was sent to the gymnasium and lined up. A student at the school had recently returned from a trip abroad and had come down with the measles. The health department acted quickly to stave off an epidemic by deciding on a mass vaccination of the entire student body.

I was a math teacher at Pikesville at the time, and I was stationed in the gym to help keep the lines moving and facilitate the process. The health professionals set up a series of vaccination tables, and, without incident, the approximately 1,000 students were quickly and efficiently vaccinated. All of this was done with a minimum of political turmoil.

To my knowledge, none of the students subsequently came down with the measles. In fact, only one person out of the entire staff and student body came down with the measles. That person was me. I woke up two mornings later covered in red blotches and feeling very ill. The student at Pikesville High who had the measles was in my math class, and it seems that while I was assisting in the vaccination, I was incubating the disease. The health department actually sent my childrens pediatrician to my house to verify that I had the measles. It was the only time that our pediatrician ever made a house call.
Where (how) to buy my new book: Search Sunrise At Sunset by B.J. Barnes.

* * * *

Author: Paula Williams

City: High Point

Book title: Praying from the Pit: Devotions for the Cancer Journey

Publisher: Self-published through Amazon

What its about: Last year in the middle of COVID, my husband, Gralyn, was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had surgery in September of 2020 that resulted in his entire right lung being removed. In addition to that difficult surgery, he had four doses of chemotherapy. Thankfully, Gralyn is now cancer-free, but still dealing with living with one lung and the side effects of chemotherapy that include significant hearing loss. During our cancer journey, I kept my sanity by writing in my journal which I decided to turn into a devotional book. Gods grace is what got us through this ordeal.
Once the United States and the United Nations gave Montagnards refugee resettlement status, they were sent to a refugee camp in the Philippines for a six-month orientation before coming to North Carolina.

Another group of 400 would join them in the early 1990s, including some family members of the earlier 200.

Also in the crowd at the airport to welcome that first group were the resettlement agencies, sponsor churches and former Green Berets, who were able to make it back home with the Montagnards' help during the Vietnam War, and who all had a hand in getting them here and helping to secure them homes and jobs.

Some of the Montagnards on that flight were later sent to Raleigh and others to Charlotte, where those communities could help absorb them.

At first, Hlong said, he worried about what life would be like in the United States, even what kind of food he would eat. Even before they left the hotel in Los Angeles for the five-hour flight here, he was missing family back home. He and a cousin had come together.

He knew others felt the same, which was the bond that held them together, as they faced the new land together.
Beane explained that when striking prey to kill it and eat it, a baby copperhead will inject as much venom as necessary in order to achieve that goal. When a copperhead bites a human, thats a defensive bite, and the snake isnt likely to use as much venom in those cases (or sometimes, no venom at all).

It is not advantageous for snakes to waste venom  its metabolically expensive to make, so they dont want to bite anything other than prey items, Beane said.

Beane notes that whenever a snake bites, its an instinctive response, and that the snake doesnt reason it out. But, since a snakes No. 1 reason for biting is to kill and eat prey, snakes only bite people in an act of self-defense, Beane said.

They would be unlikely to mistake something 100 times their size as a prey item, Beane said.

More concentrated venom? Beane told us that a newborns venom may or may not be slightly more concentrated than adults, but that because a larger copperhead has a lot more venom to inject, the larger snake would probably more than make up for any differences in chemical composition.
Pastor Tim Dinkins is teaching a series called "Trends vs. Truth" at Grace Baptist Church Lemoore. You can contact him at
When Europeans first landed on the North American continent it was ripe for the picking, lush with forests, rivers, wildlife, fish and land as far as the eye could see.

As for those already inhabiting those lands and waters, well, they were considered "savages" and their removal by whatever means necessary was a foregone conclusion. And so civilization rolled across the continent, spurred on by the capitalist economic system in which the foundational tenet was continuous growth.

But now the continent is covered coast to coast and the once abundant resources have been seriously diminished through over-use, pollution, outright destruction and unbridled consumption. The old myth that continuous growth was not only possible, but necessary, has hit the wall of our current state, national and global reality.

We are running out of water, clean air and livable habitat not only for the once-abundant wildlife and fish but for humans as well. As this desperate summer of climate-change induced and exacerbated drought, wildfires, insect infestations and extreme weather events bluntly portends, we have hit the wall on our myopic approach to how much more we can squeeze from already over-extended systems.
Two Chicago police officers were shot Saturday night in the West Englewood neighborhood on the city's South Side, according to Chicago police.

One of the officers, a woman, has died, according to the Chicago Police Department. The other is fighting for his life, First Deputy Supt. Eric Carter said at a news conference early Sunday morning.

Our hearts ache for the loss of life, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said at the news conference.

The officer was the first Chicago cop to be shot and killed in the line of duty since Lightfoot became mayor in 2019. Last year, the deaths of four other Chicago cops who succumbed to COVID-19 were also considered by the police department to be in the line of duty.

Prior to Saturday night, though, the last line-of-duty deaths of Chicago cops who were killed while pursuing a suspect were in December 2018, when Officers Eduardo Marmolejo and Conrad Gary were fatally struck by a train as they looked for a suspect wanted for illegally possessing a gun. That suspect, Edward Brown, was sentenced this past April to a year in prison for a felony weapon violation in the case.

The shooting happened just after 9 p.m. near West 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue when the officers conducted a traffic stop, Carter said. There were three people in the vehicle, two males and one female.

During the stop, someone opened fire on the officers and the officers returned fire, Carter said. Two officers and one of the suspects were shot.

The officers were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police spokesman Tom Ahern wrote in a tweet.

Two males are in custody and one suspect, the female, is still at large, Ahern said. The male suspect who was shot was taken to Christ Hospital. One handgun was recovered from the scene, he said.

The officer who died had worked for the Chicago Police Department since 2018 and was a member of the community safety team, a citywide unit formed last summer under police Superintendent David Brown to respond to crime hotspots.

An overnight email from the top leadership of the Chicago Police Department urged the department to keep the families and friends of these officers in your prayers. Please continue to look out for each other on and off duty as we process this heartbreaking tragedy.

Numerous marked and unmarked police vehicles, with their lights flashing, blocked off traffic along West 63rd Street for three or four blocks heading west and on side streets all around the scene. Cook County Sheriffs Police were also on the scene helping with traffic control.

Outside of the University of Chicago Medical Centers ambulance entrance on Cottage Grove Avenue, dozens of Chicago police officers and Cook County sheriff deputies stood outside. Cottage Grove and 57th Street by the hospital were both lined with squad cars.

Officers exchanged hugs with each other and people in plain clothes. Some women walked up to the entrance in tears as an officer escorted them.

A Jeep pulled up to the intersection and a passenger rolled down his window and yelled out to a woman on the sidewalk, What happened over here?

Two officers were shot, she replied.

Oh, wow, he said as he shook his head and rolled up the window.

The Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge #7, tweeted Lord, please look over these two Officers, keep them and every Officer out in the 8th District safe tonight. This career of service we all chose is one of sacrifice, but please Lord, not tonight. Not tonight.

Early Sunday morning, dozens of police officers stood along Harrison and Leavitt streets outside the Cook County medical examiners office as the officers body was slowly escorted into its dimly lit parking lot by a musical group playing the bagpipes  a tradition for a Chicago cop who dies in the line of duty.

With the roaring of a parked firetruck in the background, scores of officers saluted Chicago Fire Department Ambulance 36 as it moved slowly with its emergency lights flashing.

Some firefighters and paramedics paid their respects too. Firetrucks stationed across Harrison from one another had their ladders hoisted in mid-air to the point where they were nearly adjoining, so they could together drape a large American flag in front of the procession for the ambulance.

Dozens of police vehicles, their blue emergency lights flashing, comprised the procession, giving the initial escort for the ambulance from the University of Chicago Medical Center, where the officer was pronounced dead.

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A staff of more than 500 people performs a variety of jobs with VDACS including food safety inspections, veterinarian, lab, and pesticide services, and regulating fertilizers.

I learn something new every day that our department does and our staff members do out in the field, he said.

Despite his stellar achievements, Copenhaver said some of the greatest successes happened here at home on his family farm.

When I was growing up on the farm, I dont think I fully appreciated the experience. I do now.

Im really thankful for the opportunity I had to grow up on a farm because the experiences I had and the lessons I learned there have traveled with me throughout my career, Copenhaver said.

I know how hard farmers work each and every day, and I am excited to continue to work with the agriculture industry.

Many Virginia farmers markets also provide increased fresh food access by allowing customers to shop using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), double their purchasing power through Virginia Fresh Match, and redeem vouchers for nutritious produce through WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn.  Sweat sheened Eric Kerneys face as he dragged a pair of traffic cones to the intersection of Lynn Road and Henry Harr Road, just past West Ridge High School, on July 26. It was just a few minutes after 8 a.m., and while the skies were clouded, the air already felt thick with humidity.

After hopping back into his utility truck, Kerney  the Sullivan County Highway Departments operations manager  explained how his department raised and widened the intersection.

This used to be a true T intersection. Its now wide enough to put in a turn lane [from Henry Harr to Lynn], Kerney said.

See how this whole bank has been cut back? he added, pointing to a low slope at one corner, one he said had previously been much steeper and more intrusive. Weve hauled tons and tons and tons of dirt back.

West Ridge High opens to students Monday morning. While architects, construction workers and school administrators have spent the past few months pushing to finish the actual facility, Kerney and others from both the county Highway Department and Kingsport Citys Public Works Department have been pushing to finish improvements to Lynn Road, the schools main access point.
Much of her concern is with spreading COVID-19 to others, she said. Elizabeth Lamb-Scronce, a mother of two Hickory Public Schools students, is concerned with the same thing. With the uptick of COVID-19 cases and new mask guidance, shes worried if her children go back to in-person classes, she wont be comfortable visiting family.

Im weighing how important is it for them to be in the classroom versus continuing to see their grandparents, Lamb-Scronce said. This could be a life-threatening issue.

Last year, her children did online school at first and then switched to home schooling, she said. This year, she planned to put her rising fourth- and sixth-grader back in the classroom. Lately, the low countywide vaccination rate and increasing cases have her reconsidering.

We were 100 percent sure we would go back to school until a week or two ago, Lamb-Scronce said.

Her children want to be back in school, and its an important age to be socializing with other students, she said. If the Hickory Public Schools Board of Education decides at its Monday meeting to require students and staff to wear masks, shell likely send her children to school. If the board decides masks are optional, Lamb-Scronce may make the difficult decision to keep them home another year, she said.
Hannah said instead of studying up on Bills stuff, she did what many of us would have done in preparation for the crews visit: She cleaned her house. And I ordered an emergency load of mulch [for the front yard], she admitted. Fortunately, she and Kendall knew much about Bills things, and there were the notes Bill had left about some of his collectibles.

We were on our feet all day long, Hannah shared. They stayed about 12 hours. The pickers bought several things, making offers and then negotiating with the women. There were some things the pickers wanted, but Hannah wouldnt part with them, pieces that were extra special to Bill and now to Hannah.

They filled up their truck, they handed me cash, and took off, she said.

From those many hours, highlights were gleaned for the show, which I watched. Mike referred to Bills collection as an East Coast treasure trove of early antiques. One of the first things Mike offered to buy was a very unusual looking whale oil lamp. Then Jon wanted to buy an anvil and suggested he pay by the pound.
Such an effort, then, isnt just about the precise wording of laws or the detailed analysis of regulations. Its about public attitudes.

Do people other than buyers and sellers have a legitimate interest in the amount and type of housing stock erected in the community? To a limited extent, yes, regarding public services such as roads or water and sewer. That interest need not result in excessive regulation, however. Localities can and do charge developers directly, and thus prospective newcomers indirectly, for the cost of adding infrastructure capacity to accommodate them. Such a practice is not about saying no. Its about saying yes  at the right price.

Lets be honest, though: when the neighborhood resists new construction or higher density, its not just about traffic or stormwater runoff. Pre-existing residents want to keep things the way they were when they moved in. More trees. Fewer people driving or walking by. Structures and landscapes that existing residents admire when they drive or walk by.

Heres a principle we should all take to heart: when we buy or rent a place to live, we dont purchase a right to oversee how many neighbors well have  or how they choose to live their lives.

John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member and author of the forthcoming novel Mountain Folk, a historical fantasy set during the American Revolution (MountainFolkBook.com).
Afghan security officials patrol after they took back control of parts of Herat city following intense battle with Taliban militants on Friday (EPA)

Fierce fighting has broken out inside a northern Afghan city, with the Taliban claiming to have captured their second regional capital in 48 hours with more due to fall in the coming days.

The Islamist group said that it had seized control of Sheberghan in Jawzjan province, the stronghold of the Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, following a siege. The Afghan government insisted, however, that its forces and allied militias were engaged in an operation to clear out the insurgents, with reinforcements on their way to finish the task.

On Friday the Taliban captured their first regional capital in the offensive  launched after the withdrawal of US-led forces on the orders of President Joe Biden  Zaranj, in the southwestern province of Nimroz, was handed over to the Islamist group by local officials who said they had no other choice but to do so after the government failed to send a relief force.

The governors headquarters in Sheberghan was recaptured from the insurgents by government forces on Friday. But the region's council chief, Babur Eshchi, reported that the city centre had been lost in the early hours of Saturday morning with only the area around the airport continuing to hold out.

To add to the tension and uncertainty, the Taliban emptied the local prison after taking it over, and there were reports of looting of the homes of those who had fled Sheberghan or their neighbourhood.

Ministry of Defence spokesperson Fawaad Aman disputed claims of a Taliban victory, maintaining that the main areas of the city remained under government control and the troops around the airport would be cleared of terrorists soon.

Ahmed Jawad, a resident of Sheberghan who did not want his surname published, said: If the army or police are here, we cannot see them. What we can see are the Taliban on the streets and they seem to be in charge. The airport may be in government hands but there are no flights going in or out. I am sure the Taliban would use missiles [against planes] if they try to bring in solders by air.

Story continues

Fighting continued, meanwhile, in three other provincial capitals the Taliban are attempting to capture  Kandahar, Herat and Lashkar Gah. In all three of the cities, however, the Islamists have been pushed back, to varying degrees, from areas they had seized.

The reports of the fall of Sheberghan came at the end of a grim week for the Afghan government. As well as the fall of Zaranj, a suicide bombing and gun attack killed 13 people and wounded at least 24 people in Kabul. And Dawa Khan Meenapal, the head of the governments media and information centre, was gunned down on his way home from Friday prayers, the latest in a series of assassinations by the Taliban.

Read More

The Afghan people need our help  many are at risk from the Taliban

Taliban take control of another provincial capital

The Taliban are storming prisons holding thousands of militants
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Moscow [Russia], August 8 (ANI): Russian President Vladimir Putin are among several world leaders who will participate in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on maritime security conducted at the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Prime Minister Modi will preside over the meeting being convened under India's presidency.

Last year, the Russian president had for the first time participated in a UN event in a video format - on September 22, the recording of his speech was aired during the UN General Assembly along with speeches of other leaders, TASS reported.

Other dignitaries who are expected to participate in tomorrow's event to be held via video conferencing are the President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum, the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

PM Modi will chair the high-level open debate on 'Enhancing Maritime Security - A Case for International Cooperation' on August 9 at UNSC, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.

The MEA statement said that the meeting, through video conferencing slated for 5.30 pm IST, will focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity and strengthening coordination in the maritime domain.

PM Modi would be the first Indian Prime Minister to preside over a UN Security Council Open Debate, the statement added.

The is expected to be attended by several Heads of State and Government of member states of the UNSC, and high-level briefers from the UN System and key regional organizations.

The UN Security Council has discussed and passed resolutions on different aspects of maritime security and maritime crime. However, this will be the first time that maritime security will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high-level open debate.

"Given that no country alone can address the diverse aspects of maritime security, it is important to consider this subject in a holistic manner in the United Nations Security Council. A comprehensive approach to Maritime Security should protect and support legitimate maritime activities while countering traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain," the MEA said. (ANI)
Representative image

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 8 (ANI): With the US troop's withdrawal from Afghanistan less than a month away, the Taliban has unleashed large-scale violence, creating political uncertainty in different parts of the country.

Taliban brutally killed civilians and the previous provincial government officials who had no combat role in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, Khaama Press reported.

The group also brutally massacred civilians and security personal in the Malistan district in Ghazni province.

The UK and US have embassies described the Taliban's aggression as entirely unacceptable and a blatant civilian massacre, constituting war crimes. Earlier this month, the US said that any attack on a civilian humanitarian facility protected by international law should be investigated as a possible war crime.

More recently on Sunday, the United States condemned the Taliban's violent offensive against Afghan cities and called on the terrorist group to agree to a permanent ceasefire.

While condemning the violence, US Embassy in Afghanistan, in a statement, said, "the unlawful seizure of Zaranj, the capital of Afghanistan's Nimroz province, the attack on Sheberghan, capital of Jowzjan province yesterday and today, and continuing efforts to take over Lashkar Gah in Helmand and provincial capitals elsewhere."

The embassy statement said that these Taliban actions to forcibly impose its rule are unacceptable and contradict its claim to support a negotiated settlement in the Doha peace process. "They demonstrate a wanton disregard for the welfare and rights of civilians and will worsen this country's humanitarian crisis."

With the war in Afghanistan now in "a new, deadlier, and more destructive phase", the top UN official in the country appealed on Friday for the Security Council to act to avert a catastrophe.

Special Representative Deborah Lyons, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said the advance of the Taliban in recent months, now targeting major cities, is reminiscent of the Syrian and Balkan wars.

"Afghanistan is now at a dangerous turning point," she said. "Ahead lies either a genuine peace negotiation or a tragically intertwined set of crises: an increasingly brutal conflict combined with an acute humanitarian situation and multiplying human rights abuses." (ANI)
Visuals from NIA raids at J&K's Anantnag. (Photo/ANI)

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 8 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted raids at multiple locations across eight districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The raids are being conducted in Ganderbal, Kishtwar, Ramban, Anantnag, Budgam, Rajouri, Doda, and Shopian districts.

The residence of a member of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Gul Mohammad War is being raided. War is the head of JeI for the Ganderbal district.

Another JeI member Zahoor Ahmad Reshi's residence has also been raided by NIA. Reshi is a former Falah-i-Aam Trust Teacher and runs a shop at the Safapora area in Ganderbal districts.

Also, the residence of Mehrajdin Reshi, a former terrorist, has also been raided.

Earlier on July 10, the NIA had arrested six people from across Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a terror funding case.

Last month, eleven employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government were sacked for having terror links. Among those dismissed were two sons of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen founder Syed Salahudin.

A Delhi Court had earlier ordered the framing of charges against four alleged Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists observing prima facie evidence against them for receiving funds from Pakistan to plot terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Court had ordered framing of charges under various charges dealing with criminal conspiracy, waging war against the country, and under provisions of UAPA. Special Judge Parveen Singh, in his order, observed that the terror outfit had formed a frontal organization Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), which purpose was to fund terror activities. The trust and mainly to provide funds for the terrorists and their families. (ANI)
Question: What has happened to Frank on American Pickers?

Answer: The History series announced Frank Fritzs departure in late July after more than a decade on the show, although he had reportedly not been in a new episode since early 2020. Fritz in a recent interview with the U.S. edition of Britains Sun publication, discussed his battle with Crohns disease, a back problem that required surgery and a drinking problem he blamed on his breakup with a girlfriend (adding he now has not had a drink in almost a year).

He also underscored a feud with Pickers star Mike Wolfe, saying he had not talked with Wolfe in almost two years. Fritz has speculated that Wolfe disliked Fritzs stardom being on a par with his own. But in a statement Wolfe reportedly said, I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.

Question: Midnight, Texas was a show I enjoyed. Any news about a possible revival?

Answer: No. After NBC canceled the series in 2018, the studio was said to be shopping it to other programmers. But so far no one has decided to bring back the drama based on the books by Charlaine Harris.
Annual Kayla Berquist Memorial Blood Drive, Hot Dog and Bake Sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be held at St. Enoch Lutheran Church, 701 Campbell Ave. in Kannapolis.

The Concord Logan Optimist Club will be sponsoring a Back-to-School Fall Festival to be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Caldwell Park in Concord. The Festival is in conjunction with the Samaritans Feet Shoe giveaway. There will be school supplies, baby diapers and wipes given away.

Monday, Aug. 16

The Harrisburg Farmers Market is open from 3-6 p.m. at 6960 Harrisburg Depot Road.

The Salvation Army Womens Auxiliary invites you to participate in a Christmas Stocking Workshop for the Angel Tree program, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Angel Tree program helps to ensure that children in the community are not forgotten at Christmas due to circumstances beyond their control.

Tuesday, Aug. 17

The Rotary Square Farmers Market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Concord at the intersection of Union Street South at Corban Avenue.
One of the descendants was General Paul Barringer (Rufus's father) who like Rufus Barringer became a military officer. Rufus, Daniel Moreau, Victor and sister, Margaret, were part of the Barringer clan. However, without Pioneer John Paul and his wife, none of these people would have been born. For those who have been following this series, the history of the Coleman/Barringer family is awesome for Concord and Cabarrus County. Like I have said to many people, my interest would not exist if it were not for the legacy of WarrenClayColeman.com. He (Warren) was a member of the family by way of his father - Rufus Barringer - who fought in the civil war.
While Haydens little painting from 1930 portrays a sweet dream, his latter-day counterpart Emma Amos depicts a nightmarish scene in The Heavens Rain. A Black nuclear family  a man, a woman and three children  are shown free-falling through black space in this mixed-media painting.

Music and sound pour from the imposing stack of audio speakers in Nadine Robinsons Coronation Theme: Organon. These uniformly placed black speakers make up the visual component of an audio collage juxtaposing the sounds of a Black choir, fiery sermons, prayers and throbbing bass notes.

The small community of Gees Bend, Alabama, is home to several women who have consistently produced striking quilts from fabric scraps. One of their number, Rita Mae Pettaway, is represented here by a dazzling red and blue housetop quilt that holds its own alongside geometric-abstract works by Sanford Biggers, Sam Gilliam and James Little.

African spiritual traditions brought to the Americas with the slave trade are celebrated in Renee Stouts intricately structured assemblage She Kept Her Conjuring Table Very Neat. With its mesmerizing array of charms, bones and other small objects, this piece does more than represent an enduring tradition; in effect, it directly manifests that tradition.
Malone opened the midtown store with her sister Lucile Flournoy in 1997. The gallery specializes in custom framing, original fine art and giftware. Malone said framing makes up the bulk of their business, and this specialty was what helped the shop survive during the COVID-19 recession.

In spring of 2020, it quickly became clear that people were not going out shopping, and even less so during the shutdown, Malone said. To make matters worse, the gallerys suppliers, many of whom are located in other states, were also having problems due to local and state shutdowns in their regions.

One of the main vendors shut down their New York warehouse, which stopped all moulding coming from New York to their Atlanta warehouse, Malone said. It left the Atlanta warehouse as being the only one open for the whole country for all of their customers.

The Atlanta warehouse was working harder and running out of materials faster, she said. This meant the gallery had to order everything they thought they would need for the jobs they had in hand, before closing as well.

During the shutdown, staff members did come in to do some work, but the gallery remained closed to customers.

It didnt matter, Malone said. Because nobody was going anywhere.
"We have the opportunity (to demonstrate), therefore this responsibility rests on us, we must shout at the whole world, so that the whole world supports us in our pursuit of freedom and democracy, Aslauski said.

In front of the Russian embassy, speakers accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for the repressions in Belarus. One banner showed an image of Lukashenko depicted as a vampire, with blood dripping from his mouth.

Lukashenko has earned the nickname of Europes last dictator in the West for his relentless repression of dissent since taking the helm in 1994. In one shocking case, the regime this year arrested a dissident journalist after forcing his flight to divert to Belarus.

The organizers of the Warsaw march said the event was held as a sign that Belarusians in Poland will not give up their fight to bring change to Belarus. Among their demands was the release of political prisoners back home.

Poland, along with Lithuania and Ukraine, has become a key center of life in exile for Belarusians who have fled their homeland. Many people in Poland, an ex-communist country now in the European Union which shares a border with Belarus, support the efforts of Belarusians seeking democratic change.
About the series

More than 150 years after Americas slaves were freed and Nebraska gave birth to its capital, a UNL journalism class posed the question: Whats it like to be Black in Lincoln?

Students spent 15 weeks digging deep into the lives of a dozen residents representing a cross-section of Lincolns Black community: former basketball stars, BLM leaders, preachers, teachers, cops, convicts, businessmen, chefs, electricians and youth leaders. They discovered many had faced racial profiling, housing discrimination and police harassment, while others received ugly death threats, verbal abuse and hate-filled letters. The students also found that these Black residents think Lincolns racial climate has improved overall but still has a ways to go. And most believed that it will get there.

The semester-long depth-reporting project was overseen by Professors Joe Starita and Jennifer Sheppard and instructor Roger Holmes.

Read past stories at JournalStar.com.
OMAHA  The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday largely upheld an arbitrator's decision that an Omaha fire union leader should have been suspended, rather than fired, for his actions during an encounter with a Black woman at a bar in 2018.

The high court mostly agreed with a district court judge, who refused to vacate the arbitrator's decision in the case of Steve LeClair, president of the Omaha firefighters union.

LeClair was fired after a Black woman alleged he made sexually suggestive comments to her at Tiger Tom's Pub in Omaha in November 2018, elbowed her in the back and muttered the phrase white power.

LeClair was charged with assault and battery and disorderly conduct, and later pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge. He disputed the woman's characterization of his comments, contending that he said What white power?" while trying to make a negative comment about white nationalist groups that he had been discussing with his colleagues earlier that night. He denied making sexual advances toward her.
The Seward County Sheriff's Office is searching for a man who fled from custody Saturday afternoon during a traffic stop along Interstate 80.

At about 3 p.m., a deputy with the Seward County Drug Interdiction Task Force stopped a westbound vehicle at mile marker 378. Multiple deputies arrived on scene to assist, and the deputies located drugs in the vehicle.

They arrested Natanael Rivas-Visoso of Mexico and placed him in a patrol car. While they continued to search his vehicle, Rivas-Visoso was able to slip out of the handcuffs and climb out of the patrol car. He fled on foot across I-80 and into a corn field between 294th Road, 308th Road, I-80 and O Street.

As of Sunday morning Rivas-Visoso hadn't been located. He is 5-foot-8 with brown eyes, black hair and a black goatee. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

The sheriff's office is urging area residents to remove any keys from vehicles and call 402-643-4578 to report suspicious activity or sightings of Rivas-Visoso.

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* Big moment for University of Nebraska regents, who are elected on a nonpartisan ballot with responsibility to be governors and stewards of the university, when they confront the academic freedom ramifications of a politically-charged resolution opposing the teaching of critical race theory at the university.

* Brad Ashford, a former state senator and former Omaha congressman, suggests that all gubernatorial candidates ought to sign a pledge to not interfere in legislative races, providing evidence of a commitment to work with members of the nonpartisan Legislature without regard to party affiliation.

* New book coming on the life and times of Clayton Yeutter, "Rhymes With Fighter," written by Joseph Weber at the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

* Yeutter had a huge and lasting impact on Nebraska when he helped guide and assist Gov. Norbert Tiemann in constructing a state sales-income tax system that opened the door to the future by providing the state with a robust revenue stream. Then, Yeutter moved on to serve presidents and the nation in a variety of roles.

* Another new book chronicles "the imminent depletion" of the Ogallala Aquifer, written by anthropologist Lucas Bessire. It centers on western Kansas, not Nebraska, and is titled "Running Out."
1871: The fifth convention of the State Teachers Association met in Lincoln.

The Holmes and Finnigan brickyard on the west side of Salt Creek reported it had manufactured and sold 800,000 bricks since it began operating.

1881: Swarms of grasshoppers, flying very high, passed over Lincoln, evidence of an infestation that was wreaking havoc on crops in some areas.

1891: The Rock Island Railroad put into effect its official time card, listing Lincoln as one of the principal cities between Chicago and Pueblo.

1901: Anthrax was reported among cattle in Cuming County.

The large tent of the Seventh-day Adventists was moved from the corner of 16th and M streets to make way for an addition to the high school.

1911: A tornado passed over Hebron, damaging trees and buildings.

Nebraska Rep. George W. Norris introduced a joint resolution in the House proposing uniform marriage and divorce laws for all states.

1921: Policeman Whit Hanley accidentally shot and seriously injured Isador Tucker, a Nebraska City merchant, while attempting to stop a fleeing prisoner.
A childhood polio survivor, McConnell used leftover campaign funds for ads on 100 Kentucky radio stations calling the vaccines highly effective and a modern medical miracle.

Partisan acrimony remains on multiple issues from voting rights to immigration. Just last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy a moron, and the GOP leader said, if he becomes speaker, it will be hard not to hit her with the gavel.

Still, the Senates infrastructure alliance is not the only sign of nascent bipartisanship.

When the House Select Committee on the January 6 insurrection held its first hearing, gripping accounts from Capitol police officers dominated the coverage. But the days most significant long-term development was the unified determination among its seven Democrats and two Republicans to pursue that horrific days unanswered questions.

In fact, the two GOP members, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, were the most outspoken in vowing to tackle the factor most fraught with political consequences: Trumps role in the demonstration-turned-riot that sought to keep Congress from certifying his 2020 election defeat.
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained exactly why we need to mask up again  because the delta variant is so much more easily passed on, even by those who have been vaccinated  Parson couldnt help disparaging the new guidance. He called it a setback to vaccination efforts, as if we cant do both.

Instead of acknowledging that masking up again, depressing as the need to do so is, makes sense and will save lives, the governor tweeted that the guidance, which has changed because the virus has changed, is concerning evidence of cowering in the face of political pressure, and only promotes fear & further division. All tweeting is autobiography, right?

Still, there have also been some indications that the ferocity of the delta variant is changing minds. Missouris vaccination rate has increased in recent weeks, though not nearly enough.

Those who tell their doctors and pharmacists that they are getting vaccinated in secret deserve credit: At least theyre protecting themselves from serious illness, even if theyre too ashamed to encourage others by letting anyone know that.
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Burlington lake a lost cause? Not just yet. City has one more idea to maybe save Echo Lake

SCOTT WILLIAMS, Journal Times file photo The 300-foot-long concrete dam across the White River in Burlington has created Echo Lake. If the dam is removed, the lake will empty permanently into the river.

BURLINGTON  The future of Echo Lake is looking increasingly bleak.

Consultants found that building a dam to meet current state flood-protection standards is a physical impossibility.

City officials trying to save the 70-acre lake are hoping to persuade state regulators to accept an alternative flood-control approach that would allow the lake to remain.

If the city cannot find a solution that satisfies state environmental officials, the dam might have to be removed. Then, Echo Lake would be allowed to to drain, vanishing forever into the natural flow of the White River.

While draining the lake would mean the end of a longtime recreational resource and community landmark, it also would save taxpayers a significant among of money and would open up acreage for a new public park development.

A group called Save Echo Lake & Dam, with more than 900 members on Facebook, is urging city officials to make the investment in preserving the site.

Time to say goodbye?

$1 for 6 months of unlimited local journalism

Former Burlington Park Board President Paul Haynes says it is time to take down the dam and say goodbye to Echo Lake.

Haynes said the lake has become badly polluted and now represents a flood risk, so city leaders should focus their attention and financial resources on transforming the site. Soccer fields, gardens, even a golf course are possible if the lake is removed, he said.

Theres lots of options there, he said. Its certainly time to make the switch.

Haynes, a retired school teacher, served as Park Board president throughout the 1990s.

In 2015, the state Department of Natural Resources determined that the 50-year-old dam at Echo Lake is no longer adequate to safeguard against a catastrophic flood. State officials gave Burlington city leaders 10 years  until 2025  to rectify the situation.

The city has hired the engineering firm of Ayres Associates Inc. to study options and prepare cost estimates.

The firm already has estimated that it would cost $2.5 million just to dredge pollutants and other sediment from Echo Lake, where the average water depth has dwindled to just two feet.

In a finding presented this week, the engineers have reported that it is not possible to design a dam capable of containing a 500-year flood, as the state directed in 2015. They attribute the problem to the physical geography of the area surrounding Echo Lake.

City Public Works Director Peter Riggs said it is disappointing to learn that the dam could not be remodeled or even replaced to achieve the needed results.

Thats just not going to be realistically feasible, Riggs said.

Flood concerns

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.

Andrea Stern, a DNR water management engineer, said part of the problem seems to exist downstream from Echo Lake, where the White River connects to the Fox River next to Wehmhoff Jucker Park in the heart of Burlington. There, water could back up and flood worse than anticipated, Stern said.

Part of the measure of a dams ability to control flooding is in its capacity for controlled release of water downstream.

Until the citys consultants tested their model for a 500-year flood at Echo Lake, the physical limitations of the areas topography were unknown, Stern said.

Its not something that we were expecting, she added.

swilliams / SCOTT WILLIAMS, scott.williams@journaltimes.com With the 300-foot-long Echo Lake dam visible in the background, Adrien Erickson of Racine, shown casting his line while fishing in the White River July 8, says that catfish, musky and other fish like to gather near the dam.

Potential solution

With no hope of complying with the states 500-year flood standard, Burlington leaders are instead trying to persuade the state to accept a 100-year flood standard.

The Burlington City Council has directed Ayres Associates to study an alternative approach known as dam submergence. Under that model, the state would accept a flooding scenario in which the Echo Lake dam would end up completely submerged under water during a flood, so long as the dam does not fail and allow the entirety of Echo Lake to empty uncontrollably into the surrounding area.

Stern said the DNR would be willing to consider such an approach for reduced requirements, although she is not aware of any lake where it has been implemented.

Its definitely something that can be done, she said. They have to be able to really prove why we should allow it.

Riggs said dam submergence is not a lesser level of flood protection. He said it is too early to speculate whether DNR officials would agree to such an approach.

Weve got to model it, and weve got to get buy-in from the DNR, he said.

Haynes said the alternative approach would not address Echo Lakes water-quality problem and would not reduce the chances for flooding.

You will solve nothing, he said. If you maintain the status quo, youre going to put the same people at risk again and again.

Next steps

City officials have agreed to pay Ayres Associates $11,533  in addition to $13,500 already paid  to report on the feasibility of the alternative dam approach. The report is expected by November.

Adam Schneider, project manager for Ayres, declined to comment.

No estimates have been released on the cost of retrofitting the Echo Lake dam for the new strategy.
When asked if the documents equally served every American, Steil did contend that the U.S. is on a journey to form a new perfect union and that there is work to be done.

We said all men are created equal. But at the beginning, right, that wasnt true, Steil said.

Steil largely focused on what he called excessive spending in Washington; thats been his focus since being elected in 2018.

This spending, according to Steil, is making it difficult to fund programs such as Social Security and Medicare while also driving up prices of consumer goods. Steil pointed to his recent experience of purchasing a used vehicle as well as gas and groceries.

Im very concerned about the excessive spending in Washington not only from a debt deficit standpoint, but Im also very concerned about the implications that has to the rising in cost of goods, because if the cost of things go up, say, 5%, even if you get a 3% raise at work, what happened? You actually almost lost 2% of your money, Steil said during the town hall.

Afterward, during a one-on-one interview with The Journal Times, Steil also noted prices rising due to complexities caused by the pandemic.
William Browns 4-year-old daughters laughed as they took turns riding a bike up and down the sidewalk. It was an afternoon in late July, and Brown was sweating bullets.

Even so, he bore the sun with his girls for hours. It was priceless to him to watch them playing so freely  it had been over a year since theyd had the chance.

Just weeks ago, Brown and his family had been living in a hotel in Whitewater. Before that, it was another hotel, and before that, another. Sometimes they slept in the car, rolling up baby blankets into the windows so the sun wouldnt wake the girls or their 1-year-old boy.

Browns family is one of about a dozen currently staying at Dariens Twin Oaks Shelter for the Homeless, operated by Community Action. About 100 applicants sit on the shelters waitlist, evidence of an ongoing crisis exacerbated by the skyrocketed pandemic housing demand in Walworth County that took affordable rentals off the market. The increased number of short-term vacation rentals has also hurt.

Before the escalation of the pandemic in late 2019, Brown was making a generous salary as a travelling quality assurance manager. At that particular moment in time, he was working in Terre Haute, Indiana while his family stayed in Beloit.
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1. FDA action. If the FDA gives final approval to the vaccines, it will reduce hesitancy.

2. Offer money. Offering a cash stipend has worked in some areas. Expand the effort.

3. Employer mandates. If workers are required to get the shot, the rate will increase.

4. Better messaging. An advertising blitz by respected officials might pay off.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say, since some are adamantly opposed to getting vaccinated.

Vote

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Most people in central Nebraska equate Rowe Sanctuary with the crane migration. Summer can be a slow time of the year at the sanctuary since the cranes have flown to the northern latitudes. But with the easing of COVID-19 shutdowns, Winkel has noticed an increase in visitors at Rowe.

This summer weve actually seen quite a bit of traffic that we dont normally see, she said. I think thats because people are traveling all at once, now that the country is opening up again.

Blues on the Banks helps to remind people in central Nebraska of the mission of Rowe Sanctuary.

It will be a nice night to come out, Winkel said. Pre-fall is actually one of my favorite times on the prairie. A lot of flowers are blooming right now  which I always associate with the start of school. Its really a beautiful time of the year to be out here and its a great venue for a lot of reasons. Well have the stage stationed so the band will be playing, hopefully, in front of a beautiful sunset in front of the Platte River.

She encourages patrons to bring lawn chairs or blankets and appropriate clothing for the weather since the event is held outdoors.
HOLMEN  The owners of Holmens newest restaurant say they are grateful for the support theyve received from the community.

Its gone really, really good, said Fabian Arzate, one of three owners of Hacienda Vieja Mexican Grill & Bar. The restaurant opened July 6 in Suites 105 and 106 in the Old Town Center development at 208 S. Holmen Drive.

The other owners are Antonio Leon and Reyes Aranda Jr. All three are natives of Mexico and have backgrounds in the restaurant industry.

Thank you to the community for supporting a local business, Arzate said Wednesday.

The new Holmen restaurant features authentic Mexican food, he said.

Some of the most popular menu items include fajitas, burritos, molcajetes and street tacos, Arzate said.

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These are the most popular, he said. But everybody is different, everybody likes different styles of food.

Hacienda Vieja has an extensive menu, with a variety of enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, chimichangas, nachos, salads and steak, chicken, pork and seafood entrees. It also has soups, several vegetarian items and Hawaiian, Mexican and Texas hamburgers and cheeseburgers.
The just released July 2021 Jobs Report touts an impressive increase of 943,000 jobs added to the US economy, and the unemployment rate fell to 5.4% nationally. It was the largest job gain since August of 2020, and more than the 870,000 that some economist had expected.

While this is great news for the economy, it continues to mean that the competition for talented workforce has increased even more, and businesses have their work cut out for them to hire and retain staff. As businesses try to formulate their response to the labor shortage, they are looking both externally for talent to hire, and internally to make sure that their business is a place that top talent wants to work.

One approach is to model their internal reviews after the work done by Kathleen Hogan, Microsofts Chief People Officer and her team at Microsoft. Over the last five years, Microsoft has undergone a cultural transformation using a pathway that acknowledges 5 Ps: Pay, Perks, Pride, People and Passion for business and workforce growth. They recognized that each of these five elements is interconnected with the others, and no single P can propel the organization to meet its goals.
Ashley for the Arts is ready to bring the area community back together after last year's cancellation due to COVID-19.

The annual event -- which is full of music, arts activities and other festivities -- is designed to help give back to the community, both by providing low cost access to the arts and by donating to local organizations.

With large sponsors covering most of the costs of the festival, the ticket revenue and other money raised can cover the small amount still needed for expenses and then the rest can be donated back to groups and institutions such as area schools -- including Winona Area Public Schools and schools in La Crosse -- food pantries, local clubs and more.

In 2019 alone, Ashley for the Arts was able to donate $590,000 to over 60 non-profit organizations in the area, according to the festival's website.

"With having a year off, we wanted to make sure we came back strong," Ashley for the Arts event director Cole Bawek said.

He shared that Ashley for the Arts is a large financial opportunity for many of those non-profit organizations.

"By not having the event last year, it hurt those organizations," Bawek said. "We (hope) we can bring people here safely so we can help support our communities."
July 2021 has been a busy month for the Tomah Knights of Columbus Council 4125 as it continued its mission of community service and charitable contributions and living up to the four pillars of the core beliefs of the Knights of Columbus: charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.

Knight and Family of the Month

The Knight of the Month for July 2021 is Larry Scheckel. Larry is an active member of both Knights of Columbus and Queen of the Apostle Parish. He completed a two-year term as Grand Knight, was past Faithful Navigator for the Fourth Degree Assembly 1902, is an active member of the Honor Guard Team and writes a monthly The Knightly News column for local newspapers.

The Family of the Month for July 2021 is Tony and Nicole Foat. The Foat family moved to Tomah in July 2018 after seven years in Texas. Sir Knight Tony is a Medical Service Corps Officer in the United States Army. He has been married to Nicole for 23 years. Nicole is a former Catholic school teacher and currently home-schools Maggie and Lilie. James, 19, attends Winona State majoring in geo-sciences. The entire family are choir members. Tony is a Lector and on the board of Family Promise of Monroe County. Nicole is PCCW co-president, CCD teacher, and Eucharistic minister.

New Faithful Navigator
Learn more about the state of angel and venture capital investments in Wisconsin and meet the director of the Tech Council Investor Networks Monday, Aug. 9, in La Crosse at the offices of the Idea Fund of La Crosse.

La Crosse is the final stop on the Wisconsin Technology Councils Wisconsin Portfolio tour, which included six other presentations in Green Bay, Egg Harbor, Eau Claire, Beloit, Madison and Milwaukee.

Attendees can meet Investor Networks director Joe Kremer, hear a breakdown of Wisconsins early stage deals in 2020, and network with a happy hour hosted by the Idea Fund and managing director Jonathan Horne. Communications director Laura Kaiser will be on hand to answer other questions about the Tech Councils statewide mission.

Registrants may arrive by 3 p.m. The presentation will last from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., followed by questions and a networking happy hour. Investors, entrepreneurs, corporate representatives and others interested in Wisconsins early stage investment climate are among those encouraged to attend.

Published every year since 2008, the Wisconsin Portfolio details record early-stage investments during what was predicted to be a down year due the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about what industry sectors were the most active and who is investing.
Carrot or stick?

The question of whether to mandate or incentivize COVID-19 vaccines intensified last week for employers, state and federal agencies, hospitals and colleges across the country in the race to vaccinate as many people as possible and stop an even more deadly variant of the coronavirus from developing.

With the start of school just a month away, a growing number of University of Wisconsin System professors and staff are calling for campuses to require COVID-19 vaccinations this fall as the delta variant fuels a surge of infections at a caseload not seen in the state since the winter.

I am deeply concerned about the dangers, potentially long-term, posed to the health and well-being of students as well as our campus and surrounding community if we do not have a vaccine mandate, UW-Madison employee Susan Nossal said.

But the System has so far resisted those calls, taking the same position that the majority of other colleges have in strongly encouraging but stopping short of requiring that students get the shots. Many UW campuses are instead offering incentives such as laptops, gift cards and tickets to sporting events.
The transportation sector is the largest source of carbon pollution in the country, and Wisconsinites are suffering. More than 50,000 children and 450,000 adults suffer from asthma across Wisconsin, and pollution from cars, trucks and buses increases the risk for such respiratory diseases.

These impacts are even more severe in low-wealth communities and communities of color, which experience disproportionate harm from dirty vehicle pollution, leading to skewed rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. All Wisconsinites, from the children riding school buses to the daily commuters and delivery drivers, are impacted by air pollution, and we deserve cleaner air. Now is the time to make needed investments in modernizing our transit infrastructure to allow for more electric vehicles and charging stations.
The Biden administrations new moratorium on evictions postpones yet again the crisis of debt that looms over millions of American households where the rent or mortgages are months overdue.

But instead of solving the main problem of mounting indebtedness to landlords and banks, the new moratorium seems likely to make it worse. And the threat of a federal court order reversing President Joe Bidens two-month moratorium could force the administration and Congress to fix the same basic problem they should have been working to fix all along.

Congress imposed the original moratorium in early 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic began spreading rapidly and much of the nation went into shutdown mode. Tens of millions of workers were displaced from their jobs, and even with two big federal stimulus payouts to individuals, many used all available cash to buy food and other essentials rather than pay rent. Landlords effectively got stuck with those bills  even though they remained on the hook for their own business loans and other operating expenses.

One estimate suggests the outstanding bills owed by more than 6 million renters could be around $27.5 billion. A federal aid package to landlords was supposed to disburse around $46 billion, but only a tiny fraction has reached them so far. Which means landlords are still absorbing the costs unfairly.
A small shop featuring old-fashioned candies sold individually and in bulk has opened in Lancaster City.

Vintage Candy has opened at 602 St. Joseph St., taking space in a corner building that was recently renovated. The selection at the 450-square-foot shop includes more than 200 different kinds of candies and novelties, including candy balls, jawbreakers, candy buttons, caramels, toffee, chocolates and mints.

Candy is sold individually, or by weight. Prices start at five cents. The shop also sells gift bags, has candy vending machines and sells cotton candy.

Vintage Candy is owned by Christine Gable, who owns Beech Tree Trading, which helps companies sell products online. Candies for the new shop are prepared and stored at the companys warehouse.

Gable said she decided to open Vintage Candy after she started selling old-fashioned candies online and then determined she wanted to recreate an old-fashioned candy store. She furnished her shop with glass cabinetry and a register counter from a former general store in New Hampshire.
In May, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic was seemingly in sight.

Pennsylvanias mask mandate was nearing its end. Vaccines were widely available. Community spread was on the decline.

As such, Lancaster County school districts, some facing intense pressure from families and conservative political groups, wasted little time in announcing their expectations for the 2021-22 school year: No masks, no social distancing, and in-person five days a week.

But things have changed  for the worse.

COVID-19 infections are becoming more frequent; the contagious delta variant is now the dominant strain in the country; and vaccination rates are beginning to stall.

County school officials, however, mostly havent changed their tune, as the majority of school districts plan to reopen this month in-person five days a week with masks optional and little to no social distancing. Thats caused some to question how safe a return to normal really is.

No mandate, but masks suggested

Mask-optional policies are in conflict with the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Department of Education, who all have stated students, faculty and staff should wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

School officials say while theyre monitoring state and federal guidance, they are leaning heavily on local data to make decisions, as surges in COVID-19 cases happening across the country have not been as significant here. Barring an official mandate from the state or federal government, most school officials said, they will not require anyone to wear a mask, at least to begin the school year.

The only Lancaster County school district that has signaled a mask requirement, at least for unvaccinated individuals, for the upcoming school year was School District of Lancaster.

Guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education states schools should follow the CDCs layered mitigation strategies for full-time, in-person learning  such as universal mask-wearing indoors, at least 3 feet of social distancing, enhanced ventilation, routine cleaning and disinfecting, and proper hand-washing and respiratory etiquette  to the greatest extent possible.

Gov. Wolf on Friday said at a news conference Friday that he wouldn't be ordering Pennsylvania schools to require masks.

"The CDC guidelines strongly recommend that schools do that," Wolf said of mask-wearing. "Theyre not mandating it and neither am I.

Local schools have announced plans to follow many of the CDC's guidelines. Federal pandemic relief funds have made some of those possible. But when it comes to masks and, in many cases, social distancing, its a different story.

That leaves school districts to make decisions at the local level based on the needs of their community, the wishes of their community and the CDC guidance, Solanco School District Superintendent Brian Bliss said of the states message for the upcoming school year.

Critics, however, say dropping mask requirements, a measure that contributed to reduced outbreaks in schools last year, is potentially dangerous for the entire community, particularly when that community doesnt have high vaccination rates.

Currently, about 54% of Lancaster County residents are fully vaccinated, according to Pennsylvania Department of Health data. Only individuals 12 and older are eligible for a vaccine, meaning essentially all elementary school students are unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, as of Tuesday, Lancaster County is considered to have substantial community transmission of COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Masks, vaccinations and proper ventilation are the three most important strategies to mitigate the chance of spreading the virus, which is mostly transmitted through the air, upon close contact, Chelsea Shover, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at UCLA, said. Without them, it may not be safe to reopen schools for full-time, in-person learning, she said.

I dont think very many people like wearing masks, said Shover, who grew up in Pequea Township and graduated from Penn Manor High School in 2007, but, you know, when you consider the alternative, it really is a pretty manageable intervention.

Masking draws vocal opposition

Masks became a hot-button issue toward the end of the 2020-21 school year, when conservative parent groups and far-right political organizations, such as Free PA, organized large protests at school board meetings across the county to express their discontent with mask mandates, along with other issues like vaccines and critical race theory.

Among the sites of those protests were Ephrata Area, Manheim Central, Penn Manor, Solanco and Warwick school districts.

Unmasking advocates said such mandates violated their constitutional freedoms and harmed kids mental health. Some threatened a mass exodus from public school if masks were required.

Those demonstrations continued through July, as school districts discussed and approved their health and safety plans  a document required by the state that briefly outlines what mitigation strategies the school district will implement.

I dont know if it was necessarily pressure that weighs into the option, but it does give us some indication on how many kids may or may not come back to school based on masks, Bliss, Solancos superintendent, said of the wave of conservative criticism.

Solanco is among the school districts that now require a school board vote in order to mandate masks, taking the decision out of administrators hands. Bliss said the board asked for that to be added to the health and safety plan when masks became just a hot issue community-wide.

Brian Barnhart, the executive director of the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, regularly meets with superintendents in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. He said masks have been a sensitive issue.

If we say were going to ask people to mask, youre unleashing fury, Barnhart said. Theres a reaction thats just really far beyond the magnitude of what it should be.

Barnhart said the general consensus among school districts has been no masks and full-time, in-person instruction, but that can change depending on the spikes in cases that are occurring.

Regarding mask mandates, Barnhart said, I dont know if the juice is worth the squeeze right now, especially with whats been minimal transmission among students in school.

A return to normal?

Cocalico School District Superintendent Ella Musser said the limited spread of COVID-19 within schools is one reason why local decision-making is important.

Here in Cocalico, we really werent seeing the cases in school, she said of the 2020-21 school year. So I think, as we make decisions, I do think it is important to recognize that what may be happening all across the U.S., or potentially across Pennsylvania, doesnt always impact the local community the same way.

Last school year, there were strict rules related to masking, social distancing, contact tracing and reporting COVID-19 cases, which contributed to the virus limited reach. Still, schools countywide saw occasional spikes in cases throughout the year, leading to staff shortages and intermittent school closures. There are no such mandates this school year.

For teachers, a return to normal  without routine quarantines and shifts to virtual learning  sounds nice, but thats only possible if people act responsibly, said Manheim Township Middle School teacher and Manheim Township Education Association President Samantha McNally.

We saw that masks work, and I hope that families make smart decisions, McNally, who teaches seventh-grade social studies, said of last school year.

McNally said she is vaccinated, but she will likely wear a mask this school year to support students who decide to wear one. Most teachers, she said, will do what they need to do to make a return to normal possible.
Kyriana Valentin admits she was scared when she learned she was pregnant.

At 16 years old, she was beginning her sophomore year at Manheim Township High School.

After I found out, my main thing was I need to tell my mom, she said. I just didnt know exactly how to or how she would react.

Valentin waited three weeks before telling her mom, Katherine Lopez, and when she found out, Lopez said she went into shock mode and was very upset.

But after the shock wore off, Lopez shared something with her daughter.

When she finally told me she was pregnant, she told me her due date was July 8, Lopez said. I told her, I think youre going to have him on our birthday. 

Lopez, 43, and Valentin share the same birth date  June 30. If Lopezs prediction held true, they would be welcoming a third member to their birthday club. It would be a special and rare moment as, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the odds of three generations from one family sharing the same birth date are 1 in 133,225.

Sure enough, after staying in school and working through her pregnancy, as well as facing complications during labor and delivery, Valentin gave birth to Elias Matos at 10:34 a.m. on June 30 at Women & Babies Hospital, the same hospital where his mom was born exactly 17 years earlier.

This baby had purpose

Isaac Matos, the babys father, was worried as Valentin struggled with complications during their sons delivery.

It was definitely scary, the 18-year-old 2020 Manheim Township High School graduate said.

He said the doctors were concerned with the babys heart rate and Valentins contractions.

To see the people who know the most about delivery like that, is definitely concerning, Matos said. But they had a plan, so I left it in their hands. And hes here, so they did a pretty good job.

Like Lopez, Israel Matos  Isaac Matos father  knew his grandson would be born on June 30.

She started having contractions early, and it didnt seem like she was going to make it to the actual due date, Israel Matos, 43, said. We all knew the due date was July 8, but I agreed with Katherine and was certain that the baby was going to be born on the 30th.

My reasoning was more providential than it was scientific, he said. This baby had purpose, and one of the signs of that was that the baby was going to be born on the 30th.

And Lopezs birthday prediction wasnt the only mothers intuition moment she would have about her new grandson. Three months before Elias was born, Lopez said she had a dream where she saw what he looked like: a light complexion and a little brown mohawk.

I know people dont believe in stuff like that, but I do, Lopez said. I had a dream that the baby was going to look just like how he looked when he was born  minus the fat part.

Elias weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces when he was born.

God has a plan

Valentin was taking classes online when she learned she was pregnant last October. She decided to return to in-person classes in January.

It was definitely hard, said Valentin, who went to school from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. before immediately going to work at Giant Food Stores, where she worked up to five hours four days per week.

I was always sick in the morning, she said. As soon as I ate breakfast for school, Id have to throw up. The constant walking at school and work made my feet hurt. I was so tired. I always had to leave school early toward the end of the day for doctors appointments just to make it on time.

Valentin said the stress of being pregnant and having to deal with school, work and all of the doctor appointments took a toll on her. But she managed to earn the credits she needed to move into her junior year at Manheim Township High School in the fall.

Valentin and Isaac Matos have established a co-parenting relationship, where he visits every day and stays at Valentins home on weekends.

Everybody at her house is welcoming, Matos said. Its about the best situation that you can get for two people having a baby together that arent in a relationship.

And he said even though Elias shares a birthday with Valentin and Lopez, he feels he still has a special connection with his son.

I helped make him. I saw him come out. Ill never forget that, he said. Thats about as special of a connection as you can get.

As for Valentin, she said she feels theres a meaning for why she, Elias and her mom share the same birth date, but she doesnt know what it is.

I think about it a lot, Valentin said. When hes up, I stare at him and try to figure it out, but I have no clue.

While Valentin is not sure of the meaning behind the shared birthday, her mom is certain that it is a meaning of purpose.

It scares me that we share the same birthday because of the unknown, Lopez said. Im still trying to process him being born on our birthday versus a week later when he was actually due. But theres a reason why things happen. Theres a reason for everything.

God has a plan and a purpose for everything that he does.
When Lancaster County public school students return to their classrooms in a few weeks, itll look and feel a lot different than it did last school year.

Gone, for the most part, will be masks, 6 feet of social distancing, virtual students Zooming with in-person classmates, and quiet, isolated lunches  as of now.

Thats according to school officials and school district health and safety plans for the 2021-22 school year.

How long will it last? That depends on how much worse the state of COVID-19 in the county  which is now under substantial community spread, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  gets in the coming months.

Here are the answers to some questions families are wondering about as the start of the school year approaches.

Will my child need to wear a mask?

Guidance from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and U.S. Department of Education states students, faculty and staff should wear masks indoors. The majority of county school districts, though, are beginning the school year completely mask-optional. Only School District of Lancaster has signaled a mask requirement at least for those who arent vaccinated. However, passengers and drivers are required to wear masks on school buses, per the CDCs public transportation face covering order issued in January.

Will my child need to get a COVID-19 vaccine?

No, Lancaster County school districts are not requiring the COVID-19 vaccine, though state and federal officials are strongly encouraging all who are eligible for the vaccine to get one.

Will schools implement social distancing?

Not really. Unlike last school year, where schools were supposed to separate students by 6 feet, the federal guidance has now changed to at least 3 feet. Dont expect schools to strictly adhere to this, however. Most schools are encouraging social distancing when practicable. Thats not exactly strong language. So, while there might be some effort put into separating students again this year, it doesnt seem to be a strict rule. In reality, 3 feet isnt out of the ordinary compared to the traditional, pre-pandemic classroom.

What learning options will be available this year?

In most cases, only two learning options will be available: full-time, in-person instruction or a district-affiliated online program. School District of Lancaster is piloting a hybrid program for students in kindergarten through third grade called Full Circle Learning.

Parents could also opt for a fully online cyber charter school not affiliated with their local school district, choose to place their children in a private school or homeschool.

How will contact tracing work?

Similar to last school year, contact tracing will be handled by individual schools and largely rely on families communicating COVID-19 infections. Schools will ask individuals to quarantine depending on their proximity to those who have tested positive. The extent of the quarantine may depend on vaccination status.

Will I be notified of COVID-19 cases in my childs school?

Expect schools to use similar methods of communication as they did last school year in terms of emails, letters home and online updates. One significant change, however, may be the absence of an online COVID-19 dashboard showing how many cases are at each school. Unlike last school year, school districts arent required to monitor cases in each building and close if the number of cases exceeds a certain threshold determined by the state. Some school districts may decide to keep some version of a dashboard on their websites for the sake of transparency, but those discussions are largely still taking place.
PEFKI, Greece (AP)  Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts.

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began Aug. 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast as it burned out of control. Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed and thousands of residents and tourists have fled, many escaping the flames via flotillas that even operated in the dark of night.

The blaze is the most severe of dozens that broke out in the wake of Greece's most protracted heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) for days, creating bone-dry conditions.

Its already too late, the area has been destroyed, Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the northern Evia municipality of Istiaia, lamented on Greeces Open TV. He was one of several local officials and residents who took to Greek TV networks to appeal for more firefighting help, particularly from water-dropping planes and helicopters.

Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for four villages in northern Evia, including Pefki, but many residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties.

In dramatic scenes Sunday afternoon, fast-moving flames had encroached on the seaside village of Pefki, burning trees on the fringes and entering the houses yards. Panicked residents raced with water tanks, hoses and branches in a seemingly futile effort to extinguish the flames.

Late Sunday, firefighters managed to stop the fire before it advanced further into Pefki, on the islands northern coast. Pefki residents and tourists fled to the port of Aidipsos to take the ferry to the mainland port of Arkitsa, 150 kilometers northwest of Athens.

Acrid, choking smoke hung in the orange-grey air, turning the day into an apocalyptic twilight as people headed towards Pefki's pebble beach, dragging suitcases, clutching pets and helping elderly relatives.

The ferry, carrying panicked, exhausted evacuees who had boarded the vessel before the advance of the fire was halted, arrived at Arkitsa on Sunday evening. Passengers complained they had been left to fend for themselves as the fire approched.

"We were completely forsaken. There were no fire brigades, there were no vehicles, nothing!" David Angelou told The Associated Press, adding that the villagers' hoses were inadequate to stop the fire.

Angelou described the frightening hours before the evacuation.

You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around, he said.

Angelou's complaint was echoed by others, who decried government efforts, citing what they saw as a lack of firefighting forces or planes or delays in their arrival.

There was ash and smoke everywhere, said Christina Tsatou, who had been in the seaside village of Agios Georgios. It is very sad that they did not send help in the first days and they left the island burning. It was unfair and many people have lost their property, their livelihoods.

In the picturesque mountain village of Gouves, towering flames leaped from the treetops, devouring the pine forest leading to the village. Some residents remained, dousing homes with water from garden hoses in a last-ditch effort to save them. Others used bulldozers to raze trees and bushes, hoping to create rudimentary firebreaks.

Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the Evia fire was burning on two fronts, one to the north and one to the south. He said the conditions there were particularly tough for the water-dropping planes and helicopters, whose pilots faced great danger" with limited visibility and air turbulence.

We have before us...one more difficult night, Hardalias said. All the forces that have been fighting a difficult battle all these days will continue operating with unabated intensity, with the same self-sacrifice.

The wildfires have stretched Greece's firefighting capabilities to the limit, and the government has appealed for help from abroad. More than 20 countries in Europe and the Mideast have responded, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and manpower.

The fire department said Sunday 575 firefighters, 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters. Four helicopters and three planes provided air support.

Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greece's southern Peloponnese region, while another broke out Sunday afternoon on the southern island of Crete.

Another massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane. That blaze burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens.

Firefighters were worried that the Mount Parnitha fire would rekindle, so they and the military had been patroling all night, Hardalias said.

On Friday, a volunteer firefighter died after suffering head injuries from a falling electric pole north of Athens, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters hospitalized in intensive care.

The causes of the fires are under investigation. At least eight people have been arrested around Greece.

Greek and European officials have also blamed climate change for the large number of fires in southern Europe this summer, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia.

In the U.S., hot, dry, gusty weather has also fueled devastating wildfires in California.



Becatoros reported from Argostoli, Greece. Iliana Mier-Lavin contributed to this report from Arkitsa, Greece and Demetris Nellas from Athens.



Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
No government can be free that does not allow all its citizens to participate in the formation and execution of her laws.

 Thaddeus Stevens, speech on reconstruction in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1867.

Partisan politics have hit a tipping point. We have become so polarized that we view our neighbors who disagree with us as enemies. Friendships are lost; families are not talking to each other; and isolation and violence are increasing. It is time for us to think anew.

Each of us has had our own journey in coming to terms with the disintegration and debasement of the Republican Party, the party to which we all once gave allegiance and served with joy and gusto.

We know there are plenty of former Democrats who feel the same way about their party, too. How do we know this? Because the number of registered independent voters has been growing steadily year over year, even here in staunchly Republican Lancaster County. The three of us have added to those independent numbers in recent years.

However, we know independence from political parties serves no purpose in the long term. The bottom line is not so much that parties are bad  it is that we have bad parties.

Increased partisan polarization in our country over the past 10 years has led to increased animosity and a seclusion from meaningful public discourse. A Pew Research Center study revealed that more than 60% of Republicans view Democrats as closed-minded, while 75% of Democrats say the same of Republicans. And 55% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats view members of the opposing party as more immoral than other Americans.

Folks now seem to be much more concerned with national news and politics than with local issues that affect them every day. While everyone has an opinion about the current or past president, few can name their elected municipal officials.

We are living the inverse of the old Tip ONeill adage that all politics is local.

All politics are national now, or so it seems. And even local politics now are shaped by national politics.

Extreme voices

Two salient examples on the right are the politicization of all things related to COVID-19  particularly vaccination and mask-wearing  as well as the continuing lies about the 2020 election.

We have plenty of disagreements with the Democratic Partys far left, too. We disagree with their redistributionist economic policies, nanny-state tendencies and political priorities, for instance. But the Democratic Party is now the only major party in America standing up against authoritarianism and the Jan. 6 attack on our democracy. We join the Democrats in that effort, but in the long term we arent looking simply to jump from one ideological group to another.

Culture warriors on prime-time cable news shows believe their daily assignment is to keep the electorate in a constant state of outrage, or exhaustion, thereby forcing the major political parties to adapt their agendas to the extreme voices in the minority.

And then there is the problem of leadership, or really the lack of it.

The founders of this country anticipated the problem of ambition in elected officials, and therefore created a brilliant system of checks and balances to mitigate it. But they did not anticipate widespread cowardice in public officials. The two major parties have rotted from within because far too few party leaders and politicians over the past 50 years care more about their country than their own careers and power. That includes the willingness of many conservative populists now to subvert the democratic process. It pains us to say this, because we worked so closely with many of these people in recent years, but for evidence of this subversion of democracy, see the disgraceful rhetoric and actions  or nonactions  of Lancaster County state lawmakers and our representative in Congress.

These major-party members subvert democracy by making ballot access harder, setting higher voter signature thresholds and requiring more paperwork requirements for independent candidates. In this regard, both major parties have the same incentive. For example, it is in both their interests to keep primaries closed in Pennsylvania, and to keep the taxpayers funding them, even though the process of nominating any partys preferred candidates should be at the partys expense.

If all voters could vote in the primaries using an innovative electoral reform such as ranked-choice voting, then the primary system would truly work for everyone and result in choices in the general election that would be broadly acceptable to as many people as possible.

If nothing else, politicians under such a system would have a lot more incentive to care about the needs of all their constituents and not just the narrow and vocal base of their own party, which elects them in primaries now. That problem is particularly acute here in Lancaster County where the primaries are essentially the only elections that matter for countywide and state legislative races because of the Republican Partys registration advantage. The same problem exists in deep blue areas of the commonwealth and the country.

Thaddeus Stevens example

Saying that the Republican Party has failed and needs reform is not a new concept in Lancaster County history. Thaddeus Stevens was a leading Radical Republican in the 1800s who said much the same thing.

The Radicals were described this way in an 1867 pamphlet published by the Union Republican Congressional Committee: The word Radical as applied to political parties and politicians ... means one who is in favor of going to the root of things; who is thoroughly in earnest; who desires that slavery should be abolished, that every disability connected therewith should be obliterated.

Radical reform means to identify the root of the problem and to change it. To achieve radical reform, Stevens and other reformers realized the need for systemic change. In Pennsylvania, Stevens was a leading advocate for universal public education, and in Congress he led the Radical Republicans in efforts to abolish slavery and eliminate egregious voting restrictions.

While not all their efforts succeeded, they did make progress and paved the way for others to follow. We can thank Stevens and the Radical Republicans for the 13th Amendment, which prohibited slavery anywhere in the United States, and the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship to formerly enslaved people born and naturalized in the U.S., and provided all citizens equal protection of the laws.

Return to pluralism

We are at such an inflection point today. The time has come for a new coalition of radicals to put country over party and work to make our commonwealth and nation stronger.

More people should be involved in the electoral process to ameliorate hyperpartisanship. It is time for reforms such as term limits, transparency, redistricting reform, open primaries and election innovation.

It is time to stop thinking in terms of left and right when considering what political parties are supposed to stand for. It is time to reject factions and fight for a return to pluralism, as James Madison championed, and to reform government to allow more people to freely participate in William Penns holy experiment.

To these ends, we have founded the Pennsylvania chapter of the Serve America Movement, a party founded by former George W. Bush administration members and led by its executive chairman, David Jolly, a former Republican congressman from Florida.

Our platform is focused on principles and reforms rather than a rigid ideology. We are in favor of collaborative problem-solving, transparency in politics, open primaries, term limits for state offices, removal of obstacles to legal voter registration, and voting and redistricting reform.

You can think of the platform of this new movement not so much as the wearing of a team jersey on the sidelines but as the maintaining of the field of play for fairness, access, the open debate of ideas, and fulfilling the ideals of American self-government.

Our commonwealth is rich and diverse, both geographically and ideologically. We certainly do not always see eye to eye and neither do SAM members. Thats why were building the first political party that starts with questions instead of top-down answers  one designed to deliver the most good for the most people.

We believe that all voters in Pennsylvania should have a choice at the ballot box every time theres an election. We have three objectives: We want to help more people run for office to force a broader discussion and increase voter engagement; we want to support major-party candidates who align with our principles-based platform; and we want to run our own SAM candidates.

Together we can fix a corrupt system and restore William Penns vision for a commonwealth that can self-govern without persecution or dissension. Join us to help fix the broken politics of Pennsylvania, and America, with fresh ideas and a commitment to working together to solve our common problems (joinsam.org/sam-pennsylvania). Join us for a conversation about the future of America.

Ann S. Womble is a former chair of the Republican Committee of Lancaster County and former community member of the LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board. Ethan Demme is a former chair of the Republican Committee of Lancaster County and a supervisor in East Lampeter Township. Phil Lapp is a Lancaster County entrepreneur and community volunteer.
Every 10 years, legislative districts across the country are redrawn to address shifts in population reflected in census data. Distribution of that data has been delayed this year but will be delivered to states soon, with initial data promised by mid-August and data in final format ready by late September.

Needed adjustments in the data for use in redrawing Pennsylvania electoral maps  that is, redistricting  should be done in time for mapping to begin by mid-October.

Pennsylvania will be dropping from 18 to 17 congressional districts due to slower population growth than that in many southern and western states. Those 17 districts will be drawn as a bill that will need to pass in both the Republican-led Pennsylvania House and Senate, then be signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

For the first time in decades, divided government will provide a check on extreme partisan gerrymandering. Wolf will not sign off on a map that gives an advantage to the opposing party. While good government advocates would much prefer a more independent process, we can all look forward to a congressional district map far better than the distorted map of 2011, which locked in power for one party and locked out voters voices.

Both the Pennsylvania House and Senate State Government Committees will have some say in drawing the congressional map, although if the past is a predictor of the future, the public will never know who really draws the map. Both committees have begun holding informational hearings for their committee members and have promised public hearings with citizen input. The state House Republican Caucus has also launched a new Pennsylvania Redistricting website (paredistricting.com/input) that allows comment on the current congressional map and allows citizens to identify communities of interest, neighborhoods or regional areas that share the same policy concerns. There appears to be no coordination between the Democratic and Republican parties on this, and no coordination between the state House and Senate.

There has also been no promise that submitted comments or maps will be used, or that citizens will have time to review the proposed map before a final vote.

In 2011, legislation to create Pennsylvania congressional districts was circulated as a ghost bill  with title, topic, but no specifics  until just days before the Legislature recessed for the 2011 winter holidays. Even legislators had little time to review the final proposal before a hurried vote. Advocates will be asking Gov. Wolf to postpone signing any proposed map until mapping experts and the public are given ample time to review it.

Pennsylvania legislative districts, those that govern the election of state representatives and senators, are drawn in a completely different process.

The Legislative Reapportionment Commission will draw those maps and it has the final say, with no approval by the Pennsylvania Legislature and no veto power from the governor.

That commission is composed of state House and Senate minority and majority leaders: Republican state Sen. Kim Ward and Democratic state Sen. Jay Costa, state Republican Rep. Kerry Benninghoff and state Democratic Rep. Joanna McClinton, and a chair appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

That chair, Mark Nordenberg, former dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and chancellor emeritus of that university, will have the final say on district maps for the next 10 years. Under Nordenberg's leadership, the commission has passed resolutions making the commission subject to Pennsylvania open-meetings laws, and for the first time has hired an independent, nonpartisan expert mapper, Jonathan Cervas, to advise the chair and commission.

The Constitution of Pennsylvania offers guidelines for state House and Senate districts: They must be compact, contiguous, with no more division of counties, cities, townships or wards than absolutely necessary. Those guidelines have been flagrantly ignored in every redistricting process since that section of the constitution was passed in 1968. Legislation to put more enforceable guidance in place has been blocked, buried, gutted and amended beyond recognition over the past four legislative sessions.

Even so, citizens are asking that those responsible for district maps make clear the values that will be enacted in those maps. Many of us have studied maps enacted in 2011 and 2012: We see districts drawn to protect incumbents or to remove opponents. We also see where convoluted districts were drawn to eke out partisan advantage in areas where competitive districts would allow voters greater influence over electoral outcomes and legislative agendas.

We want districts that make sense for counties and communities, with clear routes to legislators offices and any divisions of counties, cities or municipalities explained. We want districts that allow competition in areas where that makes sense, and districts that allow all of us an honest say in what happens in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C.

Fair Districts PA is working hard to prepare citizens to give testimony on behalf of their own communities. It can be challenging to find dates, links and information. Two recent online updates offer background (commissions, committees and confusion, oh my!) and ways to engage in hearings and public testimony.

A recent mapping competition has yielded a series of citizen maps that will be available for public review in a statewide community mapping conversation, and then in local workshops. The goal will be to provide a baseline for Pennsylvania House and Senate maps, showing what can be done in creating districts that incorporate citizen concerns and represent communities well. Those maps will be submitted to the Legislative Reapportionment Commission.

For the first time in years, theres a real chance that Pennsylvania may have fair district maps for Congress and the state House and Senate, but citizen attention is still essential as the processes play out. There are legislators on both sides of the aisle who are desperate to maintain their own safe districts and the partisan control that gerrymandering offers. There are also legislators, on both sides of the aisle, who know the commonwealth has been deeply harmed by the gerrymandered status quo and who welcome citizen insistence on a fairer, more representative Legislature.

Redistricting is no ones first or favorite topic, but the maps drawn in the next few months will shape Pennsylvania politics, policy, budgets and law for the next decade and beyond. Join Fair Districts PA for regular updates. Let your legislators know youre paying attention, and help leverage this moment in Pennsylvania history to create a more responsive, accountable Legislature that serves us all well.

Carol Kuniholm is the chair of Fair Districts PA, a nonpartisan, citizen-led coalition working to stop gerrymandering.
THE ISSUE

As Carter Walker reported in last weeks Sunday LNP | LancasterOnline, Lancaster County government is still without a road map on how to spend over $100 million in pandemic relief funds as other communities move forward with plans of their own. Commissioner Craig Lehman, the three-member boards lone Democrat, has outlined a proposal and timeline for deciding how to use the funds. But the majority Republican commissioners have said there are still too many unknowns and have suggested Congress should redirect the money toward infrastructure. ... Lancaster County has received roughly $106 million in relief funds as a result of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act passed in early March.

We are trying to get this straight: Two Lancaster County commissioners arent convinced that this county should spend $106 million in American Rescue Plan relief funds on pandemic-related needs.

Apparently, everything is hunky-dory in Lancaster County. There are no more needs to be met. This is one part of America that needs no rescuing, thank you very much.

As Walker reported, Republican Commissioner Josh Parsons testified before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee in May, asserting that the American Rescue Plan funds were unnecessary.

Parsons suggested that instead of issuing new money for President Joe Bidens infrastructure package, Congress should provide communities with more flexibility on spending the American Rescue Plan funds on infrastructure.

Asked if the county was holding back on spending its funds while Congress debates how to pay for the infrastructure plan, Republican Commissioner Ray DAgostino echoed Parsons testimony.

We dont know whats happening with infrastructure, DAgostino said. I mean, quite frankly, I think its better off if Congress would just say Use the (American Rescue Plan) money for infrastructure beyond sewer, water and broadband. Use it for roads and bridges and give the flexibility to the communities to use it how they best can rather than print more money.

Were guessing he means the commissioners, not the actual communities in Lancaster County, ought to be given the flexibility on how to spend the money.

We are looking at how we could use that money internally, and Pat Mulligan is looking at that from a budget standpoint, DAgostino said, referring to the countys director of budget management.

Community engagement

Contrast that approach with that of Lancaster city Mayor Danene Sorace. She said the city is drafting a strategic plan that officials hope to present in the next month and then will gather community feedback. Broadly, she said, the city hopes to use the money to stabilize its finances, invest in infrastructure and broadband, and support a sustainable and equitable COVID-19 recovery with an emphasis on affordable housing.

Said the mayor: This once-in-a-generation investment must be made with great care and thought about what is most needed in this specific community with transparency and true engagement with our community in how to invest these public dollars.

We appreciate her mentioning affordable housing. However one views the legality of the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eviction moratorium, its indisputable that people need safe, affordable housing all the time, but especially during a health crisis.

We also appreciate the mayors mention of transparency and community engagement. It stands in stark contrast to DAgostinos statement that the commissioners are looking at how we could use the money internally.

County Commissioner Lehman, at least, has a better idea: He has proposed nominating a 15-member citizens committee by Aug. 31. The committee would meet monthly to receive public input and make recommendations to the commissioners on how to use the funds.

We hope the commissioners give Lehmans proposal serious consideration.

Solving problems

We agree with Lancaster Chamber President Tom Baldrige, who told LNP | LancasterOnlines Carter Walker that the federal money should be spent in the most strategic and impactful way possible that actually solves issues, not just funds issues.

We also agree with Kevin Ressler, president and CEO of the United Way of Lancaster County, who told Walker that hed like to see the county make a serious effort to get feedback from residents on how to spend the money.

Wed like to see that, too. Indeed, we think thats imperative.

In the meantime, were interested in hearing from LNP | LancasterOnline readers about how you think the money should be spent.

We have our own ideas, starting with the creation of a county public health department.

As of Friday morning, 1,057 Lancaster County residents had died of COVID-19 since March 2020. Picture an empty high school auditorium and that will give you some idea of the scale of the loss this county has suffered. And now, with the highly transmissible delta variant of the novel coronavirus present here, hospitalizations and infections are rising again  and just roughly 54% of the countys 12-and-over population is fully vaccinated.

A county public health department could have waged an effective, coordinated vaccination campaign, which would have benefited not only county residents but county employers and businesses. Such an agency also could be advising county schools on infection prevention measures. And it could address the toll that the pandemic has taken on the mental health of children, whose education and social lives were disrupted by school closures, and on adults, who have been battered by the ravages of COVID-19.

We need a more robust public health infrastructure in this county to not only plan for future deadly pandemics, but to address issues such as health care disparities, lead exposure in children, understaffing at local nursing homes, addiction, disease prevention and the health needs of people with disabilities.

According to the U.S. Treasury Department, American Rescue Plan funds may be used to enhance and support a communitys public health response. We think seed money for a county public health department falls into that category.

Seeking your input

The federal relief money may be used to meet a broad range of community needs, including:

 Investing in housing and building stronger neighborhoods.

 Addressing the negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries and the public sector.

 Replacing lost public-sector revenue.

 Providing premium pay for essential workers.

 And investing in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure. So Lancaster County could use the federal money to update its water and sewer infrastructure.

Because the pandemic disproportionately affected low-income families and communities of color, the federal relief money may be used to address educational disparities; and to expand and enhance high-quality child care and after-school programs, home-visiting programs for families with young children, and services for children in foster care.

The funds also may be used for lead remediation  roughly half of Lancaster County homes were built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned in residential use. As LNP | LancasterOnlines Nicole C. Brambila reported in late June, physicians at Lancaster Countys only pediatric unit had treated two children under age 3 in Lancaster County in recent weeks for severe lead poisoning.

The funds must be allocated by 2024.

Please tell us in letters to the editor how you think the county ought to spend the $106 million it received through the American Rescue Plan. See the U.S. Treasury Department FAQ for the guidelines about how the money may be spent.

We are mystified that Parsons and DAgostino seem to believe that the view out their windows is so sunny. They must walk by the homeless people in Binns Park as they enter the Lancaster County Government Center. They must know that homelessness isnt just an issue in the city but throughout the county. They must know  DAgostino, especially, as he served for 10 years as CEO of the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership, which is focused on housing affordability  that this countys dearth of affordable housing stock must be addressed.

We certainly know that some county residents continue to struggle through this pandemic. We hope this chance to make their lives  and this county  better isnt squandered.

SUBMIT LETTERS Email: LancasterLetters@lnpnews. com
Western Demand for Free Market Reforms at Root of Ethiopian Government-Tigray Conflict

Aug. 7, 2021 (EIRNS)Behind the ongoing conflict between the Ethiopian government and its regional state of Tigray and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), are the Western free market reforms, and pressure for Ethiopia to cut its ties to China. While Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is by no means cutting ties with China, he has nonetheless adopted the reform agenda which the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union have been demanding. These reforms include privatizing state companies, opening up the telecommunications and financial sector to foreign investment.

Abiys promise to implement the reforms, led the World Bank to grant $9 billion in loan commitments in 2019, the highest amount allowable. As part of the privatization process, the government issued bidding to mobile phone licenses that would end the government monopoly. The first license was won by the British company, Vodafone, and two of its African subsidiaries, Safaricom and Vodacom. They beat out a bid by a consortium led by the South African telecom MTN which was backed by the Chinese Silk Road Fund. While the MTN bid was $600 million, Vodafone was able to bid $850 million because it received a loan of $500 million from the U.S. governments International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). All the media said the intention was to beat out the Chinese. While that could be bad enough, the loan constitutes one-quarter of the DFCs loan portfolio this year, which is going to a British company that has no investments in the United States. The money will most likely not get to Ethiopia because it will probably have to be used to service debt. Since Ethiopias state mobile phone company functions quite efficiently (with Chinese technology), the Vodafone takeover is no big plus for the countrys development when the $500 million could have been spent on real infrastructure. Like all these private mobile phone operations, it is little more than a cash cow. There will be another license offered for bidding, which the Chinese-backed consortium could win, if they are still interested.

Even the Western media are acknowledging that the TPLF, which was in the government in 2005, decided to put the democratization process on the back burner and adopt the Chinese policy of the development state. For the next decade they implemented an infrastructure-driven industrialization policy and restricted rentier capitalism. It led to building the countrys first 6-lane highway, an electrified, double-track railway from Addis Ababa to the port of Djibouti, to building Chinese-style industrial estates and hydroelectric projects, all with Chinese financial and engineering assistance. While the Western media claim the TPLF corruptly enriched themselves from the policy, the fact is that Ethiopia enjoyed a 10% growth rate. The TPLF faction stood in the way of Abiys reform policy.

Unfortunately the implementation of the reform agenda has prompted the current political and military struggle which now threatens the very existence of the Ethiopian state unless there are statesmanlike moves, not sanctions and outside interventions, to get the struggle off the military track and onto dialogue for the better future of Ethiopia and East Africa.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2021

War Dangers ProliferateLaRouches Peace Through Development Approach Must Replace Geopolitics

Aug. 7, 2021 (EIRNS)As regional wars continue to rage, and new ones are threatened, the potential for a world nuclear war is so palpable that several world leaders are speaking out. Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the opening speaker at this years Aspen Security Forum on Aug. 3, told the U.S. military-industrial community that Asian countries, and many in Europe, do not want to choose between China and the U.S. No good outcome can arise from a conflict. Its vital for the U.S. and China to strive to engage each other to head off a clash, which would be disastrous for both sides and the world.... I dont know whether Americans realize what a formidable adversary they would be taking on if they decide that China is an enemy. Chinas not going to disappear. This is not the Soviet Union. It is not the Potemkin village front. This is a country with enormous dynamism, energy, talent and determination to take its place in the world again.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken, speaking at the ASEAN Regional Forum on Aug. 6, had the chutzpah to warn the world about the rapid growth of the P.R.C.s nuclear arsenal, which highlights how Beijing has sharply deviated from its decades-old nuclear strategy based on minimum deterrence. Not only does the U.S. have about 20 times the number of nuclear weapons as does China, but China is not deploying warships and warplanes along the U.S. coast, nor carrying out military exercises within miles of the U.S. border, as the U.S. and the British are on the Chinese border.

Blinken made no effort to hide his intentions during the various ASEAN meetings this past weeknamely, to recruit Asian nations to join in the anti-China crusade, to show it is serious about engaging with Southeast Asia to push back against China, as Reuters put it. Speaking at the East Asia Summit on Aug. 5, Blinken repeated the mantra about Chinese human rights abuses in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Foreign Secretary Wang Yi responded: These cliches are not worth refuting, and none of the ASEAN countries agree with you.

Do Americans and their NATO partners truly believe, like Ozymandias in Shelleys poem, that with a frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, that the rest of the world would

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!? What does the rest of the world think of the regime-change wars which have left millions of innocents dead or homeless? What do they think of the hoarding of vaccines for over a year, while the COVID virus mutated to new more deadly strains in the countries denied access to vaccines? What do they think of the demand from Western governments and Western banks, that their countries must forgo industrialization, constrict food supplies, and reduce their populations in order to save the planet from the nonexistent danger of carbon?

There are no solutions to these multiple crises if approached one at a time, or in one country at a time. Lyndon LaRouche warned 50 years ago, when Nixon shut down FDRs Bretton Woods system on Aug. 15, 1971, unleashing unrestrained speculation and de-industrialization, that civilization itself would disintegrate, unless the dying system were replaced with one worthy of human dignity for all people. War, famine, pandemics, and economic disintegration are now upon us all, as LaRouche precisely forecast.

On Aug. 14, the LaRouche Legacy Foundation conference will provide the world with the unique solution to this crisis, reviewing LaRouches discoveries, and the program he developed after that fateful day in 1971. We will hear from many people, from around the world, reflecting on the wise words of Lyndon LaRouche, with ideas that are more urgent today than anytime in history. A new Dark Age is unfolding before our eyes, and yet, such a moment can serve to awaken the suppressed creativity of mankind, to create a more perfect world to ourselves and our Posterity.

Register for the online seminar, So, Are You Finally Willing To Learn Economics? presented by the LaRouche Legacy Foundation, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT.
Costa Rican lawmakers are considering a law this week that would permanently ban fossil fuel exploration and production. The popular tourist destination is trying to have zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Costa Rica started efforts to ban fossil fuel exploration in 2002 under President Abel Pacheco. This ban was supposed to end in 2014, but was later extended until 2050. The new bill, supported by President Carlos Alvarados administration, would take the ban further by making it permanent.

Christiana Figueres is a former U.N. climate official and former Costa Rican government official who has supported the bill. She told Reuters, "Our concern now is to remove the temptation, either today or at any time tomorrow, for there to be any current or future government who might think that returning to fossil fuels of the past century is actually a good idea for our country.

Only a few other countries have banned fossil fuel exploration and production. Belize, for example, bans exploration and drilling in all its waters. France also hopes to have a similar ban by 2040.

Costa Rica has rich plant and animal life in its jungles and coastal areas. It has never explored or extracted fossil fuels and gets 99 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, including hydropower, which uses fast-running water to make electricity. The country of 5 million people aims to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Net-zero means that the greenhouse gas emitted is no more than the amount removed from the atmosphere.

A permanent ban would "send a powerful message to the world," Costa Rican lawmaker Paola Vega said.

A pro-exploration movement has been trying since 2019 to gain support for a public vote on oil and gas exploration. The bill for a permanent fossil fuel ban has faced opposition by some politicians who argue that the resources could help the Central American countrys economy. Costa Ricas gross domestic product fell 8.7 percent in 2020 during the pandemic. A public vote on fossil fuel exploration, however, has never been brought.

Figueres was one of the lead planners of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. She said fossil fuel extraction for economic recovery "makes absolutely no sense. Costa Ricas fossil fuels have so far not proven to be commercially usable.

"Were we to have them, we probably wouldn't see any income from them until at least 10 to 15 years from now, when the demand for oil and gas is actually going to be even less than it is now," Figueres said.

Lawmakers will discuss the bill this week. But a vote may not come before October, one lawmaker told Reuters.

Figueres said she believes the ban has a good chance at being passed.

"To have small countries actually take the lead is very important, she said. "Just because Costa Rica is tiny, it doesn't mean that we don't have a voice."

Im Dan Novak.

Cassandra Garrison reported this story for Reuters. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_________________________________________

Words in This Story

fossil fuel  n. a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms

emissions  n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source

temptation  n. a strong urge or desire to have or do something

extract  v. to remove (something) by pulling it out or cutting it out

income  n. money that is earned from work, investments, business, etc.
Lewiston, ID (83501)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. Areas of smoke and haze are possible, reducing visibility at times. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Areas of smoke and haze are possible, reducing visibility at times. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Lewiston, ID (83501)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Areas of smoke and haze are possible, reducing visibility at times. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Areas of smoke and haze are possible, reducing visibility at times. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Master Sgt. Justin Bauer from the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, was awarded the Spark Tank 2021 trophy for his idea, Innovative Approach to C-130 Wheel Repair. Spark Tank 2022, a Department of the Air Force annual competition in which Airmen and Guardians pitch innovative solutions to operational problems, will accept submissions in early August 2021.
It boosts their confidence to be recognized as a father, Jones said.

Parenting Inside Out is the only parent-focused curriculum used in jails that has been tested through an experimental study and reviewed by peers. The study was conducted in the mid-2000s and primarily funded through a $2.1 million National Institute of Mental Health grant awarded to an Oregon-based research center.

The study found that, compared to their peers, participants in the program were less likely to be rearrested, more likely to be involved in the lives of their children and less depressed. They also reported more family contact and less substance abuse.

In the Dane County Jail, the men met on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seven weeks to complete a 26-hour curriculum. They learned how to regulate their emotions and ways to communicate with their children.

As a new father, graduate Elijah Carter said Parenting Inside Out was an eye-opener. He learned new approaches to parenting, how to manage his emotions and felt the support of his classmates.

Carters son turned 1 in July, which he said was bittersweet.
I'm not quite sure yet, but I definitely would like to do something with tribes, working with tribes and most preferably my own tribe. Right now I am thinking I want to be a judge and have been looking into what that looks like. We always need representation. Its always good to have Native voices in all places, so having Native people (on the bench) is good, and growing that number (is good).

The casino is just like any other operation. The government has more restrictions on it. It's just like opening any other business; it's just a tribal operation. So there are many different tribal operations that the Oneida has. The Menominee has a big forestry operation. The unique thing about theirs is that its sustainable and it has kept their land living for years and years. I think there is definitely the conception that tribes are given these opportunities through casinos or are given something, but in reality it's just the tribes operating on their own terms as sovereign nations doing what they do, and the people within the tribes running the business, doing the work. Its jobs in the community and income and tourism, just like businesses in other cities.
Evers was on the right side of the science, and his message was an important one. But no one is going to accuse him of being too blunt.

Unfortunately, now is the time to be blunt.

Thats what another governor, New Jersey Democrat Phil Murphy, was last Wednesday when he was confronted by a small group of anti-vaccination protesters with signs suggesting that public health mandates requiring workers and students to be vaccinated could be equated with crimes against humanity.

As reporters for the Bergen Record noted, when the protesters showed up at a bill-signing event, Murphy decided to unholster his trademark insult and fire away.

Recounting the ongoing struggle against the pandemic, Murphy pointed to the anti-vaxxers and declared, "These folks back there have lost their minds. Addressing them directly, he said, You've lost your minds. You are the ultimate knuckleheads, and because of what you are saying and standing for, people are losing their life. People are losing their life and you have to know that. Look in the mirror."

Chants of Murphy! Murphy! Murphy! rose from the vast majority of the crowd that had gathered to witness the signing of legislation to prevent evictions of renters.

The governor raised a clenched fist, and the crowd cheered even louder. Murphy acknowledged what every governor should recognize: The vast majority of people want governors to stop pulling punches and fight for public health.

John Nichols is associate editor of The Capital Times. jnichols@madison.com and @NicholsUprising. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
As mayors, the vast majority of our work is bipartisan or nonpartisan. Our residents rightly expect their local elected officials to ensure the pothole on their street gets fixed, the water from the tap is clean and the bus runs on time, regardless of whether they have a D or R next to their name on the ballot. We applaud our federal lawmakers who are taking the same approach to address these issues on a national scale.

Not only do we support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, but we also commend what it represents: Our democracy can deliver results for the American public. We look forward to working with our federal partners in the administration and in Congress to restore and rebuild our nations infrastructure and set future generations of Wisconsinites on a road to prosperity.

Tom Barrett is mayor of Milwaukee, Satya Rhodes-Conway is mayor of Madison, Eric Genrich is mayor of Green Bay, John Antaramian is mayor of Kenosha and Cory Mason is mayor of Racine.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
Putting the clothes out to dry is fine if you live in the country or on Madisons Near East Side, but by the age of 95 youve more than earned the right to launder the new old-fashioned way  with electricity and in a lot less time.

Thats what Joanne Holland was counting on when she purchased a new washer and dryer from Home Depot on June 23 for her mother, Eleanor. And yet thanks to a damaged electrical panel and a pokey manufacturer, Eleanors home health agency was forced to dry her clothes the old old-fashioned way.

Joanne, who has financial power of attorney for her mother, said the LG washer and dryer were delivered to her mothers Adams County home by a Home Depot contractor on June 29, when she was informed that setting up the dryer required more skill than the delivery team was trained to perform.

For one, the new dryers plug needed a different electrical outlet. When the electrician she hired to install it came on July 1, he informed her that the back electrical panel of the new LG dryer was damaged and unsafe to use, she said.
A former juvenile court judge in Wisconsin has reached a deal with prosecutors to resolve a host of child pornography charges filed against him earlier this year.

Court records show that former Milwaukee County Children's Court Judge Brett Blomme agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Madison to two counts of distributing child pornography, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday. Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.

The deal would resolve seven child pornography counts against him in state court. Each of those counts carries a maximum 25-year prison sentence.

According to a criminal complaint, the state Department of Justice began investigating Blomme in February after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that he had uploaded child pornography through the Kik messaging application 27 times in October and November.

He was charged in state court in Dane County in March. A federal grand jury indicted him in May.

The state Supreme Court barred Blomme from serving as a judge after he was charged in state court.

Blomme's attorney, Chris Van Wagner, said he's trying to schedule a date in September for Blomme to enter his pleas.
Its too early to tell if theres been a noticeable uptick in student vaccinations, Pitsch said. The initiative launched two weeks ago Sunday.

Lynn Vavreck, a political science professor at the University of California Los Angeles who is part of a COVID-19 project studying the effectiveness of vaccine incentives, said their research suggest incentives increase vaccination rates.

There are small differences in intentions to vaccinate based on the amount of the incentive  or whether it is a lottery or a cash payment or something else, but the bottom line is that offering people something material in exchange for getting the shot makes people more willing to get a vaccine, she said in an email.

Kristen Renn, a Michigan State professor who studies college student behavior, said incentives can work for young adults who need an extra push, especially those who come from families opposed to vaccines that may be more willing to get vaccinated when theyre on their own at school.

Renn liked how the Systems program tied a students chance of winning a scholarship to the larger campus goal.
They are among the least visible of an already largely unseen population in Dane County: individuals, and often families, who have no place of their own to stay so they double up with friends or relatives, or pay to stay in motels because they cant get an apartment.

Unknown and uncounted, these hidden homeless typically dont qualify for much of the aid available to other homeless people from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which sets national policy and administers programs to address housing needs, advocates say.

Those doubled up or paying to stay in motels also cant get on a housing priority list maintained by the Dane County Homeless Services Consortium thats based on need. Yet, their presence in another renters home typically violates the hosts lease and jeopardizes the hosts own housing if they are found out. And using their own money to pay for a motel because they cant come up with a security deposit or have a history of evictions that prevents them from getting an apartment can drain precious resources, advocates say.
According to court records, Joshua was charged in August 2020 with felony battery, false imprisonment and disorderly conduct as a domestic abuse repeater. He has three criminal cases pending in Dane County Circuit Court. Joshua also sued state corrections officials in 2012, claiming guards failed to act on his complaints of abuse at the hands of other inmates who later attacked him.

Regardless of his charges, I understand he has charges, but what about the accountability (for) the men that did this to him? Davidson said at a press conference Saturday morning. There has been zero, none of that.

The Dane County Sheriffs Office did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

Davidson and the Madison chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America held a rally Saturday morning at the Public Safety Building following a press conference to list their demands. Other organizations supporting the event included Reshaping Madison Together, Allies for Black Lives and Our Wisconsin Revolution Dane County chapter. About 20 people attended the gathering, Davidson said.

In addition to calling for Joshuas release and the removal of deputies involved in the altercation, Davidson wants the Department of Corrections to pay for all of Joshuas medical care, physical therapy and other rehabilitation needs.
Here we go again: State lawmakers are needlessly complicating reasonable health rules that will help keep our schools and economy open.

Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, is insisting that universities seek approval from him and a handful of his skeptical colleagues for masking, vaccine and testing requirements on state campuses.

Never mind that University of Wisconsin System schools have adopted and adjusted similar rules for more than a year now, which helped control COVID-19 among students, staff and surrounding communities.

Never mind that UW System President Tommy Thompson  the former Republican governor who led the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush  is insisting state universities need flexibility to adapt to changing health threats.

Nass and a handful of his fellow GOP lawmakers dont want to hear any of that. They are bent on micromanaging public health policy at UW schools, which Thompson correctly warns would cripple sensible precautions as students return for fall classes next month.
They huddled inside the building as the tornado passed. The hood vents to the kitchen blew off, and at least 12 cars in the parking lot had their windows blown out, Connely said.

Ashmore and her husband waited out the storm in their basement, where they watched as pieces of debris flew through a hayfield and heard the tornados roar.

I was scared, she said. It was huge. It was just like this huge cloud, cliff-like thing. You couldnt see the ends of it.

No injuries have been reported, and no residents have requested shelter, Braun said. Volunteers helped clean up the area Sunday afternoon. Emergency Management had so many volunteers  Braun said hundreds  that they ran out of tasks for them to do.

As soon as the sun came up, there were volunteers here to help clean up debris, Braun said.

Hunt, who runs his own tree business, put his phone number out on social media for anyone who needed help moving trees out of their yards, off of their cars or off of their homes. On one mans property, he said, 155 trees were down.

Hunt is putting his business on hold this week and instead said he plans to help the residents of Boscobel and those just outside of town.
BOISE  The stifling temperatures began in early June, and they have not let up since.

Through it all, workers throughout the Treasure Valley have hardly let up, either, even when their line of work means toiling outside in extreme heat and what can be unsafe conditions.

Record-breaking temperatures have been the norm in Boise and Idaho this summer, with the heat wave featuring blistering days and nights that hardly cool down. Before Saturday, when was the last time a daytime high didnt hit at least 90? That would be June 16. The number of days in July that featured a nighttime low exceeding 70? That would be 19.

Once you start working in this stuff, it really wears you down, Jason Valentine, a foreman for TLC Landscape, told the Idaho Statesman.

Almost any heat statistic you choose this summer seems staggering. Back on June 2, temperatures in Boise missed a record by one degree, when it hit 96. The following day it was 103, breaking a record set in 2007 by five degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Between June 28 and July 6, temperatures topped 100 every day  tying the record of nine days in a row for triple-digit heat. It was 106 on July 6, the hottest its ever been on that date, according to the NWS.
Henry County registrar issues alert about mail

The Henry County registrar issued an alert to caution voters about responding to third-party mailings that claiming to ensure ones election registration status.

Henry County Registrar Dawn Stultz-Vaughn said her office recently has received complaints about mailings that were sent to the families of deceased residents with enclosed voter applications, the release from the county said.

I want to make it clear that these third-party mailings are not from the Henry County registrars office, Stultz-Vaughn said. We dont do campaigns to sign up new voters; we just process the applications as they come in. We are not behind these mailings so voters should remain hyper-vigilant to protect themselves from potential fraud or scams.

Stultz-Vaughn said that any mail sent from the registrars office will have Official Voting Information marked on the envelope.

The mailings sent by these organizations often have included voter registration applications and advice to not miss the chance to have your voice count. They may also contain political advertisements.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Sunday said they had completed citywide testing of more than 11 million people for COVID-19 after a resurgence of cases more than a year after the coronavirus first emerged there.

The testswhich began on Tuesdayprovide "basically full coverage" of all residents in the city except for children under the age of six and students on their summer break, senior Wuhan official Li Tao told a press conference, according to the state-run Xinhua.

By Saturday, the city had recorded 37 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and found 41 local asymptomatic carriers in the latest round of mass testing, Xinhua reported.

City officials announced last week that seven locally transmitted infections had been found among migrant workers in Wuhan, breaking a year-long streak without domestic cases after it squashed an initial outbreak with an unprecedented lockdown in early 2020.

Authorities said they quickly mobilised more than 28,000 health workers at around 2,800 sites for the testing campaign.

China brought domestic cases down to virtually zero after the coronavirus first emerged in the city in late 2019, allowing the economy to rebound and life to return largely to normal.

But the fresh outbreak has thrown that record into jeopardy, as the fast-spreading Delta variant reaches dozens of cities after infections among airport cleaners in Nanjing sparked a chain of cases that have been reported across the country.

China has since confined the residents of entire cities to their homes, cut domestic transport links and rolled out mass testing as it battles the outbreak, its largest in months.

Beijing has also tightened overseas travel restrictions for its citizens as part of efforts to contain the rising cases.

China's immigration authority on Wednesday announced it would stop issuing ordinary passports and other documents needed for exiting the country in "non-essential and non-emergency" cases.

That does not yet mean a blanket overseas travel ban for the Chinese public.

Explore further China mass testing shows virus cases at six-month high

 2021 AFP
In this Jan. 15, 2021, file photo, Dr. Yomaris Pena, Internal Medicine Physician with Somos Community Care at a COVID-19 extracts the last bit of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine out of a vial so as not to waste it at a vaccination site at the Corsi Houses in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York. An untold number of Americans have managed to get COVID-19 booster shots even though the U.S. government hasn't approved them. They're doing so by taking advantage of the nation's vaccine surplus and loose tracking of those who have been fully vaccinated. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File

When the delta variant started spreading, Gina Welch decided not to take any chances: She got a third, booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by going to a clinic and telling them it was her first shot.

The U.S. government has not approved booster shots against the virus, saying it has yet to see evidence they are necessary. But Welch and an untold number of other Americans have managed to get them by taking advantage of the nation's vaccine surplus and loose tracking of those who have been fully vaccinated.

Welch, a graduate student from Maine who is studying chemical engineering, said she has kept tabs on scientific studies about COVID-19 and follows several virologists and epidemiologists on social media who have advocated for boosters.

"I'm going to follow these experts and I'm going to go protect myself," said Welch, a 26-year-old with asthma and a liver condition. "I'm not going to wait another six months to a year for them to recommend a third dose."

While Pfizer has said it plans to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for booster shots, health authorities say that for now, the fully vaccinated seem well protected.

Yet health care providers in the U.S. have reported more than 900 instances of people getting a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines in a database run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an Associated Press review of the system's data found. Because reporting is voluntary, the full extent of people who have received third doses is unknown. It's also unknown if all of those people were actively trying to get a third dose as a booster.

In this Feb. 25, 2021, file photo, vials for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are displayed on a tray at a clinic set up by the New Hampshire National Guard in the parking lot of Exeter, N.H., High School. An untold number of Americans have managed to get COVID-19 booster shots even though the U.S. government hasn't approved them. They're doing so by taking advantage of the nation's vaccine surplus and loose tracking of those who have been fully vaccinated. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File

"I don't think that anyone really has the tracking" in place to know how widespread it is, said Claire Hannan, executive director for the Association of Immunization Managers.

One entry in the CDC database shows a 52-year-old man got a third dose from a California pharmacy on July 14 by saying he had never received one and by providing his passport, rather than a driver's license, as identification. But when the pharmacy contacted the patient's insurance provider, it was told he had received two doses in March.

In Virginia, a 39-year-old man got a third shot from a military provider on April 27 after he showed a vaccine card indicating he had received only one dose. A review of records turned up his previous vaccines. The patient then told the provider that the time between his first and second doses was more than 21 days, "so they spoke to their provider, who 'authorized' them to get a third shot," an entry states.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said at a recent news briefing that he knew of residents who had received third dose by using fake names, but neither his office nor the state health department could provide any evidence.

Despite a lack of FDA approval, public health officials in San Francisco said Tuesday that they will provide an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for people who got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson varietyreferring to it as a supplement, rather than a booster.

Several studies are looking at booster shots for certain at-risk groupspeople with weakened immune systems, adults over 60 years old and health care workers. But the verdict is still out on whether the general population might need them, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director for infection prevention at UCHealth, a not-for-profit health care system based in Aurora, Colorado. She said the best data in favor of possible boosters is for people whose immune systems are compromised.

In this Dec. 15, 2020, file photo, a droplet falls from a syringe after a health care worker was injected with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Providence, R.I. An untold number of Americans have managed to get COVID-19 booster shots even though the U.S. government hasn't approved them. They're doing so by taking advantage of the nation's vaccine surplus and loose tracking of those who have been fully vaccinated. Credit: AP Photo/David Goldman, File

Israel is giving boosters to older adults and several countries, including Germany, Russia and the U.K. have approved them for some people. The head of the World Health Organization recently urged wealthier nations to stop administering boosters to ensure vaccine doses are available to other countries where few people have received their first shots.

Will Clart, a 67-year-old patient services employee at a Missouri hospital, got a third dose in May by going to a local pharmacy. Clart said he gave the pharmacist all of his information, but that the pharmacist didn't realize until after administering the shot that Clart's name was in the vaccine system.

"It sounded like there was a benefit to it. And there's also been talk that eventually we'll need a boostermine was five or six months out and so I thought well I'll go ahead, that'll give me a booster," Clart said.

Ted Rall, a political cartoonist, explained in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he got a booster because of a history of lung problems, including asthma, swine flu, and repeated bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia.

"I made up my mind after reading a report that states were likely to toss 26.2 million unused doses due to low demand. My decision had no effect on policy, and I saved a vaccine dose from the garbage," Rall said.

Welch, the graduate student from Maine, put the blame on people who have refused to get the vaccine for political reasons. About 60% of eligible people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated.

"Their absolute demand and screeches for freedom is trampling our public health and our communal health."

Explore further CDC advisers to discuss third COVID-19 vaccine dose for immunocompromised

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Here's some business news in the Missoula area:

An anonymous donor has given the local nonprofit Trust Montana Inc. a $50,000 contribution and the money is slated to help low-income and moderate-income families access homeownership.

Executive director Hermina Harold said it's a major contribution that's sorely needed in the middle of an affordable housing crisis that's been exacerbated by the pandemic.

"The donation came from the proceeds of the donors home sale," Harold wrote. "The donor expressed a desire to increase the number of homes people can afford in the area, and will receive a tax write-off."

The Home Buyer Choice Program is in its pilot phase and will provide up to $90,000 in grant assistance for households earning at or below 80% of the area median income which is $60,150 for a family of four, for example. The level is different depending on how many people are in a household.
Instead, land managers need to work toward helping forests adapt to hotter, drier conditions with more people and their resources mixed into the scene.

Thats why climate change has to enter into these conversations," said University of Montana fire ecologist Phil Heguera, who also participated in the UW study. Were going to experience more days of extreme fire danger in the future. Were not at a new normal. Were in adjustment phase.

In order to avoid fires like Oregons Bootleg, more early- and late-season treatments like Primm Meadow need to happen, the studies conclude. Much of that wood wont have a commercial value, requiring taxpayer subsidies to accomplish.

Right now were subsidizing wildfire suppression and emergency care and rebuilding  Is that what we want? asked Hagmann. Or do we want to subsidize managed fire that restores and creates more options for ecology and society? We can continue to work against nature, but thats like holding back a flood.

That may mean more smoke in spring and fall as those thinning and burning projects nibble away at a centurys backlog of forest fuel. But it may also mean fewer communities burned over, and faster wildlife and scenic landscape recovery after the summer wildfires that will occur.
The sweet Flathead cherries you buy at the farmers market were brought to you by hundreds of migrant worker families, almost all Latino, who come to Montana every summer to pick the fruit off the trees in the blazing heat and omnipresent smoke.

Most have lived for years in the U.S., and they come from places like Yakima, Washington or California. They live in tents or trailers while working at Flathead Lake.

A few of the workers are elderly. Some are pregnant mothers who are looking after toddlers while they climb 10-foot ladders to reach the cherries. For their families back in Mexico, the money they send home is crucial.

Marisol Ortega, who is from the Mexican state of Guerrero, spent weeks hand-picking cherries around the lake this harvest season despite being in the early stages of a pregnancy.

This year, she came to the Flathead accompanied by her young son who tags along behind her ladder tracks as she moves swiftly from tree to tree.

Child care is also a factor that moms like Ortega have to consider when traveling for work. Luckily, Ortega said her mother was also able to come so she can help look after her son while she works.
The Montana Highway Patrol published its annual report on July 29 outlining major trends in crash patterns and drug seizures across the state in 2020, including 4,556 fentanyl pills seized on Montana roadways.

One of the prominent issues facing Montana drivers is fatal crashes. While the pandemic limited how many people were on Montanas roads last year, there were 190 fatal crashes in 2020  up from 166 in 2019.

Highway Patrol spokesman Jay Nelson attributes the spike in vehicle-involved fatalities to intoxicated drivers, lack of seat belt wearing or vehicles exceeding posted speed limits  oftentimes, two or three of these factors are at play in a fatal crash.

The Highway Patrols Missoula District, encompassing Sanders, Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli counties, reported 22 fatalities in 2020. This is a decrease from 24 in 2019 and up from 20 in 2018. Officers responded to 2,259 crashes in the district in 2020, slightly lower than 2019 and 2018.

The Kalispell and Billings districts are where most of the fatal crashes occur, Nelson said.

He thinks the large influx of people moving to Montana is also somewhat to blame for accidents, saying roadways are just getting too crowded and the Highway Patrol is understaffed.
The Missoula Public Librarys Summer Learning Program continues this week with the event Humane Society Visits, which occurs on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Program Room on Level Two of the library. During this event, participants will join staff from the Missoula Humane Society as they share tips for using positive reinforcement to get the best behavior from your pets. Registration is required to attend this program. Please register online by visiting tinyurl.com/mplhumanesocietyvisit.

The following week, the library will host the event Sunflower Project Part 3, which occurs on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 2 p.m. in the Program Room on Level Two at the library.

During this final Sunflower Project program, we will enter the last of our summer pollinator data and talk about other opportunities to be a neighborhood scientist. An assortment of creative projects will also be on hand. While we create, we will listen to a good book and enjoys treats offered to us from the bees. If you were not able to make it to Sunflower Project Parts 1 and 2, dont worry, as all are welcome during this program and no registration is required to attend.

Memory Cafe
The governors lawyers have promised what will likely be a drawn-out fight to stay in office, and few see him as willing to quit.

My sense is from what Im hearing is hes still looking for ways to fight this and get his side of the story out, state Democratic party Chairman Jay Jacobs said in an interview with The AP. But Jacobs added: I just think that hes going to, at some point, see that the political support is just not anywhere near enough to even make an attempt worthwhile.

Cuomo lawyer, Rita Glavin, told CNN on Saturday that he had no plans to resign.

She called the attorney general's report shoddy" and biased and an ambush.

Dozens of state lawmakers who were once hesitant to call for Cuomos resignation or impeachment told the AP in recent interviews that they were swayed by the heft of the report.

I think the majority of us feel that the governor is not in a position to lead the state any longer, and thats not a temporary position, said Assembly member John McDonald, a Democrat whose district includes Albany.

The state Assemblys judiciary committee planned to meet Monday to discuss when to conclude its monthslong investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach Cuomo.
The red pine trees endemic to Anatolia span the Taurus mountain system. They can be seen along Turkey's coast from the eastern Mediterranean all the way to the northern Aegean Sea, including a great number around Mugla. The pines provide a welcoming habitat for scores of shrubs and make an ideal environment for bees.

Bees in Mugla produce a special pine-based honey. Unlike most of the honey in the world, which is created from the nectars of flowers, bees in Mugla collect the secretions of Marchalina hellenica, a scale insect that lives on pine trees and feeds on their sap. What they leave behind, the bees take to make a nutritious honey.

Wildfires in Turkey started on July 28 amid a ferocious heat wave and raged on for days across more than half of Turkey's provinces. As of Sunday, some wildfires were still burning in the provinces of Mugla, Aydin and Isparta. At least eight people and countless animals have been killed. Villages and resorts had to be evacuated, with some people fleeing to beaches to be rescued by sea. The wildfires also threatened two coal-burning power plants.

The Turkish government has promised to rebuild the many burned homes and compensate villagers for their animals, along with providing other aid. But it has also been criticized for its lack of firefighting planes, poor planning and overall inability to stop the fires.
We also call on Gov. Greg Gianforte to move forward with Montanas Climate Solutions Plan, bringing community and climate leaders together to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities brought by the clean energy transition.

Last but not least, as Missoulians, we ask our local government to strengthen their commitment to a healthy, stable climate by prioritizing climate as a lens through which decisions are made in all departments, and by increasing funding in next years budget. As a community, we need capacity to work directly on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, implementing the Climate Ready Missoula plan, and strengthening collaborative work statewide. Missoula can be an even stronger climate leader, inspiring innovative actions here and beyond our boundaries.

Each of us works to drive innovation and sustainability in the work we do, whether that is at a large health system, planning and design firm, credit union, river conservation nonprofit, our university, or via supporting initiatives for communities that have been historically excluded. We are ready to roll up our sleeves to accelerate collaborative work with community partners. We look forward to joining with city and county leaders, businesses, organizations, volunteers, and citizens to turn down the heat  toward a safer, more just and humane climate.

Lets not turn away from difficult news and dire projections. Instead lets all rise to the urgency of today and take action.

Beth Schenk, Chris Brick, Gwen Lankford, Karen Knudsen, Melissa Matassa-Stone, Paul Herendeen and Peter McDonough make up the board of directors at Climate Smart Missoula. For their backgrounds and professional affiliations, see missoulaclimate.org/people--partners.html.

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Stanley McChrystal has admitted the War on Terror failed (Getty Images)

The former head of the United States army in Afghanistan says it would be impossible to argue the War on Terror had been worthwhile.

Stanley McChrystal, the former Joint Special Operations Command and Afghanistan War commander, said the unending battle against ever-changing terrorist organisations, launched as a response to the 9/11 attacks, was not worth it.

The outcome just hasnt been positive enough to argue that, the retired four-star general told Daily Beast contributing editor Spencer Ackerman for his new book Reign of Terror.

The US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq had been launched with good intentions, Gen McChrystal claimed, but had been hamstrung by fundamental errors.

It was impossible to know if things might have gone differently had the US military planned for what came after the invasion phase of the two countries.

Had we gone in with a different mindset, a totally different approach, which would have been more of a counterinsurgency approach, building through the state, would it have worked?

I cant say it wouldve, but I think it would have been a better approach.

In April, President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan by 11 September, bringing to an end the US longest-running war .

The secretive departure timeline was brought forward to 31 August, and will leave just a small presence of around 1,000 troops to guard the US embassy, Kabul airport and other key government infrastructure.

Since leaving, the resurgent Taliban has continued to wage a bloody civil war against government forces, and this week closed in on multiple state capitals .

More than 2,000 US military personnel died in Afghanistan combat.

Foreign policy experts have called on a dramatic overhaul of the War on Terror approach to tackling international terrorism.

Read More

Why China sees an opportunity in Wests Afghanistan troop withdrawal

By chance, I met someone directly affected by the Afghanistan war

Residents told to flee as Taliban gains ground in Lashkar Gah
Crime doesnt pay is an old adage that were all taught at an early age, but, sadly, some people refuse to follow the advice and wind up  well, in a pickle. Here are a couple of examples that may bring you a laugh or two.

Police in Ossining, New York, were called to a convenience store where they found a man trying to break in. They chased the suspect through the streets until both cops took a tumble. Seizing the opportunity, the suspect sought refuge on the grounds of a large building. What he didnt realize was that the building was the Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, where he was promptly nabbed by a guard.

Then there was the trio of drug thieves who broke into a home in Silver Springs, Florida, and discovered three jars of what they believed to be cocaine. They took it home and snorted the contents. Thats when they discovered that the jars were in fact urns and that they were snorting the cremains of the victims husband and two dogs. Ouch!

A shoplifter was picked up after pinching a bottle of vodka from a liquor store. It didnt take Sherlock Holmes to find the suspect, though. His name and phone number were left with the clerk  after asking her out on a date.
But even in the GOP, there seems to be no fervent desire to tell businesses what to do. Meddling in conditions of private employment would be conspicuously incompatible with the usual (and usually sound) conservative approach to economic matters.

Thats why its not likely to catch on, even in places where vaccine resistance is most rabid. Republican officeholders seldom embrace policies that antagonize the business community, which accounts for a lot of campaign contributions. Their customary view is that if workers dont like how their employers operate, they are welcome to exercise their God-given right to find another job.

Companies in red states are happily accustomed to operating without a lot of bossypants government. They also rarely have to deal with unions, which might push back on mandatory vaccinations.

In Democratic states, of course, policymakers have made a priority of getting the vaccine into peoples arms, not indulging those who think it contains a microchip. Even diehard progressives might rather defer to the titans of industry if it means saving lives.

So if businesses are inclined to impose vaccine mandates, no one is going to stop them. And more companies are likely to impose them.
He once put in a well up in Rader Creek southeast of Butte that pulled less than a gallon per minute. The couple at the residence used a spring for irrigation, but used the well for all the household needs. Spreading out short showers, handwashing dishes, and an efficient laundry routine made all the difference, and the well served them just fine, Cosens said.

On the opposite end, Cosens said its not uncommon for people to run their sprinklers all night or turn on a well several minutes just to get cold water, when a refrigerator can be used to cool water instead.

Once, as an experiment, Cosens collected the water from a faucet drip at his brothers place. The drip filled a gallon jug in an hour, which would add up to 24 gallons in a day. An excess of clean water is hard on a septic system, Cosens said, because it kills the bacteria that break down the solids.

Erickson believes in doing the little things, but knows from experience its not always easy.

She lives in German Gulch, west of Butte, and right against the forest. With wildfires burning around the state, protecting her property is an everyday concern.
Jeff described feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment once the building was complete. He values perseverance in his work. Unlike previous owners, Fort + Hom saw the renovation through to the end.

We had no doubt in our mind that we would get the project complete, Jeff said.

We were able to pull it back out of the depths, Danielle said.

Danielle said that they spent extra money and time on refinishing the original windows. They also wanted to replicate the old woodwork.

There was enough woodwork there that we could see what it used to be, Danielle said.

Jeff said his favorite part of the renovated building is that theres people in it now. He said its awesome to drive by and see people living in a vacant building turned into a home.

Its fun being able to see such a transformation in your work, Danielle said. I always joke, dont fall in love with real estate, because it wont love you back, but I really love this one.

Most of the buyers are from out of state, looking for an affordable quality home in a place where they can work remotely.

They wanted to be closer to the mountains, Jeff said.
McPherson believes the hay shortage could turn desperate for some livestock owners this winter and next spring.

The Montana Farm Bureau president said grain farmers are being asked to either bale their straw or find someone who can do it for them so it can be used as a feed supplement this year.

Weve asked for ideas, he said. No idea is too crazy. One idea to come out is the federal government has a bazillion tons of stored powdered milk. Maybe some of that could be made into a pellet that could be used as a feed supplement.

Theres not going to be one silver bullet thats going to get us out of this, McPherson said. There will be a lot of tiny ways that, put together, can make a difference. I believe this drought is going to be with us for awhile.

Ravalli County Farm Bureau Federation President Brandon Braaten is working with county extension to set up a database that would connect owners of small acreages with local livestock producers in need of some additional forage.

There are a lot of people who have moved into the valley over the last few years who have purchased small acreages, Braaten said. We are hoping that some of them might be willing to allow producers to graze a portion of their property to help them get by this year.
He didnt know it at the time  June 2019  but Aliera and its subsidiaries would cultivate a reputation in the coming years as the posterchild for exploiting the health care sharing ministrys exemption from insurance regulators. The Affordable Care Act came with a carve-out for health care sharing ministries. Insurance companies, for example, are required to spend no more than 20% of customers premium payments on administrative costs, so that 80% of the money is available to cover health care costs. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation found only $16.03 out of every $100 an Aliera member pays in premiums goes toward paying members medical expenses. Last fall, the New York Department of Financial Services filed charges against Aliera and Unity, which had by then changed its name to Trinity, alleging it deceived customers while operating an illegal health insurance business. Trinity has since changed its name again to Sharity.
New technologies

Spanjian and Gilbertson were not new to solar when they joined the Solarize Billings campaign. In 2004, they won a Northwestern Energy lottery for partially subsidized solar panels.

That system, a mere 1.2 KW, only produced 9% of their energy needs, despite being half the size of their new system. It also broke down regularly, and when Northwestern Energy came by to help fix it, they couldnt help but notice the amount of power continued to drop.

I dont really trust Northwestern Energy, Spanjian said. Sometimes Im worried our generation will be less over time."

After four years and two new power converters, they didnt bother to turn it on. The panel still sits on the ground on the corner of their property.

Their new array, however, has some modern features. Spanjian can check how much power the system is making through an app on her phone. On the afternoon of Aug. 4, the system had already generated all their energy needs for the day.
"It was a terrible, terrible thing," Hansen said of polio, adding she had a friend who had it. She said the fact she was the first west of the Mississippi to get the gamma globulin shot has not come up in conversation, but said she has told her husband a few times.

"It's not something I particularly talk about," she said.

She said people were much more receptive to a polio vaccine than they are of a coronavirus shot. She got the Pfizer COVID shot.

"The main reason I got it is that I like to travel and would not have been able to do so," she said.

She said she does not often think of that day in Livingston nearly 68 years ago.

"I was just a kid and things like that weren't important to me," she said. "The only thing I got was my rear-end hanging in the air in the paper."

Her older brother Orvis Harper, now 81 and living in western Washington, said he doesn't remember a whole lot about the day but does remember going to the Elks Club. He believes he and his sister were the first to get the shots because of their father's deep belief that if you are not 15 minutes early for appointments or events, you are late.
As the executive director and physician at the SWMTCHC, I believe that community health centers are not just healers, they are innovators that look beyond medical charts to address factors that may cause poor health, such as poverty, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, poor nutrition, and unemployment. SWMTCHC provides the health care I want for my family. Health centers are a critical piece of health care systems and collaborate with hospitals, local and state governments, social, health and business organizations to improve health outcomes for all people. And when our communities needed us most this past year, we served communities through telehealth, drive-through COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics while still ensuring our patients can access needed healthcare.

Community Health Centers provide care to people who disproportionately suffer from chronic disease and lack access to affordable, quality care. While our approach is community-based and local, collectively health centers are the backbone of the nations primary care system.

Long-term and stable funding for Community Health Centers ensures we keep our doors open and close the growing access gap for medically vulnerable communities. I am deeply grateful that Montana Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines have shown leadership in supporting legislation to protect health centers from losing funding.

To celebrate National Health Center Week our center would like to recognize all who have supported and collaborated with SWMTCHC. I want to personally thank all our patients. And as we have for the past four decades, we will be here when you need us.

Shawna Yates is a doctor of osteopathy and executive director of the Southwest Montana Community Health Center.

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This summer, Montanas rivers have been suffering from an alarming combination of extreme conditions that are threatening our fisheries, our outdoor recreation economy, and the livelihoods that depend on both. As outfitters, guides, and flyshop owners, we are among those whose livelihoods are at stake.

A winter of low snowpack and a spring with little precipitation was followed by record-high temperatures that started early in the summer and have lingered since. These drought conditions have resulted in warm water and low flows that are putting enormous pressure on our fisheries already under pressure from more people coming to Montana than ever before to fish.

Theres no getting around the fact that climate change is largely driving the dangerous extremities our rivers are facing and jeopardizing the businesses and jobs that rely on our world-class fisheries here in western Montana. That means our streams need all the help they can get to remain healthy and support robust trout populations, which are precious in their own right, but also part of the foundation for Montanas $7 billion outdoor recreation economy and its 71,000-plus jobs.
Last year, the award was specifically directed toward those whose actions during the COVID-19 pandemic were selfless, courageous and instrumental in helping the community through the crisis.

This year, while such actions may well qualify a candidate for the award, nominations are not limited to those whose work was directly related to the pandemic. Rather, the award is designed to recognize those who serve Butte and its residents in a variety of ways.

Again this year, the public is encouraged to nominate a local hero who might otherwise go unrecognized. The person may work in healthcare, in retail, in the public sector including public safety, in education, in the restaurant and hospitality industries, in the media, in financial services and accounting, or at a nonprofit.

It is not essential that the person have a leadership role  nor is such a role disqualifying. We would expect the honorees selected from the publics nominations to come from a variety of backgrounds and professions.

At least 10 local heroes will be selected, and an event will be scheduled to honor them and celebrate their selection. Once again, each will receive our gratitude and $1,000, to be spent locally.

We would greatly appreciate your participation in the nominating process. So please dont delay  nominate a local hero today!

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Meierkord said he or associate Nikki Lemons will typically be in the courthouse every day for research. The online access will be useful when someone outside the area calls with fairly simple requests for copies of specific documents, he said, though he expects to continue the regular trips across town for many purposes.

Im more old school. I like looking at the original documents, he explained, then quickly added that he would welcome the security provided by the digital conversion. Personally, my main concern is what would happen if the courthouse burned down.

Unless the original records are destroyed in some way, theyll remain after the digitization is completed, Kenyon said.

Fidlar provides backup copies of all documents at four locations, according to company official Bachman. That guards against loss of the data not only through physical disaster but also through hacking, which he said has never happened but is regarded as a danger in todays cyberworld.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP)  Five siblings under the age of 10 died early Friday when a fire swept through their apartment in southwestern Illinois, and officials were investigating whether they had been left alone.

Fire crews were called to the building in East St. Louis, which is just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, before 3 a.m. and reported finding two children already dead inside a bedroom. The three other children were unconscious on the kitchen floor, and two of them were pronounced dead once they were taken outside, according to East St. Louis Assistant Fire Chief George McClellan. The fifth child was taken to a hospital and later died.

The guys are taking it pretty hard, McClellan told reporters of his firefighters.

St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the victims as Deonta Davis Jr., 9; Neveah Dunigan and Heaven Dunigan, 8-year-old twins; Jabari Johnson, 4; and Roy-el Dunigan, 2.

McClellan said the childrens mother entered the building several times in an effort to rescue them.

Fire officials initially indicated that no adults had been in the apartment when the fire started, saying that the children's mother had left to run an errand and returned home to find the fire.
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A worker prepares materials for vaccination at University Hospital's Covid-19 vaccine clinic at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey on Dec. 15, 2020.
Amazon.com Inc.  summoning its inner Oprah  will offer cash prizes of as much as $500,000 as well as cars and vacation packages to frontline employees who can prove they have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Unwilling so far to mandate vaccinations for its 1.3-million-strong workforce, the worlds largest online retailer is hoping a corporate lottery  called Max Your Vax  will persuade holdouts to get the jab.

The announcement, a copy of which was seen Friday by Bloomberg, came the same day that Amazon said that starting Oct. 9 workers would have to wear masks in its logistics facilities, regardless of vaccination status  a reflection of the severity of the spreading delta variant of the coronavirus. Vaccinated workers had been able to work at Amazon mask-free since late May.

Amazon had previously offered frontline workers as much as $80 if they were inoculated against the virus. The company is desperate for workers to keep up with elevated demand from online shoppers and staff dozens of new facilities coming online. Some frontline Amazonians and their managers said the company is concerned mandates would send vaccine skeptics in their ranks in search of other jobs.

Amazons contest will offer a total of 18 prizes, which the company values at almost $2 million: two $500,000 cash awards, six $100,000 awards, five new vehicles and five vacation packages.

We strongly believe that the best way to protect our front-line employees and communities from Covid-19 is through vaccinations, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in an email. And we are proud to have hosted more than 1,100 on-site vaccination events to help make getting a vaccination as easy as possible for our employees and their household members.

The company is not the first to hand out prizes to win over vaccine skeptics. Cash lotteries popped up in several U.S. states during the initial rollout, Hong Kong offered gold bars and a diamond Rolex, and a Russian company raffled off a snowmobile.

Amazons contest is open to its frontline workers. Thats mostly people who work in warehouses and other logistics facilities, but also hourly workers at Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh grocery stores and in Amazon Web Services data centers.
Former President Jacob Zumas son, Duduzane Zuma, has started his campaign to contest the ANC presidency at the partys 2022 elective conference.

The ANC president, who is elected at the ANCs National Conference, has always become the president of South Africa.

Commenting on his lofty ambitions, Duduzane Zuma said he is not focused on competing against anybody else.

When it comes to competition, I am not looking at anybody else. I am not here to compete, he said in an SABC interview.

Zuma said he is doing something completely different than the other candidates  like current ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa.

If youre saying Im competing against someone, it means we walk in the same path. Im walking a completely different path. Were going to do things differently, Zuma said.

Right now, theres no one in that lane. Thats a lane Im creating because I believe thats the only way were going to overturn and overhaul the situation through the political party that is the ANC.

He said the ANC needs an overhaul and that the government needs a shake-up.

To become ANC president, Zuma will need widespread national support, which is not an easy task to achieve.

According to the SABC, he is currently still lobbying party branch members for a branch leadership position.

Duduzane Zuma was born on 20 May 1984 and is the twin brother of Duduzile Zuma. His mother is the late Kate Mantsho.

He attended Pretoria Boys High School and studied information technology at the Nelson Mandela University School of Information and Communication Technology.

He rose to prominence when his father became the president of the ANC and later the President of South Africa.

Following Jacob Zumas presidency, Duduzane Zuma became a director of many South African businesses.

Many of these businesses were linked to the Gupta family, including Sahara Holdings, ANN7, Oakbay Investments, and Oakbay Resources and Energy.

His other directorships included Resources and Energy and Shiva Uranium. Tegeta Resources and Energy was mentioned in the state capture report by the former public protector, Thuli Madonsela.

Duduzane Zuma faced a culpable homicide case when his Porsche collided with a taxi that killed two people.

He married Shanice Stork in 2015 in a ceremony at the glitzy Zimbali Lodge in Ballito.
Leaders of the ruling African National Congress are debating whether South African Deputy President David Mabuza is medically fit to remain in office, the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times reported.

The partys National Working Committee discussed Mabuzas prolonged absence once he returned to South Africa following treatment in Russia for an unspecified ailment, the newspaper reported, citing people it didnt identify.

The party may need to request access to his medical records to determine if he should continue in his role, the Sunday Times reported.

S. Africa Deputy President Still in Russia for Medical Treatment

The officials latest trip to Russia lasted over a month, during which South Africa suffered the worst unrest the country has seen in decades.

Julys week-long rampant looting and riots were triggered by the incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma and claimed more than 350 lives.

Mabuza, 60, previously claimed to have been poisoned in 2015, and made his first visit to Russia then for specialist medical treatment, according to the Sunday Times. It 2018 he was named a special envoy to Russia.

Now read: South Africa on high alert ahead of Zuma court appearance
One of American Canyons long-time larger businesses, the Coca-Cola plant employing 160 people, is targeted to close in the summer of 2023.

We did not make this decision lightly and are grateful to have had the opportunity to have been a part of the American Canyon community, Coca-Cola spokesperson Abby Peck said in a Friday email response to Napa Valley Register questions.

This is one of two plants being closed by Coca-Cola after a deal with Dutch company Refresco, which will take over some bottling operations for the American company, the Republican newspaper in Springfield, Mass. reported on Thursday. The other Coke bottling plant to close in 2023 will be a 320-employee plant in Northampton, Mass.

Employees in American Canyon will be encouraged to apply and be considered for other jobs they are qualified to perform within the Coca-Cola system and other third-party manufacturer locations, Peck said.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months!

City Manager Jason Holley said in an email that Coca-Cola told the city of its closure plans on Aug. 3.

There are no retail sales at the location. Still, tax on the sale of equipment purchased and invested there generated about $200,000 over the past two years, he said.
On a lot of projects, I was the only Indigenous person for miles," Jacobs said. Stepping on the set of Reservation Dogs' and seeing my community around me, a community of fellow Indigenous folks from different backgrounds, it was truly being welcomed home.

I'd never experienced it before, and it just meant so much to me, and I know it's going to mean so much to audiences across Turtle Island and beyond," she said, using a term many Indigenous people, mainly in the northeastern part of North America, use to refer to the continent.

Waititi and Harjo, longtime friends collaborating for the first time, said the series arose out of discussions about the kind of show theyd like to see, and before they knew it had come up with this idea about these kids who had turned into vigilantes and wanted to clean up their community, recalled Waititi, the Oscar-winning writer and director of Jojo Rabbit," whose credits also include Thor: Ragnarok" and the TV series What We Do in the Shadows."

We werent entirely sure where it would be and then it just struck us that setting it here would be perfect.
Without taking sides in the situation with the First Presbyterian Church and The Table, Id like to give an historic perspective and praise the Christian ethic and organizing genius of Frank White.

Thirty five years ago, when Frank was minister of FPC, I was working for the county placing jail inmates into drug and alcohol counseling and GED classes, with the goal of getting them a job in the community while still incarcerated. The biggest problem they faced upon serving their sentence was housing.

Frank had gone before the board of supervisors and said they had to create a homeless shelter. He was told the numbers werent there. Reverend White somehow convinced his congregation to set up a temporary homeless shelter in the church gym.

I met Frank when I volunteered to be a late-night monitor. The place was soon packed and the county reluctantly approved a homeless shelter in a vacant county building. Mike Mawer, Terry Longoria, Hope Lugo, Dan Ward, Frank White, and I were on the original board of directors and Dan was the first shelter manager. Franks compassion was the seed for the permanent family and individual shelters we have today.
Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister visits Civil Aviation Committee and Zvartnots Airport

Algerians burn man alive after blaming him for causing forest fires in country

More Syrians and Afghans entering EU via Western Balkans

Armenia PM makes new personnel appointment

Armenia ex-deputy minister of finance appointed deputy defense minister

Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson on border protection and document signed by former authorities with Russia

Netherlands may have to close Kabul embassy

NATO to coordinate Western embassy staff reduction in Kabul

Lifeguards bring citizens out of Armenia's Lake Sevan

Armenia official's son gets into car accident

168.am: Armenia's Pashinyan to attend wedding in Gyumri tomorrow

Armenia 3rd President visits Amaras Monastery

Iran President picks Hossein Amirabdollahian as new FM

21-year-old by the name of "Potorik" stabbed in Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Turkish defense minister says Kabul International Airport should remain open

30-year-old resident of Armenia's Khachpar stabs fellow villager, is detained

Commander of Armenia Armed Forces' first army corps dismissed

Armenia defense minister visits Yerablur Military Pantheon, meets with relatives of deceased servicemen (PHOTO)

Armenia acting first deputy finance minister sacked

Armenia PM appoints Chief Protocol Officer

Armenia finance minister receives IMF Resident Representative

Elections to be held in Armenia's Goris, Meghri, Tatev and Tegh on Oct. 17

Armenia parliament to convene special session on Aug. 17

Armenia premier meets with outgoing Ambassador of Georgia

Uruguay FM to pay official visit to Armenia

Dollar gains value in Armenia

Fire contained at former Yerevan leather factory (PHOTOS)

Democratic Party leader explains which option of unblocking communications is beneficial for Armenia

Death toll from floods in Turkeys Black Sea region rises to 27

Lavrov says Russia will continue its foreign policy after State Duma elections

British envoy responds to Iran MFA's allegation about published photo

Germany's Merkel to meet with Putin in Moscow

Armenia party leader: Russia is now bearer of principle of not an inch of land in Artsakh

Armenia police conducting internal investigation in connection with NEWS.am report

Monument to fallen soldiers of 44-day war unveiled at Yerevan school yard (PHOTOS)

Armenia revenue committee: 1,571 grams of gold jewelry hidden from customs control is found

Firefighters trying to contain fire for over 3 hours at former Yerevan leather factory

About 3 million people instructed to evacuate in Japan due to heavy rains

Russia not considering evacuating its embassy in Kabul

Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh

Artsakh army dismisses statement that its units opened fire on Azerbaijan positions

Young man dies, there are injured after road accident on Armenia motorway

Six people killed in mass shooting in England

Zvartnots International Airport: Lufthansa launches new flight between Yerevan, Frankfurt (PHOTOS)

Unrest in Turkey capital, dozens detained in attack on Syrians

26 people apply to hospital due to drinking water poisoning in Armenias Armavir Province

Torrential rains kill 21 people in China

Blinken discusses Afghanistan with Canada, Germany FMs, NATO Secretary General

397 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh donate about 40 liters of blood to patients

Taliban take control of Afghanistans Lashkar Gah city

Pham Minh Chinh: Vietnam has always underscored traditional friendship with Armenia

9 residents of Armenias Armavir Province poisoned by drinking water, criminal case opened

One dead, 2 injured after car catches fire on Armenia motorway

Three US brothers die after getting stuck in manure pit

Newspaper: Armenia National Security Service to call Criminal Court of Appeal judges for questioning

Newspaper: What will new Armenia government look like?

Banak.info coordinator: Azerbaijan deliberately fires at Armenias Yeraskh village

Israel and Morocco agree to open their embassies in the near future

Mysterious video of UFO sparks heated discussions

UK researchers warn of new coronavirus outbreak in fall

Nine Armenia village residents with same complaints hospitalized at infectious diseases department

Armenian soldier who lost eyesight during 44-day Karabakh war and his fiance tie the knot (PHOTO)

Armenia defense minister introduces new commander of 2nd military formation to administration and units

Russia bans entry of ex-Ambassador of Azerbaijan into country for 50 years

Russia Defense Ministry reports ceasefire violation committed by Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh

Armenian court rules to arrest Spain citizen who cruelly murdered a man and injured 2 citizens of Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Attorney says Yerevan travel agency plundered millions from hundreds of citizens through fraud

Israel FM opens country's diplomatic representation in Morocco

Russia MOD arrives in China to follow active stage of Russian-Chinese military exercises

Armlur.am: Armenia PM is in parliament where "Civil Contract" faction is holding a closed session

Karabakh emergency situations service: Searches for servicemen's remains in Mataghis-Talish direction were fruitless

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani troops open fire at Armenian military posts in Yeraskh section starting from 5:20 p.m.

Floods that hit Turkey leave 9 dead, 1 missing

Ukrainian businessman's  company selling its coal mines to Armenia citizen Yelena Hovhannisyan

Pavel Manukyan charged for statement about eliminating Armenia PM Nikol Pashinyan

Names of chairpersons of Armenia Parliament's 12 standing committees announced after vote

Ebrahim Raisi: Cooperation between Iran and Turkey is necessary for establishment of peace in the region

Armenia Parliament Speaker meets with representative of Assyrian community

Erdogan not ruling out meeting with the Taliban

Hermitage shop of perfumes and cosmetics is now also open at Erebuni Mall (PHOTOS)

Strong winds severely damage Armenias Zvartnots museum-reserve roof (PHOTOS)

Armenians Forward Together forum kicks off in Yerevan (PHOTOS)

Shoygu on current situation in Afghanistan

Dollar goes up in Armenia

Iran FM slams Russian, British envoys over inappropriate photo

Armenia parliament holding vote for chairpersons of 12 standing committees

Authorities of Afghanistan's Farah surrender to Taliban

Artsakh Defense Army: Azerbaijan tried to break line of contact, attempt was prevented

Lufthansa entering Armenia civil aviation market

Armenia parliament ruling faction nominates candidate for European integration committee chair

Two of the injured in Artsakh cluster bomb explosion still in critical, moderate condition

Russian peacekeepers ensure security during construction of water pipeline in Nagorno-Karabakh

Water poisoning in Armenias Armavir, 9 people hospitalized

Armenia official: Railway will pass through Nakhichevan, Meghri if it is decided to be operated

No fallen soldiers remains found during Wednesday's search in Artsakh

Armenia ambassador to Israel is recalled

Opposition Armenia Faction MP: Authorities are exerting unprecedented pressure on media

Armenia government to recompense Constitutional Court ex-judge

Economy minister, Lufthansa representatives underscore intensification of Armenia-Germany business relations
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Prof. Roberto Cauda of Infectious Diseases at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome said that the origin tracing of the coronavirus should not be dominated by politics.It should return to science itself.
Insider previously reported the Orthodox Jewish girls were barred from boarding a flight Thursday.

The next day, the girls were ordered off a second Delta flight for trying to switch seats.

Their rabbi told Insider that he suspected antisemitism was at play.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A group of Orthodox Jewish girls who were barred from boarding a flight from Amsterdam to New York on Thursday evening was kicked off another flight the next day, according to their rabbi.

The 18 teenagers, part of a group that had been visiting religious sites in Ukraine, were initially disallowed from traveling on a flight home because of a dispute over COVID-19 protocols on the KLM-operated leg of their journey from Kyiv to Amsterdam, Insider previously reported.

Rabbi Yisroel Kahan told Insider that a day later, Delta Air Lines kicked off the same girls for swapping seats on a Friday-morning flight.

Kahan went on to level accusations of antisemitism with regard to Delta's decisions. "With antisemitism, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck," he said.

Read more: A private-jet designer who builds $250 million custom planes with showers, faux fireplaces, and walk-in closets shares what his job is like

After the girls were barred from boarding the flight Thursday evening, Kahan said, the group slept on benches at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport while he and a chaperone tried to arrange their journeys home.

The Orthodox Jewish teens slept at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport while their rabbi tried to arrange another flight. Yisroel Kahan

Kahan said he and another rabbi started calling New York lawmakers, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, to reach out to Delta to remedy the situation.

Schumer was thought to have stepped in, the rabbi said, and Delta executives personally called the parents of the stranded girls and arranged a Delta flight from Amsterdam to New York for Friday morning.

Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday morning the girls boarded the Delta flight to New York from Amsterdam, but Kahan said that soon they were asked to leave. "Ten minutes later, the phone rings," he said. "They're being taken off the plane."

Story continues

The rabbi says one of the girls was asked to swap seats by a mother who wanted to be seated next to her son. "The minute they made the swap, a stewardess made a beeline to the girl and said, 'You're misbehaving, you're kind of on thin ice, to begin with, get off the plane,'" he said.

A video seen by Insider appears to show a woman confirming that she asked to switch seats and that this led to the girls being asked to leave the flight.

Kahan said the girl returned to her assigned seat but the entire group of teenagers was still told to leave the flight. He said the woman was allowed to remain on the plane because it was her "first transgression."

The rabbi said that he hated to "throw that card out there" but nevertheless suspected antisemitism.

"Either you're telling me that you know that each and everyone one of them was violating rules on both flights," Kahan added. "Or you're telling me that you banned the entire group, a group of one ethnicity, for this misbehavior."

The girls were removed and booked onto a Delta flight for later that day but declined to travel on it because it would have involved returning to their homes after the start of Shabbat - the Jewish day of rest when observant Jews are not allowed to travel by car or plane.

Instead, they spent the night in Antwerp, Belgium, and traveled home to New York with United Airlines on Sunday morning.

In an email to Insider, a Delta representative said: "We apologize to our customers on Delta Flight 47, Amsterdam to New York-JFK, who were delayed and inconvenienced to remove a group of passengers who refused to comply with crew instructions. The flight departed approximately two hours after its originally scheduled time."

Read the original article on Business Insider
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A common financial rule of thumb is that you should have $1 million saved for retirement, but this piece of advice may now be outdated  you may actually need roughly double that. At least, thats what most 401(k) plan participants believe. A recent survey conducted by Schwab Retirement Plan Services found that on average, 2021 plan participants think they need to save $1.9 million for retirement. But how accurate is this number?

Read: Jaw-Dropping Stats About the State of Retirement in America

See: Heres Exactly How Much Savings You Need To Retire In Your State

$1.9 Million Is a Good Estimate for How Much You Will Need in Retirement

Nathan Voris, director of business strategy at Schwab Workplace Financial Services, thinks that the survey participants have a pretty accurate idea of how much they will need in retirement.

I think for a survey like this, thats a pretty good number, he said. Thats a ballpark range for a wide range of folks. Obviously, retirement is not one-size-fits-all, but thats sort of the middle of the range for a lot of people.

As Voris notes, there are numerous factors that will affect how much someone will actually need in retirement, so some may need more and others may need less.

Theres so much written about that, but I boil it down into just a couple of things. One is, when do you want to retire?, Voris said. If youre going to retire at 50, you need to plan for 45 years of living expenses. If its 67, you need to plan for 30 years. That has a huge factor in what your plan should be.

Learn: The Downsides of Retirement That Nobody Talks About

Find Out: How Long $500K Will Last in Retirement in Each State

One of the other levers is, what lifestyle are you going to have in retirement? he continued. Where are you going to live? Are you going to live in California or Wyoming? Think about the state tax perspective. Are you going to have an active lifestyle? Or are you living close to grandkids where youre going to be pretty local? Theres a lot of factors in what level of lifestyle you want to live in retirement.

Story continues

Finally, how much you need to have saved for retirement will depend on your other sources of income in retirement. This includes Social Security, pensions, assets and inheritance.

Those kinds of things can be a factor in what the retirement future looks like, Voris said.

Why $1 Million Is No Longer Enough

There are a number of factors that may require retirees to have a larger nest egg saved up, but one of the main ones is that people are living longer in retirement.

Retirement could be a long time, Voris said. That idea of 20 years in retirement, that was maybe tied to that $1 million number. Thats sort of not a realistic expectation anymore. That 4% rule, that $80,000 income bogey is still out there, but you could be retired for 25, 30, 35 years.

Check Out: 14 Key Signs You Will Run Out of Money in Retirement

Discover: 27 Most Lucrative Side Hustles for People Over 50

How To Save $1.9 Million for Retirement

If you tell someone they need to save $1.9 million, that can be daunting on the surface. But theres a way in which you do that through planning and decision-making processes that makes it attainable, Voris said.

The first step is simply making the choice to be an active participant in your financial planning.

Be your own advocate. Be engaged. Start early. Take it seriously. Have a plan, Voris said. The attitude towards finances in retirement when you have a plan versus not is night and day.

If youre just starting out, be sure youre not leaving any free money on the table.

Make sure that youre getting every penny that your employer offers, whether thats a 401(k) match or thats a stock purchase plan discount or HSA contribution match  all of those assets that are free. Dont leave any of them on the table, Voris said. Approach open enrollment in that mindset, and make sure that youre leveraging the most from your employer.

See: States Where Your Retirement Will Cost Less Than $45,000 a Year

Read: 17 Tips To Live Comfortably Off Just a Social Security Check

Voris said to also be mindful of debt, which can derail your retirement savings plans.

Be mindful of credit card debt, be mindful of healthcare debt and have a debt plan if you have multiple cards or you have a car loan, he said, noting that your plan should be focused on paying down high-interest debt first.

You should also have an emergency savings fund so that you do not have to take on more debt or tap into your retirement savings in case the unexpected strikes.

Practically speaking, for someone who is on the edge of being financially secure, a life event can be disastrous, Voris said. If the car breaks down or you accrue some medical debt or you get behind on rent  those kinds of things can really throw a wrench in things.

Having three to six months worth of living expenses saved can keep you on track with your retirement savings plans even if something were to happen.

Learn: The Standard Emergency Savings Advice Was Wrong  How Much Do You Really Need?

Find Out: Should You Put Money Into Retirement or Your Savings? Heres How To Know

Next, Voris said to ask for help coming up with a plan to meet your retirement goals. The Schwab survey found that only 40% of 401(k) plan participants felt very confident in investment decisions made on their own, versus 56% who felt very confident in investment decisions made with professional help.

Take the advice thats offered, Voris said. Most 401(k) record keepers have advice and financial wellness accounts, and those things will help a person build a plan. Have an engagement partner, have a sounding board. Increasing your confidence increases your ability to be successful from a savings and investment perspective.

Lastly, keep in mind that $1.9 million is a long-term goal  its not a lump sum youre expected to save up overnight.

If you think about someone who is 24 or 25, thats a 35- to 40-year work savings career, Voris said. It seems daunting  thats a big number  but the ability to get there if you have a plan and if youre saving over a 30-, 35-, 40-year period, its attainable. That $1.9 million [goal] should empower you to make small steps and right decisions incrementally.

More From GOBankingRates

Last updated: Aug. 4, 2021

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: $1M Is No Longer the Standard Nest Egg  Heres How Much Most Americans Think You Actually Need To Retire
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Norma Patricia Esparza was a talented college professor, mother and wifebut did a secret from her past reveal a much darker side to her? Years before her successful career, when Esparza was a college student in California, a man she met at a club was found dead along the side of the road with a savage set of injuries. Ive been to a lot of scenes in my career, but this one was a little more gruesome just because of the sheer amount of injury to the body, Larry Montgomery, a detective at the t
A medical assistant administers a COVID-19 vaccine dose to a woman at a clinic in Los Angeles on March 25, 2021. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Six members of a Jacksonville, Florida, church died from COVID-19 over ten days, the pastor said.

He said the one thing they all had in common was that they were unvaccinated.

The church, which held a vaccine event in March, is holding another one in light of their deaths.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

A pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, is encouraging his congregants to get vaccinated as a COVID-19 outbreak has ravaged his church.

Six unvaccinated members died from COVID-19 over the course of ten days, Senior Pastor George Davis of Impact Church told local outlet News4Jax.

"In the last 10 days, we have had six members of our church who passed away from COVID. Four of them were under the age of 35. All of them were healthy, and the only thing they had in common was they were not vaccinated," Davis said.

Another 15 to 20 members of the church have been hospitalized with the virus, while others have tested positive but were not hospitalized, including a few vaccinated members.

Read more: The vaccines work very well against Delta, so stop badgering the vaccinated to wear masks

The church requires congregants to wear masks during the service, according to News4Jax. Davis said they held a vaccination event in March with 800 people getting the shot. After the latest outbreak, the church is holding another vaccine event and urging everyone to get inoculated.

Florida has become the epicenter of the most recent COVID-19 surge in the US. The state has broken its own record for new daily COVID-19 cases three times in the past week, as hospitalizations also rise. Infections in children are also rising in Florida, as well as in Texas, including among kids who are too young to get the vaccine.

About 49% of Florida residents are fully vaccinated, on par with the national rate of 50%, according to the CDC.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who has resisted mask mandates and other coronavirus restrictions, sparred with the White House this week after President Joe Biden accused him of not doing enough to control the outbreak.

Have a news tip? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@insider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photograph: Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images

A former executive assistant who filed a criminal complaint against New York governor Andrew Cuomo last week for allegedly groping her has said he needs to be held accountable.

Brittany Commisso is one of 11 women Cuomo is accused of sexually harassing, according to a devastating investigative report released by the state attorney generals office last week.

Related: Sheriff hails courage of woman accusing Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct

The former aide identified herself publicly in an interview with CBS which is set to be broadcast in full on Monday morning.

What he did to me was a crime. He broke the law, Commisso said in an excerpt released ahead of its broadcast. Coming forward, she said, was the right thing to do. The governor needs to be held accountable.

Commisso, identified only as executive assistant #1 in the report, told state investigators that Cuomo fondled her breast on one occasion. She also said he rubbed her backside while taking a photo. She has said the alleged incident took place at the governors mansion in Albany.

Albany county sheriff Craig Apple told reporters on Saturday that Cuomo could face a possible misdemeanor charge. Apple said the investigation is in its infant stages and the complaint made against Cuomo is criminal in nature and the alleged conduct was sexual in nature.

When asked what possible charge the governor could face, the sheriff said: From what Ive read so far I can say were floating around a misdemeanor, but again, thats just from the attorney general report.

Cuomo, facing impeachment and removal from office by state lawmakers, has denied the allegations and resisted widespread calls for his resignation, including from fellow Democrats, including Joe Biden.

His lawyer, Rita Glavin, has described Commissos account as fabricated, citing emails and other documentary evidence she said undermines her story. There has been no open minded fact-finding  the investigators acted as prosecutors, judge and jury, Glavin said.
(Bloomberg) --

TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. is reviving plans to list in Hong Kong by early next year even as Chinese authorities widen their crackdown on the countrys technology companies, the Financial Times reported.

The listing could take place either next quarter or in early 2022, the paper said in a report on Sunday, citing three unidentified people with knowledge of the plans.

ByteDance has been working on addressing data security concerns raised by Chinese regulators, the FT reported. Its going through a review process and has submitted filings to Chinese authorities, and final guidance is expected from ByteDance by September, one of the people was cited as saying. In July, Dow Jones reported that ByteDance put on hold indefinitely its intentions to list offshore earlier this year, after government officials told it to focus on addressing data-security risks.

When reached by Bloomberg News, a ByteDance spokesperson said the FT report is inaccurate, without elaborating.

The report comes at a tense time for Chinese technology firms. Last month, President Xi Jinping launched sweeping regulatory reforms targeting the $100 billion education tech sector, prompting a selloff that at one point erased $1.5 trillion from Chinese stocks.

That increased official oversight of one corner of Chinas vast tech sector came after Beijing proposed new rules requiring a cybersecurity review for nearly all companies looking to list abroad. Since July, the Chinese government has effectively frozen overseas listings to safeguard data security in the wake of ride-hailing company Didi Global Inc.s controversial $4.4 billion IPO.

Officials also shocked investors with fresh guidelines ordering online food delivery firms to ensure that workers earn at least the local minimum wage.

The rising scrutiny of Chinese technology firms has led to anxiety on what could be next on Xis list. Last week, Tencent Holdings Ltd., Chinas most valuable corporation, led a stocks rout after Chinese state media decried the spiritual opium of online games.

Story continues

(Updates with company response in the fourth paragraph)

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Divorce is never an easy situation, especially when it comes to friends, because they often have to pick sides. Kelly Clarksons divorce from Brandon Blackstock was extra complicated because her Voice co-star, Blake Shelton, was managed by her ex-husband. How did the duo navigate their friendship throughout this tumultuous time? Well, somebody decided to pick []
When Diego started going out again to meet friends he never expected to be among a growing number of young Mexicans hospitalized by a highly contagious Covid-19 variant driving another wave of infections.

"I let my guard down thinking that I wasn't going to catch it, but in the end I did," the 20-year-old student told AFP at a private clinic in a suburb north of Mexico City.

"This is no joke. It's a pretty cruel disease," said Diego, who did not want to give his full name.

He is one of 16 coronavirus patients being treated in the same hospital in Coacalco.

Unlike during the first two waves of the pandemic, most of the sick are in their 20s and 30s.

Mexico's official Covid-19 death toll of more than 244,000 is the fourth highest in the world, and the actual figure is believed to be significantly higher.

The government says that is partly a reflection of the country's large population, but is also due to the prevalence of underlying health problems, including obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

The country has registered nearly three million confirmed cases since the pandemic began, of which around 138,000 are active.

- No lockdown -

Experts say the latest wave of infections is due to the arrival of the Delta variant of the virus, as well as reduced social distancing, particularly among younger Mexicans.

The Mexico City authorities on Friday ruled out imposing any new lockdown measures, despite the health ministry raising the capital's alert status to the highest level.

"Right now it seems that neither the government nor anyone is interested in making people stay at home again," said Jesus Victoria, the head of nursing at the hospital in Coacalco.

Although people aged between 18 and 29 began to be vaccinated in late July, it was too late for some of the patients at the clinic, he said.

"We've been able to discharge most of them, but we have also had many deaths of young people," Victoria said.

Story continues

"I don't know if as a society we are failing, if the government is failing. Shopping centers are open, cinemas, sports centers. It complicates things," he added.

Thanks to vaccinations, hospitalizations remain far below a peak seen in January when occupancy rose above 90 percent.

Now around half of general beds and 58 percent of those equipped with ventilators are available, according to the government.

Almost 50 million people in the country of 126 million have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and 27 million of them are fully vaccinated, the health ministry says.

- Bars, parties -

Hector Lopez, a 26-year-old computer programmer who is also hospitalized for Covid-19, said that in hindsight his family was not careful enough.

"Usually I don't go out. The problem is that my relatives do," he said.

"I had been taking care of myself. I hadn't gone out unless it was necessary," he added, as machines monitored his vital signs.

Lopez, who is expected to be discharged soon, said he had seen on social media that friends were going out more, despite the risks.

"It was very easy to see that they were in a bar or at a party as if nothing was happening," he said.

Mayra Jimenez, another patient, believes the Delta variant is so infectious that anyone who has avoided catching it without taking extra care is very lucky.

"We didn't go to parties or gatherings," said the 39-year-old, who is using a medical device to help her lungs recover.

"Fortunately I came through it okay, but there are people who are in a really bad way," she said.

yug/dr/sw/oho
(WFTV/screenshot)

A Florida pastor has begged for higher vaccination uptake after losing six members of his Jacksonville church in just ten days as the state emerges as a current Covid-19 hotspot.

In the last ten days, weve had six members of our church who have passed away from Covid; four of them were under the age of 35. All of them were healthy, Rev George Davis told local NBC affiliate WFLA.

The only thing they had in common? Each of them were not vaccinated. These were people that I know, that Ive pastored, he said. One 24-year-old kid, Ive known him since he was a toddler.

The unfortunate reality at Impact Church is, tragically, not unusual. Florida recorded its highest daily count this week since the beginning of the pandemic, with 22,783 new cases on Thursday, 1,100 more than the states previous single-day case count recorded last Saturday, according to CDC figures.

Rev Davis made the comments the same weekend that, two-and-a-half hours away, another loyal churchgoer was being buried at Faith Temple Christian Center in Rockledge.

Marquis Davis, 28, was an unvaccinated member of Faith Temples congregation who contracted Covid and, on his death bed, expressed his regret at not receiving the jab. To honour him, his family turned his wake and funeral into a vaccination and testing opportunity, with dozens of mourners and community members taking advantage.

People were actually leaving the funeral and going across the street and getting vaccinated, Dr. R. Shaun Ferguson, who leads Faith Temple, told The Independent Saturday. Like Impact, his church had held vaccination events previously to encourage registration and commitment but efforts had never before been held in conjunction with a funeral home or wake, Dr. Ferguson said.

Like Rev Davis, Dr Ferguson told The Independent that the ages of Covid victims were beginning to draw notice in the community.

What were seeing is more and more young people are dying, he said. Before, if you remember, it was just the older population  so I think its just opening the eyes of young people.
Graphic: Doug Sosnik

Doug Sosnik  senior adviser to the Brunswick Group, and White House political director for President Bill Clinton  is out with a new deck, shown first to Axios AM readers, warning his party how hard it'll be to hang onto its House and Senate majorities in next year's midterms.

The bottom line: "With only two exceptions (1998 and 2002), the party out of power has picked up seats in every midterm election since World War II," Sosnik writes.

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The last five presidents have lost Senate and House majorities.

Despite President Biden's strong first six months in office, "there are some signs that his support is beginning to soften," Sosnik writes.

Likely driven by fallout from the Delta variant, an ABC/Ipsos poll released July 25 found pessimism about the country's direction had risen 19 points since a May 2 poll (from 36% pessimistic to 55%).

"Crime is also on the rise and there are indications that the Republicans are making inroads with voters on their cultural war against the Democrats," Sosnik wrote.

Sosnik's note of hope for his party: Rely on Republican unpopularity.

He cites a Quinnipiac Poll of 1,290 U.S. adults (conducted by phone July 27-Aug. 2; margin of error: 2.7) that found a 61% unfavorable view of Republicans in Congress. (It's 52% for Democrats.)

After record turnout in 2018 and 2020, the '22 midterms will likely hinge on which party can turn out their own voters.

Crazy stats, showing how few swing states/districts there are in polarized America:

"Ninety-four out of 100 Senators are of the same party as the Presidential candidate who carried their state in 2020."

"In the House 419 out of 435 members (96%) are of the same party as the Presidential candidate who carried their district in 2020."

Go deeper:

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free
PARIS (Reuters) - France's health minister on Sunday appealed for volunteer doctors and nurses to travel to the overseas territories of Guadalupe and Martinique as a wave of COVID-19 infections overwhelms hospitals on the two Caribbean islands.

Health Minister Olivier Veran said the first medical staff would fly out on Tuesday, as health authorities race to administer COVID-19 shots but come up against a deep-rooted culture of vaccine-hesitancy.

Only 21% of the populations of Guadalupe and Martinique have received a first dose of a vaccine, according to the independent COVIDTracker website citing Aug. 5 data, compared with two thirds of all French people having received one dose and 55% being fully vaccinated.

Hospitals on the islands are buckling under pressure with intensive care bed occupancy on Martinique alone at 200% of normal capacity.

In an appeal launched on social media, Veran said Martinique and Guadalupe were facing "an intense wave of infections" that was hitting a population where vaccination levels were too low.

On Monday, mainland France will extend its health pass scheme to include bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as long distance trains, to help contain a fourth wave of infections.

(Reporting by Richard Lough; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. Bill Cassidy said that he disagreed with fellow Republican Ron DeSantis over bans on mask mandates.

"I think you govern best when you govern closest to the people being governed," he said.

Cassidy, a medical doctor, said that as a conservative, local control was paramount.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on Sunday said that he disagrees with an order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that bans local school districts from implementing mask mandates.

During an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Cassidy told host Dana Bash that his viewpoint differs than that of the Florida Republican, who is considered to be a potential 2024 presidential contender.

"I'm a conservative. I think you govern best when you govern closest to the people being governed," he said. "And if a local community is having - their ICU is full, and the people at the local schools see that they've got to make sure they stay open, because otherwise children miss out for another year of school, and they put in policy, then the local officials should be listened to. That is a conservative principle."

When asked by Bash if he "disagreed" with DeSantis on the mask order, Cassidy, a medical doctor whose state is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, was straightforward in his opinion.

"I do disagree with Governor DeSantis," he said. "The local officials should have control here. I don't want top-down from Washington, DC. I don't want top-down from a governor's office. ... If my hospitals are full, vaccination rate is low and infection rate is going crazy, local officials should be allowed to make those decisions."

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Read more: Knowing the Buttiverse: We're tracking 59 ex-staffers from Secretary Pete's 2020 campaign and where they are now

DeSantis and fellow Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas both recently signed orders that block mask mandates, which last week drew the ire of President Joe Biden.

Story continues

"Some state officials are passing laws ... that forbid people from doing the right thing," Biden said about rules that bar Covid-19 restrictions. "I say to the governors, please help. If you're not going to help, get out of the way of the people that are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives."

DeSantis, incensed by Biden's comments, laced into the president during a press conference last week.

"Why don't you do your job? Why don't you get this border secure, and until you do that, I don't want to hear a blip about COVID from you," he said.

Surrounding the heated political discourse is the reality that Florida and Texas are both experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, exacerbated by the highly infectious Delta variant.

The directives have frustrated some local officials who have sought to issue COVID-19 prevention measures for children returning to school from their summer vacations.

Last week, Orange County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in Florida, issued a 30-day mask mandate for students when classes resume this week, but parents can opt their children out of the policy.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Virus Outbreak Florida (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A Republican senator from Louisiana and longtime physician has criticized the decision of his fellow party member, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, to ban mask mandates in public schools.

Im a conservative, Sen Bill Cassidy said on Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. I think you govern best when you govern closest to the people being governed.

And if the local community ... their ICU is full, and the people at the local schools see that theyve got to make sure they stay open because otherwise children miss out for another year of school, and they put in policy, then the local officials should be listened to.

I dont want to top down from Washington DC I dont want to top down from a governors office, he added.

The Delta variant has ravaged Louisiana as well as Florida, which recorded its highest daily case total last week since the beginning of the pandemic.

Sen Cassidy continued: When it comes to local conditions, if my hospital is full and my vaccination rate is low and infection rate is going crazy, we should allow local officials to make those decisions best for their community.

Before his entry into politics, Sen Cassidy earned a reputation for his own involvement in community health in Louisiana, not only teaching at a hospital for the uninsured but also co-founding the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic offering free care and spearheading a campaign to vaccinate 36,000 children against Hepatitis B.

Gov DeSantis, who worked as a lawyer before taking over leadership of the state and who is expected to make a presidential bid, has decreed that parents can opt out of their childrens mask requirement and even threatened to withhold funds from schools that dont comply  though that hasnt stopped various Florida districts from defying him.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott also banned mask mandates. But school districts and communities are not taking such legal measures lying down.

The CDC recommends that all students, teachers, staff and visitors to K-12 schools should be masked, regardless of vaccination status.

Story continues

In Florida, the court challenges to governors contradictory school mask policy have already begun rolling in. One suit, filed on behalf of a Florida father with an asthmatic child ineligible for the vaccine, points out the high state Covid rates and claims that the danger to the Plaintiff and his children and all others they come into contact with is severe, unreasonable, and growing by the day.

Another lawsuit filed on behalf of Florida parents argues the states constitution guarantees a safe school environment and provides counties with the abilities to govern themselves, with attorney Charles Gallagher telling CNN: They are framing this as a parent choice issue when this is really a public health issue.

President Joe Biden has told governors such as Mr DeSantis to get out of the way when it came to mask policies, but on Friday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki went a step further  accusing Mr DeSantis of profiteering from a public health threat.

I will say, as a parent myself of two young children, that I want public health officials to make decisions about how to keep my kids safe, not politicians, she said. And not only is Governor DeSantis not abiding by public health decisions, hes fundraising off this.
Gunmen on the south side of the U.S.-Mexico border opened fire on a border agent patrolling near El Paso, Texas, on Friday, officials said.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agent was driving along the Rio Grande River around 3 a.m. when gunfire erupted from the Mexican side of the river, sending the agent speeding for cover.

Camera operators spotted the source of the shots: two people with what appeared to be a rifle shooting north from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande River, CBP said in a statement.

They fired about 20 shots at the agent from 150 yards away.

Fortunately, none of the rounds struck the agent, CBP said.

After firing at the agent, the two assailants climbed into a sedan and drove away. Mexican authorities were contacted and officers were sent to the scene.

The FBI is handling the investigation, the statement said.

The shooting comes less than a month after a banner was hung on a Juarez bridge threatening violence against U.S. border agents and others for interfering in human smuggling operations, according to Border Report.

Local authorities quickly removed the banner, but the message was received.

As with any threat made against CBP personnel, it will be handled accordingly and not taken lightly, CBP told Border Report in July.

After 117 people found in truck, Georgia man pleads guilty to human smuggling charge

Mexican citizen who fell off border wall dies month later in Texas hospital, feds say

Texas border agent helps smuggler sneak in cocaine  as other agents watched, feds say

Fort Hood soldiers were being paid to smuggle people across Texas, feds say
The Daily Beast

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos GettyTennessee state Rep. David Byrd was recorded apologizing to one of two former students who accused him of molesting them when he was a girls high school basketball coach in the 1980s.I can promise you one thing, I have been so sorry for that, he says in a recording that surfaced along with the allegations in 2018. Ive lived with that and you dont know how hard it has been for me.A third student charged that he had attempted to molest her.
A Washington state inmate was sentenced to nearly 25 years in prison after he murdered his sister's rapist who was housed in the same cell.

Shane Goldsby, 26, attacked 70-year-old Robert Munger in a communal area at the Airway Heights Corrections Center in July 2020 after he discovered the convicted child rapist had molested a number of victims, including his sister, according to KHQ. Goldsby struck Munger, who at the time was serving a 43-year sentence, "in the face and head area about 14 times, (stomped) on his head at least four times and (kicked) a couple more times before walking away and being taken into custody by" law enforcement, court documents read.

The 26-year-old apologized to Munger's family through tears during his sentencing.

WARDEN AT JAIL HOLDING GHISLAINE MAXWELL CHARGED WITH MURDER

I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way, he said as he read a prepared statement. To his wife and his whole family, I apologize. I am so sorry, and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused.

Goldsby had been imprisoned during the assault for stealing a police cruiser and leading officers on a prolonged pursuit that eventually resulted in an injury to a state trooper following a crash. Last year, Goldsby said tension between him and Munger was "building up" after the 70-year-old shared details of his grizzly crimes.

"He kept ... giving me details about what happened and what he did," he told KHQ in an interview shortly after the killing. "About the photos and videos of him doing this stuff, and it was building up."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Following an investigation, the state's Department of Corrections said it had no knowledge of the pair's relationship when they were housed together.

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Tags: News, Prison, Prisons, Crime, Washington

Original Author: Jake Dima

Original Location: Inmate sentenced to nearly 25 years for murdering sister's rapist in prison
Former Acting Assistant US Attorney General Jeffrey Clark. Yuri Gripas / Getty Images

A Trump-appointed DOJ official asked his superiors to look into "foreign election interference issues."

Newly released emails reveal Jeffrey Clark claimed China had changed voter ballots using thermostats.

Clark also urged Georgia to investigate voter irregularities, despite DOJ stating there were none.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Jeffrey Clark, a Justice Department official appointed by former President Donald Trump, told senior officials that China used thermostats to change ballots in the 2020 presidential election.

In a recently released email originally sent December 2020, Clark asked his superiors - including acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen and deputy Richard Donoghue - to look into "foreign election interference issues."

Clark claimed hackers had evidence that "a Dominion machine accessed the Internet through a smart thermostat with a net connection trail leading back to China."

He said he hoped to use information gathered by US intelligence to determine whether the thermometers could make digital contact with voting machines in the United States.

The emails were obtained by the House Oversight Committee and first reported by ABC News.

Several days later, Donoghue vehemently shot down his request, ABC News reported.

"There is no chance that I would sign this letter or anything remotely like this," Donoghue said. "While it maybe true that the Department 'is investigating various irregularities in the 2020 election for President' (something we typically would not state publicly) the investigations that I am aware of relate to suspicions of misconduct that are of such a small scale that they simply would not impact the outcome of the Presidential Election."

Read more: The definitive oral history of how Trump took over the GOP, as told to us by Cruz, Rubio, and 20 more insiders

In recent weeks, Clark has emerged as one of the key figures who sought to advance Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Story continues

Trump made Clark acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department's civil division in September 2020, and according to the New York Times, the two later plotted to oust Rosen and appoint Clark as acting attorney general.

As Insider previously reported, Trump had told Justice Department officials on December 27, including Rosen and Donoghue, to "just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me."

A recently released email sent by Clark from December 28 revealed he had attempted to use the power of the Justice Department to intervene in Georgia's election.

Clark had written to his superiors and asked them to convene a special session of the state legislature to investigate baseless claims of voter fraud.

His colleagues at the Justice Department ultimately refused, stating they had found no evidence of widespread fraud, which matches the conclusion reached by media outlets, election watchdogs, and investigative arms. This has been known even before Congress certified now President Joe Biden in January. Still, Trump and other Republican lawmakers continued to hammer the unsubstantiated theory that the election was stolen.

Clark made the comments about the Chinese thermostats in an email accompanying this exchange.

The accusation that China intervened in the 2020 election has been widely debunked, despite continued allegations from prominent Trump supporters.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a declassified report in March that concluded that China considered meddling in the 2020 presidential election but did not end up doing so.

US intelligence kept China, as well as Russia and Iran, on its radar for potential election interference, but the report found China "sought stability in its relationship with the United States." The country also "did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk getting caught meddling," the report says.

Clark hasn't yet been scheduled to testify before the House Select Committee, the bipartisan group put together to investigate the Capitol riot on January 6.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Malaysia will ease coronavirus curbs for fully vaccinated people in states comprising about half the country, its premier said Sunday.

The move, which takes effect from Tuesday, will allow millions to cross district borders, play individual outdoor sports and eat in restaurants in eight states where cases have fallen and vaccination rates are promising.

A lockdown since June has shut down thousands of businesses and limited most peoples' travel to the districts where they lived, though sectors of the economy have gradually been allowed to open.

"More people are receiving complete vaccinations... the burden on the public health system will reduce," Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in a televised speech.

"More economic and social sectors can be opened up in stages, and we can get out of this pandemic (in a) more orderly and safely (manner)."

The curbs will not be lifted in states such as the capital Kuala Lumpur, which is recording thousands of new infections every day, and the commercial heartland of Selangor.

But the government also announced easing restrictions for double-jabbed residents regardless of their state, such as home quarantine for 14 days upon return to the country and an allowance for married couples to cross state lines to meet their spouses.

Despite an initially slow rollout, the Southeast Asian nation is seeing upwards of 400,000 vaccines handed out a day, one of the fastest in the region.

Some 8.25 million people -- a quarter of the country's 33 million -- have gotten double doses, as 23.6 million jabs have been given so far.

The move comes as Malaysia is going through its worst virus wave yet, with an average of nearly 20,000 infections and hundreds of deaths recorded every day.

It reported a daily death record of 360 fatalities on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 10,749 people.

pl/jfx
Myanmar protesters on Sunday marked the anniversary of a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that brought Aung San Suu Kyi to prominence, with flash mobs and marches of defiance against the ruling junta.

The country has been in turmoil since the military coup in February -- more than 900 people have been killed and thousands arrested in the subsequent crackdown on dissent, according to a local monitoring group.

But protesters remain undeterred, taking to the streets daily in lightning-quick rallies to demand the end to the State Administration Council -- as the junta's so-called "caretaker" government has dubbed itself.

On Sunday, flash mobs popped up across Yangon and second city Mandalay to commemorate the 1988 uprising -- a massive pro-democracy movement that the military violently quelled by opening fire on protesters and jailing thousands.

Following the calls of an online campaign, red-clad protesters on Sunday flashed an eight-finger salute and carried banners that read: "Let's return the old blood debt of 1988 in 2021."

"In 1988, our country sacrificed a lot -- many people lost their lives. But the dictatorship is still alive," said Ko Sai Win, who joined a morning protest in Mandalay.

"It is like a black shadow on our country."

The 1988 uprising heralded the rise of Suu Kyi, who had returned to Myanmar just before protests kicked off to care for her ailing mother.

Thanks to her stature as the daughter of General Aung San, who fought for independence against the British, and her rousing speeches, Suu Kyi emerged as a pro-democracy icon, later receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

A shadow "National Unity Government" -- formed largely of MPs from her ousted party -- vowed in a statement Sunday to continue the fight for democracy.

British ambassador to Myanmar Peter Vowles also expressed support for the anti-junta movement.

"The UK stood by the people of Myanmar in 1988 and we stand by them today in 2021," he said in a video posted on the British embassy's official Twitter account.

Story continues

- Weapons cache -

The 1988 uprising was arguably the most significant challenge to junta rule at the time.

Security measures were stepped up for the anniversary, said a statement from the junta's information team Sunday.

Authorities said they arrested two men and seized a cache of weapons in Mandalay, which included scores of guns, more than 10,000 bullets and more than 160 bombs and grenades.

The information team also accused the NUG of allegedly smuggling those weapons to "cause more violence in the country".

To justify its power grab, the junta has alleged widespread electoral fraud by Suu Kyi's NLD party.

Suu Kyi is also facing an eclectic raft of charges including the illegal possession of walkie-talkies and breaking coronavirus rules.

bur-dhc/qan
Sea otters eat up to a quarter of their body weight each day in abalone, crab, octopus  and the purple urchins that are laying waste to California's kelp forests. (Mark Newman / Getty Images)

Kelp forests are a crucial California marine ecosystem. From kelp's floating canopies to its "holdfast" roots, the giant seaweed  algae, actually  supports greater biodiversity and sequesters more carbon than a redwood grove, while also protecting our coastline from the full force of Pacific storms. Kelp forests shelter fin fish, shellfish, whales, seals, octopuses and sharks  more than 1,000 animal and plant species in all.

Unfortunately, since 2013 the states kelp beds have been in an unprecedented state of collapse. From San Diego to Monterey the losses are patchy, but north of the Golden Gate more than 95% of the kelp is now gone. Warming oceans combined with past hunting and fishing practices upset the balance between predators and prey in the kelp forest, with devastating effects.

One possible remedy has a satisfying twist  return the sea otter, the keystone kelp forest predator, to its historical range along the North Coast.

Perhaps 300,000 sea otters once thrived along the north Pacific Rim, from Japan to Baja, until humans hunted them almost to extinction in the 19th century. They've rebounded since they were fully protected in the U.S. 50 years ago, and in California they've recolonized about 13% of their range, especially in and around Monterey Bay.

Why not farther north? Possibly because they cant make it past a burgeoning white shark population. If humans help them make the leap, they might be able to protect surviving North Coast kelp beds, and kick-start a more complete restoration.

Californias kelp catastrophe has two immediate causes. In 2013, a marine heat wave that scientists dubbed the blob caused ocean temperatures to spike along the West Coast, weakening the kelp, which thrives in cold, nutrient-rich currents. Then a virus  probably supercharged by the warmer waters, according to a 2019 study  allowed purple urchins, voracious kelp eaters, to proliferate.

The virus, known as the sea star wasting syndrome, is on a par with horror movie scourges. It melts the limbs and bodies of what we used to call starfish, including the many-armed sunflower sea star, a purple urchin predator. On the North Coast, with sea otters long gone, sunflower sea stars have been the major purple urchin predator. (Another top urchin predator, commercial fishermen, targets larger, meatier species.)

Story continues

Since the sea star die-off, the quarter-sized purple urchins have run amok, especially off the Sonoma and Mendocino coast, devouring kelp and replacing the complex near-shore kelp forest habitat with "urchin barrens"  a seabed carpeted with pastel pin cushions.

To combat the devastation, divers  some volunteers and some paid by the state and private donors  have organized efforts to suction up, collect or take hammers to the urchins by the tens of thousands. But theres no indication its helping much. Even as the kelp starts to recover, hungry purple urchins find it and the destruction begins all over again.

Sea otters are nearly as insatiable as purple urchins. They lack the blubber common to other marine mammals and depend for warmth on their luxuriant fur (the prize that led to their slaughter in the 1800s). They run hot; their metabolism requires that they eat up to a quarter of their body weight each day in abalone, crab, octopus  and urchins.

Letting otters expand their range on their own is ideal, but relocating them is possible. It could start with 10 or 12  a sea otter SWAT team  from whats estimated to be a California population of about 3,000. In fact, U.S. Fish and Wildlife has years of experience relocating the marine mammals with varying success, often at the behest of the fishing industry, which tends to view otters as competition.

North Coast fishermen, too, may not welcome back otters. On the other hand a lot of science  and in-the-water evidence at the Channel Islands and other MPAs (marine protected areas)  indicates that the more intact the near-shore ecosystem, with a healthy mix of predators and prey, the better the fishing will be in adjacent waters.

It was a remnant population of sea otters from Big Sur that recolonized Monterey Bay. Their presence played a key role in restoring the area's kelp forests after the closure of Montereys polluting canneries. Today the bay and the city are a world center of marine biodiversity, with a thriving economy based on tourism (starring sea otters), marine science and fishing.

Otters could help in the battle to save North Coast kelp, but they aren't a silver-bullet solution. That's because the urchin barrens are in part populated by "zombies." Once purple urchins destroy too much kelp, they turn auto-cannibalistic rather than starve to death; they feed on themselves. Otters aren't much interested in the shell-like results. Studies in Monterey Bay show that even though otters don't clear the barrens, they keep proliferating purple urchins in check wherever kelp survives.

Kelp forests are good at reproducing themselves; one hope is that the balance the otters maintain would allow kelp to reseed whenever and wherever a storm or some other natural event  or human effort  scrapes away enough zombies.

Conservationist Aldo Leopold once wrote, To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of the intelligent tinkerer.

On the North Coast, the way back to a healthy ocean will take planning, funding and cooperation and some intelligent tinkering. Reestablishing sea otters throughout their traditional range could be a start.

David Helvarg is the executive director of Blue Frontier, an ocean conservation and policy group. His latest book is The Golden Shore  Californias Love Affair with the Sea.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The demonstration took place in Piazza del Popolo a day after the implementation of the new measure introduced by the Italian government to try to contain the highly infectious Delta variant.

Italy is following in the footsteps of France, which was the first European country to say it was making proof of immunity mandatory to access a range of services and venues.

"Today I decided to demonstrate against the Green Pass because I heard that it will be required to access university spaces," university student, Tea Capai, told Reuters. "I am not against the vaccine but I think people should be free to choose whether or not to receive it," she added.

"It is a disguised obligation to be vaccinated that allows the government not to take responsibility for introducing a law forcing people to be vaccinated," said protester Michele.

From Friday the Green Pass will be required to go to gyms, swimming pools, sports stadiums, museums, spas, casinos and cinemas. Eating in indoor restaurants also requires a pass.

The Italian government will widen the Green Pass requirement to all teachers, university students and long-distance transport from Sept. 1.
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., indicated Sunday that she isnt backing down from her "defund the police" message, even if it hurts Democrats politically.

On CNNs "State of the Union," anchor Dana Bash asked Bush to weigh in on the backlash shes received since she said on CBS News last week that "defunding the police has to happen" so people should "suck it up."

PSAKI REJECTS CORI BUSH'S RALLYING CRY, SAYS 'MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS' DON'T WANT TO DEFUND POLICE

"Could those comments end up being hurtful to your fellow Democrats, politically speaking?" Bash asked the congresswoman.

Bush responded, "I think what we have to look at is the fact that I made it to Congress in 2020, and were still fighting this same fight. Were still fighting to save Black lives. That work was not done before I got here."

"Because that was not fixed before I got here, to then come at me and say, Youre the reason we have these problems. No, the reason why we have these problems is because those that were in power and could have fixed this problem before now didnt and it cost lives," she continued.

The White House has repeatedly tried to distance itself from Bushs "defund the police" message, with press secretary Jen Psaki declaring last week that the "majority of Democrats" disagree with her.

Bush said she empathizes with the moderate Democrats who may be irritated by her message but said they should try to work with her like "Republicans would do."

"As far as my colleagues, I absolutely empathize," she said. "I empathize, but you know what? The same thing that the Republicans would do which is figure out how to work with this on a comms basis, thats what we have to do. My job is to save lives."

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"Because when were talking about every single year increasing the budget for police and then the budget for, like, health and human services continuing to shrink and St. Louis being number one for police violence year after year after year," she said. "Were adding more money to police, but we keep dying."

"We have to tackle it from more than one place," she added. "We have to work on what we want to say. What is our message? But then we also have to understand that we have to save lives, too."
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is sworn in to testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 19. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

Colonel Alexander Vindman said Tucker Carlson demonizes and hates the United States.

Vindman made the comments on CNN while discussing how Carlson had criticized Capitol officer Harry Dunn.

Vindman said he related to Capitol officers whose credibility Carlson had attacked.

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Retired Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman criticized Fox News host Tucker Carlson for scaremongering and anti-American rhetoric.

"It's interesting to hear folks like Tucker Carlson demonize and hate the United States because that's what he's doing. He's hating the United States," Vindman said.

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Vindman, a key witness in Donald Trump's first impeachment trial, made the comments while appearing on CNN to discuss how Capitol officers who testified about January 6 had their credibility attacked by people like Carlson.

Vindman previously served as the top Ukraine expert on Trump's National Security Council. He made headlines in 2019 when he recounted in minute detail his firsthand knowledge of Trump's efforts to strongarm the Ukrainian government into launching bogus political investigations targeting Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

He said he felt a "kinship" and a "common shared experience" with the officers after having had his own credibly similarly attacked after the Ukraine impeachment trial.

"I would just ask the American public to take a look around, walk your streets," Vindman said. "Does it look anything like the world Tucker Carlson portrays, or that Donald Trump portrays?"

"We have problems, we have challenges that we can overcome together, but we are still the best country in the world and we do that together," he said.

He added that he had been in touch with Capitol officers as he felt it was important to keep in touch with those who'd had similar experiences.

After Capitol officer Harry Dunn testified that he was called the n-word and violently attacked during the Capitol riot, Tucker Carlson accused him of being "an angry left-wing political activist."

Story continues

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In a tweet, Dunn's lawyer said that the police officer had received "numerous vile/racist" messages after Carlson's segment, including some that "specifically cite" Carlson.

Carlson had similarly attacked Vindman after the impeachment trial, questioning the veteran's loyalty to America and his ties to Ukraine after he said he had been offered a Ukraine military post.

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Vindman previously told USA Today that he had spoken to Dunn after the attacks.

"These are not people in your circle," Vindman had told Dunn. "Really, you should only be concerned with people that you respect and admire. All of this other stuff is just background noise," he said.

Earlier this week, Vindman told the Washington Post that Trump is a "vile man" who did more "damage to the United States than any other leader in recent US history."

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(Janos Kummer/Getty Images and @Acyn/Twitter)

A retired United States Army lieutenant colonel who served in the Trump administration has attacked Fox News host Tucker Carlson, accusing the television personality of hating and tending to demonize the United States.

Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who was wounded during combat in Iraq, told CNN: Its interesting to hear folks like Tucker Carlson demonise and hate the Unite States because thats what hes doing. Hes hating the United States.

He added: I would just ask the American public to take a look around, walk your streets ... Does it look anything like the world Tucker Carlson portrays, or that Donald Trump portrays?

While assigned to the National Security Council during the Trump administration, Mr Vindman served as part of the delegation at the inauguration of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

He ultimately became a key witness in the first impeachment investigation against Trump, testifying that, in the spring of 2019, he had become aware of outside influencers promoting a false and alternative narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency and offering firsthand knowledge of communication between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky regarding investigations into the Biden family.

Mr Vindman has continued to be an outspoken Trump critic, just this week calling the businessman-turned-president a vile man who did more damage to the United States than any other leader in recent US history in an interview with the Washington Post.

In advance of the release of his new book Here, Right Matters, Mr Vindman told the Post that Mr Trump remained an enormous threat.

I can make cold, hard calculations about the threat ... former president of the United States Donald Trump poses. He continues to pose a keen threat based on propagating this lie that the election was stolen, in fact, he was the one trying to steal the election.

Mr Vindman left the NSC in July 2020 following his testimony to Congress about Mr Trumps activities, citing bullying and retaliation from members of the Trump administration. He previously served as its director for European affairs.

Mr Trump claimed to have never met Mr Vindman in a February 2020 tweet that simultaneously accused the military officer of being very insubordinate, causing his superior to file a horrendous report about him. The former president famously demonised members of his administration and the broader White House and military spheres who criticised him in any way following their respective exits from his administration.

The 45th president survived both impeachment efforts launched by Democrats over the Ukraine scandal as well as the attack on the US Capitol earlier this year, though his second impeachment trial ended in the most bipartisan support for a presidential impeachment in US history.
Roma activists Elena Gorolova (R) and Helena Baloghova (L), both victims of forced sterilization, are seen outside the Council of Europe in 2007 in the early days of their campaign. Council of Europe/Reuters

Thousands of women - mainly from the Roma minority - were sterilized during the former Czech regime.

Many were sterilized while they were in labor, according to an Amnesty International researcher.

The Roma people make up about 2% of the Czech Republic's population, and are often among the poorest and discriminated against.

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Those who were forced to undergo involuntary sterilization in the Czech Republic between 1966 and 2012 will be offered 300,000 Czech crowns (about $14,000) in compensation, reported The Guardian.

Earlier this week, President Milos Zeman signed a bill issuing the payments.

Most of the women - many from the country's Roma minority - were involuntarily sterilized during the days of the former Czech regime as part of what was dubbed "the Sterilization Directive" to control the Roma population, per Euro News.

The program began in the 1960s, and the policy was officially abolished following the collapse of the Communist regime in 1989, but many reports say that an unofficial sterilization program continued until 2009.

"Thousands of women, the majority of whom were Roma, were sterilized in the former Czechoslovakia," said Barbora Cernusakova, a researcher from Amnesty International. "Women were coerced into signing consent forms, often while they were in labor or recovering from Caesarean sections. In many cases, they were not told what they were agreeing to."

A 2015 report from the European Association for the Defence of Human Rights found that doctors extorted signatures from women by claiming that "sterilization was necessary for their present or future survival."

"Since these women did not always understand Czech, they signed the paper in exhaustion and pain, without understanding what depended on it," the report continued. "Some girls as young as 19 were sterilized without their informed consent following the birth of their first child."

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In 2012 the Czech Republic signed into law that a "cooling-off" period was required after agreeing to sterilization.

Now that the bill has been signed, victims have three years to prepare their claims for compensation, according to Romea News. Women who can prove they received incentives from sterilization before 1990 will be eligible for compensation, while those who were sterilized without consent will have to describe what happened and prove their case.

The Roma people have faced a long history of discrimination in Europe, and Norway, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, and Romania carried out similar sterilization programs.

According to the European Commission, Roma people make up about 2% of the Czech Republic's 10 million people. They are often among the poorest and are regularly sidelined for housing, education, and employment.

Read the original article on Insider
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The Singapore government will adjust foreign worker policies to address concerns among locals over competition for jobs, even as the global business hub remains open to talent from overseas, its prime minister said on Sunday.

"We have to adjust our policies to manage the quality, numbers and concentrations of foreigners in Singapore," Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day Message. "If we do this well, we can continue to welcome foreign workers and new immigrants, as we must.

Foreign labour has long been a hot button issue in Singapore, but uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic have increased employment worries among locals as the city-state recovers from last year's record recession.

The issue was also highlighted by opposition parties during last year's general election campaign as they mounted a historic challenge to Lee's People's Action Party, which has ruled Singapore since its independence in 1965.

Just under 30% of Singapore's 5.7 million population are non-residents, up from around 10% in 1990, according to government statistics.

Lee warned that turning inwards would damage Singapore's standing as a global and regional hub. "It would cost us jobs and opportunities."

His government has been tightening foreign worker policies for several years while taking steps to promote local hiring, including by raising the salary threshold for issuing work permits.

The number of people living in Singapore declined 0.3% last year, the first drop since 2003, as travel curbs and job losses brought about by the pandemic pushed foreign workers from the country.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan in Singapore; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
By Khalid Abdelaziz

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan recalled its ambassador to neighbouring Ethiopia on Sunday, frustrated by the stance of Ethiopian officials whom it said were refusing Sudan's offer to mediate in the ongoing conflict in Tigray.

"Ethiopia will improve its position if it considered what Sudan could do. ..instead of completely rejecting all of its efforts," a statement from the foreign ministry read.

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday about the conflict in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray, which has led to an influx of 53,400 refugees since late 2020.

Hamdok's offer came within the framework of his presidency of IGAD, a grouping that includes Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti, Sudan, Uganda and Somalia, the statement said.

Spokespeople for the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs and the prime minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sudan recalling its ambassador.

On Thursday the prime minister's spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, dismissed the possibility of Sudan mediating on the conflict in the northern region of Tigray.

She described the relationship with Khartoum as "a little bit tricky" and said trust should be the basis of any mediation but had "eroded" especially following the "Sudanese army incursion into Ethiopian territory."

Relations have been soured by disputes over Al-Fashqa, an area of fertile land settled by Ethiopian farmers that Sudan says lies on its side of a border demarcated at the start of the 20th century, which Ethiopia rejects.

The border tensions come at a time when Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt are also trying to resolve a three-way row over Ethiopias Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, Additional reporting by Giulia Paravicini in Olbia, Italy, Writing by Nadine Awadalla, Editing by Christina Fincher)
On this week's agenda:

Tonight's closing ceremonies mark the end of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The United States and China continue to dominate the medal count.

Latest news on the Tokyo Olympics from CBSNews.comOlympic medal count (by country)

Two weeks from now, the 2020 Summer Paralympics begin, drawing athletes with disabilities from around the world.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 2021)U.S. Paralympic Team

Tomorrow, the U.N. releases its latest report on human-caused climate change. It comes after years in which, researchers say, we've been "smashing record after record."

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)Watch the press conference on the report's release on the IPCC YouTube channel on Monday, Aug. 9 beginning at 4:00 a.m. Eastern TimeLatest news on climate change from CBSNews.com

Flames from the Dixie Fire consume a home on Highway 89 south of Greenville on August 5, 2021, in Plumas County, California. / Credit: Noah Berger / AP

Firefighters continue to battle dozens of blazes across California. Hundreds of thousands of acres have gone up in smoke, as seen from space.

California's Dixie Fire is now the largest wildfire in the U.S. and third-largest in state historyLatest news on Western wildfires from CBSNews.comActive Fire Mapping Program (USDA Forest Service)CalFire Updates (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection)ODF Wildfire News (Oregon Department of Forestry)

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has until the end of this week to mount a defense against an investigation accusing him of sexual harassment.

Cuomo says he "never touched anyone inappropriately," Biden calls on him to resignCuomo accuser calls for governor's impeachment: "We have a responsibility to act"Aide who accused Cuomo of groping tells "CBS This Morning" and "Times Union": "What he did to me was a crime. He broke the law."

Motorcycles fill the streets of Sturgis, S.D on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began. The annual rally returns just as coronavirus cases in the state are rising with the more contagious Delta variant. / Credit: Stephen Groves/AP

After this week's huge motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, researchers will be looking for signs of a possible COVID "superspreader."

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicks off amid COVID-19 surge fueled by Delta variantSturgis motorcycle rally sparks fears of super spreader eventMore than 100 coronavirus cases in 8 states linked to 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota

Story continues

And at midnight tonight, Canada re-opens its border to fully-vaccinated U.S. citizens. But Canadians remain barred from entering the United States.

Canada to start letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens enter the country on August 9COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions across the U.S. Borders with Canada (Fact Sheet)Entry and Exit Requirements Between the U.S. and Canada (Updated)

Miami-Dade superintendent says mask mandate bans "deeply influenced by politics"

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona details "all hands on deck" approach to reopen schools

Cuomo accuser Brittany Commisso speaks publicly for the first time
The Taliban continued its offensive in Afghanistan Monday, a day after taking control of the key strategic northern city of Kunduz.

Why it matters: The Taliban's escalating success poses a looming problem for the U.S., which is due to completely withdraw military forces from Afghanistan on Aug. 31.

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The country has seen large, rapid territorial gains by the Taliban and a sharp increase in violence since the group's territorial offensive began earlier this summer.

Driving the news: Kunduz was one of three northern provincial capitals captured by the the Taliban on Sunday alone. The group also captured the cities of Taliqan, in the province of Takhar, and Sar-i-Pul, of the province with the same name, the New York Times notes.

"Heavy fighting has also been reported in Herat in the west, and in the southern cities of Kandahar and Lashkar Gah," according to the BBC.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense said it had killed dozens of Taliban fighters during overnight clashes in several cities.

The big picture: The capture of Sar-i-Pul in northern Afghanistan came after several days of heavy fighting, per the NYT.

On Friday, the Taliban captured the city of Zaranj, the capital of Nimruz province.

On Saturday, the Taliban seized Sheberghan, the provincial capital of Jawzjan, near the Turkmenistan border, CNN reports.

The fall of Kunuz is significant both because the city is strategically located near the border with Tajikistan and is an important political and military hub, but it was also the site of the Taliban's surrender in 2001, according to the Guardian.

State of play: The U.S. intelligence community has warned that the Afghan government could collapse as soon as next year as the Taliban's battlefield offensive grows.

The marked uptick in violence since the United States began its withdrawal has seen thousands of Afghans fleeing to neighboring countries.

Afghans who assisted American troops as interpreters, contractors or in other ally roles are being given visas to come to the U.S.

Go deeper: Biden defends Afghanistan exit as fears of collapse grow.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details comment from Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense and to reflect that the Taliban is continuing its offensive.

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A Thai man was charged with the murder of a Swiss woman whose body was found near a waterfall on the tourist island of Phuket, police said Sunday.

The body of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, was found covered with a sheet on Thursday.

She had travelled to Phuket under a "sandbox" pilot scheme that allows vaccinated tourists into Phuket without a two-week quarantine.

Thai national Theerawut Tortip, 27, was arrested and charged with murder and robbery causing death, Deputy National Police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said.

"The cause of death is yet to be confirmed as the autopsy report has yet to be released by authorities," Kissana said during a press conference.

Theerawut, who attended the press conference via a phone-in accompanied by his lawyer, said he had taken roughly 300 baht ($9) after strangling Sauvain-Weisskopf.

"I would like to apologise to the family of the tourist and plead for all Thais to forgive me," he said.

Police Major General Nantadej Yoinual, who oversees the southern region, said Theerawut confessed following an interrogation.

He said Theerawut was detained after reviewing nearby CCTV footage, and narrowing their search to the owner of a motorbike seen around the same time that Sauvin-Weisskopf travelled to the waterfall.

"The victim, the family of the victim, and all the people of Thailand deserve a swift investigation of this crime," a Swiss embassy official said.

The case has cast a pall over Phuket's sandbox scheme, touted as a way to reopen Thailand's coronavirus-hit tourism sector after more than a year of strict travel curbs.

More than 16,000 people have arrived in Phuket since the July 1 launch of the scheme.

tp/dhc/qan
The mummified remains of two cave lion cubs were discovered in Russia, and the recently unveiled specimens may be the best examples of cave lion mummies in the world.

Boris, the male cub, was found in 2017 when Boris Berezhnev, a local resident and licensed mammoth tusk collector, was searching for mammoth tusks along the Semyuelyakh River in Siberia. The cub is around 43,448 years old.

Just a year later in 2018, a female cub was found about 15 meters away. Researchers named her Sparta, and she is roughly 27,962 years old. Both cubs were discovered around 10 to 12 meters deep and are around the size of an adult house cat. The cubs were only one or two months old when they were mummified.

This CAVE LION cub is arguably the best preserved #iceage animal ever found!It's name is Sparta.In a paper published today with colleagues from   & , we use DNA & 14C to show that it's a female cub that died c 28,000 years ago.Read more here:https://t.co/Vc2VI7VFfJ pic.twitter.com/NkXTFCvsyB

 Centre for Palaeogenetics (@CpgSthlm) August 4, 2021

Researchers identified the two cubs as cave lions in a research paper published August 4. Cave lions lived across Europe and Asia until their extinction around 10,000 years ago. These two specimens are particularly important due to their well-preserved state.

The frozen mummies of the cave lion cubs. / Credit: The Preliminary Analysis of Cave Lion Cubs Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Permafrost of Siberia. Quaternary 2021, 4, 24. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/quat4030024

"Finding intact frozen specimens like this is important," professor Love Dalen, a member of the Stockholm University's Center for Palaeogenetics research team, told CBS News. "It lets us discover new things about extinct species, such as the color of their fur these frozen animals often have excellent DNA preservation, letting us investigate the genomes of extinct animals.

"The cub named Sparta is especially unique since it is likely the best preserved Ice Age specimen ever found," Dalen said.

Because they were frozen in ice, the color of their fur seen in photos taken after their discovery is probably the same as it was when they were living.

Story continues

Cave lions are similar to modern African lions, but they "likely diverged from modern lions around 1.85 million years ago," Dalen says.

"They were up to 20% larger than modern lions, and the males did possibly not have any mane. The cave lion was likely adapted to cold environments, and were a top predator in the mammoth steppe ecosystem."

Selected paintings of adult cave lions from Chauvet cave / Credit: The Preliminary Analysis of Cave Lion Cubs Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Permafrost of Siberia. Quaternary 2021, 4, 24. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/quat4030024

Cave lions are particularly interesting because of the number of prehistoric paintings depicting them  paintings that have actually helped researchers learn about the extinct animal's anatomy.

"The cave paintings only show lions without manes," Dalen says. "So one hypothesis based on the cave art is that the males lacked manes, something that we can possibly test using genetic methods in the future."

While researchers say it is "very difficult" to pin down what killed the two lion cubs, it is clear that they were not killed by predators. There is also no evidence that scavengers had access to the cubs after they died, as there are no teeth marks anywhere on the remains.

This indicates that they may have been buried under the ice soon after their deaths. One possibility floated by researchers is that a landslide buried their dens. Both cubs had skull damage and rib dislocations, which supports this theory.

Two other lion cubs had previously been discovered in the same river basin, leading researchers to believe that the area was a favorite breeding site for cave lions.

Texas town honors astronaut Wally Funk after her triumphant journey into space

President Lyndon Johnson's daughter weighs in on voting rights debate

Team USA's Allyson Felix wins record-setting 11th Olympic medal
Weve just seen stark and brutal proof that the countys Independent Civilian Panel  revived last year by the Miami-Dade Commission to give voice to residents who think they have been mistreated by police  should already be up and running.

The violent arrest last week of two Black men at a Miami Beach hotel was fortuitously captured on video and, thankfully, quickly addressed by the police chief and Miami-Dades state attorney. The officers own body cams and security footage from the Royal Palm Hotel told a clear story of excessive force that led to five officers being suspended and charged with misdeamenors.

But what if there had been no video of the officers kicking and slamming the head of handcuffed Dalonta Crudup, 24, on the lobby floor and of hotel guest Khalid Vaughn, 28, being tackled as he videotaped the incident with his cell phone  the apparent reason for his unjust arrest?

What if it had just been the word of two Black men against the ridiculous number of officers  21  who showed up to the arrest, to watch or land some kicks and blows themselves?

Were not soft on criminals. Crudup deserved to be arrested for allegedly injuring a police officer with his scooter then fleeing to the Royal Palm. But he didnt deserve to be beaten once handcuffed on the ground. And Vaughn was videotaping something the officers didnt want to be recorded, and thats what got him tackled and arrested. Charges against Vaughn later were dropped.

Commission obstinance

But what recourse would Crudrup and Vaughn have?

Maybe, they could have filed their complaint of police misconduct with the Independent Civilian Panel, relaunched by the Miami-Dade Commission in August 2020 after vetoes and battles.

Back then, a divided commission agreed to each name an appointee to create a 13-member panel that would publicly review allegations of police misconduct, all a result of citizens outcry over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police that year.

Story continues

But someone like Vaughn or Crudup couldnt appeal to the panel even if they wanted to. A year later, the countys Independent Civilian Panel still does not exist.

Members have yet to be impaneled; no first meeting has been scheduled  and likely wont be until next year.

Unbelievable.

A Herald editorial first detailed the reason for the needless delay in June. Nothing has changed  except that the impasse has grown into a full-fledged standoff over appointees. According to the ordinance that created the ICP, only two members from the same profession can be named to the panel. But four commissioners  Sally Heyman, Oliver Gilbert, Keon Hardemon and Kionne McGhee  have named attorneys as their appointees. And none of them will budge.

Internal squabbling

At least one commissioner is fuming over the delay in relaunching the panel.

That this panel be relaunched was the will of the people,  Heyman told the Board. The community spoke out, and the commission voted for it. It should be in place now. Its been a year.

Some community advocates agree.

This internal squabbling is delaying a critical avenue for police accountability and reform. It took too long to even pass the ordinance, and now further delays leave survivors of police brutality with limited options. This is not in the best interests of the people of Miami-Dade, Melba Pearson, a former Miami-Dade prosecutor and civil-rights attorney, told the Editorial Board.

We praise Heyman for coming up with a proposed solution to get past the stalemate, but it will take time.

Heyman has filed an ordinance to amend the ICP ordinance so that the two attorneys are selected based on the order of their appointments, first named, first picked. The Heyman ordinance passed first reading and was scheduled for a public hearing in the July 15 meeting of the Community Safety and Security Committee, but that meeting was canceled.

The next meeting where it can be addressed is Sept. 16. The ordinance would then be placed on the agenda for an October commission meeting in for second reading and, possibly, final passage.

If it passes second reading, then the two commissioners whose attorney appointees are not the first two named would have to appoint new people. But by then, were approaching the holidays.

Choose someone else

If the ordinance does not pass second reading, then we are back to using the random selection process, and the two commissioners whose attorney appointees are not randomly selected have to appoint two new people. But commissioners are protective of their picks.

Heyman said she adhered to the requirements and ended up assigning first, naming Coral Gables attorney and mediator Pamela Perry as her pick. I think shes eminently qualified; shes perfect for the job, Heyman said of Perry.

Gilbert, too, told the Board hes standing by his attorney pick, Loreal A. Arscott, past president of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Bar Association.

I am more than confident she will perform her duties with the same integrity, passion and dedication she has exemplified throughout her career, Gilbert told the Board. Shes more than just an attorney.

But there also are other professionals in this town, other than attorneys, whose experience could enrich the panels work.

As we said in June, the revitalization of this panel is crucial. Bad policing needs a public airing. Maybe some of the battling commissioners need to realize the panels mission is bigger than any one person, one appointee.

Inadvertantly, this attorney dispute is doing a disservice to this community.

Work it out, please.
During the Trees by Creek unveiling, Kerr gave a talk to those in attendance about the process itself, which involved cleaning; structural treatment; aesthetic compensation, the filling and inpainting of areas of abrasion or loss; and preventative care, including the installation of a padded backing board and being rehoused safely in its frame.

Among the most notable works in the collection is the Flavius Fisher oil-on-canvas painting, Cattle at the Ford, which has seen significant discoloration that Kerrs survey report attributes to it being heavily restored in the past, with large areas of overpaint and layers of old and new varnish. She estimates 45 to 70 hours necessary for the treatment.

Light said they hope to see the Fisher and the Abbott finished by the end of the year.

Were in this for the long haul, he said, and hoped they would see the 10 highest-priority paintings restored sometime in the next five to seven years.

He and Averett were both thrilled to be working with Kerr, who is in high demand in her field, and were most excited to see the Fisher returned to its former glory.

It needs care, just like everything else, Kerr said. That sculpture in the middle of your town, that painting in the town hall, these are all things that do require assistance from time to time. They age, things happen to them, and [the project is] letting people know that they can be a part of that.

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Glenn, Terry McAuliffe called on you to step down from this dangerous rally and you didnt  even as the other extreme members of the GOP ticket removed themselves, Susan Swecker, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said Friday in a call with the press.

... Just this week, we learned that Youngkin suggested the courts could reinstate Trump into office  further pedaling the GOPs dangerous lies just three months from the November gubernatorial election.

Youngkin also made campaign stops Saturday in Lexington and with police and first responders in Rockingham County and Staunton, tweeting photos from all three events. The Youngkin campaign did not promote his attendance at the Liberty event on social media.

The Youngkin campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.

Leslie Caughell, associate professor of political science at Virginia Wesleyan University, said conspiracy theories have existed in the United States since its founding and data has shown many people believe them.

But in politics now, mainstream politicians are courting them and mainstream politicians are using them, she said.

Youngkin is sending a message through a nod, she said.
The fires cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details by Aug. 16 about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started.

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire, and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week.

But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat.

Gov. Gavin Newsom surveyed the damage in Greenville Saturday, writing on Twitter that our hearts ache for this town.

These are climate-induced wildfires and we have to acknowledge that we have the capacity in not just the state but in this country to solve this," Newsom said on CNN.

Heat waves and historic drought tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists have said climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
I believe these 11 women, Attorney General Letitia James, a former ally of Cuomo, said, as she released the report of 165 pages and 1,371 footnotes.

Specifically, we find that the Governor sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees by, among other things, engaging in unwelcome and nonconsensual touching, as well as making numerous offensive comments of a suggestive and sexual nature that created a hostile work environment for women, the report said, adding that the behavior extended beyond his staff to other state employees and members of the public.

Cuomo is resisting calls to resign by President Joe Biden, once an ally, several Democratic governors and members of Congress. If he stays, he likely faces impeachment and removal from office. Plus, four county district attorneys are weighing criminal charges.

Cuomo thus becomes the latest powerful politician to believe the rules dont apply to them. They never learn.

Cuomo himself seems confused. He apologized in March for making anyone uncomfortable but denies harassing anyone.
I also remember when we expected prominent pundits to display a sense of common decency and decorum. Foxs Laura Ingraham was crass enough to ridicule the four Capitol police officers who testified to the terror and trauma they suffered during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Ingraham nominated them for mock academy awards for melodrama. Im nominating her for the position of Wicked Witch of the Airwaves.

Make no mistake about it: The one to blame for coarsening our political rhetoric is Donald Trump. He raised name calling and ad hominem attacks to the level of art. I used to think Trump was a pathological liar. Now I suspect he is outright delusional. It was not a loving crowd that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, and the Capitol Police did not usher them in.

To top it all off, Tucker Carlson was broadcasting last week from Hungary, an autocratic far-right state ruled by a Trump admirer. Im hardly the first to charge the GOP with wanting to model America after Hungary. They are doing all in their power to promote an Orwellian counternarrative about Jan. 6 and to discredit the House investigation of it.

Nancy Pelosis moron comment notwithstanding, she deserves due credit for trying to get to the bottom of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Thats where shell find Donald Trump. From where I stand, it appears Democrats are holding the moral high ground, while Republicans are marshalling the forces of ignorance. Our democracy is at stake.

A former enlisted Marine and a Vietnam veteran, Palm retired from the Marine Corps as a major and went on to an academic career. He lives in Forest and can be contacted at majorpalm@gmail.com.
I look at whats happening behind Japan's closed doors so that you can be well informed and make good decisions. In this video we look at all the information related to the question "When will Japan open?'

Vaccine stats and whats happening in Tokyo and Japan, all of this information should help student visa questions, tourism and business travellers have an informed idea of when to eventually book a flight! - Ninja Monkey

Stationary front soaks western Japan

NHK - Aug 14

A stationary front is battering western Japan with record-level torrential rains and flooding. A stationary front is battering western Japan with record-level torrential rains and flooding.

A cool match made in Japan: Cup Noodle-flavoured ice cream

South China Morning Post - Aug 12

Japans inventive spirit has repeatedly found a creative outlet in some curious culinary creations, including a new frozen treat that is one of the worlds truly unique flavour experiences. Japans inventive spirit has repeatedly found a creative outlet in some curious culinary creations, including a new frozen treat that is one of the worlds truly unique flavour experiences.

Trying a New Capsule Hotel Ferry in Japan | Yokosuka to Shinmoji

Solo Travel Japan - Aug 11

I tried a brand new overnight ferry in Japan, which is like a capsule hotel. I tried a brand new overnight ferry in Japan, which is like a capsule hotel.

Heavy rain, strong winds hit northern Japan

NHK - Aug 10

A low pressure system that resulted from tropical storm Lupit has brought heavy rain and strong winds to northern Japan. A low pressure system that resulted from tropical storm Lupit has brought heavy rain and strong winds to northern Japan.

Fushimi Inari Shrine: Kyoto Walking View

Virtual Tourist - Aug 10

The Fushimi Inari Shrine has a solemn and fantastic atmosphere, and just walking around it clears your mind. The Fushimi Inari Shrine has a solemn and fantastic atmosphere, and just walking around it clears your mind.

Infections surge as Japan enters holiday period

NHK - Aug 09

In Japan, coronavirus infections have been surging across the country. The number of new cases exceeded 15,700 on Saturday. It was a new record for the fourth straight day. In Japan, coronavirus infections have been surging across the country. The number of new cases exceeded 15,700 on Saturday. It was a new record for the fourth straight day.

Japan Travel Ban Update 7th August - When will Japan open its border?

Ninja Monkey - Aug 08

I look at whats happening behind Japan's closed doors so that you can be well informed and make good decisions. In this video we look at all the information related to the question "When will Japan open?' I look at whats happening behind Japan's closed doors so that you can be well informed and make good decisions. In this video we look at all the information related to the question "When will Japan open?'

OSAKA Nightlife - Japan Night Walk in 4K - City Street ASMR - 

Japan Walk TV - Aug 08

Let's experience the Japan nightlife in OSAKA in the red light district of Dotonbori. Let's experience the Japan nightlife in OSAKA in the red light district of Dotonbori.

Inside Japans animal cafe phenomenon

ABC News - Aug 07

ABC News' James Longman reports from Tokyo on animal cafes beloved by the Japanese people, where visitors can have their coffee and relax with pigs, reptiles or otters. ABC News' James Longman reports from Tokyo on animal cafes beloved by the Japanese people, where visitors can have their coffee and relax with pigs, reptiles or otters.

Olympic organizer: Storm to be watched closely

NHK - Aug 06

The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee says officials are carefully watching an approaching tropical storm in order to prepare for a possible impact on the Games. The Tokyo Olympic organizing committee says officials are carefully watching an approaching tropical storm in order to prepare for a possible impact on the Games.

Tokyos Tourist Mountain by Train | Mt Takao Station

ONLY in JAPAN - Aug 06

Climbing Mt Takao to see the Olympic Rings, leaving at 04:39am the first train. Climbing Mt Takao to see the Olympic Rings, leaving at 04:39am the first train.

Heat to continue in Japan

NHK - Aug 05

Japan was hit by intense heat again on Wednesday. Authorities are calling for caution against heatstroke as high temperatures are expected to continue. Japan was hit by intense heat again on Wednesday. Authorities are calling for caution against heatstroke as high temperatures are expected to continue.

  Kifune Shrine Kyoto in summer 4K

keity - Aug 04

Beautiful Nature of Kifune Shrine. Surrounded by water and forest. Experience a verdant and resplendent nature while exploring the shrine precincts. Beautiful Nature of Kifune Shrine. Surrounded by water and forest. Experience a verdant and resplendent nature while exploring the shrine precincts.

Japan to tighten border controls on visitors from 3 U.S. states, Finland

Kyodo - Aug 03

The Japanese government said Monday it will tighten border controls for travelers from three U.S. states, Finland and some other areas in response to the spread of highly contagious variants of the novel coronavirus. The Japanese government said Monday it will tighten border controls for travelers from three U.S. states, Finland and some other areas in response to the spread of highly contagious variants of the novel coronavirus.

50 accidents involve Olympic-related vehicles

NHK - Aug 03

Tokyo police say at least 50 accidents involving vehicles related to the Olympics had occurred in the capital during the first week after the Games opened. Tokyo police say at least 50 accidents involving vehicles related to the Olympics had occurred in the capital during the first week after the Games opened.
The Tokyo Olympic Games, that took place as coronavirus infection cases surged in the host city, concluded on Sunday.

The closing ceremony began with a firework display.

Then, flag bearers representing each team entered the venue, led by Greece and host-nation Japan.

One of the ceremony's highlights was the official handover to Paris, the host city of the 2024 Summer Games. Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko passed the Olympic flag to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Organizing committee leader Hashimoto Seiko thanked everyone who made the Tokyo Games possible, including medical workers.

Spectators were banned at most of the venues due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in Japan.

More than 11,000 athletes from 205 countries and territories, and the Refugee Olympic Team participated in the 17-day competition.

Tokyo is set to hold the Paralympic Games from August 24. - NHK
Karate made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, and the final bout on Saturday took a dramatic turn.

Iran's Sajad Ganjzadeh faced off against Saudi Arabia's Tareg Hamedi in the men's Kumite over 75-kilo category.

Hamedi look certain to win shortly into the match.

But later, his high kick connected with the neck of his opponent. Ganjzadeh fell to the mat and was carried off on stretcher.

The referee decided to disqualify Hamedi, saying the unchecked attack violated Olympic rules.

That meant the gold medal would go to Ganjzadeh, who was receiving medical attention.

The Iranian later returned for the medal ceremony. In the spirit of sportsmanship, the two athletes posed together for photographers. - NHK
A man arrested in a recent random knife attack on passengers on a commuter train in Tokyo had difficulties in his personal relationships, including being rejected in online dating, according to investigative sources.

Yusuke Tsushima, 36, who had told investigators he wanted to kill happy looking women, was sent to prosecutors Sunday for attempted murder after stabbing a female university student on board a rapid express Odakyu Electric Railway train on Friday.

The 20-year-old woman was seriously injured with multiple stab wounds to her back and chest, and nine other people  four women and five men  were also hurt. None of them knew the man.

The sources quoted Tsushima as saying, I was content seeing (people) rushing to escape, but even so not a single passenger was killed and thats unfortunate.

Tsushima blamed his misfortunes on other people.

Ive had a crappy life, he was quoted as saying. My misery is all because of the people around me.

Tsushima spent his childhood in Tokyos Setagaya Ward, where the stabbing incident on the Odakyu Line train took place, and graduated from a high school in the capital.
The State of New York has announced a sixth round of funding for the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, an ambitious plan to create or preserve over 100,000 affordable and at least 6,000 supportive housing units. For this round, the state will release $35 million in financing aimed at creating at least 1,400 supportive housing units.

Abbreviated as ESSHI, the initiative was founded in 2016 and has provided operating funds for more than 5,400 units of supportive housing. The State intends to develop a total of 20,000 units over the next 15 years.

In the New York City area, projects financed by the initiative include 1159 River Avenue and 1325 Jerome Avenue in The Bronx and Dayspring Commons and Hudson Hill in Yonkers.

New York State is leading the nation in the development and preservation of supportive housing, and these safe, stable, and secure homes are giving people with mental illness the support they need to live successful and productive lives in their own communities, said Office of Mental Health commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. The Governors ESSHI program has been a tremendous accomplishment that has helped thousands of individuals and families, and Im proud of the role OMH has played in its success.

To ensure the maximum benefit of this investment, the state adhered to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Developments Continuum of Care model that engages localities and not-for-profit providers in developing and implementing data-driven strategies to address homelessness in specific populations. This includes victims of domestic violence, runaway and homeless youth, at-risk veterans and their families, formerly incarcerated individuals, the intellectual or developmental disabled, those living with HIV or AIDS, and individuals suffering from substance abuse.

For the past six years, the governors Empire State Supportive Housing initiative has been providing New Yorkers with developmental disabilities the opportunity to live independently within their communities with the right services and supports to meet their individual needs, said NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities commissioner Dr. Theodore Kastner. [We are] pleased to join our partner agencies to support this initiative once again this year to provide even more people with developmental disabilities the opportunity to be thriving, active members in the center of their communities.

The request for proposals for the funding awards was developed by the governors ESSHI Interagency workgroup, which includes representatives from seven state agencies that serve homeless, at-risk, and other vulnerable New Yorkers. Awards will provide up to $25,000 per unit per year for service and operating funding needed to operate permanent supportive housing units.

Applicants are expected to secure separate capital funding to finance the development and construction of proposed housing projects. Awarded funding may be used to provide rental assistance and services to eligible target populations to ensure their housing stability.

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Weve just been in limbo for a year, Jodi said. Were ready for something to be resolved.

Many know the Philipps as Santa and Mrs. Claus, who they portrayed for 16 years at the Fire and Ice Parade in Cedar Rapids along with the reindeer they raise on the farm. They also founded a program 20 years ago called Dear Santa, which aims to provide Christmas gifts to children of families in need.

Theyve slowed down and stopped the Dear Santa program in recent years due to declining health. Jodi did don the Mrs. Claus this past Christmas with a friend stepping in as Santa, but the couple hopes to continue to keep that tradition alive together.

Beyond that, Jodi said theyve just begun planning for their future. For some time they had hoped to be able to rebuild 2-Jos Farm, but as time passes, that possibility is becoming less likely.

Jodi and John have been living at their bed-and-breakfast in Chelsea, Periwinkle Place Manor, and hope to move into the house they own next door once they fix it up.

Once the insurance dispute is settled, they plan to salvage what they can and try to sell the property. She says after years working on a farm, shed like to be able to travel across the country.

Were always just working, Jodi said. I told John, Wouldnt it be nice if we could just say, lets go somewhere today? Even if its 200 miles away, itd be fun to go someplace.
She herself plans to leave her position on Aug. 20 but for unrelated reasons.

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The applicants were seeing dont have experience or qualifications, so that makes it very difficult to fill a position, Coover said. If they dont have complete qualifications but have experience, we can help them get the qualifications.

West Central will help them earn credentials as a child development associate, she said. They can sign up for training with the Iowa Department of Education.

If they are working on CDA certification, they can qualify for the Iowa Teach Program and receive a stipend through the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children. Lead teachers need to have an associate degree in early child development or a related area.

Pay depends on qualifications, but employees working toward their CDA generally start at $11 an hour, Coover said. Teaching assistants with CDA certification start at $13 per hour. Early Head Start teachers start at $11 per hour but can make $14 per hour with CDA credentials. And lead teachers with an associate degree and all qualifications make $15 an hour.

Wages arent likely to go up any time soon, since the program is in the middle of a five-year grant cycle, she said.
So far, very few of those students have completed parent-taught courses so its still too early for us to know if this is just a bubble or if its going to be sustained growth, Stonehocker said.

In a typical year, Kirkwood Community College provides drivers ed to more than 600 students from the Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Linn-Mar and College Community school districts. Program Developer Zach Johnson hasnt seen any change in enrollment for the classes starting the end of this month.

Its just too early to tell if the law change will have an impact, he said, adding he doesnt expect to any change in enrollments before next summer.

Bissell expects some parents will choose to be drivers ed instructors to save the $350 or more the lessons cost.

However, she predicted 98% of parents will do what they should be doing  taking responsibility for getting their kids ready for driver education. Most parents want the second set of eyes of a reputable driver education program for their children.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Theres another reason parents would choose to have someone else be the drivers ed instructor, Bissell said.
More troubling is when AI turns into an enabler. People can partner with AI systems to cause harm to others. AI-generated synthetic media facilitate new forms of deception. Generating deepfakes  hyper-realistic imitations of audio-visual content  has become increasingly easy. Consequently, from 2019 to 2020, the number of deepfake videos grew from 14,678 to 100 million, a 6,820-fold increase. Using deepfakes, scammers have made phishing calls to employees of companies, imitating the voice of the chief executive. In one case, the damage amounted to over $240,000.

For would-be bad actors, using AI for deception is attractive. Often it is hard to identify the maker or disseminator of the deepfake, and the victim remains psychologically distant. Moreover, recent research reveals that people are overconfident in their ability to detect deepfakes, which makes them particularly susceptible to such attacks. This way, AI systems can turn into compliant partners in crime for all those with deceptive purposes  expert scammers as well as ordinary citizens.
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There is a sizeable arbitrage window between COMEX and the LME copper price, prices that would normally move in relative harmony. The underlying cause, Reuters suggests, is imbalanced inventory.

In this respect, copper is similar to more extreme positions for aluminum and zinc. The U.S. is short of physical inventory relative to the LME. Even LME inventory is skewed to Asian rather than European warehouses, as we reported last week when looking at the aluminum market.

Realization of that squeeze is what was probably behind a sharp reduction in short positions on COMEX held by money managers over the last couple of weeks. Short positions fell from nearly 45,000 contracts in June to just over 22,000 lifting the net collective long balance to over 46,000 contracts as markets adjusted to the realization the U.S. is a lot tighter than believed. A physical delivery premium could be emerging for copper as we have seen leading aluminum price rises all this year.

Copper consumption on the rise

The reason is not hard to see.

According to the Reuters report, Citi estimated that apparent U.S. copper consumption jumped by 22% year over year in January-May. The country needs to lift imports by 80,000-90,000 metric tons per month over July levels for the arbitrage with London to normalize.

Meanwhile, copper scrap exports are up. Higher-grade copper scrap is pouring out the country, mainly to China. China imported 104,000 tons in the first half of this year, up from just 31,000 tons in the same period last year.

Related: Oil Prices On Track For Worst Weekly Loss Since March

Due to Chinas change in import regulations, this is all relatively higher-purity scrap  80% Cu or higher  metal that would otherwise have served the domestic market. In total, China imported some 821k tons, up 91% on a year before, similarly sucking metal from the rest of the world and pushing consumers towards greater uptake of refined metal.

Change of the tide?

Looking forward, Reuters suggests the tide is flowing in the U.S.s favor.

Demand is easing in China as the recovery normalizes. It is possible more metal, scrap, and refined, could be available for U.S. consumption in the second half of the year.

But it will take more than a cooling China consumption to improve U.S. inventory levels. Chile, in particular, will need to find additional supply. Competition for that supply will incur price rises, as Europe and Japan also post recovering demand.

With the potential for strike action in Chile this month, maybe coppers days on the sidelines will prove temporary  the money managers bets suggest so.

By AG Metal Miner

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Sub-Saharan Africa, especially its largest oil producers Nigeria and Angola, will struggle to raise oil output through the middle of this decade, as international majors are shifting their investment priorities, data and analytics company GlobalData said on Friday.

Lack of sufficient investments and few new projects could derail Sub-Saharan Africa's ambition to increase its crude oil production through 2025 after a difficult pandemic-hit 2020, GlobalData said in its report.

As international oil majors are reassessing their investment priorities and projects compete for less capital amid an ongoing capex discipline, Nigeria and Angolathe leading African producers in OPECare seeing few new projects being approved.

According to GlobalData, the two countries will see falling crude oil and condensate production from this year onwards. At the same time, they also have a relatively small number of oil projects that would come on stream within 2025.

Sub-Saharan Africa has a lot of potential and could easily top Europe in terms of oil and gas output, Conor Ward, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, said, commenting on the findings.

"However, companies have been more cautious than ever over their investments. Some of the huge discoveries made over the past decade have seen significant delays with no final investment decision (FID) in sight: as is the case with Shell's Bonga Southwest/Aparo, which was discovered over 20 years ago," Ward said.

"Sub-Saharan Africa is seeing a shift of investment away from the more developed countries in the region, most notably Nigeria, and more towards frontier countries such as Mauritania, Senegal, Mozambique, and Uganda as the fiscal terms offered by the host countries are far more appealing and have a large untapped resource base," Ward added.

Nigeria has to address the above-ground risks for companies if it wants to attract investment, the analyst noted.

Nigeria approved last month a new petroleum industry bill in Africa's top oil producer and exporter, putting an end to 20 years of debates and delays. International oil majors have not been flocking to Nigerian oil assets now that fossil fuels are even more fiercely competing for Big Oil's capital plans as majors start shifting more funding to low-carbon energy sources.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Exploring the scarred, 'tragic history' of Nebraska's Genoa Indian school

ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Flags from 40 tribes represent the students at the Genoa Indian Industrial School in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photographed at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Murals painted on plaster were used as patterns for students when making harnesses at the Genoa Indian Industrial School in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photographed at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED photos, THE WORLD-HERALD Part of the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial Schools archway and gate still stand on the campus of the former school, which operated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Genoa. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD A name is etched in the brick from 1911 at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Susana Grajales Geliga is a member of the Lakota Tribe and co-director of the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project. She is also a professor of history and Native American studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Students made their own shoes, which are displayed at the Interpretive Center. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Shoe nails, from students making their own shoes at the Genoa Indian Industrial School in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, are still in window sill boards at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD A model of the campus of the Genoa Indian Industrial School of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Photographed at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Judi gaiashkibos mother attended the Genoa Indian Industrial School before it was closed in 1934. A member of the Ponca Tribe, she is also a co-chair on the Community Advisors Council for the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project and the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. She is shown at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. ANNA REED photos, THE WORLD-HERALD A neighborhood has built up around some of what remains of the Genoa Indian Industrial School. The schools manual training building was restored and now houses the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center, above. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Beaded gloves taken from a student upon their arrival at the school are displayed at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD A blacksmithing building still stands from the Genoa Indian Industrial School of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is now privately owned. Photographed at the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center in Genoa, Neb., on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD An 1899 map shows the Genoa Indian Industrial School and a cemetery nearby. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD A stone commemorates the unknown number of Native children who died at the Genoa Indian Industrial School. The stone is outside the Interpretive Center. ANNA REED, THE WORLD-HERALD Flags from 40 tribes represent the former students of the Genoa Indian Industrial School. Christina Lieffring, Columbus Telegram Sidney Byrd was the last known living former student of the Genoa school. Shortly before his death in 2016, he spoke at a school reunion.

GENOA, Neb.  Morgan Lovejoy was about 10 years old when, on a cold winter night in the late 1920s, he hatched an escape plan.

He and a few other boys were homesick for families they hadnt seen in more than a year. They snuck out of their beds and headed for Columbus, a few miles away, hoping to hop a train that they ended up missing.

Tired and cold, they returned to the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School. As punishment for their desertion, they were locked in a dormitory attic for two weeks.

At 81 years old in 2000, Lovejoy told a World-Herald reporter that the loss of his native Omaha language to future generations filled him with sadness.

Our language is forgotten, he said. Our tradition is forgotten.

That loss was by design.

Lovejoy was among thousands  the exact number remains unknown  of Native American children brought from around the country to the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School in Nebraska.

The students were stripped of their language and culture. Some were severely beaten and taken out of school to work on the superintendents farm, according to congressional testimony of former employees at the school.

Nebraska researchers believe that all who attended the Genoa school are now deceased. But a local and national push to understand the full scope of the U.S. Indian Boarding Schools that were built across the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries may soon bring new attention to their stories.

The institutions served as a blueprint for Canadas Indigenous residential schools, where the recent discovery of hundreds of Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves brought renewed attention to practices that have been described by historians as cultural genocide.

Shortly after the human remains were discovered in Canada, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Truth Initiative.

The initiative is meant to review the U.S. Indian Boarding Schools histories and a legacy of physical abuse and isolation. It also will provide resources to investigate known and suspected burial sites, including the Genoa schools cemetery. The cemeterys exact location and the number of children buried there are unknown.

As the federal government moves forward in unveiling the untold history of federal boarding schools, researchers and community leaders in Nebraska are hopeful it brings a reckoning and healing not yet seen in the United States.

****

The fourth federal boarding school to be built in the U.S., the Genoa Indian Industrial School operated from 1884 to 1934. It was one of the largest in a system of 25 federal Indian boarding schools. At its peak in 1932, the schools 640-acre campus housed 599 students, who ranged in age from 4 to 22 years old.

The Genoa schools location was chosen because the federal government already owned the land, having built a Pawnee day school in that location years before.

Genoa, which is about 22 miles west of Columbus, also was chosen because its location was several days ride from any large reservations. That made it difficult for children to run away and return home, according to the Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation.

Descendants of those who attended the school are today processing the schools legacy and its impact on their loved ones.

I always sensed when she did speak about it there was a sadness, and I felt that she was somewhat haunted by what happened at the school, said Judi gaiashkibos, whose mother, Eleanor Josephine Knudsen, attended the Genoa school.

Knudsen didnt share many details with her 10 children about her time at the school, gaiashkibos said. Two aunts also attended the institution.

They could have died, and I wouldnt be here, said gaiashkibos, a citizen of the Ponca Tribe. I have two daughters who never met my mother, and I have five grandchildren.

What Knudsen did share was her baking skills, the vocational trade she learned there. For most of her life, Knudsen worked as a cook to provide for her children.

Im more and more amazed at my mothers endurance, her strength, her ability to not become bitter, her ability to put love into her food, gaiashkibos said.

Its time, gaiashkibos added, for the United States to face the reality of what occurred at U.S. Indian boarding schools.

As people reflect on the history, they may want to whitewash it and pretend it didnt happen. Im tired of playing that game and being invisible, gaiashkibos said. Were gonna get through this, and when we come out on the other side, there will be some healing.

As executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, gaiashkibos hopes the federal initiative will provide answers to long-unresolved questions, including the location of the Genoa schools cemetery.

A historical map and recollections of former students prior to their deaths indicate that there was a cemetery on the school grounds where students were buried. But its exact location hasnt been confirmed.

These children who died before they found a true purpose in life, before they got to have a life, they should get to go home, gaiashkibos said of the children buried there.

Records show that diseases such as tuberculosis spread quickly through the school, leading to an unknown number of deaths.

Also unknown are the number of those buried and whether any remains were disposed of in unmarked graves like the ones discovered in Canada. Theres hope that the federal initiative will provide answers.

The Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs is committed to supporting Haalands initiative, gaiashkibos said.

The initiative will provide extensive federal resources for the investigation into the loss of human life and the lasting consequences of residential Indian boarding schools.

The primary goal will be to identify boarding school facilities and sites; the location of known and possible student burial sites; and the identities and tribal affiliations of children buried on the former school grounds.

Its going to take all of us to undo the harm, the tragic history, the sadness, the legacy, gaiashkibos said.

In Nebraska, an examination of that legacy has already begun.

Nearly 90 years after the Genoa school closed its doors, a Nebraska-based project is filling in the gaps of a largely unknown story and bringing a broader understanding of the scars that the school left on generations of Native American people.

****

(The schools) were never really about education, said Margaret Jacobs, a professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

If the federal government wanted to educate children, she said, they could have used day schools within the students communities.

It was about severing the childrens ties to their communities, Jacobs said.

Jacobs idea for an online archive of Genoa Indian School records began to take form in 2015 as she witnessed the final ceremonies of a massive, multiyear reconciliation effort in Canada.

A short time later, Jacobs met colleagues who were working to gather records on the Carlisle Industrial Indian School, an infamous U.S. Indian Boarding School in Pennsylvania.

I went, Aha, heres a way I can do something as a scholar to make these records more accessible to families and tribes,  Jacobs said.

In 2017, the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project started gathering records.

Today, the project is a collaboration among UNL, the Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation, community advisers from the Omaha, Pawnee, Ponca, Santee Sioux and Winnebago Tribes of Nebraska, and descendants of those who attended the Genoa school.

Thousands of records have been collected so far and can be viewed on the projects website.

In the early days of the project, many of those records were gathered by Susana Grajales Geliga.

A graduate student when she joined the project in 2018, Grajales Geliga is now a co-director of the project and a professor of history and Native American studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

As a member of the Sicangu Lakota Tribe and a historian, Grajales Geliga occasionally came across her own ancestral names in the Genoa documents.

As a historian, my reconciliation with this history is helping people find it, Grajales Geliga said. Because to me, those are voices and those are stories that somebody is looking for, and stories that need to be heard.

There are no known former students still alive to share their stories. So, researchers rely on records to fill in the gaps. In the future, the Digital Reconciliation Project team hopes to interview descendants of former Genoa students.

When the school closed in 1934, documents were scattered across the United States. Locating them has proved challenging for both the Genoa project and others working to gather information on the government boarding schools.

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition has identified 367 assimilative Indian Boarding Schools, including many that were operated by churches belonging to different Christian denominations, in the United States. But the coalition has been able to locate only 38% of the boarding school records, according to a resolution from the National Congress of American Indians. Coalition officials think the remaining records are being held in private collections.

Its important to understand, Jacobs said, that Genoa school records dont provide a complete picture of what life was like for students at Genoa.

Many of the documents found through the Digital Reconciliation Projects research are student applications written by school faculty, or correspondence among school and reservation authorities.

A lot of the government records just dont reflect the childrens point of view, Jacobs said.

What they do show is the power imbalance between school and government officials and the students families.

On Oct. 27, 1922, the Genoa schools superintendent, Samuel Davis, wrote a letter to the father of a student. He called the fathers request that his son be returned home a big mistake and childish.

The student had run away, a common occurrence at the school, and was returned and punished, Davis wrote.

In another letter sent by Davis on Nov. 1, 1922, to the Rosebud Indian Agency, which oversaw the reservation where the boys family lived, Davis asked that if the agency chose to take the student out of the Genoa Indian School, he be sent to a different school and not back to his reservation.

In a final letter, he mentioned two other boys who ran away with the student, and wrote, Its almost impossible to do anything with such boys  when their parents are continually writing them silly sympathetic letters. All these letters seem to encourage the boys to desert and return home.

The school offered rewards to nearby farmers and townspeople who turned in deserters.

Runaways brought back to the school often were punished by being subjected to what was essentially solitary confinement, Jacobs said.

Physical abuse was recorded as well.

On Feb. 1, 1928, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution authorizing the Committee on Indian Affairs to survey conditions of Native Americans across the country, as well as to evaluate any abuse that should be corrected.

The mandate brought two former employees of the Genoa Indian School to Washington, D.C., in 1929 to testify before a subcommittee of U.S. senators on conditions at the school.

The former employees testified that Superintendent Davis took boys out of school to work on his private farm, and that they had each witnessed Davis hitting students.

Julie Carroll, who was employed at the school from April to August of 1923, told the subcommittee, Some of the children were beaten up like dogs until blood flew out of their noses. I saw little children beaten up there until, honestly, it is a surprising thing that they have such an institution anywhere conducted by white men over Indian children.

Ina Livermore was employed as a matron at the school from February 1922 to July 1923.

She testified that some students were taken out of the boarding school on Monday mornings and returned Saturday evenings after working all week on Davis farm.

Livermore also recounted a time Davis hit a student named Helen Parker.

(Helens) face was all bruised and swollen; her dress was all covered with blood, Livermore told the committee. They had tried to remove traces of the blood. She came to me, and I got her clean clothing. She told me Mr. Davis told her there would be no need for her to write to her people because she would not be allowed to send out any letters.

When the committee asked why she hadnt filed a complaint to the Indian Bureau, Livermore said, I was informed that if I sent a complaint to the Indian Bureau my complaint would come back to Mr. Davis desk and he would proceed to get rid of me in some way.

The practice of loaning students out to local farms and households for wages wasnt uncommon. Many of the students were promised compensation for their work but never received the money they had earned, Jacobs said.

Sidney Byrd was the last known living former student of the Genoa school. Shortly before his death in 2016, he spoke at a school reunion, telling of a time when the schools superintendent beat him and other kids with a switch off a cherry tree because they were playing in a trash pile, according to the Columbus Telegram.

Byrd said he was one of the last children in the group to be beaten. By the time Davis got to him, he said, the smaller branches had come off and Byrd was essentially hit with a club.

Id been beaten so (badly) I could hardly lie down. I had to lie down on my stomach, Byrd said.

Byrds grandparents chose to send him to the school when he was 6 years old. They saw it as his best chance in an increasingly westernized nation.

Reflecting on his time there, Byrd said, However harsh it was for me, I also had friends. And it served as a steppingstone to even greater accomplishments.

Through the Reconciliation Projects research, Jacobs found that, in the beginning, many of the U.S. Indian Boarding Schools worked to convince parents that the schools were good for their children.

They tried to convince communities that their children could learn English to learn how to negotiate for their tribe, Jacobs said.

The school also boasted that the children would learn a trade.

They put it into these positive terms, she said.

Conditions at the schools quickly exacerbated the spread of disease. As children became fatally ill miles from home, tribal leaders began to voice opposition to the schools.

A lot of them wanted day schools in their communities, Jacobs said. They werent opposed to education; they just didnt want to lose their children.

As opposition grew, the government began using heavy-handed methods.

Genoa records show that government agents on reservations kept strict census records of communities, including how many children were born each year, their ages and any illnesses or disabilities children had.

Sometimes they brought in the military, sometimes they brought in police to bring children, Jacobs said. This is especially true in the Southwest. It came to the point that some parents were hiding their children, preventing them from being counted in the census.

Authorities also withheld government rations from families that resisted.

As U.S. boarding schools became more common, some of the opposition declined over time, Jacobs said. Simultaneously, Indian Nations were deeply impoverished.

At times, I think families thought, Well, at least at the boarding school, my child will get meals and theyll be clothed,  Jacobs said.

Pieces of the school can still be found scattered throughout the town of Genoa.

A sign that reads Genoa Indian School hangs on an archway above brick steps that marks the entrance to the schools campus. A smokestack stands at the end of a street. The schools old dairy barn can be seen in the distance.

The most historically accurate and intentionally preserved of the remaining structures is the Indian Industrial Schools manual training building.

The preservation effort was led by the Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation, a nonprofit formed in 1990 with the intent to collect and preserve the history of the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School and promote the heritage of the school.

The foundation purchased the schools manual training building from the City of Genoa in 1999 and worked to restore it. The building now houses the Genoa Indian School Interpretive Center, a space meant to educate and facilitate healing and remembrance.

Today, flags from every one of the more than 40 tribes whose children attended the school hang in the interpretive center. Artifacts from tribes and from the school are on display.

Photos of former students who returned years later to the interpretive center for an annual reunion and remembrance can be seen on a worn brick wall.

The Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation said it is dedicated to working with Secretary Haaland on the Federal Indian Boarding School Truth Initiative.

We are waiting for the federal government to provide expertise and guidelines on this matter, the foundation said in a statement.

As the foundation and tribal communities across the country await federal guidance, gaiashkibos looks to the future. She hopes to see the establishment of a federal commission, similar to Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission, something the National Congress of American Indians is pushing for. She also will continue to advocate for Nebraskas Native peoples.

The Genoa U.S. Indian School Foundation is planning for its 31st recognition and remembrance gathering, set to take place in Genoa on Aug. 14.

And the Digital Reconciliation Project team is working to uncover more of the history of the Genoa school. The hope is to provide a deeper understanding of the legacy of trauma left by the school.

Its an understanding Grajales Geliga is eager to give to the descendants of those who lived through it.

This is a painful history, but there are also stories of resilience, Grajales Geliga said. Everyone has a right to know where their family is buried, and every person has a right to know their history.
We view this (new moratorium) as a good thing, but it is not a cure-all for everything, and people should not think that they can just navigate this on their own, he said. (They should) contact an attorney and seek the rental assistance that is paired with the CDC order.

Landlords are not happy with the eviction moratoriums, including the current one. They contend that the orders are not legal and that the bans have saddled property owners with billions of dollars in debt, harming their operations and putting many mom-and-pop landlords at risk of losing their businesses.

Meanwhile, Gene Eckel, an Omaha attorney who represents multi-family rental property owners, said he has heard from Apartment Association of Nebraska members who like the emergency rental assistance program, at least initially.

Omahas doing a good job; MACCH is doing a great job, he said. Eckel added that his impression was that state programs and distributions in Sarpy and Lancaster Counties were also being run well.

Ive heard recently that MACCH is getting bottlenecked with all the requests for rental assistance, so I think its getting a little bit slower getting the money out, he said.
We have no reason to believe in our data that weve reached the peak or that were coming down, the Democratic governor said.

He urged people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus illness and to follow the states mask mandate, saying thats the only way to lessen the surge.

I know were going to get through this, Edwards said. But he added: How many people die between now and then is largely going to be up to us.

Still, the governor offered some signs of hopefulness in the continued increases in people newly seeking the vaccine. Edwards chief public health officer, Dr. Joe Kanter, said vaccinations have increased more than 500% over the last month.

But Kanter also offered a list of grim statistics as well, saying 15% of emergency room visits in the state are now related to COVID-19. He said 50 hospitals have asked the state for staffing assistance, warning they can no longer adequately provide care to the community. And he noted that over the past two weeks about 1% of the states entire population has become infected with COVID-19.



TOPEKA, Kan.  A small but growing number of places in Kansas are requiring people to wear masks indoors.
All this was about two days before Hashida was found dead. And while correlation is not causation, it does make you wonder.

In defending the Capitol, he and his fellow cops joined a great continuum of those who took personal risks to make and preserve America. They ventured  and often lost  blood, bone, sanity and lives for the sake of ideals that they felt justified the sacrifice.

By contrast, the only thing so-called conservatives are asked to risk is political position and the ire of Donald Trump. It seems a comparatively small price to pay in service to America. Which makes it all the more pathetic that most of them cant.

Its telling that people who were so fulsome in their outrage when a Target store was burned after the police murder of George Floyd, who were so righteous in their fury when Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest police violence against African Americans, can muster so little empathy for cops who defended the Capitol  our Capitol  against the worst attack in over 200 years.

Is human compassion so hard for them? Is simple decency so foreign? Is courage such a stranger?
Moreover, the far more pressing emergency is the Republican Partys loosening attachment to democratic procedures and to truth itself. As we saw in the aftermath of 2020, 147 Republican officeholders were willing to decertify the Electoral College count. A few brave local Republican officials resisted tremendous pressure to alter or misreport the results of elections. They demonstrated integrity. For their trouble, instead of being lauded and celebrated as heroes of democracy, they have been censured by GOP committees across the country as the legend of the big lie has seized the minds of rank-and-file Republicans.

The Republican Party is barreling toward disregarding the actual vote count in a presidential contest. The John Lewis Act does not address this. But there is something Democrats can do at the federal level to respond to the threat: They can amend the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Republicans would be unlikely to filibuster this law, so Democrats can pass it with a simple majority vote.

That law directs governors to certify their states results and the slate of electors chosen by the voters. But it also specifies that in a case of a failed election  not defined  in which the voters have not made a choice, the state legislature can step in to appoint electors.
Public health is normally the responsibility of government officials and agencies. But the rampaging delta variant of COVID-19 has shown public institutions to be inadequate to the task. So it may be up to the private sector to do the heavy lifting.

Early in the pandemic, the urgent danger forced governors and mayors to take drastic actions that many citizens resented  closing businesses, issuing stay-at-home orders and mandating masks. But the arrival of vaccines sharply curtailed the virus, allowing life to return to near-normal. Even though this virulent variant has sent infections and hospitalizations soaring, public officials are leery of the opposition that new requirements might provoke.

President Joe Biden has shied away from putting any mandates on ordinary Americans, for obvious reasons. When he raised the idea of a door-to-door outreach initiative to encourage vaccinations, Republicans reacted as if the Gestapo were coming to drag people out of their beds.

He did issue an order requiring federal employees to either get vaccinated or wear masks and undergo regular testing. But thats not so controversial  if only because the GOPs anti-government zealots dont worry much about inconveniencing Washington bureaucrats.
Nebraska, everyone agrees, should send an important message to the states young people: We want you to stay. We want you to feel welcome. To feel respected and valued. To feel supported, so you regard yourself as a part of Nebraska and will choose to stay to make its future strong.

That message relates directly to the responsibility of families and schools to help young people develop a sense of understanding and empathy toward others. Just as families and schools should promote respect for everyone regardless of race or ethnicity, our society should encourage respect for others regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. As part of that effort, its appropriate for the Nebraska State Board of Education to consider standards for sex education.

Ugly incidents sometimes arise at school events in which someone hurls insults at a student because of their race or ethnicity, and the school is right to make clear that such prejudice is unworthy of our society. The Westside school district, for example, has approved a policy to crack down on such behavior. The district is sending a needed message: Harassment of students due to their background is wrong. Every student should be made to feel they belong.
The resolution is inspired by one suggested by a group that advocates a sheriff has more power in their county than any other official, even the president. Its founder has ties to the Oath Keepers.
It's an exercise in futility to call for the abolition of the 4th Republic, the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has told #Fixthecountry Movement.



Convener of the Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor had called for a new constitution and an abolition of the 4th Republic.



However, Kweku Baako says instead of a call to abolish the 4th Republic, the group can "can seek constitutional reforms within the 4th Republic which is what the Constitution Review Commission has set out to do. If those proposals, the recommendations of the Commission had not been implemented, I think there is nothing wrong with the focus on that side"



The renowned journalist who was speaking on Joy Newsfile programme further indicated that it is "contradictory" to "talk about having constitutional reforms of whatever nature and call for the abolition of the 4th Republic. Theyre not mutually exclusive



He (Oliver) was saying new constitution for a new generation. Yes, in terms of a concept, I like that, I like to hear that. Whether you agree or not is immaterial. It is an attempt to conceptualize their aspirations and give us a focal point" he added.



#Fixthecountry demo



#Fixthecountry campaign is a hashtag which started on social media on Wednesday, May 04, 2021, with a call on Government for urgent social and economic reforms in the country.



Conveners of the Movement decided to embark on a protest on May 9 but were restrained by an order from the High Court presided over by Mrs Justice Ruby Aryeetey.



However, a Supreme Court Panel, presided over by Justice Yaw Appau, later set aside the High Court order allowing the group to embark on their demonstration on August 4.



No Petition



Conveners of the Movement unlike most demonstrations however refused to present a petition to the government.



A member, Adakyi Brownson, speaking in an interview on Neat FM's Me Man Nti programme said most petitions that are presented often do not see the light of day, hence their decision to only write their messages on placards.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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California Governor Gavin Newsom surveys a burned United States Post Office during the Dixie fire in downtown Greenville, California on August 07, 2021.

The monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California has grown to become the second-largest wildfire in state history, authorities said Sunday, with three people reported missing and thousands fleeing the advancing flames.

As of Sunday, the fire had destroyed 489,287 acres (198,007 hectares), authorities said, up from the previous day's 447,723 acres. It now covers an area larger than Los Angeles.

The Dixie blaze is the largest active wildfire in the United States, but only one of 11 major wildfires in California.

Over the weekend, it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire to make it the second-worst fire in state history.

"It was like driving out of a war zone that you see in a movie," Tami Kugler told AFP, sitting beside her tent at an evacuation station after fleeing the historic town of Greenville before it burned down.

"My neighborhood is goneI mean gone, gone. Everybody I care and love about that's in that neighborhood, their homes are gone," she said, adding: "I didn't have insurance."

On Saturday, Governor Gavin Newsom visited the charred remains of Greenville, expressing his "deep gratitude" to the teams fighting the flames.

He said authorities had to devote more resources to managing forests and preventing fires.

But he added that "the dries are getting a lot drier, it is hotter than it has ever been... we need to acknowledge just straight up these are climate-induced wildfires."

Climate change amplifies droughts, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread out of control and inflict unprecedented material and environmental damage.

The Dixie blaze, which on Saturday left three firefighters injured, remained 21 percent contained Sunday, unchanged from the day before, the CalFire website reported.

Crews estimate the fire, which began July 13, will not be fully extinguished for two weeks.

Higher temperatures forecast

Weak winds and higher humidity have provided some succor to firefighters, but they are bracing for higher temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) in the coming days.

Heavy smoke was making driving hazardous for fire crews in some areas, and steep trails also made access difficult.

The state's eight largest wildfires have all come since December 2017. The still-blackened scars of previous fires have aided Dixie Fire crews at times, reducing available fuel.

Thousands of residents have fled the area, many forced to find temporary housingeven living in tents, and often unsure whether their homes have survived.

At an evacuation site under smoky skies in Susanville, exhausted families sat in folding chairs beside tents and vehicles packed with belongings grabbed from their abandoned homes.

The Plumas County sheriff's office said it was still searching for three people listed as missing, after two others were found over the weekend.

The Dixie Fire has already destroyed about 400 structuresgutting Greenvilleand CalFire said workers and equipment were being deployed to save homes in the small town of Crescent Mills, three miles (five kilometers) southeast of Greenville.

More than 5,000 personnel are now battling the Dixie blaze.

Despite repeated evacuation orders from the authorities, some residents have refused to flee, preferring to try to fight the fire on their own rather than leave their property.

By late July, the number of acres burned in California was up more than 250 percent from 2020itself the worst year of wildfires in the state's modern history.

A long-term drought that scientists say is driven by climate change has left much of the western United States and Canada parchedand vulnerable to explosive and highly destructive fires.

A preliminary investigation has suggested the Dixie Fire was started when a tree fell on a power cable owned by regional utility Pacific Gas & Company (PG&E), a private operator that was earlier blamed for the Camp Fire in 2018, which killed 86 people.

Explore further Huge California wildfire grows, but weather helps firefighters

 2021 AFP
Burned trees and smoke fill the Bear River canyon after the River Fire burned through Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Chicago Park, Calif. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP

After four years of homelessness, Kesia Studebaker thought she finally landed on her feet when she found a job cooking in a diner and moved into a house in the small community of Greenville.

She had been renting for three months and was hoping stability would help her win back custody of her 14-year-old daughter. But in just one night, a raging wildfire tore through the mountain town and "took it all away," she said.

Fueled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, the Dixie Fire grew to become the largest single wildfire in state history. People living in the scenic forestlands of Northern California are facing a weekend of fear as it threatens to reduce thousands of homes to ashes.

"We knew we didn't get enough rainfall and fires could happen, but we didn't expect a monster like this," Studebaker said Saturday.

The fire incinerated much of Greenville on Wednesday and Thursday, destroying 370 homes and structures and threatening nearly 14,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada. It had engulfed an area larger than the size of New York City.

The Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started, spanned an area of 700 square miles (1,813 square kilometers) Saturday night and was just 21% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

A structure sits damaged from the River Fire Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Chicago Park, Calif. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP

Four firefighters were taken to the hospital Friday after being struck by a fallen branch. More 20 people were initially reported missing, but by Saturday afternoon authorities had contacted all but four of them.

The fire's cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started by Aug. 16.

Cooler overnight temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week.

But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat.

A utility pole hangs from a line after the base burned due to the flames of the River Fire Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Chicago Park, Calif. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP

Studebaker sought shelter at an evacuation center before setting up her tent in a friend's front yard.

She is counting on returning to her job if the restaurant where she works stays open. Her boss also evacuated when the town of Chester, northwest of Greenville, lost power and the smoke was so thick that it made it hard to breathe.

Heat waves and historic drought tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists have said climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

Near the Klamath National Forest, firefighters kept a close watch on small communities that were ordered evacuated in the path of the Antelope Fire, which earlier threw up flames 100 feet (30 meters) high as it blackened bone-dry grass, brush and timber. It was just 20% contained.

A barren wasteland is left near the Bear River after the River Fire consumed thousands of acres of vegetation, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Chicago Park, Calif. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP

Further northwest, about 500 homes scattered in and around Shasta-Trinity National Forest remained threatened by the Monument Fire and others by the McFarland Fire, both started by lightning storms last week, fire officials said.

About a two-hour drive south from the Dixie Fire, crews had surrounded nearly half of the River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed 68 homes and other buildings. Evacuation orders for thousands of people in Nevada and Placer counties were lifted Friday. Three people, including a firefighter, were injured, authorities said.

Smoke from the fires blanketed Northern California and western Nevada, causing air quality to deteriorate to very unhealthy and, at times, hazardous levels.

Air quality advisories extended through the California's San Joaquin Valley and as far as the San Francisco Bay Area to Denver, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, where residents were urged to keep their windows and doors shut. Denver's air quality ranked among the worst in the world Saturday afternoon.

A Washington Ridge hand crew continues to mop up hot spots of the River Fire Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 in Chicago Park, Calif. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said. Credit: Elias Funez/The Union via AP

Healdsburg firefighter Justin Potter rests as his crew prepares to battle the Dixie Fire in the Clear Creek community of Lassen County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Healdsburg firefighter Justin Potter rests as his crew prepares to battle the Dixie Fire in the Clear Creek community of Lassen County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Healdsburg firefighter Justin Potter rests as his crew prepares to battle the Dixie Fire in the Clear Creek community of Lassen County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Jackie Armstrong, a Chester resident evacuated from the Dixie Fire, speaks with daughter Zoey Armstrong, 3, at a Susanville, Calif., evacuation shelter on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

April Phillips, a Chester resident evacuated from the Dixie Fire, holds her dog Sissy Lala at a Susanville, Calif., evacuation shelter on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Greenville resident Kesia Studebaker, who lost her home to the Dixie Fire, secures belongings before leaving a Susanville, Calif., evacuee shelter with her dog Logan on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. "I lost everything. This is all I've got," said Studebaker adding "It's a new beginning, a new adventure." She was heading out to stay with friends nearby. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Ruthann Robinson, a Chester resident evacuated from the Dixie Fire, hugs Jackie Armstrong at a Susanville, Calif., evacuation shelter on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Greenville resident Kesia Studebaker, who lost her home to the Dixie Fire, secures belongings before leaving a Susanville, Calif., evacuee shelter with her dog Logan on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. "I lost everything. This is all I've got," said Studebaker adding "It's a new beginning, a new adventure." She was heading out to stay with friends nearby. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

An ornament rests in front of a Greenville home destroyed by the Dixie Fire in Plumas County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

Firefighters battling the Dixie Fire clear Highway 89 after a burned tree fell across the roadway in Plumas County, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger

California's fire season is on track to surpass last year's season, which was the worst fire season in recent recorded state history.

Since the start of the year, more than 6,000 blazes have destroyed more than 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers) of landmore than triple the losses for the same period in 2020, according to state fire figures.

California's raging wildfires were among 107 large fires burning across 14 states, mostly in the West, where historic drought conditions have left lands parched and ripe for ignition.

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.
An aerial view from July 24, 2021 of the farming town of Corcoran, California, which is steadily sinking as drought, worsened by climate change, has forced big farms to pump increasing amounts of water from the ground.

"You've got too many farmers pumping all around," complained Raul Atilano. This octogenarian resident of Corcoran, the self-proclaimed farming capital of California, was struggling to make sense of the strangest of phenomena: his already suffering town is sinking, ever so gradually, into the ground.

A constant stream of trucks carrying tomatoes, alfalfa or cotton outside this town of 20,000 shows just how inextricably Corcoran's fate is tied to the intensive farming practiced here.

To irrigate its vast fields and help feed America, farm operators began in the last century to pump water from underground sources, so much so that the ground has begun to sinkimagine a series of giant straws sucking up groundwater faster than rain can replenish it, as hydrologist Anne Senter explained it to AFP.

Like a 2-story house

Strangely, signs of this subsidence are nearly invisible to the human eye. There are no cracks in the walls of the typical American shops in the town's center, nor crevices opening up in the streets or fields: to measure subsidence, Californian authorities had to turn to NASA, which used satellites to analyze the geological change.

And yet, over the past 100 years, Corcoran has sunken "the equivalent of a two-story house," Jeanine Jones, a manager with the California Department of Water Resources, told AFP.

The phenomenon "can be a threat to infrastructure, groundwater wells, levees, aqueducts," she said.

The one recognizable sign of this dangerous change is a levee on the edge of the city, in an area where wisps of cotton blow in the air. In 2017, the authorities launched a major project to raise the levee, for fear that the city, which sits in a basin, could be flooded ... whenever the rains finally return.

This year, however, the problem has been not floods but an alarming drought aggravated by climate change.

It has transformed this food-basket of America into a vast field of brown dust, forcing the authorities to impose water-use restrictions on farmers.

So Corcoran now finds itself in the midst of a vicious circle: with their water supplies limited, farm operators are forced to pump more underground water, which in turn speeds the sinking of the town.

A sign just outside the California town of Corcoran proclaims it as the state's 'farming capital'; drought has caught its farms in a vicious cycle.

Fear of losing jobs

Few locals have spoken out against the problemnot surprising, since most of them work for the same big agribusinesses pumping up groundwater.

"They are afraid that if they speak against them, they might lose their job," said Atilano. He spent years working for one of the country's biggest cotton producers, J.G. Boswell, whose name is seen on thousands of cloth bags stuffed with cotton that are seen stacked around town.

"I don't care," he adds with a smile. "I've been retired for 22 years."

As big farm operations have increasingly become mechanized and industrialized, requiring less and less local labor, the town's inhabitants themselves have been sinkinginto a debilitating economic and psychological slump.

One-third of the majority Hispanic population here now lives in poverty. The three movie theaters that once brought life to the town have all closed their doors.

"A lot of people are moving out," said local resident Raul Gomez, who is 77.

On this summer afternoon, under a crushing heat wave, some people have stopped to chat under an enormous wall painting.

It depicts a clear blue lake surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaksfor now, a distant dream.

Explore further Report: Groundwater pumping in California has land sinking

 2021 AFP
In this file photo made available by NASA shows the planet Venus made with data from the Magellan spacecraft and Pioneer Venus Orbiter. Two spacecraft are set to swoop past Venus within hours of each other this week, using the manoeuvre to do a little bit of bonus science on the way to the center of our solar system, starting with the Solar Orbiter probe operated by NASA and the European Space Agency early Monday Aug. 9, 2021 Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech FILE via AP

Two spacecraft are set to swoop past Venus within hours of each other this week, using the maneuver to do a little bit of bonus science on the way to their main missions at the center of our solar system.

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter probe, a cooperation with NASA, will swing around Venus early Monday, using the planet's gravity to help put it on a course to observe the Sun's poles.

About 33 hours later, the European-Japanese spacecraft BepiColombo will get even closer to Venus in a maneuver designed to help it slow down sharply and safely steer into the orbit of Mercury in 2025.

"Without the flyby, we would not be able to reach our target planet," said Elsa Montagnon, the spacecraft operations manager for BepiColombo. "The energy required to enter into orbit of Mercury would be prohibitively expensive in terms of propellant."

Both probes have numerous scientific instruments on board, some of which will be used to take a closer look at Venus as they zoom past.

The measurements will add to those taken by the Japanese probe Akatsuki, which is already in orbit around Earth's hotter neighbor. NASA and the European Space Agency are planning to send three more missions to Venus toward the end of the decade.

Explore further ESA gets ready for double Venus flyby

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The thick pine forests on Evia which made it appealing to tourists have turned in into a nightmare for firefighters.

Hundreds of Greek islanders packed up their belongings and fled their homes on the Greek island of Evia on Sunday as wildfires continued to rage after a record heatwave.

Greece and neighbouring Turkey have been battling the devastating fires for nearly two weeks, with 10 people confirmed dead and dozens needing hospital treatment.

While rain brought some respite from the blazes in Turkey over the weekend, Greece continues to suffer a hot, dry summer.

"They burnt our paradise," 46-year-old islander Triantafyllos Konstantinos told AFP. "We are done."

The blazes have destroyed homes and reduced thousands of hectares of land to ash on Evia, Greece's second-largest island just northeast of the capital Athens.

Civil protection deputy minister Nikos Hardalias said a fire front in the north of Evia was being pushed by strong winds towards beach villages.

"We have ahead of us another difficult evening, another difficult night," he said, adding that 17 aircraft were helping to fight the fires on Evia.

However, fires in the southwestern Peloponnese region and in a northern suburb of Athens had abated, he added.

'In God's hands'

The rugged landscape and dense pine forests on Evia that so appeal to tourists are helping to spread the flames and make the work of firefighters almost impossible.

Fires that erupted north of Athens several days ago have subsided.

Even waterbombing planes are struggling, with an official telling local media much of the water was evaporating before it reached the ground.

Hundreds of people have already fled the island and another 349 were taken to safety early on Sunday, the coast guard said.

In Pefki village, young people carried older and disabled people over the sand on to a ferry.

Elsewhere, villagers joined in the battle against the flames, helping firefighters.

"We are in the hands of God," 26-year-old Evia resident Yannis Selimis told AFP. "The state is absent. If people leave, the villages will burn for sure."

Local officials were critical of the efforts to control the fires, which erupted on the island on Tuesday.

"I have no more voice left to ask for more aircraft. I can't stand this situation," local mayor Giorgos Tsapourniotis told Skai TV on Saturday.

Hundreds of firefighters along with water-dropping aircraft are battling the blazes.

Many villages were saved only because young people ignored evacuation orders and stayed on to keep the fires away from their homes, he added.

Alexis Tsipras, leader of the main opposition Syriza party, said the government did not appear to be listening to local concerns about a lack of coordination and equipment.

"Is there a management plan? HOW LONG will this drama drag on?" he wrote in a tweet.

Local officials were struggling to shelter those forced to flee their homes.

Hardalias said on Saturday that provisional shelter had been provided to 2,000 people evacuated from the island.

'Trying times'

From July 29 to August 7, 56,655 hectares (140,000 acres) were burnt in Greece, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. The average area burnt over the same 10 summer days between 2008 and 2020 was 1,700 hectares.

A local resident fights a fire flare-up north of Athens.

Britain, France, Spain and other countries have answered Greece's appeal for help, and on Sunday, Serbia announced it was sending 13 vehicles with 37 firefighters and three firefighting helicopters.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis thanked foreign countries for their help on Sunday.

"On behalf of the Greek people, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the countries that have sent assistance and resources to help fight the wildfires," he tweeted.

"We thank you for standing by Greece during these trying times."

Police said on Sunday they had arrested at least 10 people for arson, among them three young men in Pireaus for attempting to start a fire in nearby Perama.

 2021 AFP
As of the end of July, the U.S. was dispensing under 600,000 shots a day on average, down from a peak of over 3.4 million a day in April. The highly contagious delta variant has sent new daily cases soaring over the past month to levels not seen since February. The vast majority of those hospitalized were not vaccinated.

Still, not all is well within the EU. Discrepancies between member states are huge. For example, in the Netherlands, 85% of adults have received at least one dose. In Bulgaria, it is less than 20%.

There are also troubling signs that Europe's campaign is losing steam.

In Germany, where 54% of the population is fully vaccinated, the number of shots being dispensed per day has declined from more than 1 million in May to about 500,000.

Officials there have begun pushing for more vaccinations at megastores and in city centers and are offering incentives. A vaccination drive in Thuringia state included free bratwurst, while sites in Berlin planned to have DJs play music this weekend in hopes of encouraging young people to get inoculated.

De Maio said she believes nationwide vaccine mandates like her native Italy's Green Pass program could help EU nations avoid America's fate.
Today, although lactation specialists have more options to safely meet in person with families after their COVID-19 vaccinations, many are choosing to continue virtual classes, keeping alive the online communities they created and relying on the technology that worked for many families. Virtual options especially help those in remote areas or those with limited transportation access, breastfeeding experts say.

Right before the pandemic, Sandrine Druon typically had one or two moms attend in-person meetings she held for La Leche League of Longmont, Colo., at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church or at a coffee shop. But because they could no longer meet in person, she launched two monthly virtual meetings. Now, an online meeting will typically include nine or 10 moms. She started an online Spanish-speaking meeting, and parents joined from their homes in several states and even from other countries. She hopes eventually to have a mix of online and in-person meetings.

The virtual switch hasnt worked for everyone. Harmon said the logistics of video support remain difficult, along with privacy concerns on platforms that could be hacked. Other lactation experts noted Black and Hispanic mothers are sometimes still left behind. So lactation specialists are trying to learn from the pandemic on what worked  and what didnt  to reach all kinds of new parents.
She tried calling the cemetery to bring this to someones attention but got no response from the number posted online. Eventually, she found the number for cemetery Association President Jerome Greenberg. Tepper convinced him to visit the cemetery, and Greenberg said it wasnt that big a deal.

I know there are, in places, branches, said Greenberg, 88. The cemetery is almost 100 years old. It is our belief that the cemetery looks nice with trees on it. Trees are trees. We plant them, they grow and eventually they start to die. When the trees start to die, branches (fall).

Later that year, Joanna Mell, 67, made her first visit to the cemetery in 16 years. The Quakertown, Pennsylvania, resident, whose family is from South Jersey, was appalled by what she saw.

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It looked like no one had done anything there to take care of it for at least several years, Mell said. I mean, it was a mess. In fact, I couldnt even find my cousins headstone. I had to dig around. There was this tree ... next to his plot, and I could not find his headstone.
The longstanding goal of getting the needle exchange for drug addicts out of the Atlantic City Tourism District is now in sight. Many years after the late Sen. Jim Whelan launched the movement to relocate social services from the center of the regions tourism economy, City Council last month held firm and overwhelmingly voted to end its support for the service there.

There was never a question whether clean syringes would continue to be available to intravenous drug addicts in the city, helping them avoid diseases transmitted with reused needles. Not only are they available from pharmacies, but Gov. Phil Murphy and the state are committed to seeing needle exchange continue indefinitely in the seven cities where the pilot program began more than a decade ago.

The best solution for providing this and other addict services in Atlantic City and in the surrounding area is to start a mobile harm reduction program. That could provide regular and reliable services to addicts in the city, and could reach underserved addict populations elsewhere.
When people used to ask me where Im from, they would smile and shake their heads in disbelief when I said Paradise. Paradise? they would ask. Where is that?

Now, when I tell them Im from Paradise, Im met with a heaviness that serves as a solemn reminder that my beloved hometown was destroyed by the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.

Wildfires are nothing new in California. But due to the effects of climate change, the fires are becoming more frequent and more severe with each passing year  exacerbated by the rising temperatures and unprecedented heat waves that have gripped our region.

Ill never forget the morning of Nov. 8, 2018, when my boss called me just as I was about to walk out the door. I heard on the radio that there is a fire in Butte County. Its heading towards Paradise. I wasnt too concerned. There had been fires before, but they were never that serious.

I called my brother. I could hear the panic in his voice. He said he could see the fire coming over the ridge and hear exploding propane tanks in the distance.
The jobs may not be where the workers are; the kinds of jobs that employers are trying to fill may require skills that the workers dont have, Rosenbloom said. It takes time to match, and they may require training or education, and that can take time.

The emergence of Amazon

It was announced in July that Amazon will invest $250 million to build a new fulfillment center in Davenport, bringing 1,000 new jobs with a starting wage of $16 per hour.

As a result, Jhala said while onboarding new employees, he has had to reeducate individuals on what starting wages are possible for small businesses.

Amazon's able to pay the $15 an hour, and large corporations are able to do that; they're able to absorb the costs, Jhala said. Small businesses, such as myself, and the majority of the hotels are not able to do that.

While the fulfillment center serves as a great opportunity for workers in the Quad-Cities, it can cause issues for small businesses already struggling to hire and maintain employees, according to Bartik. The new center will force local businesses to increase wages and shrink the size of the potential labor force that would typically be applying for their job openings.
Health Department Administrator Nita Ludwig said no employees in the health department had missed work because of COVID-19 in the past month.

Rock Island

Rock Island City Manager Randy Tweet said there were no plans requiring employees to be vaccinated, nor were employees required to show proof of vaccination status.

"We have had some initial discussions, but there is no intent to set a mandatory vaccination policy at this time," Tweet said. "We do encourage all employees to be vaccinated."

Moline

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas said the city was following CDC guidelines with regard to wearing masks but would not require vaccinations.

"We have issued guidance to our employees to wear masks in all public buildings whether vaccinated or not vaccinated," Vitas said. "The city is not mandating vaccinations of our work force. I am not aware of any city employees off on sick leave related to COVID."

East Moline

East Moline City Administrator Doug Maxeiner said the city would encourage, but not require, the vaccine for city employees.
When Riley Ellis was young, they were moved by cartoons  the different styles, characters, and the emotions they could draw out of the audience.

Now 18 years old, Ellis is an animator, and is using their skills to showcase how receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can bring color back into people's lives.

"I remember [cartoons] having such a big impact on me that I wanted to be able to have that positive impact on people," Ellis said.

Artists in the Quad-Cities and across Illinois have created over 72 different projects about the COVID-19 vaccine, with the goal of encouraging people to get the shot. Arts Alliance Illinois and Quad City Arts are collaborating on the program.

Each artist is getting paid by Arts Alliance Illinois, Quad City Arts Executive Director Kevin Maynard said, compensating a group that was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Arts and culture were really hard hit during quarantine and lockdown, and it''ll take years to come back from that," he said.

Getting more people vaccinated will help the arts community immensely, Maynard said, allowing groups to gather again and artists to hold events and markets.
During the stop, someone opened fire on the officers and the officers returned fire, Carter said. Two officers and one of the suspects were shot.

The officers were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, police spokesman Tom Ahern wrote in a tweet.

Two males are in custody and one suspect, the female, is still at large, Ahern said. The male suspect who was shot was taken to Christ Hospital. One handgun was recovered from the scene, he said.

The officer who died had worked for the Chicago Police Department since 2018 and was a member of the community safety team, a citywide unit formed last summer under police Superintendent David Brown to respond to crime hotspots.

An overnight email from the top leadership of the Chicago Police Department urged the department to keep the families and friends of these officers in your prayers. Please continue to look out for each other on and off duty as we process this heartbreaking tragedy.

Numerous marked and unmarked police vehicles, with their lights flashing, blocked off traffic along West 63rd Street for three or four blocks heading west and on side streets all around the scene. Cook County Sheriffs Police were also on the scene helping with traffic control.
Thats about 0.01 percent of vaccinated individuals who have been hospitalized for the virus and 0.003 percent who have died of complications.

The overwhelming majority of cases, the hospitalizations, the deaths are among those who are not vaccinated, Ezike said. And the majority of transmission is also among the unvaccinated. But the key is that we actually have the tools to turn the tide on the next wave. And that next wave wants to threaten us if we don't avail ourselves of these tools.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said youth hospitalizations and infections have been rising.

About 5.5 percent of COVID-19 cases were among those who are younger than 10 years of age in January, Ezike said, but that number increased to 15 percent last month. Approximately 13 percent of cases in January were among those 10-19 years old, increasing to 23 percent in July. Hospitalizations for those 20 years old and younger have tripled from 2.5 percent to 7.8 percent in that time span.

And yes, while most children who get COVID have fewer symptoms than adults, they absolutely can still get COVID-19 and they can absolutely spread it to others, Ezike said, noting many cases of the virus have spread at youth camps this summer.
LACON  Sometime early this fall, a team armed with specialized document-scanning equipment will descend on the Marshall County Courthouse to transform 350,000 pages of property records dating to 1831 into digital form.

The scanning will be part of a $353,000 larger overall process in which Iowa-based Fidlar Technologies will also replace computer hardware and software in county clerk and recorder Jill Kenyon's office, eventually resulting in expanding and overhauling much of the way that business gets done there.

The work will be covered by roughly one-third of the county's $1.1 million American Rescue Plan allotment for this year, under action taken by a unanimous board vote on July 8.

It marks the county's first use of those funds. A board committee has just begun a process for considering other projects, the Journal Star of Peoria reports

"I believe it's going to be money well spent," Kenyon said. "It's something that's going to have to be done, and I feel if it can be paid for with a grant, it's better for the taxpayers."

For the first time, it will be possible for people to e-record documents remotely and for attorneys, banks, title companies or other searchers to access the records online for fees that will generate new revenue for the county.
They buried the dead in the back. It was called the Winnebago Poor Farm Cemetery.

Back then, the mentally ill were only confined, not cared for, Goral said.

Some of the dead were veterans, although what branch they served in and when will never be known, said Laura Doise, River Bluff admissions coordinator.

We may not know all of their individual names and we may not know their stories, McNamara said, but we certainly do know that they were Winnebago County residents. We know that they had mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, and they were neighbors of residents who are known. They are our family here in Winnebago County. They absolutely deserve to be remembered for the role that they have played in our community.

River Bluff is owned by Winnebago County and the bodies will remain at the site.

The Poor Farm Cemetery has one stone monument to mark the location of the old cemetery grounds. Records for the cemetery started in 1884, although its believed that some were buried before that year.

There are 672 people buried there and no headstones. Record keepers only noted what information they had at the time of death.
Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Augusta, the only Republican to initially support the amended Senate budget on Wednesday night, said he was concerned when negotiations began that the House would balk at any changes after Northam asked budget negotiators late Thursday not to amend the spending plan he had reached with them before the General Assembly special session began.

However, Hanger said the committee reached a compromise just after lunch on Friday.

It all worked out very pleasantly, he said.

The biggest issue was a compromise on hazard pay bonuses for sheriffs deputies and regional jail and state correctional officers. The Senate approved an amendment on Wednesday proposed by Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell, its newest member, that would have increased the bonus from $1,000 per officer, as Northam proposed, to $5,000 to match the one-time payment that the governor had proposed for state police officers in the fiscal year that began on July 1.

The amendment also would have allocated the bonuses to deputies, regional jail officers and correctional officers in each year of the two-year budget that Northam will propose in December for General Assembly action next winter. The additional cost would have been $189 million over three years.
Sugar Magnolia, which offers ice cream, chocolates, paper goods and gifts, opened its Roanoke store last month.

Michelle and Tom Raub, co-owners and founders of the business, opened a location in Blacksburg in 2018 and decided to expand with a second location in Roanoke, at Townside Festival Shopping Center.

Michelle Raub said Roanoke was the natural choice for another store since Sugar Magnolia was already a familiar brand with Virginia Tech fans who travel to Blacksburg for games.

Sugar Magnolia offers all things comfort, she said  the comfort of ice cream, the comfort of chocolate, of a handwritten letter.

Tom Raub said Sugar Magnolia is meant to bring people together and build community. The store offers products  whether thats ice cream or greeting cards  centered around shared experiences and real connections.

We like to kind of consider this as the old drugstore soda fountain reimagined for the modern era, he said.

Michelle Raub said Sugar Magnolias Blacksburg location has often hosted birthday parties, girls nights out and other gatherings among friends; the Roanoke store will do the same.
Let the Emmett Till statue be there for 100 years, he said. Then, it would be balanced.

Ultimately, late last month, the council voted unanimously in favor of erecting the Till statue, just not at the courthouse. Instead, the statue will go up in a park a half-mile away.

Jordan's decided to be optimistic about the location. The park is by railroad tracks that once separated where Black and white residents lived and worked in racially segregated Greenwood. He hopes the statue unites the community.

For now, residents on both sides of the issue are frustrated with progress.

Larry McCluney said he considers the statue a tribute to Confederate soldiers who died in battle. Hes also in favor of the Till statue  even at the courthouse  as long as the Confederate statue stands.

Its the same thing if I went out to the graveyard and knocked over one of your family members headstones, said McCluney, commander-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization for male descendants of Confederate veterans that spans 30,000 members. Thats how people feel about these things: You are removing the only thing I have that I can go to as a family member and remember my ancestors.
Its a way to start to build up a permanent affordable stock in town, Matt Hanratty, Blacksburgs assistant to the town manager, said in an interview last month.

Under the trust, the homeowner and the nonprofit have a lease that gives the former the exclusive rights to use the land while they own the home, Hanratty said.

And yes there is a cap on how much the home can appreciate, Hanratty wrote in an email. What we are looking at doing is capping the homes value based on income growth in our area. So, as incomes increase, the homes value and resale value increases at the same pace, so it will always remain affordable.

Pending some further support from the Blacksburg Town Council and the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, the concept of the community land trust is expected to be looked at even more seriously later this year, Hanratty said.

These efforts come amid the biggest national housing boom the country has seen since the years just before the Great Recession, a trend that several officials in the region acknowledge pose some additional challenges on housing.

Regional Commission Board Chairman Mike Maslaney spoke on the importance of regional cooperation on tackling the housing issue.
PEMBROKE  Dinosaurs get all the press, but much older, much smaller fossils can win big prizes.

Earlier this year, Virginia Techs Shuhai Xiao won the prestigious Mary Clark Thompson Medal awarded by the National Academy of Sciences for work in geology and paleontology. Xiao was honored for studying the evolution of life before the Cambrian Explosion, the period when complex life forms arose and radiated across the planet.

Shuhai ... works on what everyone else keeps calling early evolution, and I really insist is the first 90% of evolutionary history, said Andrew Knoll, Fisher Professor of Natural History at Harvard University. But hes particularly focused on this interval of time, when we go from a world thats mostly microbial and predominantly bacterial to a world that has ... complex multicellular organisms like early animals. And through his discoveries in China and elsewhere, he has really illuminated how biological diversity changed across this time interval.

I think its fair to say that he is among the most respected people in the world for this work, Knoll said.

Xiao was among the first wave of Chinese scientists to study in the U.S. in the 1990s, and he worked in Knolls lab at Harvard, receiving his doctorate in 1998.
Over the next nine months I gained unprecedented access to this young, multi-ethnic army. I lived with them, ate with them, completed combat air-assaults with them. I was the first journalist to embed with them in their history.

Looking back all those years, I still dont know what the mission was. Different presidents, different missions. Different generals, different missions. Why were we even there?

Following 9/11, why didnt the U.S.-led coalition just knock out Al Qaida with airstrikes and Special Ops then go home?

If NATO didnt go to nation build, why were Provincial Reconstruction Teams created?

In a conflict that saw U.S. contractors making in the range of $100,000 a year serving troops food in the chow hall  mostly tax-free dollars  maybe it was all about money and it is now simply time to cash out?

No, the United States did not lose this war. The United States never went to war.

This prolonged engagement was basically cover to offer stability to a forming nation, hoping the Afghans would be able to create a functioning society before western patience ran out.
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It helps immensely. The legislative process is confusing and its frustrating for people. Having some background in how to get things done and how to move things forward is very important not only for national issues that may come but also district issues. It will enable me to hit the ground running if Im fortunate enough to be elected.

Question: What sets you apart from some of the other candidates running?

Answer: I have a consistent conservative record. Ive shown that in the Statehouse [as majority whip] ... Part of my job is to help craft good conservative policies and help navigate them through the legislative process in the House. ... Theres a lot of activity on things. We just passed the open carry bill which is the most robust Second Amendment bill in South Carolina in nearly 25 years. This year we had the fetal heartbeat bill which was the most pro-life legislation ever in the Statehouse ever signed into law. So, in a lot of ways, I have been a champion for conservative legislation that voters in my district care about and [I] will continue to take that same approach to Washington...
President Joe Biden and his team were beginning to sound noticeably nervous about falling short of his national goal to administer at least one vaccine dose to 70% of adult Americans by July 4. But now, with an apparent assist from the deadly delta variant, they made it.

Widespread vaccine hesitancy  particularly in conservative parts of the country  prevented the United States from meeting his deadline.

But that goal was met in recent weeks as the delta variant, far more contagious than earlier versions, began to swamp hospitals in areas with low vaccination rates. Those areas also have tended to be politically conservative areas across the South.

In that spirit, let us give a special shoutout to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican whose frankness in a state with the lowest vaccination rate in the country made national news when a reporter asked her in Birmingham how she was going to persuade folks to get their jabs as the pandemic spiked.

Folks (are) supposed to have common sense, she said with exasperation you could cut with a butter knife. Its time to start blaming the unvaccinated folks, not the regular folks. Its the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down.
 Rounding up some recent reads as another summer week winds down | Main | "Inside the Black Box of Prosecutor Discretion" 

August 7, 2021

A couple of accounts of the persistent and problematic challenges of reentry

In recent days, I have seen a couple of notable new accounts of the trip wires that we have created for persons seeking to reenter the community after prison. Here are links to the stories and excerpts:

From Daily Beast, "Pot Prisoner Sentenced to Life Before Trump Pardon Is Back in Custody":

In 2010, a federal judge sentenced Tony DeJohn to life plus 10 years on a nonviolent marijuana charge. Because it was DeJohns third conviction, the judge was required by law to impose the maximum penalty available. He was just 31 years old. Eleven years later, DeJohn, who is from Upstate New York but had been locked up in high-security facilities in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Colorado, was granted clemency by then-President Donald Trump. He was released from prison on January 20, 2021. But today, DeJohn is back in federal custody. The now 47-year-old will be spending the next six months in a Pennsylvania halfway house, according to court filings reviewed by The Daily Beastbut not because he broke any new laws.

From the REFORM Alliance, via TWitter:

Daniel B., a father of four from Nebraska, wants to be able to go to his daughters softball games, advance in his career, and provide for his family. But the strict rules of Federal Supervised Release make it difficult for him to succeed as a parent. Since being released from prison, Daniel obtained a job, married, & became a minister. He is also serving 10 years of Supervised Release, where the threat of technical violations  like missing curfew, traveling w/o permission, or losing his jobcould send him back to prison. Daniel isnt alone. We have far too many people on Federal Supervision, serving terms that are too long. The system is wasteful and even counterproductive to public safety. Too often, Federal Supervision acts like a trap door to prison instead of a springboard to success.

UPDATE: One more on this topic from this NC Policy Watch blog post titled "Leaving prison? NCs mind-boggling bureaucracy stands between you, a state-issued ID, and quite possibly your future." Here is an excerpt:

One of the most pervasive challenges for people returning home from incarceration is also one of the least discussed: state-issued ID cards.... Over 22,000 North Carolinians are released from incarceration each year. Thousands of them find themselves unable to acquire a state-issued ID. The process is so convoluted for the re-entry population that it is nearly impossible for many returning residents. Even if these folks returning home do everything right, the path to freedom, to independence, has been so narrowly circumscribed by state bureaucracy that whether someone succeeds or fails is as much a matter of luck as it is of diligence and perseverance. Yet, officials with the power to streamline this process, to make it at least fair, continue to drag their feet on this issue. For years, advocates and reentry providers have asked the Department of Public Safety and NC Division of Motor Vehicles to collaborate on addressing this issue. Unfortunately, little has come from the process except unsuccessful efforts and more excuses.

August 7, 2021 at 10:35 PM | Permalink

Comments

One of the frequently overlooked resolutions of Federal Supervised Release status is to move to terminate it early, after serving as little as one year. Federal statutes specifically provide for early termination. Many supervisees are unaware that early termination is even possible. Most U.S. District Judges will follow the recommendation of the Parole Officer, so if the supervisee behaves well, does what he is supposed to do, and establishes a good rapport with his Probation Officer, he can probably obtain early termination, unless he is extremely violent or he had child porn charges. Early termination is usually simple for those who served white collar sentences.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Aug 8, 2021 5:02:09 PM

Unfortunately, the Third Circuit held in United States v. Damon, 933 F.3d 269 (3d Cir. 2019) that the standard appellate waiver the government includes in all plea agreements prohibits the defendant from seeking to terminate supervision early. A godawful decision.

Posted by: Jacob Schuman | Aug 9, 2021 2:13:32 PM

Jacob, I concur with your assessment of the Damon decision in the Third Circuit. Thankfully, we don't have to deal with that problem in the Sixth Circuit where I live (Lexington, Kentucky). I wonder how many other (if any) Circuits have ruled on that issue? Sounds to me like something that might eventually work its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Until then, we are frequently getting supervised releases terminated early all the time. All the defendants have to do is make it thru one full year of supervision without problems.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Aug 9, 2021 7:17:15 PM

Thanks Jim. I believe the Philly Probation Office supported the defendant in Damon because they understood that there's no benefit to continuing to supervise people who don't need supervision. It looks like the only other circuit opinion to have cited Damon is an unpublished Fourth Circuit case on a different issue, so for now the damage is contained.

Posted by: Jacob Schuman | Aug 11, 2021 11:21:37 AM

Post a comment
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivering his National Day Message on Sunday (8 August). (PHOTO: MCI)

SINGAPORE  The Singapore government will have to adjust its policies "to manage the quality, numbers and concentrations of foreigners" in the country, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Message on Sunday (8 August).

"If we do this well, we can continue to welcome foreign workers and new immigrants, as we must," he said while addressing Singaporeans' anxieties over foreign work pass holders.

Noting that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened such concerns, Lee said that work pass holders have helped to grow Singapore's economy and create new opportunities for its citizens. The benefits of such a "virtuous cycle" are understood by Singaporeans, he added.

"However, when the number of work pass holders is large, our people naturally become worried about competition for jobs... Sometimes the locals feel unfairly treated, for instance when they miss out on being hired or promoted," said Lee.

"Outside work, from time to time there are also social frictions, because some work pass holders and their families have not fully adapted to our social norms, nor fully integrated into our society," he added.

Despite such friction, Lee said that turning inwards would be against Singapore's "fundamental interests" and would damage its standing as a global and regional hub.

"It would cost us jobs and opportunities. Most importantly, it goes against our values of openness, and of being accepting of others who are different from us," he added.

Tackling 'difficult issues'

In his speech, Lee also touched on other "difficult issues" and the societal fault lines that have been strained by the pandemic.

On race and religion, he said Singapore has to adapt to the changing times in order to maintain its social harmony. "Our social norms evolve with each successive generation, shaped by different life experiences and aspirations. These norms are also influenced by external trends, because we are so open and connected to the rest of the world," said Lee.

Story continues

He also commented on several racist incidents that have recently caught the public's attention after being "amplified by social media". "Such incidents are worrying, but they are not the norm. Many more happy inter-racial interactions happen every day, but these seldom go viral," said Lee.

While such incidents do not mean that Singapore's approach to is failing, they also highlight how issues of race and religion will "always be highly emotive, and can easily divide us", he said.

Cautioning that such sensitive issues need to be addressed "candidly and respectfully", Lee added that Singapore's social harmony was hard won and forged over several generations.

"This harmony did not result from every group stridently insisting on its identity and rights; it was the fruit of mutual understanding and compromise by all parties  the majority as well as the minorities...

"It is the governments duty to manage these issues on behalf of all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language or religion. To do this, we will need your cooperation, support and trust," said Lee.

On the topic of lower wage workers, he noted that this group was most acutely affected and in need of more sustained support. "They have found it harder to cope with reduced incomes and unexpected job losses, as they have less savings and buffer. We have therefore given them more help in this crisis," said Lee.

He noted that a tripartite workgroup has also been developing plans to help improve the lives of such workers and prepare them for an increasingly skills-based economy. "These will build on Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model to boost their incomes and create new opportunities for upskilling and job progression," said Lee.

Tackling COVID-19

Lee also took stock of Singapore's efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19.

"There are certainly areas where we could have done better. But ultimately, we have kept everyone in Singapore, including migrant workers, safe. Thankfully, very few lives have been lost to COVID-19," he said.

As of Sunday, Singapore has seen 65,764 COVID-19 infections and 42 deaths due to complications from the coronavirus.

Lee noted that more than two-thirds of the country's residents are fully vaccinated and that 1 per cent of the population are receiving their vaccinations daily.

"We are in a more resilient position. We can now look forward to a careful, step-by-step re-opening of our economy. This is how we can move into the new normal," he said.

On the psychological toll that the pandemic has taken "on all of us", Lee encouraged Singaporeans to "watch out for one another, for signs of fatigue, distress or anguish among our friends and family".

"We should have the courage to ask for help ourselves if we need it," he added.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

78 new COVID-19 cases detected in Singapore; 21 unlinked

No COVID-19 Delta Plus variant found in Singapore: MOH official

COVID: Up to 5 can dine in at restaurants from 10 Aug if all fully vaccinated

COVID: No more temperature checks at malls, public places from 19 Aug

Singapore to resume entry approvals for vaccinated work pass holders

Vaccinate or regular test regime for some sectors from 1 Oct: MTF

Those given Sinovac, Sinopharm or AstraZeneca jabs counted as fully vaccinated from 10 Aug
Police have charged a Thai man with the murder of a Swiss tourist in Phuket

A Thai man was charged with the murder of a Swiss woman whose body was found near a waterfall on the tourist island of Phuket, police said Sunday.

The body of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, was found covered with a sheet on Thursday.

She had travelled to Phuket under a "sandbox" pilot scheme that allows vaccinated tourists into Phuket without a two-week quarantine.

Thai national Theerawut Tortip, 27, was arrested and charged with murder and robbery causing death, Deputy National Police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said.

"The cause of death is yet to be confirmed as the autopsy report has yet to be released by authorities," Kissana said during a press conference.

Theerawut, who attended the press conference via a phone-in accompanied by his lawyer, said he had taken roughly 300 baht ($9) after strangling Sauvain-Weisskopf.

"I would like to apologise to the family of the tourist and plead for all Thais to forgive me," he said.

Police Major General Nantadej Yoinual, who oversees the southern region, said Theerawut confessed following an interrogation.

He said Theerawut was detained after reviewing nearby CCTV footage, and narrowing their search to the owner of a motorbike seen around the same time that Sauvin-Weisskopf travelled to the waterfall.

"The victim, the family of the victim, and all the people of Thailand deserve a swift investigation of this crime," a Swiss embassy official said.

The case has cast a pall over Phuket's sandbox scheme, touted as a way to reopen Thailand's coronavirus-hit tourism sector after more than a year of strict travel curbs.

More than 16,000 people have arrived in Phuket since the July 1 launch of the scheme.

tp/dhc/qan
All told, making catch-up contributions in your 401(k) could, in this scenario, leave you $90,000 richer in retirement. That's not a small amount of money.

Now to be fair, the impact of catch-up contributions in an IRA is less significant, since IRA catch-ups max out at $1,000. This isn't to say that you shouldn't still try to make them, but they will have less of an effect on your total savings. But if you have a 401(k), then it really pays to push yourself to make those $6,500 catch-ups, especially if you feel you're behind on savings.

Keep in mind, too, that catch-up contribution limits can also change over time. And if they increase, you'll have even more opportunity to save.

If you're nearing the end of your career with a heaping pile of savings, then you may not need to worry about catch-up contributions. But if your savings could use a boost, then it pays to eke out that extra money. Doing so could spell the difference between grappling with financial stress in retirement or having a much easier time covering your expenses.

The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
Even if you saw it on Disney+, youll want to watch Luca again and again.

The charming coming-of-age story is a real keeper  one that uses animation to its fullest. Thankfully, it's now on DVD, able to be viewed any season.

Set under the sea, the latest Disney Pixar release follows a young sea monster named Luca (Jacob Tremblay) whos interested in the world up above. When he reaches the surface, he isnt scaly and disgusting. He looks like a human boy. Undetected, he can enjoy the spoils of the Italian Riviera and be treated like any number of kids interested in entering a tri-whatever competition (that involves biking, swimming and eating).

Making friends with Alberto (Jack Dylan Glazer), a similarly afflicted sea monster, he experiences the joys of the world The Little Mermaid pined for. Up where they run, Luca and Alberto befriend an Italian girl named Giulia (Emma Berman) who is determined to take home the Portorosso Cup. With each contributing a leg of the race, they figure they can win.

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Gunther Hashida killed himself last week.

We dont know why. At this writing, we dont even know how.

What we do know is that Hashida, an 18-year veteran of the D.C. police force, is the fourth cop to die by his own hand after responding to the Jan. 6 insurrection by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol. What we do know, having heard testimony from four of Hashidas colleagues last week before a House select committee, is that the cost of defending the Capitol was high, both in physical terms  bones broken, eyes gouged, skin split  and in emotional ones.

Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, along with D.C. Police Officer Michael Fanone, all used the same word to describe the emotional toll of that day: trauma.

Which brings us to another thing we know. Which is that none of the suffering these men endured seems to have made the slightest impression upon most so-called conservatives, or caused them to waver in their core mission to preserve, protect and defend Donald Trump. And there is no lie they wont tell, no principle they wont betray, no line they wont cross, to do so.
I certainly enjoyed the Journal's feature story about the history of Kalin's Indoor Company, which appeared in the Sunday business section on Aug. 1, entitled "100 years of heating, cooling in Siouxland."

When we moved to Sioux City from Ames in 1968, we were told that the house we purchased was the first one that Kalin's air conditioned (along with installing a great furnace) when it was built back in 1941. Never having had central air before this time it was a big "step up" for us to be comfortable all summer long! It used running water as a coolant and we soon piped that water outside to water our lawn. The furnace was like the one described in the article - Norfolk cast-iron, but able to run on gas rather than coal. The cast iron fire box kept the house warm constantly without the "cold spots" which can happen with newer furnaces.

Our daughter was married at home on a very hot July day in 1973 and there was much apprehension that the old A/C might give out at a very crucial time. The temperature outside that day was 98 degrees, but the old A/C came through with flying colors. "Old Faithful" did its job and the wedding went off without a hitch!

Both the old A/C and furnace were still working fine when we moved to an acreage 11 years later. We sadly bid the old pair goodbye, knowing that they were truly an amazing pair and had more than done their duty by us! -- Ona (Onee) Iverson, Sioux City

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The head of the American Federation of Teachers said that the stance on vaccine mandates need to reflect the times. And while the union had previously said that vaccination of teachers should be voluntary, that thinking has shifted now that the more contagious delta variant is leading to a surge of COVID-19 cases across the country. The circumstances have changed, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told NBC News Meet the Press. Weingarten added that it weighs really heavily on her that those under 12 cant get vaccinated.

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The leadership of the American Federation of Teachers, which is the second-largest union representing teachers, will be meeting this week to consider a change in policy to back mandates. Vaccines are the single most important way of dealing with COVID. Weve always dealt with, or since 1850, weve dealt with vaccines in schools. Its not a new thing to have immunizations in schools, Weingarten said. And I think that on a personal matter, as a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers, not opposing them, on vaccine mandates.

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Weingarten: As a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers, not opposing them, on vaccine mandates. pic.twitter.com/2yOIxhUzdB  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 8, 2021

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A mandate wouldnt have such a huge effect on the unions members considering 90 percent of the teachers have already stepped up and received the vaccine, Weingarten said. I think we are probably the most vaccinated profession right now, she said, while also recognizing there are significant exemptions to vaccination that must be honored. But vaccination is a community responsibility, she said.

On CBS Face the Nation, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said that Weingartens vaccination push is helpful. Cardona didnt, however, give a straight yes or no answer when asked for his position regarding mandatory vaccination for teachers in schools. I feel strongly that if youre eligible to get vaccinated, get vaccinated, do your part to make sure that were all safe and that we can reopen schools without interruptions, Cardona said. Again, our students have suffered enough.

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The Biden administration has said it wont mandate vaccines beyond federal workers but is calling on local governments to consider them. Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Bidens chief medical adviser, said Sunday on Meet the Press that I believe mandates at the local level need to be done. Fauci added that children who arent vaccinated need to be surrounded by vaccinated adults. Protect the kids with a shield of vaccinated people, Fauci said.

Becky Pringle, the head of the National Education Association, which is the countrys largest teachers union has previously said mandates should be negotiated at the local level. Everyone who can be vaccinated should be vaccinated and if they cant they should be tested on a regular basis, she said in a statement on Thursday.
Here are the 20 most beautiful books in Slovakia

A book about cats flying to Canada named the most beautiful book for children in 2020.

The International House of Art for Children in Bratislava has announced this years winners of the Most Beautiful Books of Slovakia contest. (Source: Bibiana)

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When glancing through a huge pile of new titles in a bookstore, one of the first things that makes a reader pick up a book, unless they know the writer, is the cover.

The International House of Art for Children in Bratislava, commonly known as Bibiana, has announced this years winners of the Most Beautiful Books of Slovakia contest, first held in 1965.

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The aim of the competition is to support and appreciate the increase of the artistic level and quality of polygraphic processing of non-periodical publications in the form of a book, said Eva Ciferska from Bibiana.

For the overall artistic and technical quality, The Bible (Biblia), published by IKAR, was named Slovakias most beautiful book of 2020.

Cats flying to Canada

Seven other awards in categories such as best illustrations, best graphic design, and most beautiful textbook, were also handed out.

Karol Felix won an award for his illustrations in Erik Ondrejickas book Za jedinou vetou (Behind a Single Sentence), and the Buvik publishing house took home an award for the most beautiful childrens book, Macky letia do Kanady (Cats Flying to Canada), written by Jaroslava Blazkova.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/TslOjyhILh8

The LiberaTerra publishing house was awarded a prize for the most beautiful textbook, Skola v prirode (Nature School), by Lubica Demcakova.

Twenty most beautiful books

The jury of 15 experts examined the 137 books submitted to the competition before they selected a 20 books across genres, along with seven student works, that met demanding the artistic and technical criteria.

While the biggest number of contestants belonged to the category of childrens and juvenile books and fiction, the highest quality candidates were found in the category of books on visual arts and among visual publications, said artist Igor Piacka, who chaired the jury.

Some of the books from the compilation were then recommended for awards in eight categories.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/jW6vZMGxJ2A

8. Aug 2021 at 21:30 | Compiled by Spectator staff
In what has proven to be an excellent acquisition for his new connections, Art Scene won his second-straight in the $11,200 Open I Handicap feature at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Aug. 7).

Getting away last in the scratch-shortened field of five, Art Scene watched as Thor De Vie and Stranger Things squared off in a speed duel from the quarter to the half, and then past the five-eighths. That is where Stranger Things tired and Daylight Rush tipped three deep, with Art Scene following on his back. Then at the top of the stretch, Art Scene tipped off Daylight Rush's cover and paced away under a line drive from Jim Morrill Jr. to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:54.2.

Art Scene is owned by Vogel and Wags Nags Stable, Team Rice Racing and Adelphi Bloodstock, who claimed the seven-year-old gelding for $25,000 at Yonkers Raceway on June 14 and have since had two wins and a second out of three starts. Maria Rice trains the $4.80 winner.

In the $10,000 undercard Open II, Reggiano (Dave McNeight III) got away third off the gate, but pulled early and took the lead before the quarter. He continued to lead without a challenge past the :56.1 half and to three-quarters, where American Zest A rolled along the outside and towards the leader, moving into second in the last turn. When they straightened out for home, Reggiano looked clear but McSpidey was flying late from mid-pack and was closing fast. The two horses hit the wire a neck apart with Reggiano getting the nod in 1:53.3.

Reggiano ($7.70) is owned and trained by Marc Shuttleworth. Dave McNeight III drove the $7.70 winner.

Drivers Shawn McDonough, Denny Bucceri and Dave McNeight III both had two wins on Saturday while trainer Chris Naedele joined them with two of his own.

When racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Sunday (Aug. 8) there will be a guaranteed Pick-5 pool of $5,000 that includes a $1,602 carryover. The pool is part of the United States Trotting Associations Strategic Wagering Program and as such, free program pages will be available courtesy of Trackmaster on the USTAs website on Sunday. The Pick-5 wager begins in Race 1 and runs through Race 5.

Also on Sunday there is a $733 carryover in the Jackpot Pick 6 in the fifth race and a $912 carryover in the Jackpot Hi-5 in the 10th race.

Post time for the first race is at 1:15 p.m. (EDT).

(Batavia Downs)
Mario Baillargeon scored a pair of wins in Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots action at Kawartha Downs on Saturday (Aug. 7) and the trainer-driver now has an enviable dilemma heading into the last two legs of the two-year-old trotting colt season.

Those two colts, in the first Gold one was second, the other one was third. And today in the Grassroots we found a great spot for them, said Baillargeon of Royal Champane and Renegade Gypsy, both winners on Saturday. My colt, Renegade Gypsy, hes so big. Im sure next year hes going to be a Gold colt, but this year, that might have given him a lot of confidence today, so well see. I dont know what to do with him really. Its a little tricky situation, but Id rather have that situation than not be good enough for a Grassroots.

Baillargeon captured the second $21,450 Grassroots division with Renegade Gypsy, steering the favourite to a 1:57.4 personal best off a front-stepping effort from post 1. The Archangel gelding finished 8-1/4 lengths ahead of CM Savewill GL and Sir Ballykeel over a rain-soaked surface rated one second slower than normal.

I never really asked him, the last turn I just yelled at him a little bit, and he took off. He was very comfortable, said the Acton, Ont. resident. Hes just getting stronger and Im pretty sure hes going to be a Gold colt next year, pretty sure.

Baillargeon trains Renegade Gypsy for fractional ownership group TheStable Renegade Gypsy, based in Guelph, Ont. Saturdays win was the geldings second in four starts, with two of those starts coming at the Gold Series level. In the July 8 Gold Series season opener he finished third and in the July 29 leg he was sixth over the Woodbine Mohawk Park surface.

The reinsman piloted Royal Champane to his first win in the third $21,800 Grassroots division for his brother, trainer Ben Baillargeon of Guelph, and the geldings breeder, Glengate Farms of Erin, ON. Also starting from post 1, favourite Royal Champane sat behind pacesetter Mass Attack as that colt reeled off fractions of :29.2, :58.4 and 1:28.3 and then stepped out in the stretch to claim the 1:59.1 victory by one and one-quarter lengths. Evil Guy closed for second and Mass Attack settled for third.

I qualified him maybe a month and a half ago (June 25) and I saw him for the second time today and I said, Holy jeez, he grew a lot, said Baillargeon. Sometimes they get growing and it takes a while to set them up, to get over the hump, like we say. I think theyre just getting over the hump. It was a good day.

Like Renegade Gypsy, Royal Champane made two starts in the Gold Series before arriving at Kawartha Downs for Saturdays Grassroots event. In the July 8 Gold opener he was second and on July 29 the Royalty For Life son was seventh.

Former Peterborough resident Dagfin Henriksen made a winning return to Kawartha Downs in the first $21,800 Grassroots division. Now calling Guelph, Ont. home, Henriksen piloted Belvedere Bronx to a 1:58.4 score from post 6, besting Feel The Force by a nose. Fan favourite Mask Of Zoro finished third.

I got him Monday with no shoes on, so I kind of had to do everything from scratch, and it worked out good. The horse raced very, very, very well. I didnt expect much from him today actually, to be honest with you, said Henriksen of the new addition to his barn. I saw hed been making breaks off the gate in previous lines on the card, so I kind of just took it easy off the gate and felt him up a little bit the first half and he felt okay, so I started driving and he responded right away, so it worked out just perfect.

The trainer-driver engineered the win for owner-breeder Dr. Michael Venneri of St. Catharines, Ont. The win was the Archangel sons first in five lifetime starts. In his only other Grassroots start, the July 31 leg at Hiawatha Horse Park, Belvedere Bronx made an early break and finished eighth, placed seventh.

Hes a nice horse, I enjoyed him today, said Henriksen. Nice to be on the old home turf too. I havent been here in three years I think. It was fun.

Favourites Marauder Seelster and driver Aaron Byron went gate-to-wire from post 5 in the last $21,800 division, cruising under the wire 4-3/4 lengths ahead of their peers in 1:58. Rose Run Xcaliber finished second and Unevergonnagethis was third.

I think hes actually starting to come around that horse, said Amanda Fine, who trains the Muscle Mass son for Steve Heimbecker of Waterloo, ON. It was weird, he was kind of my lower pecking order training down, and then when it came time to play he actually really stepped up.

The win was Marauder Seelsters first in five outings. He finished third in the July 15 Grassroots season opener at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but made a break in the July 31 leg at Hiawatha Horse Park and finished seventh, placed eighth. Saturdays win bumped into the top 10 in the division point standings with two legs remaining.

Kawartha Downs also hosted one $7,200 Prospect Series division for the two-year-old trotting colts, which went to favourite Rolling In Clover. The Kadabra gelding and trainer-driver Guy Gagnon controlled the pace from Post 1 and sailed home to a five length win in 2:00.2. Come Home For Life was second and Glandcaster Hall was third.

Gatineau resident Gagnon shares ownership of Rolling In Clover with Gestion Louis Latulippe Inc. and Gestion Bruno Blouin Inc. of Saint-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que.

The two-year-old trotting colts will make their fourth Grassroots start at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Sept. 6, while the Prospect Series competitors head to Hanover Raceway on Sept. 4.

(Ontario Sires Stakes)

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Kawartha Downs.
Millies Million bested her competition to take the featured race at the Miami Fair on Saturday (Aug. 7), the 73rd edition of the Manitoba Great Western Stakes.

With morning-line favourite Filly scratched, a field of four three-year-olds fought for their share of $6,425. Trainer Richard Rey had three entries in the race while the fourth horse came out of Trevor Williams's barn. Rey won the battle with Millies Million ($5.70) and did so in the time of 2:02 with driver Michel Rey in the bike.

Williams and his entry, Dawns Night Owl, finished second with Glenn LeDrew in the bike. Tyler Grundy and Chase My Dust finished third.

The Art and Betty Grundy Memorial Pace had a full field of seven. This race was open to maidens, but Manitoba-bred horses were allowed one win. Jim Strikesitrich ($18.40) and George Isman came up with the upset. Dean Rey and Jimmydiddonegood finished second while Kernel Kelly and Clayton Braybrook finished third.

The week's Open Pace also drew a field of four. In this race, three geldings and one mare went to battle for the $2,000 purse. The lone mare, Pure Addition ($3.90) nabbed her fifth-straight win with help of Glenn LeDrew. The mare beat the boys in a time of 2:00.2. Marc Fillion and Baylor Out finished second and Appoggiatura finished third with Clayton Braybrook.

The Fillies and Mares Open featured a field of five going for their purse of $2,000. Hurry Home ($3.40), with Darryl Mason driving, picked up her fifth win. She won in the time of 1:59.3  her third win under the two-minute mark this summer. Tyler Grundy and A Cowboys Dream finished second by only ahead. Bold N Sporty and Michel Rey finished third by a fair distance.

Miami Fair is set to go to post again on Saturday (Aug. 14) and 3:00 p.m. (CDT) and will feature a Pick-4 carryover of $467.14.

(A Trot Insider Exclusive by Trey Colbeck)

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Miami.
Warrawee Unique captured the $7,000 Open Pace at Vernon Downs on Saturday (Aug. 7).

Dreams Beachboy led to the first quarter in :26. Luck N Roll K grabbed the lead at the top of the backstretch and was first to the half in :55. Starznheaven came first-up and went shoulder-to-shoulder with Luck N Roll K all around the final turn. Luck N Roll K had a narrow lead at three-quarters in 1:23.1.

As they made the turn for home Warrawee Unique went three-wide. Starznheaven had a short lead but Warrawee Unique came flying by to win easily in 1:51.1. Starznheaven had to settle for second. Luck N Roll K was third.

Warrawee Unique is a five-year-old gelding by Sweet Lou. He is owned by the Betcha Win Stable LLC and trained by Jeff Sorenson. It was win number four this season. He now has 12 victories. Leon Bailey drove the $8.90 winner.

Leon Bailey and Justin Huckabone drove three winners on the card. Bailey combined with trainer Sorenson to win with Samson J ($6.00). Bailey also won with Umberto ($7.70). Huckabone was driver -trainer for wins with Man He Can Skoot ($6.20) and Eternal Prince ($26.00). His last win came with Tempster Hanover ($3.80).

Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (Aug. 13) as the welcome the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for three-year-old pacing colts. Post time is 6:10 p.m. (EDT).

(Vernon Downs)
The possibilities are endless the ways this facility will serve Culpeper for decades to come, a great source of pride, Deal said.

He presented plaques to former Supervisor Sue Hansohn and Supervisor Jack Frazier for serving on the CTEC Joint Committee.

The Board of Supervisors didnt waver in its support for the project, Frazier said.

Always been behind it, they never backed up, they went on forward on this, knowing the need for this building and what its going to do to help so many young people, he said, addressing the teachers and administrators.

What needs to be done here is that these young people need to be taught to be the best they can be, Frazier said. If youre the best, youll never be without a job.

Proudest moment

Germanna Community College President Janet Gullickson remarked that everywhere she goes she hears from employers that they cannot find trained workers. It can cause uncomfortable silences, she said.
The hero-foil, the protagonist, to the evil doctor was the criminologist Sir Denis Nayland Smith, assisted by Dr. Petrie. This sounds more than a little like the Sherlock Holmes books, but instead of Holmes and Dr. Watson as the protagonists, we have Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. John Petrie. And instead of the evil machinations of Professor James Moriarty, we have the diabolical plots of Dr. Fu Manchu.

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The first book of the series was published in England under the title, The Mystery of Fu-Manchu. The book was subsequently published in America under the title, The Insidious Doctor Fu Manchu, which is one of the books that I have in paperback. My copy was published in 1961 by Pyramid books  a division of P. F. Collier & Sons. The 191-page paperback cost all of 35 cents, new. I repeat: Thirty-five cents! By 1976, two of the novels  of the same length  had a $1.25 cover price.

The novel was a success and 13 more Fu Manchu novels were penned by Rohmer. Subsequently there came feature films, the first being 1929s The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu, comic books, a newspaper comic strip, etc.
A new state law that aims to make police and suspect interactions safer could create lag times in arrests, local law enforcement say. Officers now need probable cause before using force to detain suspects.

The new requirement ups arrest requirements from reasonable suspicion  established in a longstanding legal precedent called a Terry stop  to probable cause, said Longview Police Captain Branden McNew. The changes could prevent arrests and embolden lawbreakers to commit crimes and flee police, he added.

Under the old rules, police could briefly detain people based on weaker justifications like unusual behavior and partial descriptions. Under the new rules, the officer needs stronger evidence before using force to stop suspects.

Theres going to be unintended consequences from this legislation, McNew said.

Lower Columbia SWAT team arrests man after three-hour standoff now that certain nonlethal weapons are barred by state The Lower Columbia SWAT team was not able to use certain nonlethal tactics to detain a suspect Wednesday afternoon due to a new state law that

Neither the Longview nor the Kelso police departments could say whether arrests were down since the legislation took effect July 25, but Kelso Police Chief Darr Kirk predicted the law will endanger rather than protect the public.

I think were going to have more crime, he said. I dont think were going to solve more crime.

New laws

When Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 1310 and another 11 new police reform bills into law, he called the legislation a moral mandate to acknowledge societal inequalities highlighted when two black men  George Floyd in Minneapolis, and Manny Ellis in Tacoma  were killed by officers in 2020.

Ellis death was partially due to lack of oxygen from a bag officers placed around his face, according to the Pierce County medical examiner who ruled the death a homicide. While the intent of the new police reform laws was to prevent such deaths, the use of force changes have since stopped a minor local theft arrest.

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Use of force

Kalama Chief Ralph Herrera said the Kalama Police received a report of an unwanted person in the Camp Kalama RV Park laundromat soon after the new use of force law took effect. When asked to leave, the man grabbed clothes from a dryer that witnesses suspected did not belong to him. When police arrived, they could not detain the man because there was no victim to give permission to identify the belongings and state the man should be prosecuted, Herrera said.

On the one hand we have the recent laundry theft, but apply those similar circumstances to a shooting, Herrera said. The consequences are far reaching.

On July 28, the Pierce County Sheriffs Department called off a K-9 unit to detain a shooting suspect. The dogs could be considered a form of force and officers said they did not have probable cause. The victim died and the suspect fled, reported the department.

Kirk in Kelso called the new use of force legislation more restrictive and not clear. The Washington State Attorney Generals Office is to release guidelines for the law by July 2022, but until then departments are relying on their municipality attorneys and industry associations to interpret the law. Kirk said waiting a year for guidance leaves officers in limbo out on the streets.

July 25 came and we still put our uniforms on and went to work without clear explanations of this law, he said.

Training

Novice and senior officers are retraining how to question and detain suspects in light of the recent legislation. Last week, Herrera held a third training session.

Kalama Officer Eric Johnson took three sample 911 calls featuring volunteer actors: a fistfight between friends, an armed man attempting suicide and a car thief running from police.

+2 Cowlitz County Superior Court faces nearly 43% uptick in open felony criminal cases due to pandemic Cowlitz County officials are aiming to resolve a backlog of higher court cases created during the pandemic amid state changes that could incre

Herrera said the new changes require more forward thinking. As the actor playing a suspect fled the fictional crime scene, one officer kept him in sight while Johnson questioned a witness to start collecting probable cause.

We want to ensure we can keep public safety in mind, but not violate the law, Herrera said.

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A former Longview business owner was found guilty of four felonies, including child rape and child molestation, Friday after the jury deliberated for about four hours. Officials stated Jay Douglas, 59, of Longview, would be sentenced in about six weeks.

Court-appointed attorney Brooke Hagara represented Douglas in the trial, which was postponed at least nine times in three years. Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Patricia Fassett presided over the five-day trial. The jury started deliberations at around 11 a.m. Friday and returned around 3 p.m. with four guilty verdicts.

Douglas was arrested in 2018, when authorities alleged Heather Hughes, 47, of Longview, brought a 12-year-old girl to his home and business several times for sexual acts.

In closing arguments Friday, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jason Laurine said the victim testified she was molested twice by Douglas and raped once with Hughes present. He was found guilty of each of these charges. The rape occurred after the victim ate and drank at Douglas house and felt drowsy, the prosecutor said. Hagara said the victim, now 16, changed her story about those allegations several times and could not be trusted.
Two Republicans expected to compete to lead their party's ticket in 2023 took turns Saturday accusing Kentucky's Democratic governor of infringing on individual liberties with his pandemic-related restrictions, pressing GOP themes on the stage of the state's premiere political event.

Speaking at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and state Auditor Mike Harmon accused Gov. Andy Beshear of overreaching with his now-lifted restrictions on businesses and gatherings to try to contain COVID-19.

The attacks against Beshear's handling of the coronavirus outbreak  a crisis that has spanned most of his term  came as Kentucky faces its worst outbreak of COVID-19 cases in months, fueled by the highly contagious delta variant. Republican speakers didn't talk about the resurgence, instead repudiating Beshear's executive actions. The governor says his decisions saved lives.

Like you, I was caught off-guard when Beshear responded to COVID by violating our basic rights and individual liberties by becoming the shutdown governor, Quarles said in a hard-hitting speech.

In his speech, Harmon said: In 2023, the voters of Kentucky will have a chance to help Andy Beshear in the same way his policies helped many of them -- by sending him home.
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP)  Nearly 50 years after skyjacker D.B. Cooper vanished out the back of a Boeing 727 into freezing Northwest rain  wearing a business suit, a parachute and a pack with $200,000 in cash  a crime historian is conducting a dig on the banks of the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, in search of evidence.

KOIN reports that Eric Ulis, a self-described expert on the infamous D.B. Cooper case, began a two-day dig on Friday. Ulis and four volunteers are searching for evidence about 10 to 15 yards away from where a boy found $6,000 of Cooper's ransom money in 1980.

Ulis said his theory is that Cooper buried the parachutes, an attache case and the money at the same time, but dug smaller holes instead of one large one.

The case of Cooper has become infamous, not only in the Pacific Northwest but also in the country. The FBI Seattle field office called the investigation one of the longest and most exhaustive in the agencys history.
When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer, he said he hoped he would never have to do it again.

Republican legislatures are granting him that wish.

At least eight GOP-controlled states have passed bans on donations to election offices this year as Republicans try to block outside funding of voting operations. The legislation often comes as part of Republican packages that also put new limits on how voters can cast ballots and impose new requirements on county or city-based election officials.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

The response is spurred by anger and suspicion on the right that Zuckerberg's money benefited Democrats in 2020. Conservatives have long accused the tech mogul's social media platform of censoring right-wing voices as part of its campaign against misinformation.

Zuckerberg's money was largely distributed through a nonpartisan foundation that had liberal roots. Conservative groups cite analyses that the money went disproportionately to Democratic-leaning counties in key states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.

People saw that, and looked around, and they were increasingly concerned about why would you have a billionaire funding our elections through the backdoor, said Jessica Anderson, executive director of the conservative group Heritage Action, which has pushed the bans in several states.

But many election officials say that effort is short-sighted and fueled by paranoia. Election offices, they argue, are chronically underfunded and now cannot benefit from donations that still flow to so many other branches of government, including police, schools and libraries.

Furthermore, they say there is no sign of favouritism in the distribution of the grants from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Elections are more expensive in populous urban areas, and especially more so last year, when states scrambled to shift to mail voting to deal with the pandemic. Metro areas had to buy expensive equipment to open and sort mail ballots, a task that smaller, more GOP-leaning counties could do by hand or with less gear.

Also, Republican-leaning areas were already discouraged from accepting election grants due to conservative suspicion of Zuckerberg. The Republican attorney general of Louisiana last year ordered his state's election offices to turn down grants from the nonprofit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which distributed $350 million of the Zuckerberg money.

Every election department that applied, received funding," said CTCL's executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, adding that the distribution of the money "reflects those who chose to apply.

A spokesman for Zuckerberg declined to address the wave of new legislation.

When our nations election infrastructure faced unprecedented challenges last year due to the pandemic, Mark and Priscilla stepped up to close a funding gap and granted $350 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) organization, said Ben LaBolt. Mark made clear this was a unique effort to address the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and his preference for elections to be publicly funded."

The center distributed grants to 2,500 election offices nationwide, from Alaska to Florida. The money was spent in a wide variety of ways  protective gear for poll workers, public education campaigns promoting new methods to vote during the pandemic, and new trucks to haul voting equipment.

In northern Arizona, sprawling Coconino County used its $614,000 grant to hire more election workers, particularly Navajo speakers who could do outreach on a reservation, and set up drive-up sites for voters to drop off ballots, said county recorder Patty Hansen.

She said it was the first time she had enough money to expand outreach to the entire county, which is among the biggest in land size in the country at 18,600 square miles but is sparsely populated.

Because of the legislation passed and signed by the governor, we will never be able to get a grant like that ever again, she said. Theyre cutting off a funding source to be able to provide these additional requirements theyre putting on us.

Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers.

Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices  $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL.

The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the group's roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan.

Other Republican election officials have also vouched for the impartiality of the program. I dont see why governments should be barred from trying to work with the private sector in securing grant funds, said Brian Mead, a Republican election director in Licking County, Ohio, outside Columbus, which received $77,000 from CTCL. If we can work with the private sector and secure funds where we save our taxpayers money, I think thats a good thing, Mead said.

That did not mollify conservatives, especially after the initial grants went to major, Democratic-voting cities. In Pennsylvania, one of the central battlegrounds of the presidential election, Philadelphia, with an annual election budget of $12.3 million, received $10 million from CTCL. The conservative Foundation for Government Accountability found that in Pennsylvania, Democratic-voting counties received an average of $4.99 per voter, while Republican-voting ones got $1.12 per voter.

In Florida, the differential was also dramatic, with one-third of the $18 million in total money going to Democratic-leaning Palm Beach County, and an additional $2.4 million for Miami-Dade County, which backed Democrat Joe Biden, albeit more narrowly than expected. Republican Donald Trump won the state.

If Charles Koch was doing this, well, for many of these people the shoe would be on the other foot, said Hayden Dublois, a researcher at the Foundation for Government Accountability, referring to the conservative billionaire.

In some states, including Georgia and Texas, the new laws require all donations to local election offices to be distributed by the secretary of state. In states such as Arizona, Kansas and Iowa, they are banned altogether.

Anderson, the Republican CTCL board member, said that will do real damage.

If you want to block this funding, then I want to ask if the legislators are funding elections? Anderson said. Because so many states don't.
News

I didnt give up hope: Pearl Harbor victim laid to rest after identification

Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harry Funk/The Almanac U.S. Navy personnel salute Stanislaw Drwall as his casket emerges from the airplane. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harry Funk/The Almanac Mary Ann Ryther speaks about efforts to identify all of the victoms of the bombing of the USS Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harry Funk/The Almanac Jim Shaw of East Washington gives instructions to members of the Patriot Guard Riders gathered in Moon Township prior to their mission to honor U.S. Navy Patternmaker 1st Class Stanislaw Drwall. U.S. Navy Patternmaker 1st Class Stanislaw Drwall (1916-41) Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harold and Mary Ann Ryther watch as her uncle's remains are transported from aircraft to hearse. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Members of the Patriot Guard Riders escort the hearse bearing the remains of Stanislaw Drwall. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Lt. Commander Brian Pietrandrea of the Navy Operational Support Center Pittsburgh joins Patriot Guard Riders, from left, Jim Shaw, Pat Dawson, and Susan and Michael Whitlach. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac The casket of Stanislaw Drwall is taken from a Southwest Airlines jet. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac U.S. Navy personnel prepare to carry the casket of Stanislaw Drwall. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac U.S. Navy personnel carry the casket of Stanislaw Drwall toward a waiting hearse. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac U.S. Navy personnel load the casket of Stanislaw Drwall into a hearse bound for West Virginia. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac U.S. Navy personnel stand at attnetion next to the hearse bearing the casket of Stanislaw Drwall. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harry Funk/The Almanac Leading the Patriot Guard Riders Honor Mission for Stanislaw Drwall are, from left, Michael and Susan Whitlatch, Pat Dawson, and Jim Shaw. Harry Funk / Harry Funk/The Almanac Harry Funk/The Almanac Pat Dawson of Middlebourne, W.Va., gets ready to ride her Can-Am.

On Dec. 5, 1941, U.S. Navy Patternmaker 1st Class Stanislaw Drwall sent a telegram home to West Virginia from Hawaii.

With it, he wired some money with instructions to buy his young niece a Christmas present and tell her it was from Uncle Santa.

Nearly 80 years later, Mary Ann Ryther finally had the opportunity to say thanks, in a sense.

She and her husband, Harold, traveled from their home in Cortland, Ohio, to Pittsburgh International Airport Wednesday. There, a U.S. flag-draped casket bearing Drwalls remains were taken from a Southwest Airlines jet and carried by active U.S. Navy personnel to a hearse.

Then the Rythers joined others in traveling to Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Thomas, W.Va., for Drwalls burial with full military honors. Accompanying them was a two-state contingent on a Patriot Guard Riders Honor Mission, with East Washington resident Jim Shaw serving as the missions ride captain for the first leg of the journey.

Drwall was aboard the USS Oklahoma during the bombing of Pear Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, and was among the ships 429 crewmen who lost their lives. His 105th birthday would have been Aug. 5, the day of his long-delayed funeral.

Thats why we chose this day, Mary Ann Ryther said.

She is the oldest living relative of Drwall, whose remains had been interred for nearly 70 years with other unidentified Oklahoma victims at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

The Rythers were instrumental in his eventual identification, contacting a cousin living in Poland to provide a DNA sample for scientific analysis. They also founded the USS Oklahoma Remains Preservation Project to advocate for learning the identities of all the ships victims, about 35 of whom still are not known, for the sake of their families.

Ive lived with this since I was 4 years old, Mary Ann said about hearing the post-Pearl Harbor news about her uncle. I didnt give up hope.

As the hearse bearing her uncles remains departed from the airport, it was accompanied by members of the Patriot Guard Riders from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, primarily motorcyclists who attend the funerals of members of the U.S. military and first responders at the invitation of a decedents family.

I just cant put into words what an honor it is to be invited to escort this gentleman home, Pat Dawson, West Virginia state captain, said at the airport.

Serving as ride captains from her state for the honor mission were Wheeling residents Susan Whitlatch, assistant state captain, and her husband, Michael, a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Susans father, Francis Poskey, was a Seabee aboard the USS Ranger during World War II.

So to bring this gentleman home and my dad being in the Navy, she said, Im awfully proud.

Dawson and the Whitlaches were among those making the 150-mile trek to Hinkle-Fenner Funeral Home in Davis, W.Va., and to the cemetery. Along the way, the contingent stopped for fuel along Interstate 79 near Waynesburg, and a West Virginia hotel provided seven free rooms for some of the travelers to stay overnight.

Another member of the Drwall family, Stanislaws brother Walter, served in the Navy during World War II. He died a year when his ship went down in the North Atlantic in December 1942, on his first mission after completing boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois.
The source of a massive oil spill last week from a section of the shipwrecked Golden Ray was apparently an open fuel pipe, the sealing of which Sunday has so far stanched further environmental degradation along the southern shores of St. Simons Island, according to Unified Command.
The quarter of January-March 2020 had a loss of 670 colonies or 4%, the lowest number of honey bee colonies lost in 2020.

Honey bee colonies added for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March was 1,300 colonies. The number of colonies added during the April-June quarter was 8,500. The quarter of April-June 2020, added 7,000 colonies, the highest number of honey bee colonies added for any quarter in 2020.

The quarter of January-March 2020, at 70 added, showed the lowest number of honey bee colonies added during 2020.

There were no honey bee colonies renovated for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March. The number of colonies renovated during the quarter of April-June was 810. During July-September 2020, 3,100 colonies were renovated, the highest number of colonies renovated during 2020. The lowest number of honey bee colonies renovated for any quarter of 2020, at 0, occurred during January-March 2020.

Renovated colonies are those that were requeened or received new honey bees through a nuc or package.
To understand the tremendous effect COVID-19 has on Nebraska communities, the documentary follows along on emergency medical calls with the Grand Island Fire Department and goes inside intensive care units at hospitals in Hastings and North Platte.

The COVID Chronicles also explores how public health districts assisted school districts with plans to safely resume classes; advocated for local mask regulations; and by years end, were part of the effort to get Nebraskans access to available vaccines.

For more information about The COVID Chronicles, visit NebraskaPublicMedia.org/covidchronicles.

Exploring the Wild Kingdom remembers pioneering series with Omaha roots

Every Sunday beginning in 1963 throughout the late 1980s, 34 million Americans took part in an evening ritual that included turning to Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom. Now viewers can remember and learn more about the pioneering series when Exploring the Wild Kingdom airs at 9 p.m. Thursday on Nebraska Public Media.

Oshkosh native Don Meier, who died in 2019, was the creator and executive producer of the original series. His work is chronicled in the documentary.
Iowa has twice the population that Nebraska does, Kotulak said. Whats more, the configuration and arrangement of their population is significantly different than Nebraska. They have more than twice as many urban centers of 50,000 or more. Nebraska has three.

So the alignment of Iowas population can support those casinos. But its not the same here in Nebraska, he said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the July 1, 2019, population estimate for Iowa was 3,155,070, while the Nebraska population was 1,934,408.

The best way to dilute and ruin the best potential for revenue is to oversaturate, Kotulak said.

State Sen. Ray Aguilar of Grand Island shares that concern.

The people of Nebraska voted for a specific number of casinos, coinciding with the number of existing racetracks, Aguilar said.

If more than six were built, he said, he would be very concerned that youre going to saturate the market and make things difficult for existing tracks.

Additional casinos would take away customers and revenue from Fonner Park and its successful racing business, and I dont think we want to do that, Aguilar said.
GENOA  The Genoa Indian School will host a Recognition and Remembrance Celebration on Saturday in Genoa.

The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Genoa Indian School Museum & Interpretive Center, 209 E. Webster, a National Historic Site. This is the 31st year of this remembrance celebration.

To honor and celebrate the students who attended the Genoa School, the 46 tribal nations that had students attend have sent their tribal nations flag and/ or tribal seal. Great meaning and tribal identity is associated with their flag and the gift of a flag is one of the highest honors a tribal nation can bestow. These and colorful flags and seals are on display in the Interpretive Center.

The days activities start in the air-conditioned St. Rose of Lima Community Center, next door to the Indian School.

The schedule includes:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The research center will be open, and descendants are invited to look up family members, view photos and old school newspapers. Native American jewelry and crafts will be available for purchase and tours of the Indian School Interpretive Center will be offered. All Native crafters are encouraged to bring items for sale. There is no charge for a table; call 402-993-6055 to reserve a table.
Our priority is the health and safety of every member of the University of Nebraska community. We all want this pandemic to be behind us, but right now we need to pull together and continue to take reasonable measures to keep each other safe, said NU System President Ted Carter. Most importantly, the chancellors and I urge every Nebraskan to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The vaccines are safe, effective and the surest way back to the activities we all love.
Google doesnt have a Makerspace where you can use high-end commercial equipment for free if you bring your own materials. (If youd like to use ours, the prices are $3 per unit or less.)

And, in the words of author Neil Gaiman, Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.

Want to support your favorite author? Check out or put a hold on their books from the library before you buy your own copy. If an author or topic is exceedingly popular, well buy more titles and/or copies to meet demand.

If the library doesnt have the book youre looking for, we can request it from another library for you for a nominal fee, or add your suggested title to our next purchase list (pending its availability, of course).

Save some money and shelf space with your library card. You can read the whole book before you decide to purchase a copy for yourself, while Amazon will only let you see the first 10 or 15 pages, if any.

Author of the 2018 self-help bestseller Atomic Habits James Clear relates the story of Lisa, a woman who cultivated a habit of reading by constantly having 20 to 30 books on hold from her local library. Imagine the bill that would run up on Amazon!
We are going to use cases within student population and staff, said Ravenna Superintendent Bradley Kjar.

Kjar gave examples last summer when there was a super-spreader event in Ravenna, and the school would have had to operate in the orange or red if it had been in session. Two Rivers, on the other hand, would not have been in the red at that time. Another example was in November when the health district was operating in the red, but the school had little to no spread of COVID at that time.

There was so much unknown going into the school year last year. None of us want to wear masks again, but here in Ravenna we wore them the whole school year from start to finish, Kjar said. I think everybody did OK. We didnt miss a single day of school last year because of the virus.

Kearney Public Schools currently is operating in the green. School will be in-person this year, and remote learning will occur if the school district moves into a red pandemic phase. Masks are currently optional at KPS.
In July, the WHOs director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said it was premature to rule out the possibility of a lab leak, saying the world needed direct information on what the situation of these labs was before and at the start of the pandemic. He asked China to be transparent, open and cooperate, especially on the raw data that we asked for at the early days of the pandemic.

Top Chinese officials rebuffed Tedros request as impossible. They said that consideration of a lab review showed a disrespect for common sense.

Instead, to defer attention, official Chinese media revved up its long-running conspiracy trope that the virus originated at Fort Detrick, an Army biological research facility in Maryland.

There is zero evidence for such a claim. I got a sense of the Chinese operation from Ben Dubow, founder of Omelas, a company that analyzes how states manipulate the web to achieve geopolitical goals.

After the WHO said it would investigate, Chinese official propaganda outlets went all out with [the Fort Detrick theory], twenty articles a day, Dubow said. In the last 24 hours, he told me Wednesday, there were 15 articles in English, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Arabic.
Month after month, recently, Grand Island has been getting great economic news from the Nebraska Department of Revenue.

The latest numbers released, for the month of May, show it was the third straight month in which net taxable sales in our community have been at record highs.

Cindy Johnson, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, said May net taxable sales were the highest since at least 2006, when they began collecting data. Grand Islands economy first hit $1 billion or more of net taxable sales in a full year in 2013.

Johnson said that, in March, some pent-up economic energy emerged from the pandemic-stricken economy with a record $101.127 million in net taxable sales. April had a total of $99.285 million and Mays $98.386 million continues the trend.

Americans, and Grand Island shoppers in particular, have stepped up their spending and our businesses and the community services funded with the tax revenue are benefiting from it.

The chamber is a big promoter of shopping local and Grand Islands second annual GO! Passport Program has been helping boost taxable sales.

The program is sponsored by Look Local Grow Local, a collaboration of Grow Grand Island and the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce.
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Texas school districts will not be required to conduct contact tracing this year if a student contracts Covid-19, according to new guidelines issued by the Texas Education Agency last week. That means not all parents will be alerted to positive Covid-19 cases on campus. TEA based its recommendation on data from the 2020-21 school year that showed low Covid-19 transmission rates in a classroom setting. Some public health experts question the rationale, saying the more contagious delta variant was not prevalent during the last school year. Districts also had mask requirements in place during the last school year that they cannot enforce this year per Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order. Should Texas school districts continue to alert parents if someone on campus tests positive for Covid-19?

You voted:
An overnight email from the top leadership of the Chicago Police Department urged the department to keep the families and friends of these officers in your prayers. Please continue to look out for each other on and off duty as we process this heartbreaking tragedy.

Numerous marked and unmarked police vehicles, with their lights flashing, have blocked off traffic along West 63rd Street for three or four blocks heading west and on side streets all around the scene. Cook County Sheriffs Police were also on the scene helping with traffic control.

Outside of the University of Chicago Medical Centers ambulance entrance on Cottage Grove Avenue, dozens of Chicago police officers and Cook County sheriff deputies stood outside. Cottage Grove and 57th Street by the hospital were both lined with squad cars.

Officers exchanged hugs with each other and people in plain clothes. Some women walked up to the entrance in tears as an officer escorted them.

A Jeep pulled up to the intersection and a passenger rolled down his window and yelled out to a woman on the sidewalk, What happened over here?

Two officers were shot, she replied.

Oh, wow, he said as he shook his head and rolled up the window.
Eastern also wants everyone to remember the first responders who worked the scene.

"I think we forget about saying 'thank you' to them as well," Eastern said. "I know situations like these has to take a toll on them mentally, physically and spiritually.

"I will continue to lift them up in prayer, too. I also want the community to remember them in their prayers as well."

Remembering the children

Shontice Mosley of East St. Louis said the grandparents of the children live in the second-story apartment across the hall from where the fire broke out. She said her sister, Vanicia Mosley, is the grandmother of the children.

"She felt that they were safe because the grandmother and the grandfather were next door," Shontice Mosley said of Dunigan. "She felt that they were safe."

Mosley said Dunigan worked hard to give her children a home. They had moved to the apartment building earlier this year because there was a fire at their previous home on 18th Street, Mosley said.

Mosley described the children as "just fun loving kids."

Sharnell Hunt said she knew the children and their mother from their visits to a convenience store off 19th Street where she worked.
When Elk Grove was incorporated in 1956, the village put Chicago laws on its books without considering whether they applied, Johnson said.

Thats why you get some of these outdated, antiquated laws. No one really read that deeply into it, unfortunately, Johnson said. Its been on our books for, what, almost my whole life, you know, 60 years, no one even knew it was there. That tells you two things. One, obviously it was never enforced, and two ... its just something they transferred (from Chicago).

It is doubtful that the law would have held up in court if someone violated it, Naughton said.

The Ohio Supreme Court heard City of Columbus v. Rogers in 1975, in which a man challenged the constitutionality of a similar law, according to a copy of the ruling. The court found the law unconstitutional under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, reasoning that the defect is that the terms of the ordinance, dress not belonging to his or her sex, when considered in the light of contemporary dress habits, make it so vague that men of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application.
A complete carving can take between a few hours to a week or more, depending on the size and complexity, Bollman said. For her, the carving is a way to connect to her father  as well as her son, Joey Phillips, who is learning the craft from her.

The pair has ten saws at their disposal, all of varying lengths and with chain bars specifically designed for carving. She said her preference is carving cedar and pine, but on-site, you get what you get.

Bollmans work is impressive  so much so that she is often called upon to demonstrate as part of lumberjack shoes and other events, but she said she is still learning.

Compared to a lot of carvers, we are novices; very novice, she said.

'Thought I'd give it a shot'

Carterville chainsaw artist Evan Kern calls himself a hobbyist. He said he began carving with a chainsaw about five years ago when his uncle purchased a cabin that needed decoration.

Im cheap and I had a chainsaw, so I thought Id give it a shot, Kern said.
"There's a slow but steady growth," said Terry Gipson, extension leader at the American Institute for Goat Research at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, of the national inventory, or number of goats.

One of the big reasons for the growth is America has developed a taste for goat cheese  the soft semi-ripened chevres, he said. Some people also keep small herds of goats for their own milk, as pets and to show.

"Goats are definitely an animal that I think more people are becoming acquainted with and acquainted with their product. It's becoming more acceptable," said Thomas Considine, first vice president of the American Dairy Goat Association. "So within the commercial side, more and more people have definitely approved or become accustomed to using the goat cheese, the goat milk, the kefir, even butter and ice creams and yogurts are definitely made."

California, Wisconsin and Iowa are the top goat dairy states, but the popular and curious ruminants are increasingly turning up in other states. In Maine, for example, the number of licensed dairy goat farms has jumped from 10 in 2001 to 54 this year, with five more seeking licenses. Twenty of those have been added in the last 10 years. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture only started keeping track of the number of dairy goat operations in 2019, when there were 42. It's grown to 46 so far this year.
The South Carolina Food Hub Network has helped build capacity for the states food hubs, ultimately helping farmers grow more and feed more people, said Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. Weve supported the Network through our Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE) and Specialty Crop Block Grants, and so far its been a great investment for South Carolinians.

Food hubs connect farmers to buyers like restaurants and grocery stores, increasing consumers access to local food. Hubs often help identify market opportunities and support farmers in crop-planning accordingly, while shouldering some of the burden of marketing and reducing the carbon footprint of buying local through logistics and distribution coordination.

The SC Food Hub Network helps the hubs work together and provides resources and education. It also increases the buying power of each individual hub and increases the capacity for selling local foods to larger buyers.

In 2020, network staff underwent training from the USDA, National Good Food Network, and the National Sustainable Agricultural Coalition in order to provide their services to South Carolina food distributors  both food hubs and non-food hubs  to help them secure food box contracts.
I just wanted a chance, thats all. Im doing good. Im doing things by myself. I dont hang with a bad crowd, said Felder, noting that individuals with disabilities can do whatever they want to do with determination and the right support.

Jimmy Boland, director of adult day programs at the Orangeburg DDSN, said, He knows how to take care of himself to be at his best. I dont think hes met anybody he cant make a friend of. He loves to cut up and joke. People love to talk with him.

Boland continued, With these awards and with him being at those locations so long, its a true blessing. You want to find that hes got a place and a type of job that he can call his own. Ervins made his own way.

Orangeburg DDSN Executive Director Vonda Steward said working at the office has been an absolute honor and pleasure, noting the clients are all special in their own ways.

Theyve given more to us than we give to them. Theyve taught us about humanity, love and compassion. Ervin is just an absolute wonderful person who has done so well, Steward said.
So, what is happening in Philadelphia, which has the highest per capita murder rate in the country? In my judgment, there is no movement among the people running the city to add more cops. We have our own Four Horsemen of the Philadelphia Apocalypse. Mayor Jim Kenney is playing out the string of his term in office and just pops up to offer the same 46-point or 246-point strategies to throw more money and agencies at the problem.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is waiting to pounce again on cops with a high-profile criminal case against a Philadelphia cop in the fall.

Philadelphia City Council is our third horseman, and they are trying to position themselves around the belief that Philadelphia is unlike other cities calling for more cops and protection, and people here still want to see the police department as a major source of problems rather than solutions.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw is the most interesting of those not supporting the police. I cant find public statements from her making a persuasive case that we need at least hundreds more police officers as soon as possible in Philadelphia. In the view of many cops, she is not a champion for what they need to be more effective. In the other big cities that Ive written about in this column, it appears the police chief is a key player in getting more cops and funding.

So, the Philadelphia media can continue to blame the NRA, the Republican Party and other random causes for the astounding murder rate in Philadelphia, or they can call out the Philadelphia power players and admit what we have always known, that defunding the police particularly when cities are now overflowing with COVID-related federal stimulus monies is insanity.

Dom Giordano is a Philadelphia talk radio host. His weekly education podcast Readin Writin and Reason is at 1210WPHT.com. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

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A haze has settled over Wyomings open skies.

Smoke from thousands of Western wildfires is shrouding the horizon in the Mountain West and imposing yet another respiratory threat upon COVID-weary communities.

And the numbers show air pollution from wildfire smoke is on the rise  even in states far from the record-setting flames. Wyoming is no exception.

The Casper Star-Tribune analyzed 30 years of Environmental Protection Agency data and found that while overall air quality is better than it once was, its beginning to worsen again in much of the state, driven by pollutants from wildfire smoke.

Experts say rampant wildfires are only expected to grow as climate change triggers ever-worsening heat waves and droughts. As the nation and state still grapple with an unprecedented respiratory health emergency, experts worry the confluence of events could wreak havoc on already vulnerable lungs.

The risks

Wildfire smoke, and smoke in general, makes everything worse, explained Wyoming Medical Center Chief of Primary Care Dr. Andy Dunn.

Even outside of COVID. Sinusitis, reactive airway disease, asthma, COPD, any kind of lung condition  this is gonna make it worse, he said.

Health effects from inhaling wildfire smoke can mirror symptoms of more severe illnesses, including COVID-19. That in turn can make it more difficult to diagnose patients, or conversely, can lead patients to attribute concerns to the smoke and forgo necessary medical treatment.

Thats of particular concern when a more contagious variant of COVID-19 is circulating and testing is declining.

Its hard when were trying to discern allergies, you know, like an allergic sinusitis, allergic upper respiratory symptoms, versus COVID or something else, Dunn said.

The physical effects of smoke can vary depending on the degree of exposure and an individuals health. The pollution can cause everything from headaches to allergy symptoms.

But Dunn said in some cases, exposure can lead to respiratory infections in otherwise healthy people. Or, it may make it more difficult even for healthy populations to battle viruses like the one that causes COVID-19.

Sometimes your bodys really kicked off by an allergen or something thats really irritating such as smoke, and so your inflammatory system goes bonkers and you get plugged up and ... the sinus stuff just sits there like stagnant pond water, he explained.

A few weeks later, when this hypothetical person encounters a virus, they have a harder time fighting it off.

Because your immune system is so ticked off,  your bodys stressed and isnt as well equipped to fight off a viral infection, as it would be if there were no smoke to contend with as well, he said.

For sensitive populations, the risk dramatically increases.

These last two summers we have definitely noticed some effects, said Cheryl Nye, who treats patients with chronic cardiac and respiratory illnesses as a respiratory therapist for Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

While the average healthy person might feel uncomfortable symptoms from the smoke, those with already scarred lungs or other respiratory issues like asthma could end up hospitalized if exposure is severe enough.

Airways are very sensitive anyway, but theirs tends to be a little bit more sensitive to any foreign particles, Nye explained. It can get to where its like breathing through a straw.

For those sensitive groups, the smoke on top of other illnesses can compound into a genuine threat, she said.

Even a cold or anything at the same time too, then that is just added and can definitely be very dangerous, she said.

Wyoming is home to nearly 12,000 children and 43,000 adults with asthma, according to the American Lung Association. Approximately 30,000 Wyomingites suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, and nearly 200,000 are chronic smokers.

Other groups, like those with heart problems or diabetes, may also be more at risk, Nye said.

What makes the smoke dangerous?

Wildfire smoke produces two primary air pollutants: ozone and PM2.5. The latter is the main concern, explained Brett Palm, an atmospheric scientist who studies wildfire emissions at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The moniker indicates particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter.

These particles are maybe 50 times smaller than red blood cells. Even so, they can get breathed in, Palm said. Thats sort of the range that can get deep into your lungs and then absorbed into your bloodstream, and they can cause inflammation and issues in your body that way.

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Small fires create this pollutant, too, but in concentrations that arent as dangerous and dont travel quite as far. But the record-setting wildfires of the past several years are a different story.

The top three years for acreage burned in the U.S. since 1960  2015, 2017 and 2020  saw a collective 30 million acres succumb to wildfires. And the Dixie Fire, which razed the town of Greenville earlier this week and spans hundreds of miles in Northern California, is now the third-largest wildfire in that states history.

Pollution from those major fires can travel thousands of miles.

This abundance of really large wildfires out West in these past few summers has caused impacts as far downwind as New York City, Palm said.

A look at the numbers

Wyomings air quality is in relatively good shape. Every county with consistent monitoring received a passing grade from the American Lung Association for particle pollution. Still, only Sweetwater County received an A grade from the organization.

Six counties received B grades. Laramie and Sheridan counties scored Cs, while Campbell County earned the only D. (Thirteen counties received no grade because of inconsistent or nonexistent monitoring in those regions.)

A Star-Tribune data analysis also suggests that while air quality has overall improved over time, wildfires are threatening that progress.

The Star-Tribune analyzed 30 years of Environmental Protection Agency data to determine the proportion of days that fell into each of that agencys air quality categories in certain counties since 1990. (Because air quality ratings can differ across the state on any given day, the presented data shouldnt be used to draw broad conclusions about Wyomings overall air quality, but rather to understand how things are changing.)

The analysis found most communities are seeing more good air quality days now than several decades ago, but that on average, the proportion of good days is trending down.

Calculated another way, the data shows that when each of the states monitoring stations are taken into consideration, the proportion of days with a special air quality warning somewhere in the state has increased in each of the last three years.

The clearest indication that wildfires are affecting air quality, however, comes from data collected on the specific pollutants that smoke creates.

An analysis of ozone and PM2.5 levels monitored in Casper over the last 10 years shows our worst pollution days are getting worse. The highest pollutant day in 2021 already exceeds the maximum level seen in seven of the last 10 years.

The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality confirmed that while air quality has generally improved nationwide, and in Wyoming, wildfires are complicating efforts.

We have seen a decrease in emissions and pollution from those sources that we regulate due to better control technology and more stringent permit requirements, agency spokesperson Keith Guille said, adding, Wildfire smoke has been a challenge in this region and has a direct influence on our air quality and the monitors.

In a separate interview, Palm, the atmospheric scientist, echoed Guilles comments.

Extreme air quality events due to anthropogenic emissions have been going down, to my knowledge, but the extreme air quality events that are caused by wildfire emissions have been going up, he said. Its expected to continue to be bad, if not get worse.

How to protect yourself?

In an environment thats only expected to become more harmful in coming years, the medical experts who spoke with the Star-Tribune said individuals will need to make personal decisions about how to protect themselves.

Dunn explained that adverse effects from wildfire smoke can manifest in a number of ways, like congestion, runny nose, a dry cough, itchy watery eyes, wheezing or feeling short of breath.

When someone begins to feel negative impacts from the smoke, they should remove themselves, he said. Even on air quality days listed as moderate, the tier before the unhealthy warnings begin, people should avoid heavy aerobic activities outdoors.

Nye, the respiratory therapist, recommends that vulnerable groups prepare themselves ahead of time by making a plan with their doctor before wildfire season begins.

She added that while KN95 and N95 masks can help, the cloth and surgical masks most commonly used throughout the pandemic likely wont offer much protection because the pollution particles are so small.

Instead, she said, people worried about smoke exposure should stay on top of air quality updates and remain indoors with their windows closed on moderate and unhealthy days.

You can check the air quality in your community, as well as relevant warnings, at airnow.gov.

Follow health and education reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @m0rgan_hughes

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Morgan Hughes Health and education reporter Morgan Hughes covers health and education in Wyoming. After growing up in rural Wisconsin, she graduated from Marquette University in 2018. She moved to Wyoming shortly after and covered education in Cheyenne before joining the Star-Tribune in May 2019. Follow Morgan Hughes Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Gosars history has drawn the ire of even his own family members, many of whom live in Wyoming.

Six of Gosars nine siblings endorsed his Democratic challenger in 2018, David Brill, putting out a series of video ads filmed in different Wyoming locations. In the series, Tim, Grace, Joan, Gaston, Jennifer and David Gosar come out against a number of policies where Gosar stood in alignment with the hardest line of the Republican Party. Whats more, the Gosar family played a big role in the inception of the ad concept, the Star-Tribune previously reported.

Gosar admitted the family snub did sting, but quickly moved on and stuck to his far-right agenda.

Since announcing his candidacy for Wyomings lone Congressional seat, Gray has received the support of 10 current and former colleagues in the Wyoming State House. He is the only candidate for Congress that has been endorsed by conservative state legislators in the Wyoming House Freedom Caucus and is the first to be endorsed by a member of the U.S. House Freedom Caucus.
To be fair to the older assembly line worker, it makes complete sense that a bolt should be positioned head up. Who does not know that? (Actually, I dont.) So instead of doing what he was instructed to do, he did it his way, the normal way, and several pilots lost their lives.

God followers are sometimes in this position; we are instructed to live counter to our culture. Often, it simply does not make sense. For example, everyone knows that we work hard at our jobs so we can buy expensive cares, go on elaborate vacations, send our kids to the most prominent colleges, and stack money away for retirement. Thats not only the right thing to do but in most circles that is to be applauded and envied.

But I know a couple who makes an average American income who lives on fifty percent of their earned income and gives away the other fifty percent to those who struggle in life. I wonder who would die if they didnt obey their unique direction from God?
Editor:

Residents of Wyoming,

We have an important decision to make. Many people are saying they will support whoever President Trump endorses. I love Trump too, but he doesnt always have the best judgement concerning people. Barr and Sessions are a couple of examples. Most of us in Wyoming are supporters of Trump. We are angry with Cheney for denying Trump due process and calling people who love our country enemies of the state.

We have one candidate that is really like Trump. He exposes corruption in our state. He doesnt bend to others wishes. He fights for Constitutional principles. He has great instincts and does his research. He looked into voter fraud long before it was popular in 2012 and found the secret to election integrity is clean voter rolls. He fought for Wyoming before he got elected by fighting for freedom in education, health freedom, and second amendment rights. Sen. Bouchard doesnt play political games. Hes not a politician. He says what he means and means what he says. He is a blue collar worker who cares deeply for his state and country. Also, like Trump, he has quietly helped multiple people when they needed it without public recognition.

Also like Trump, many people dont like him just because they dont. They are just like the never Trumpers. Like never Trumpers, they dont see that Bouchard is the right man at the right time. Our country is in serious trouble. Bouchard is the only candidate I trust to do the right thing for Wyoming and the United States. Other candidates have been dishonest. Smith halfheartedly apologized for taking credit for the censure of Cheney when it was Carbon Co. that got that ball rolling. Gray says he raised a lot of money that in reality he loaned the money to himself. If they will do that now, what will they do when in the pressures of D.C.?

LISA GLAUNER, Cheyenne

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Because of recently released DOJ notes of phone calls between Trump and Jeffery Rosen, the acting attorney general after Bill Barr resigned, we now know Trump did in fact try everything he could to subvert the 2020 election and stay in power illegally. It can be called nothing other than an attempted coup. No one took him seriously the many times he said that he would not accept the outcome of the election if he lost. He was telling the nation what he planned to do. On election eve when it became apparent he was losing to Joe Biden, he began the drum beat of stop the steal and continued that mantra until it was tattooed on the brains of his supporters that somehow the election had been rigged against him. We all know what happened next: Two months of false claims and frivolous lawsuits and lies about the process of certifying the election culminating in the attack on the capitol on Jan. 6. As more facts come to light detailing Trumps actions during those two months, its becoming clear just how close we came to losing our representative form of government in exchange for an authoritarian dictatorship led by Donald Trump. This is not hyperbole. Those who would say it could never happen here are foolishly naive. We survived only because of the actions of people like General Mark Milley who saw what was going on and vowed not to let the military become part of Trumps plan, the leaders in Congress who on Jan. 6 refused to leave the capitol and were determined to continue the electoral vote certification, state election officials who refused to kowtow to Trumps demands to cheat for him, and the capitol police who fought Trumps army of deplorables. These are the true heroes of the 2020 election. Trump and those in his administration and the republicans in congress who were complicit in the attempted overthrow of our government must be held accountable and punished for their actions. The message must be: It can never happen again.
Of course wed be remiss not to start with Laffs Comedy Caffe, 2900 E. Broadway, which has been hosting open mic nights forever. For the time being, though, they are only having them every other Thursday  the next one is Aug. 12 and Aug. 26 after that  although the club, which has been around since 1988, plans to return to weekly open mics soon. You have to be 21 in older to get into the showroom and get there at 7 p.m. to sign up if you want to go on stage. The show starts at 8 and admission is free.
Give him a toy for a limited time only, and then get the toy back and put it away where he can't see it. To get the toy back, ask him to "drop it" while offering a high value treat, like a piece of hot dog. He should drop the toy in order to take the "better" option. Be sure to toss the hot dog away from the toy so he has to go after it and doesn't see you taking the toy. Then redirect him by having your wife play a game with him, walk him or train him. The increased mental and physical activity can help rework his brain as well as improve their relationship.

If there's no improvement with the toy problem after a few weeks, consult a behaviorist who can observe and make further recommendations.

Dear Cathy, We adopted a 1-year-old old male neutered rescue cat. He is active, friendly and a fun cat to have in our house. He will often roll onto his back exposing his belly when he wants to be petted. However, he will nip at our fingers. We know this is a part of how kittens play, but what else can we do to stop this biting behavior. Currently, we disengage as soon as he starts that.  Gary, Plainview, New York
In total, about 370,000 county residents  including the 100,000-plus children  have not been immunized against a virus that has killed more than 18,000 Arizonans.

During the height of the pandemic, about 14% of cases nationwide were pediatric. But at the end of July, data from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows, that percentage climbed to more than 19%.

Cosme and Marisol Guerreros 6-year-old son was sick with COVID-19 a week ago  not from school, but possibly from a relative whod been hospitalized  and they were shocked at how it knocked him out.

We didnt know anybody that had their kids get COVID, Cosme Guerrero said. It was always adults.

They kept watch on him constantly, Marisol Guerrero said, because his behavior was so unusual. Theyd of course seen him sick before, she said, but not like this.

He would wake up really disoriented with nightmares, like he was sleepwalking, she said. Ive never seen him like that, sleeping in the daytime and talking gibberish.

Recent data on children and teens currently hospitalized with COVID-19 were not available from the county or the states Department of Health Services at the end of the week.
Leaders and advocates of education in three organizations are pooling their resources to improve the quality of life for all Arizonans, the groups said.

The new organization, Education Forward Arizona, combines College Success Arizona, Expect More Arizona and Achieve60AZ and will work to improve education outcomes and close achievement gaps, from early learning through K-12 and postsecondary attainment, the organization said.

As individual organizations, College Success Arizona, formerly known as the Arizona College Scholarship Foundation, has helped nearly 2,000 students with more than $20 million in scholarships and mentoring services since expanding its mission in helping first-generation and low-income students obtain postsecondary degrees in 2014.

Expect More Arizona is a public charity led by a staff of 12 individuals from across Arizona who are committed to improving education because we believe education unlocks the potential of communities and individuals  regardless of ethnicity, income level or ZIP code, the organizations website said.

Achieve60AZ staff are working to advance postsecondary attainment of Arizonans to 60% by 2030.
The Kino Heritage Society celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Three Statues for Three Nations, a ceremony honoring Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, on Sunday morning.

The celebration, led by Ward 5 Councilman Richard Fimbres, started at the Kino statue on 15th Street and Kino Parkway, where various speakers spoke on the history of Father Kino. A Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral and a private reception at the diocesan pastoral center rounded out the days activities.

The Kino Heritage Society is here to continue to remind us of the incredible work by Father Kino in this community, said former Tucson Bishop, Gerald Kicanas. We want to remember this great man who helped so many.

Father Kino was a Jesuit missionary, explorer, cartographer, rancher and farmer. He also founded 21 missions in the Pimeria Alta, which is now Northern Sonora and Southern Arizona.

It was 329 years ago this month when Father Kino first rode into Tucson. Gregory Adolf, the Pastor of St. Andrews the Apostle Church, said Father Kino saw Tucson as a beautiful area.

He (Father Kino) said this is the most beautiful area and it will one day support a city greater than Mexico City, Adolf said.
NEWLAND, N.C. (AP)  A caretaker for a western North Carolina woman who was found dead last week in her home, buried in concrete, has been arrested and charged with murder, a sheriff said on Sunday.

Elizabeth Carserino, 53, of Goose Creek, S.C. was in the Avery County jail on secured bond of more than $1.6 million, Avery Sheriff Kevin Frye announced in a news release.

Frye's deputies assumed custody of Carserino  also known as Elizabeth Freeman  on Saturday after deputies in Jackson County had taken her in that day on outstanding warrants from Avery on vehicle larceny, identity theft and financial card theft charges, according to Frye's release. Her first court appearance could be as soon as Monday, Frye said.

Carserino was wanted in the death of Lynn Gay Keene, 70, of Linville Falls, which is located in the mountains about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Avery sheriffs office filed a missing persons report on July 30 for Keene, who had last been in contact with her family in mid-June. Carserino had been hired by the family to be Keene's live-in caretaker, according to an earlier news release.
OPINION: What concerns you about our community or is on your mind? Write a letter to the editor to share your concerns with others. Tucson.com/opinion
Late Wednesday the UA issued a short statement saying it was joining Arizona's two other universities in requiring masks in specific situations at its campuses.
FARGO, N.D.  An oil company that waited more than five months to investigate and report a 2014 pipeline spill in North Dakota that discharged more than 29 million gallons of drilling wastewater has agreed to pay more than $35 million in civil and criminal fines. the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday.

Federal officials said its the largest inland drilling spill of produced water, a waste product of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The spill from the 96-mile (154.50-kilometer) underground pipeline contaminated more than 30 miles of Missouri River tributaries as well as land and groundwater, the complaint said. It was visible in photographs taken by satellites.

The complaint against Summit Midstream Partners LLC says the data collected by the company in August 2014 showed a significant drop in the pipeline pressure, indicating a rupture in the newly built line. Despite concerns raised in October 2014 by Summits construction manager and engineer, the company did not identify the leak until January 2015, after an employee walked the line.
If the show must go on, then the birthday party has to wait.

One of the young girls in our cast has her birthday this week, said Sara Phoenix, who is directing and choreographing Theatre Tulsas upcoming production of Matilda the Musical. But because everyone is trying to do only essential things, she told me that she is postponing her birthday party until after the show closes.

I think that really sums up how determined this cast is to get this show on to the stage, Phoenix said. We all feel really lucky to be a part of this.

When Matilda the Musical opens Aug. 13 at the Tulsa PAC, it will be the companys first show to be presented at this venue since March 13, 2020. That night, Theatre Tulsa debuted its production of A Little Night Music, only to have the rest of the run  along with just about every form of performance imaginable  canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Theatre Tulsa originally had scheduled Matilda the Musical for May 2020, to be its final production of the 2019-2020 season. The show had been cast in November 2019, and preliminary rehearsals had just started when the shutdown orders were issued.
S.E. Hinton, a Tulsa author whose books have become films, loves "Supernatural" so much that she made repeated visits to the set in Vancouver. She said this about cast member Misha Collins: "He is a wonderful person. The good he does in the world is just unbelievable." Collins will be among celebrity guests at Planet Comicon in Kansas City.
Other Fellows include Kaveh Bassiri, writer and literary translator, Fayetteville, Ark.; Ashanti Chaplin, multidisciplinary cultural producer, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Matt Gallagher, writer, Brooklyn, N.Y; Arthur Haywood, painter, illustrator and muralist, Philadelphia, Pa.; George Henson, literary translator, Monterey, Calif.; Jae Kim, writer and literary translator, St. Louis, Mo,; Natani Notah, interdisciplinary artist, Alameda, Calif.; and Jenny Wu, writer and art historian St. Louis, Mo.

Carolyn Sickles, executive director of Tulsa Artist Fellowship, said, Out of this competitive process emerged a group of exceptional socially engaged arts practitioners. Its my wholehearted belief that their artistic work in Tulsa will be mutually impactful. Our city is a place for community builders and innovators. We are honored to continue to support the growth of this esteemed creative community and strongly believe the arts are essential to an engaged city.

The two-year award program includes a $40,000 artmaking stipend, as well as fully subsidized living and studio space, and resources for community programming. Tulsa Artist Fellows are encouraged to engage with the city of Tulsa as they explore and expand their artistic practices.

Price Tower Photography Workshop
Dots and dashes: While the Senate continues to labor day and night  and weekends  the House expects to remain out the next three weeks on what is generally called the August recess but is technically a district work period. ... Lankford said there is no reason to make women register for the draft, noting that no one has actually been drafted in nearly a half-century. ... Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole, one of the top Republican appropriators, blasted Democrat spending bills as unworkable and doomed to fail. ... Lankford opposed several Biden nominees for environmental regulators, saying they are too activist. ... Lankford also voted against sending the nomination of top immigration nominee Ed Gonzalez to the full Senate. Gonzalez nomination advanced on a party-line vote.
It has to be somebody that you just have complete and total trust in that you can rely on their judgment and their guidance, and I definitely had that with both Michael and Amy, and I know I will with Cassia as well, Bynum said.

Carr said she plans to assist the mayor in any way she can and has a particular interest in advancing the administrations goal of shared prosperity for all Tulsans. The city is well positioned to make that happen, thanks to its strong business community, quality higher-education and generous philanthropies, Carr said.

I want to make sure all of our citizens can access these opportunities, she said.

That belief in the city  and her enthusiasm for what the future holds  has been a part of Carrs DNA for as long as she can remember, and one she has never been reluctant to share.

While a student at Oral Roberts University, she participated in a program called Tour Day Tulsa, where she had the opportunity to show off the city to visitors from around the world.

I would take them to all the great Tulsa spots, and I am like, Hey, this is the thing that makes Tulsa unique and special, and I want you to see them.
Translation: We have a lot of empty rooms.

The Tulsa Urban Renewal Authority had cleared the land on West Seventh Street across from the Convention Center in the southwest corner of downtown. And developers had been aggressive in bidding for the property, eager to take advantage of Tulsas booming economy, according to newspaper articles from the time.

Oil prices were soaring after the Iranian revolution in 1978 and climbed again after a war broke out between Iran and Iraq in September 1980, reducing supplies from the Middle East by millions of barrels per day. But global production had once again caught up with demand by the time the Excelsior opened three days after Christmas in 1981. Oil prices fell and Tulsas economy faltered.

The hotel, of course, expected the downturn to be short-lived. And it was. Tulsas economy picked up again. For a while.

Then Oklahoma plunged into the Oil Bust, losing more than 60,000 jobs statewide between 1983 and 1984. Tulsas economic development came to a standstill and downtown suffered years of neglect and decline, not really turning around until after the turn of the century.
Three in four people admitted to Oklahoma hospitals for COVID-19 in the past month were unvaccinated, according to the latest Oklahoma State Department of Health data.

There were 479 unvaccinated individuals hospitalized statewide out of 632 total COVID-19 inpatients in the 30 days up to Aug. 1, according to the latest OSDH weekly epidemiology report. Nearly half of the unvaccinated inpatients (299) were ages 50 and older, with another quarter (153) between ages 18 and 49.

In addition to the large share of unvaccinated hospital patients, Bruce Dart, executive director of the Tulsa Health Department, said his other great concern is how much the average age of patients has shifted younger here. During the height of the pandemic Tulsa County had an average COVID hospitalization age between 62 and 65, Dart said, and now its between 42 and 44.

Its important that I be clear: What was once the greatest threat to our elderly community now has become a threat to a younger generation, Dart said Friday during a city of Tulsa COVID-19 media conference. And this is entirely preventable.
The Tulsa Police Department has a forensic lab and has partnered with an outside lab to help test backlogged kits and current cases. A federal grant has helped fund the effort.

2019s Senate Bill 975 requires all law enforcement agencies in the state to send rape kits for testing within 20 days of the collection of physical evidence, but the law hasnt resolved a logjam of rape tests, nor has it speeded results in many cases.

Part of the problem is the horrifying number of rapes in Oklahoma. The number has been steadily rising since 2011, when 1,459 cases were reported in the state. In 2019 2,364 cases were reported, according to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation statistics.

Which rape kits should be tested quickly? All of them.

That gathers timely evidence in current cases and helps police connect rapes that were previously unlinked.

We dont argue with how TPD prioritizes cases, but we say the need to prioritize them works against the interests of justice and public safety.
On July 20, the chosen leader of the Oklahoma Republican Party, John Bennett, made a post on Facebook that compared unvaccinated people to the Jewish people during the time of World War II.

Using the Star of David that identified Jewish people, he had the audacity to compare a choice of not getting vaccinated to those who were systematically abused, imprisoned and executed for being Jewish.

On Aug. 2, he made another statement on a Facebook video that propagated the idea yet again.

Moreover, in the same video, he referred to the Jan. 6 rioters and insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol as patriots.

Bennett went on to refer to private businesses as capitulating to the state in the name of communism.

Although I am an independent, I have often leaned to the conservative side of the political spectrum.

That being said, the Oklahoma Republican Party should get together and have him removed from that office.

Bennett is an embarrassment to not only the Republican Party, but also to the state of Oklahoma.
VVietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered the Ministry of Health to assist a local enterprise in purchasing Sputnik V vaccine from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), amid the Southeast Asian countrys thirst for vaccine supply to curb the raging coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Chinh on Saturday directed the health ministry to support Vimedimex Medi - Pharma JSC (Vimedimex) in buying Russias Sputnik V vaccine from Royal Strategic Partners, a unit of Abu Dhabi Capital Group in the UAE.

The direction was made in response to a request from Vimedimex for help in dealing with the vaccine supplier, from which the Vietnamese company said it will buy 10 million Sputnik V vaccine doses.

After the vaccine arrives in Vietnam, people can get vaccination on demand at prices regulated by the health ministry.

Established as a state-owned enterprise by the ministry in 1984, Vimedimex was partly privatized in 2006 and listed on the Vietnamese stock market four years later.

The company is one of the 36 businesses licensed by the ministry to import and export vaccines and drugs, as well as to provide related warehousing services.

Earlier, four trade associations, including the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO), Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), Vietnam Electronic Industries Association (VEIA), and Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA), made the same request to the government.

These associations proposed that the central government either speed up the national vaccination drive or assist businesses in buying vaccines so that they can inoculate their workers for free soon to ensure epidemic prevention while maintaining business operations.

Such proposals have come in the context that Vietnams State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently asked health authorities to promptly authorize Nano Covax, a vaccine being developed domestically, to make the first Vietnamese vaccine available soon to drive back the coronavirus spread.

Vietnam aims to secure 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to inoculate about two-thirds of its 98 million-strong population to reach herd immunity, but it has so far got only over 19 million doses in total from different sources, including COVAX Facility, contractual purchases, and donations, the health ministry said.

As of Sunday morning, nearly 8.9 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered nationwide, with the numbers of people receiving the first and second shots topping eight million and some 888,000, respectively, the ministry reported.

Since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, Vietnam has registered 205,656 patients, including 203,313 domestic and 2,343 imported cases, of which 66,637 have recovered and 3,250 have died, the ministrys data shows.

Among the domestic infections, as many as 201,743 cases, or 99.2 percent, have been recorded since April 27, when the pandemics fourth wave erupted in Vietnam.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Police in Thailand said on Sunday a 27-year-old Thai man had been charged with the murder of a Swiss woman who was found dead earlier this week on the resort island of Phuket.

"Police have charged the offender for murder and robbery causing death," Krisana Pattanacharoen, a deputy police spokesman said at a news conference in Phuket.

"The cause of death has yet to be confirmed and autopsy has yet to be released," he said.

The victim, 57-year-old Swiss tourist Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, was visiting Thailand under the new Phuket Sandbox tourist campaign that allows fully vaccinated travellers to enter the island without quarantine as long as they remain on there for two weeks.

The suspect knocked out the tourist and robbed her, having encountered the woman at a waterfall where he had gone to find fruits, Nanthadet Yoinuan, deputy provincial police chief said.

"He found 300 baht ($9) in her bag and used it to buy drugs, drinks and phone repairs," he said.

After he was detained and questioned, the suspect confessed to attacking the victim, Nanthadet said.

Police also took the unusual step of having the suspect call in to the press briefing to make a statement.

The safety of visitors is a sensitive issue for Thailand, as tourism is a key industry, accounting for 12% of GDP in 2019, though it has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Three intensive care centers for COVID-19 treatment with the combined capacity of 1,500 beds were put into operation in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

Their inauguration was attended by Ho Chi Minh City Party chief Nguyen Van Nen, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, and Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son.

The centers, each having 500 beds, are located at a makeshift COVID-19 treatment hospital in District 7, Tan Phu District, and Binh Chanh District.

They are managed by directors of the Vietnam German Friendship Hospital, Bach Mai Hospital, and Hue Central Hospital, with the assistance from the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Central Lung Hospital, Central Geriatric Hospital, E Hospital, and K Hospital.

Along with the 1,000-bed COVID-19 Resuscitation Hospital in Thu Duc City, the three intensive care centers will focus on treating coronavirus patients with serious symptoms or in critical conditions.

Officials visit an intensive care center in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, August 7, 2021. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

According to chairman Phong, Ho Chi Minh City is going through an unprecedented difficult time, with the dangerous and highly transmissible Delta variant causing immense challenges to pandemic prevention and control efforts, especially the treatment process.

The city currently has15 makeshift facilities and 42 hospitals and centers with the total capacity of 45,000 beds for COVID-19 patient treatment.

The establishment of intensive care centers, along with modern equipment and assistance of doctors and nurses from other localities, will further boost the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the city, the official stated.

A birds-eye view of an intensive care center for COVID-19 treatment in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

Vietnam had documented 205,656 COVID-19 cases as of Sunday morning, with 66,637 recoveries and 3,250 deaths, according to the health ministry.

The country has recorded 201,743 local infections in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities since the fourth wave began on April 27.

Ho Chi Minh City leads the table in the bout with 119,802 cases.

Doctors and nurses examine a patient room at an intensive care center for COVID-19 treatment in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

A health worker prepares a COVID-19 testing machine at an intensive care center in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

Health workers attend the inauguration of three intensive care centers for COVID-19 treatment in Ho Chi Minh City, August 7, 2021. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

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Doctors in Hanoi have saved a nine-month-old Japanese baby after he suffered a traumatic brain injury during his stay at a COVID-19 quarantine facility in Vietnam.

The boy and his family previously arrived in Vietnam from Japan and were quarantined in accordance with COVID-19 prevention and control regulations.

While playing on the sofa, which was about 0.7 meters tall, at the quarantine facility, he fell off it and the back of his head hit the hard floor.

The baby lost his consciousness about 15 minutes later and was rushed to E Hospital in Hanoi.

He was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and a subdural hematoma in the right cerebral hemisphere.

Doctors performed an emergency surgery to remove the hematoma, before transferring the patient to Vietnam National Childrens Hospital for further treatment.

The boy was still in a coma when he arrived, Dang Anh Duong, a senior doctor at the childrens hospital, said, adding that doctors continued treating his cerebral edema and provided him with breathing support.

When his condition stabilized, another surgery was conducted to treat his meninges.

The third surgical procedure took place three weeks later to restore the skull.

One week after the final surgery, the patient was in stable conditions and able to eat and engage in normal activities. He was later discharged from the infirmary.

According to Dr. Bui Thanh Huong at Vietnam National Childrens Hospital, the treatment process was quite difficult as the patient was still being quarantined for COVID-19, requiring doctors and nurses to strictly comply with pandemic prevention and control measures.

As his parents had to remain at the quarantine facility, health workers were also in charge of caring for him and completing all paperwork relating to his hospitalization.

Doctors also need an interpreter to discuss the boy's condition and treatment plan with his parents.

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The Ministry of Health logged over 9,600 domestic COVID-19 infections in Vietnam on Sunday, together with more than 4,800 recoveries and 380 deaths.

Forty-three provinces and cities reported a record 9,684 local cases, up by 2,351 patients from Saturday, while another six infections were imported from abroad, the health ministry said.

A total of 2,155 transmissions were found in the community whereas the rest were detected in isolated areas or centralized quarantine facilities.

The health ministry had reported the steepest daily rise of 9,225 locally-infected patients on July 24.

Ho Chi Minh City registered 3,898 of the latest local infections, down by 32 patients from yesterday, Binh Duong Province 3,210, Long An Province 724, Dong Nai Province 614, Khanh Hoa Province 201, Da Nang 130, and Hanoi 114.

Since the fourth COVID-19 wave began in Vietnam on April 27, the country has documented 206,490 community transmissions in 62 out of its 63 provinces and cities.

Ho Chi Minh City is in the front with 121,804 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 27,639, Long An Province with 10,115, Dong Nai Province with 7,919, Dong Thap Province with 3,968, Khanh Hoa Province with 3,366, Tien Giang Province 2,886, Tay Ninh Province 2,422, and Hanoi 2,001.

By comparison, Vietnam confirmed 106 community cases in the first wave from January 23 to April 16, 2020, 554 in the second from July 25 to December 1, 2020, and 910 in the third from January 28 to March 25, 2021.

The ministry announced 4,860 recoveries on Sunday, bringing the total to 71,497 recovered patients.

The death toll has jumped to 3,397 after the health ministry reported 381 fatalities the same day, including 293 registered in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday and Saturday.

The Southeast Asian country has detected an accumulation of 208,060 domestic and 2,345 imported cases since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it on January 23, 2020.

Health workers gave 356,544 vaccine doses today.

Nearly nine million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered in Vietnam since the country rolled out vaccination on March 8, with above 888,000 people having been fully vaccinated.

The Vietnamese government expects to obtain 175 million shots of various vaccines, including 51 million Pfizer-BioNTech jabs, by early 2022.

It set a target of immunizing two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people against COVID-19 by the first quarter of next year.

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Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A few clouds with an isolated thunderstorm possible after midnight. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
US authorities said Saturday they were searching for five people missing as a huge wildfire raged in northern California, leaving two towns in little more than cinders.

The Dixie Fire, the largest active wildfire in the United States, recently became the third-largest in California history.

As of late Saturday it had destroyed 447,723 acres (180,782 hectares) in four counties, up from the previous days 434,813 and surpassing the vast Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon.

Dixie is now 21 percent contained, the CalFire website reported, adding that three firefighters had so far been injured fighting the blaze.

While the fire continued to grow, officials said Saturday that cooler, calmer weather was giving firefighters a much-needed break.

Those conditions are expected to continue into Sunday.

We expect the same fire behavior as yesterday, which was fairly moderate, Jake Cagle, a firefighter sections chief, said in a briefing Saturday.

Earlier, the Dixie Fire left the Gold Rush town of Greenville charred and in ruins, while also burning through the small town of Canyondam.

The Plumas County sheriffs office said it had received descriptions of five people considered missing in Greenville and was searching for them.

Five other missing people were confirmed found on Saturday.

Residents refuse to leave

As authorities urge thousands of locals to evacuate, they have been met at times by armed residents refusing to budge, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Law enforcement officers are asking any residents who stay for the names of next-of-kinto be notified if the fire claims their lives.

The Dixie Fires movement northeastward has been slowed in part because it has reached the scar of an earlier blaze, the 2007 Moonlight Fire, reducing available fuel, CalFire said.

More than 5,000 personnel are now battling the Dixie blaze, which is sending enormous clouds of smoke into the air that are easily visible from space.

A preliminary investigation has suggested the fire was started when a tree fell on a power cable owned by regional utility Pacific Gas & Company (PG&E), a private operator that was earlier blamed for the huge Camp Fire in 2018, which killed 86 people.

Story continues

By late July, the number of acres burned in California was up more than 250 percent from 2020 -- itself the worst year of wildfires in the states modern history.

A long-term drought that scientists say is driven by climate change has left much of the western United States parchedand vulnerable to explosive and highly destructive fires.

(AFP)
Brewer & Ruan Claim $50K Super High Roller Titles at Floridas 2021 SHRPO

August 08 2021 Chad Holloway

The 2021 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, which kicked off its $5,250 buy-in, $3 million GTD Main Event this weekend, recently wrapped up a pair of $50,000 Super High Roller events. The tournaments, which were part of the PokerGO Tour, awarded more than $2.5 million in prize money between them, and while one winner was a familiar face on the high roller scene, the other was a 20-year-old newcomer.

Brewer Claims First $50K SHR Title

Chris Brewer

The first big buy-in tournament was Event #29: $50,000 Super High Roller, which ran August 4-5 and offered a single re-entry option. Two dozen entrants created a $1,164,000 prize pool that was reserved for the final four players.

Among those to compete but fall short of the money were Ali Imsirovic, Alex Foxen, and bubble boy Elio Fox, just to name a few.

According to updates from the event, Sean Perry fell in fourth place after getting his stack in with both an open-ended straight and flush draws against the pocket queens of Chris Brewer. The ladies held and not long after Cary Katz bowed out in third place after his flush draw fell to Sean Winters trip fours.

At that point, the final two players agreed to an ICM chop. Winter received $394,130 while Brewer, who had the bigger stack, took a career-high $420,670 and the title.

Event #29: $50,000 Super High Roller Results

Place Player Prize PokerGO Tour Points 1st Chris Brewer $420,670 252 2nd Sean Winter $394,130 236 3rd Cary Katz $209,520 126 4th Sean Perry $139,680 84

20-Year-Old Beats One of the Best

Zhuang Ruan

From August 5-6, Event #33: $50,000 Super High Roller played out as 29 entrants competed for a $1,406,500 prize pool, which was reserved for the top five finishers.

Perry made back-to-back final tables, but once again he was the first to go. According to updates from the event, he lost a race with king-jack against the pocket sevens of Dan Smith to bust in fifth, good for $112,520.

Katz, who was also at back-to-back final tables, then doubled through Giuseppe Iadisernia, who was left short and bowed out in fourth place. Katz followed him out the door in third when his ace-jack was outdrawn by the ace-eight of 20-year-old Zhuang Ruan.

Ruan and Smith then battled back and forth before the former ultimately prevailed, the result of flopping trip jacks and getting Smith to call off on the river with two pair queens and jacks. Smith took $351,625 for his runner-up finish while Ruan claimed the $562,600 top prize.

I started at $1NL. Half a cent-one cent [blinds] and eventually worked my way up, Ruan told SHRPO reporters after his victory. I actually switched to PLO and made it to the $100-$200 games.

He continued: I took six months off from poker to try and go to college, but after that I found tournaments, so I started playing that And then I was playing high-stakes MTTs. And now Im here.

At just 20 years old (remember Seminole Hard Rock requires players to be just 18 years of age to play), Ruan will need to wait until 2022 to play other major events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Event #33: $50,000 Super High Roller Results

Place Player Prize PokerGO Tour Points 1st Zhuang Ruan $562,600 338 2nd Dan Smith $351,625 211 3rd Cary Katz $225,040 135 4th Giuseppe Iadisernia $154,715 93 5th Sean Perry $112,520 68

Here's a look at how things stand on the PokerGO Tour leaderboard after the pair of $50K Super High Roller events in South Florida.

Place Player Country Earnings PokerGO Tour Points 1 Ali Imsirovic Bosnia and Herzegovina $3,004,960 2,394 2 Sean Perry USA $2,572,578 1,819 3 Sean Winter USA $2,557,920 1,539 4 Cary Katz USA $2,310,800 1,347 5 Sam Soverel USA $2,073,296 1,305 6 Andrew Moreno USA $1,460,105 1,200 7 Clayton Maquire USA $1,443,757 1,200 8 Toby Lewis UK $1,235,204 1,200 9 Chris Brewer USA $1,615,520 1,095 10 Alex Foxen USA $1,207,786 1,023
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pursuing an ambitious goal. In order to realize Turkish great power fantasies, Turkey is not only developing an armory of international standing, but also wants to join the circle of the worlds preeminent military powers in the next few years. The construction of a light aircraft carrier as a supra-regional operational platform serves this goal. As Geopolitical Monitor writes, in the near future, Turkey sees its warships, painted in light gray camouflage and flying the red flag with a white crescent moon and star, sweeping the Aegean, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. Its navy, however, can also operate in parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The idea of the blue fatherland and the vision of transforming the Turkish coastal navy into a powerful ocean-going fleet serve as motivation to do so.

At the heart of this plan is the construction of the landing helicopter dock (LHD) TCG Anadolu (Pennant number L 400), which the Sedef shipyard in Istanbul Tuzla is currently working on. With a length of almost 231 meters, a height of 58 meters, and a displacement between 24,660 and 27,436 tons, the TCG Anadolu will be the largest warship ever built in Turkey.

Even if the actual Turkish contribution is 68 percent, the ships design represents an adapted replica of Spains Juan Carlos I-class, an export hit also used by the Australian Navy for its two helicopter carriers, HMAS Canberra (L 02) and HMAS Adelaide (L 01).

Originally designed as a helicopter carrier, Turkey changed the order in 2015 to an aircraft carrier with a ski jump, a familiar design from Chinese, Russian, Indian, and British aircraft carriers. The aircraft originally envisioned was up to 12 hyper-modern US F-35B Lightning II with vertical take-off. However, the United States removed NATO partner Turkey from both the customer list and the list of participants in the joint strike fighter program after Ankara acquired the Russian S400 air defense system.

With the consequence that no suitable fighter aircraft will be available for the foreseeable future, Turkey seemed headed for an embarrassment. But domestically developed military drone technology pointed a way out: In just one week in March 2020, Turkey was able to inflict extensive losses on the Syrian army using drones and novel military tactics. In Libya, too, the new Turkish military doctrine achieved a stalemate against General Haftars rival government in Tobruk, and in the battle for Nagorno-Karabakh, it was not least Turkish drones that led Azerbaijan to victory against Armenia.

Making a virtue out of necessity, the TCG Anadolu, currently under construction, is now being converted into the worlds first drone carrier. Plans call for 30 to 50 drones to be used for spying, surveillance, identifying targets, or for armed attacks. Just in March, Haluk Bayraktar announced that Baykar is planning to develop the TB-3, a combat drone intended for dedicated use with the drone carrier, within a year.

However, there are still numerous technical hurdles to overcome. For example, the ski jump alone exerts a limiting effect on the weapon load and range of an aircraft that should not be underestimated. In addition, folded wings, which Turkish drone models do not yet have, could be required for on-board use, as well as resilient holding devices for landing on the deck. Moreover, maritime drones are exposed to the sea air and harsh demands on bodywork, wheels and landing gear. In addition to the planned use of drones, the Head of the Presidium of the Turkish Defense Industry (SSB), Ismail Demir, also mentioned the use of helicopters and the Hurjet, a light, single-engine combat aircraft under development, from the deck of the carrier.

Ultimately, the question of the purpose of a drone carrier also arises. The ship can embody Turkish self-confidence and prestige, and act as a threat. But in military terms, its success is likely to be limited. The TCG Anadolu can indeed perform the tasks expected of a multipurpose ship in the event of an amphibious assault. To do so, however, escort ships must be made available in sufficient numbers to form a carrier battle group.

The Turkish drone concept works primarily against an adversary that lacks a strong and interconnected air presence. Thus, the drone carrier is not a substitute for the capabilities forfeited in Turkeys exclusion from the F-35 program.
The Armenian Armed Forces fired at the Azerbaijani positions in the direction of Heydarabad settlement in Sadarak district of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from their positions in Arazdayan settlement of Vedi district on August 8 at 13:00 (GMT+4), Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

There are no casualties among the personnel of the Azerbaijani troops.

The current situation is under the control of the Azerbaijani servicemen.
After one month of letting their workers stay at work, many businesses in southern Vietnam are seeking approval from the authorities to allow their employees to return to their own residences.

A view of a Covid-19 testing site. After one month of complying with the stay-at-work requirements, many businesses in the south have sought approval from the authorities to get back to normal  PHOTO: VGP

Their request comes as their employees have expressed their unwillingness to continue staying at the factories after work because no early end to social distancing is in sight.

The provincial government of Dong Nai on August 5 issued an urgent dispatch, giving guidelines to businesses that have requested to end the implementation of two operation arrangements required for enterprises in virus-hit areas.

According to the first stay-at-work arrangement, companies have to make preparations for their employees to work, eat and sleep on their premises to prevent Covid-19 from spreading during the ongoing stay-at-home mandate.

As for the second arrangement named one route, two locations, employers must arrange shuttle buses to transport their workers between their concentrated housing facilities and their factories.

The provincial government asked businesses that wished to end the stay-at-work arrangement to send their requests to the provincial Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the Dong Nai Industrial Zones Authority. Once being approved, enterprises have to conduct Covid-19 tests for all employees.

Employees are only allowed to leave their companies after they tested negative for the coronavirus and were permitted to return home by their local district-level authorities.

To stop the stay-at-work or one route, two locations arrangements, businesses have to ensure that all of their employees test negative for the virus. If any of the employees tests positive, the firm must not let them leave its facility without prior permission from authorities.

Employers must take full responsibility before the law if they allow any employee to return home without complying with the above-mentioned regulations or allow them to leave their facilities without authorities permission.

Similarly, the authorities of Tan Uyen Town in the neighboring province of Binh Duong recently sent a dispatch to enterprises that wanted to end the stay-at-work arrangement. Some 1,000 firms in the town are operating under this arrangement.

The authorities of Tan Uyen Town asked these enterprises to do the Covid testing for all employees before allowing them to return to their residences. The town demanded that all of the workers have a negative Covid-19 test result to be eligible to get home.

Regarding the issue, the Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee also asked businesses to strictly follow one of the two operation arrangements. Failing to do so, they would be forced to suspend their operations. Local authorities and the provincial Industrial Zones Authority have to coordinate with suspended businesses to screen workers to ensure that they are free of Covid when they return to their residences.

In HCMC, Le Viet Hai, chairman of the Saigon Construction and Building Material Association, also wrote to the prime minister, proposing to change the two operation arrangements.

Hai said that the two operation arrangements have yet to prove effective as enterprises are facing huge obstacles in terms of finance and resources. The arrangements have not helped them to prevent the spread of the disease. These arrangements have slowed down manufacturing activities and transport of goods, thus affecting the fulfillment of orders with customers.

Source: Saigon Times
Through ups and downs of the world over the past more than five decades, the role and mettle of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been reinforced and sharpened,

making the bloc more completed and become stronger, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has stressed in an article on the occasion of the associations 54th founding anniversary (August 8, 1967-2021).

Son highlighted that ASEAN has been one of the most important and successful regional organisations in the world, leading a wide and deep connectivity process, creating and maintaining peace, stability and development in Southeast Asia and the entire region.

From a group of war-divided countries, ASEAN has risen to a 10-member bloc with more than 650 million people having diverse cultural identities and a giant economic community having the fifth biggest GDP in the world, a trust-worthy partner of many countries and an organisation playing a central role in dialogue, cooperation and connectivity processes in the region, he noted.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

The formation of an ASEAN Community with three key pillars of ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, is evidence for the blocs vitality, promoting the regional connectivity process to a new height for peace, cooperation and prosperous development.

The minister underscored fundamental principles of the bloc, including solidarity, consensus and not interfering into internal affairs of member states, stressing that ASEAN member countries have been supporting each other in overcoming adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ASEAN Manner of solidarity and unity has helped the association and its members overcome tough times in the region and the world, turning the bloc into a more mature organisation with a higher role in the region.

Thanks to its prestige, position and central role, the association has expanded external relations and received support from the international community.

So far, ASEAN has set up dialogue partnerships with 11 countries and important organisations. Many standpoints and regulations of ASEAN, such as the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) have been supported and welcomed by the international community and partners.

On the foundation of respecting international law and settling disputes and differences through peaceful measures in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ASEAN has made important contributions to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the East Sea, which have been supported by the international community, Son wrote.

In terms of economic integration, so far, intra-bloc trade has accounted for about 25 percent of the total trade revenue of the whole bloc. The effective implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community is pushing the association closer to a united market with a scale of nearly 3 trillion USD. Besides, the association is also the centre of an expanded economic space with a network of eight free trade agreements (FTA), including the ASEAN Free Trade Area and seven FTAs with important partners, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), creating a free trade area accounting for 30 percent of the population and 32 percent of GDP of the world.

Over the past 54 years, ASEAN can be proud of itself as a successful regional connectivity model. The blocs achievements laid a foundation for ASEAN to be optimistic about the future growth of the grouping, he stressed.

Son underlined that ASEAN has been placed at an important position in the external policy and international integration of Vietnam. ASEAN is a gateway to bring Vietnam to wider playgrounds in the region and the world. Joining ASEAN is a decision of strategic vision of the Party and State, contributing to making a new development status for the country, reinforcing a peaceful and stable environment and optimising external resources for the countrys development and enhancement of its position.

Vietnam has seriously implemented its commitments and obligations as an ASEAN member, while making various important contributions to the promotion of intra-bloc solidarity, the building of the ASEAN Community and the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025.

Vietnam has performed the role of the ASEAN Chair three times, all in tough times of the association. In 2000-2001 period, the association entered a transitional period in Community building after experiencing the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998. In 2010, the association realised its Community vision amid the serious impacts of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. Meanwhile, the year of 2020 saw the outbreak of COVID-19 in the global scale, leading to complicated changes in the international situation.

With the cohesive and responsive spirit and the persistence to ASEAN principles, Vietnam has joined hands with other ASEAN members to drive the association through hard times, actively adapting and responding to the new situation, firmly maintaining the trend of cooperation and connectivity in the region, affirming the central role and enhancing the position of the association. Many initiatives given by Vietnam in 2020 have become a shared property of ASEAN, including the ASEAN COVID-19 Respond Fund and the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies.

Realising its foreign policy set by the 13th National Party Congress and with a new status after 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), Vietnam has continued to work with other ASEAN members to build a Community of solidarity and strength, firmly holding the central role in the regional security architecture.

Vietnam will continue to make efforts to effectively implement initiatives and agreements, contributing to the settlement of common issues of ASEAN and the region, affirmed Son, stressing the need to foster coordination among ministries, sectors, localities and businesses in promoting ASEAN cooperation, with focus on personnel training.

The way ahead may tough, but with the promotion of the ASEAN manner and unique value, along with the determination and great development potential of member countries, ASEAN will make new chapters of success in building the ASEAN Community of solidarity, strength, self-reliance, bringing about benefits to all members and making important contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Vietnam will continue to spare no efforts, together with ASEAN, to realise this fine goal, Son concluded./.

Source: VNA
After the police force in the central province of Nghe An rescued 17 adult tigers illegally raised in cages by two families in Do Thanh commune in Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province, eight of the tigers died.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Phuc Thinh, head of the Environmental Police Department of Nghe An Police, told the media that the tigers were being temporarily kept at the Muong Thanh Dien Lam ecological tourist site in Dien Chau district.

The tigers were transported to the Muong Thanh Dien Lam ecological tourist site.

Mr. Tran Van Hai, Deputy Director of Muong Thanh Dien Lam Eco-tourism site, told VietNamNet that 14 adult tigers caught by the police in Do Thanh commune were transported to his tourist site on August 4.

"Five tigers were dead. The main cause has not been determined yet because it may be related to the process of raising, capturing, or transporting," Hai said.

The remaining nine tigers show no signs of abnormality. We do not know anything about the three remaining tigers, he added.

According to information provided by Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Phuc Thinh, besides the five dead tigers at the eco-tourism site, three tigers that were moved to other places also died.

Why did 8 adult tigers die?

Luc luong Cong an Nghe An xac nhan co 8 ca the ho chet bat thuong

To capture the 17 tigers kept in captivity in Nghe An, relevant agencies had to use anesthetics, tie their legs and put the tigers in an iron cage to be transported by trucks. However, the cause of deaths of the eight tigers is unknown.

Nguyen Van Binh, head of the Legal Division of the Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection Department, said that specialized agencies organize monthly inspections but they had not detected tigers in captivity. The 17 tigers in captivity were found by the Nghe An Police.

To take the tigers out of the cage, veterinarians had to use anesthetic. The Forest Protection Department was only summoned to witness, coordinate and monitor in necessary cases," Binh said.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Phuc Thinh, head of the Environmental Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police, said that the investigation of illegal farming of tigers in Do Thanh commune started in 2020. After collecting enough evidence, the police decided to finish the case on August 4, discovering 17 tigers raised by two households.

Regarding the eight dead tigers, Thinh said that they are considered evidence, so the tigers are being stored in the freezer for further investigation.

Thinh said that whether the anesthetic process was related to the death of 8 tigers has yet to be determined.

Nguyen Van Thai, Director of the Save Vietnams Wildlife (SVW), said that the death of tigers during the rescue process was an unexpected event. The most important thing in wildlife protection is to arrest wildlife traffickers and those who trade and raise wild animals in captivity.

According to Thai, the rescued tigers cannot be released back to nature because they have been kept in captivity for a long time and their ability to hunt in the wild and survive is has been affected.

On August 6, Save Vietnams Wildlife awarded a total of VND90 million to the Department of Environmental Police of Nghe An Province and several individuals involved in the rescue of the 17 tigers.

Quoc Huy
Ho Chi Minh City will cover all expenses for funeral observances and cremation for those who die of Covid-19, which is estimated at about 17 million VND (around $730) per case.

At a Covid-19 treatment facility in HCM City.

Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, told VietNamNet that there are four cremation sites in the city, including Binh Hung Hoa in Binh Tan district, Da Phuoc in Binh Chanh district, Phuc An Vien in District 9, and Thap Long Tho in Cu Chi District.

Thang said that the city had asked these units to accept all cases of cremation and not increase the service price.

Regarding the Covid-19 related deaths, the city will cover all expenses for funeral observances, from shrouding, transportation, and cremation, to the delivery of the ashes to the relatives of the deceased.

"The city will try to take care of this work in the most complete and dignified way for the deceased. The support level is VND17 million per case, which comes from the city budget," Thang said.

For those who died from Covid-19 in hospitals, Thang said that the city will allocate funding to the Department of Health, which then re-allocate to hospitals to cover the cost of funeral observances. For those who die at home, the funding will be distributed to the districts, which will then be allocated to the wards and communes to take care of the people.

Tuan Kiet
The Ministry of Health has issued an urgent dispatch to all vaccine-allocated agencies across the country, requesting them to urgently receive and administer Covid-19 vaccines.

According to reports from the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi and the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, many agencies have not received vaccines from these institutes for vaccination.

The Ministry of Health has issued a warning for the units that were allocated vaccines in phase 8-13. After August 8, if they do not come to the above institutes to receive the vaccines, the Ministry will allocate the vaccines to other agencies and consider not allocating vaccines to these agencies in the vaccination phases.

The Ministry of Health told the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the HCM City Pasteur Institute to immediately notify these units to get the vaccine within five days since receiving the allocation decision from the Ministry of Health; otherwise, the directors of these institutes must be fully responsible for the delay.

The Ministry of Health has also issued a decision to ask relevant agencies to speed up vaccination amid the complicated development of Covid-19 epidemic and a large number of vaccine doses to be shipped to Vietnam in the coming time.

The Ministry asked the agencies to speed up vaccination against Covid-19 for all subjects aged 18 and over in their area; to give priority to frontline forces, the elderly (60 years old and older), and those with underlying diseases in accordance with Resolution No. 21 and Decision No. 3355 of the Ministry of Health, and to report on vaccination progress on a daily basis.

By August 10, any agency that implements vaccinations slowly will be named publicly by the Ministry of Health in the mass media and be reported to the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Health will also consider transferring their vaccines to other agencies and will not allocate more vaccines to them in the following vaccine allocation phases.

To date, Vietnam has received more than 18.5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, but only over 8 million doses have been administered.

Thuy Hanh

Nearly 3.5 million people receive COVID-19 vaccination certificates online As of August 5, nearly 3.5 million Vietnamese people have had an online certificate of COVID-19 vaccination.
The Ministry of Health has allowed Covid-19 patients who show no symptoms and with low viral load to be quarantined at home.

If they are hospitalized, they can go home after seven days if they meet certain conditions, according to the latest dispatch issued by the Ministry of Health.

From August 7, people will be instructed to take samples for the SARS-CoV-2 test at home.

The Ministry of Health has required all localities to perform rapid covid testing and screening on a large scale, firstly in blocked areas, areas of very high risk, of people at a high risk of infection, and those with cough and fever. This action will help detect and remove Covid-19 patients out of the community as quickly as possible.

The dispatch includes new content:

1/ People and workers at production and business establishments and industrial zones and clusters will be guided to take samples for testing at home.

2/ Asymptomatic Covid-19 cases who are being treated at medical facilities will be discharged on the 7th day if the RT-PCR test is negative or has a low viral load (CT value  30). These patients will be monitored at home.

3/The patients who were detected in the community and show no clinical symptoms and have a low viral load (CT value  30) are allowed to be treated at home. Previously, this regulation was only applied in HCM City.

4/For patients who have met criteria for being discharged from the hospital according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health, during the time of self-monitoring at home, if they are re-infected with the virus, they will not be quarantined at medical establishments, and measures to isolate and handle the outbreak are not required. These cases will be under medical monitoring. They can contact a medical facility for care and monitoring if having symptoms.

The Ministry of Health asked localities to accelerate vaccinations for people 18 years of age and older. Priority will be given to epidemic-hit areas, frontline workers, the elderly, those with underlying diseases, staff of embassies and consulates of other countries in Vietnam, and frontline forces in economic development (investors, businesses, industrial parks, groups providing essential services, groups ensuring circulation and supply of essential goods).

Thuy Hanh
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has asked to stop all passenger flights between localities that are under social distancing in accordance with Directive 16.

Based on the instruction of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam asked the Ministry of Transports approval for the suspension of all regular passenger transport activities between localities that are implementing social distancing according to Directive 16 of the Prime Minister, including the usually busy Ho Chi Minh City  Hanoi air route.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam affirmed that priority should be given to flights serving official duties and disease prevention tasks. In necessary cases, the two involving localities (departure and arrival) must have plans to promptly perform Covid-19 testing and quarantine tasks according to the regulations.

For the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi air route, in July the Hanoi People's Committee asked the Ministry of Transport to tighten control of commercial flights from Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities. The Ministry of Transport then requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to allow only two round-trip flights between the two cities per day.

So far, Hanoi has received only one regular passenger flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi on July 22 with a total of 299 passengers.

Many southern localities, including HCM City, have recently extended social distancing measures to halt the spread of the virus in the community.

Hanoi has also extended its social distancing order for another two weeks until August 23 in an effort to separate F0 cases from the community.

Vu Diep
WATERLOO  On Saturday, raise a glass and toast summers end at Stem & Stein, considered the Cedar Valleys premier beer and wine tasting event.

The event is from 4 to 8 p.m. at RiverLoop Expo Plaza, 460 Jefferson St., presented by Hy-Vee. It has become a signature event for Friends of the Waterloo Center for the Arts.

We missed it so much last year, so we are incredibly excited to bring it back this year. It will be the same event people have loved and enjoyed over the past few years, said WCA Executive Director Kent Shankle.

There will be a large selection of craft and domestic beers and wines. Due to ongoing public health concern tastings will be served in single-serve disposable cups.

Patrons will still get their commemorative Stem & Stein glassware, which they can pick up on their way out of the festival. Hy-Vee also has added a wine store, so people will be able to purchase any local wines theyve sampled and enjoyed and have those delivered to them, Shankle explained.

Were encouraging people to stay downtown and have dinner after the event, so several local restaurants are offering discounts to patrons who show their Stem and Stein wristband.
In the U.S. alone, that means we would need an electrical grid construction rate 14 times that of the rate over the past half century. Moreover, wed have to quadruple  annual construction of wind turbines every year for the next 15 years and triple  annual construction of solar PV (photovoltaics) every year for the next 15 years, too.

And, if we pull those miracles off, wed need to repeat the process indefinitely since solar panels and wind turbines have an average lifespan of 15 to 30 years.

Neither improbability, however, accounts for one ounce of the energy required to make solar panels, high-tech wind turbines, batteries, and all other industrial products wed need to transition from fossil fuels to electricity.

And even if we clear that hurdle, An entire year of production from the worlds largest lithium ion battery manufacturing facility  Teslas $5 billion Gigafactory in Nevada  could store only three minutes worth of annual U.S. electricity demand.

Seibert and Rees do similar math for other energy alternatives  such as nuclear, biofuels, and hydrogen  and none of it works because climate change isnt the problem. Ecological overshoot is: too much fossil fuel use, too much carbon, too many people, and too much unsustainable growth.
We still have to wait a bit for Bottlerock and OSL, but Napa's Oxbow RiverStage is playing some solid shows this fall, starting on Friday with a concert by Trampled by Turtles and Mt. Joy.

Plus, Boom Boom Room reopens this weekend with a performance by Afrolicious; SF Ballet returns to the stage; Perseids will light up the night; and SF's cable cars are rolling once again.

Have a good one!

Sing along with Hamilton. Tickets are still available for this season's performances of Lin-Manuel Miranda's runaway hit classic. Be ready to show proof of vaccine cart or negative PCR test; shows Tuesday through September 5th. // Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St. (Civic Center), broadwaysf.com







Grab a four-pack of Balboa Cafe's Espressotinis to go. Bring the cans to Marina Green and watch the sunset. // Balboa Cafe, 3199 Fillmore St. (Cow Hollow), balboacafesf.com





Enjoy a "Not So Signature" dinner at Frances for the first time since the restaurant closed due to Covid in March 2020 closure. As part of Charleston Wine + Food Festival's Signature Dinner series, which teams chefs from different cities, this five-course meal will also be offered at Charleston's Chubby Fish. Dishes will include squid ink spaghetti and tuna confit; Tuesday, reservations between 5pm and 8:30pm. // Frances, 3870 17th St. (Castro); tickets ($150 per person) on opentable.com





Grab a drink at Persona, yet another new cocktail spot but with an underground twist. Settle onto a couch in the swanky space with a Sweet Paradise (vodka, kombucha, and guava) or a glass of bubbly; 4pm to 2am Tuesday through Saturday. // Persona, 685 Sutter St. (TenderNob), persona-sf.com

Hitch a ride on San Francisco Cable Car. Yep. they're back! Rides are free for the month of August; just expect an irregular schedule, daily from 7am to 10:30pm. // sfmta.com







Don't miss the Perseids Meteor Shower. Find a lovely outdoor spot to perch, starting around 11pm Wednesday. // 7x7.com





Explore Art House SF. The new Castro gallery showcases eclectic pieces by artists from around the globe; Wednesday through Sunday. // Art House SF, 2324B Market St. (Upper Market), arthousesf.com





Mix your CBD with your booze for a refreshing Calmer Palmer. // Get the recipe at 7x7.com.

If you've given Itria's takeout pies a try, then book a reservation for dinner at the newly opened Italian restaurant. After a few months offering takeout only (and a brief hiatus), the restaurant is open with an offering of crudo and pastasthink cavatelli with escarole and ruby prawn or orecchiette with pork sausage and grilled rabe pesto; open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday. // Itria, 3266 24th St. (Mission), itriasf.com







Check out Design + Art In Motion, an event benefiting Creativity Explored. Peruse art, furniture, and textiles and see local artists create graphic art live; Thursday from 3pm to 7pm. // Gallery 308, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); tickets ($10 and up) on eventbrite.com





Stop by Bar Part Time's Haunted Wines at Mercury Cafe. Before the pop-up sets up permanent shop, they'll be taking over Friday the 18th with DJ tunes and wines by the bundle; Friday from 5pm to 9pm. // Mercury Cafe, 201 Octavia St. (Lower Haight); details on Instagram





Be mesmerized as local artists create their own tiny murals in real-time during weekend two of the Mini Mural Festival, hosted by NIAD Art Center. (Can't make it? In just a few week's time, you can attend weekend three with SoMa Pilipinas); Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. // SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (SoMa); free to attend, sfmoma.org



Grab a cup of joe at Fluid Cooperative Cafe, a new spot at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace founded by three trans activists. Shannon Amitin, Jojo Ty, and Santana Tapia hope to provide an inclusive, uplifting space for trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming communities over cups of coffee from roasters like Equator. // La Cocina, 2948 Folsom St. (Mission), fluidcoopsf.com

See Starry Nights: SF Ballet's Return to the Stage. The magical in-person show will include choreography from George Balanchine's Serenade and Tarantella; Danielle Rowe's For Pixie; and Helgi Tomasson's Soirees Musicales and The Fifth Season; 7:30pm Friday and Saturday. // Frost Amphitheater, Stanford University, 351 Lasuen St. (Stanford); tickets ($50 and up) at sfballet.org





Pig out at Heritage Fire by Cochon555. Nearly 20 chefs will grill up responsibly raised whole animalsfish, chicken, beef, pigs, you name itover live fires. Wines will be poured by from Charles Krug, Patz & Hall, and more; picturesque vineyard views are guaranteed; Saturday at 5pm. // Charles Krug Winery, 2800 Main St. (St. Helena),;tickets ($125) on cochon555.com





Join The Michelin Guide and Capital One for a one-of-a-kind intimate dining event with Michelin three-star restaurant Quince. Chef Michael Tusk will give an exclusive farm tour and elegant alfresco dinner at Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas. Guests will even get a chance to harvest right from the farm prior to enjoying the multi-course meal; 1pm Saturday, August 21st. // Get advance tickets and info at michelin-summer-dining-series.squadup.com.

Thank you to our sponsors at Capital One.

Jam out at Boom Boom Room's reopening weekend. Shows will feature New Orleansbased guitarist Billy Iuso and Friends on Friday night and California-based collective Afrolicious on Saturday. Bring proof of vax or negative COVID test; Friday and Saturday at 9:15pm. // Boom Boom Room, 1601 Fillmore St. (Pacific Heights), boomboomroom.com







Head to Napa for a concert at the Oxbow RiverStage. The series kicks off this weekend with Mt. Joy and Trampled by Turtles and continues through early October with appearances by Billy Idol, Brett Dennen, Widespread Panic, and more. There will even be a few free shows, plus Napa Valley wines and bites; Saturday at 5:30pm, shows through October 15th. // Oxbow RiverStage, 1100 West St. (Napa), oxbowriverstage.com



Consider the theme of "Shelter: Design for Everyone" by virtually attending the American Institute of Architects' home tours. This Saturday's tour highlights the colorful Youth Spirit Artworks Tiny House Empowerment Village, which offers formerly homeless 18- to 25-year-olds their own small homes and communal spaces, and the Liberty Bank Building, inspired by the legacy of African-American-owned bank; Saturday from 10am to 11:30am. // Find tickets and details on aiaeb.org

Join the Rockridge Rock-n-Stroll. College Avenue will be buzzing with DJs, live music, pop-up shops, creative activities, and specials at participating eateries including A Cote and Market Hall; Saturday (as well as Sept. 11 and Oct. 9). // Rockridge District (Oakland), rockridgedistrict.com







Groove to bands at Live on The Lawn, a new series at The Meritage Resort and Spa and Vista Collina. There will be food trucks, cocktails, and wine; weekend afternoons through the end of August. // Vista Collina Resort, 850 Bordeaux Way, (Napa); details on meritagecollection.com





Make up for lost travel time with "Road Trip!" Transcendence Theatre Company's Broadway-inspired musical tour through the U.S. promises to be a unique outdoor experience with wine and bites abound; 7:30pm weekends in August. // Jack London State Historic Park, 2400 London Ranch Rd. (Glen Ellen); tickets ($49 and up) on transcendencetheatre.org





Experience blockbuster classics The Princess Bride and Apollo 13 like never before, as the San Francisco Symphony performs these unforgettable scores live to film on the big screen at Davies Symphony Hall; September 22-25. // Find more information and tickets at sfsymphony.org.

Thank you to our partners at SF Symphony.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico Rep. Yvette Herrell has teamed up with fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on a bill that would strip schools of federal money if they mandate the COVID-19 vaccine.

Because the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University announced this week that there will be at least a partial vaccine requirement on their campuses this fall, the bill could potentially stop the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars to the two largest universities in the state.

Greene introduced the We Will Not Comply Act on April 1. On July 30, Herrell became a co-sponsor with several other Republican lawmakers. The bill seeks to prevent people from being discriminated against based on their COVID-19 vaccination status.

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The legislation says if a person is discriminated against for not being vaccinated or refusing to wear a mask, he or she can seek damages in U.S. District Court. It also says that any school  from elementary through higher education  would not receive federal funding if they require the vaccine as a condition to attend or participate in any academic or extracurricular activity.

I believe forced vaccines are wrong & punishing unvaxxed people with any type of segregation & discrimination is wrong, Greene wrote on Twitter.

The bill would also prohibit air carriers from requiring the vaccine.

UNM President Garnett Stokes announced Monday evening that the states flagship university would have a vaccine requirement this fall. New Mexico State University officials announced Tuesday that all employees would have to be fully vaccinated by the end of September or undergo weekly testing, and that an announcement on a vaccine or testing requirement for students would be coming soon.

UNM budget documents show that in 2021-22, the schools main campus budget contains $194 million in federal appropriations, which makes up a little more than 20% of the campus $862 million budget. It wasnt clear Tuesday how much federal funding NMSU is set to receive this year.

Cinnamon Blair, a spokeswoman for UNM, said the university relies on federal appropriations and cant support any legislation that undermines public health protections for our Lobos and our state.

The citizens of New Mexico benefit greatly from the groundbreaking advancements in many areas of federally funded UNM research  such as cancer treatment, substance use disorders and sustainable water resources, to name a few, she said. Additionally, federal dollars support student success through scholarships, grants and programming.

She said the policy is intended to keep the campus community safe.

Including Herrell, there are now 10 Republican lawmakers co-sponsoring Greenes bill, which will have little chance of success, given that Democrats control both chambers and the White House.

Rep. Herrell knows that discriminating against unvaccinated people is scientifically unnecessary and divisive. New Mexico educational institutions will not lose any federal money if they refrain from unconstitutionally and unjustly discriminating against people, Billy Gribbin, a spokesman for Herrell, said in an email. Rep. Herrell believes that medical decisions are best left between patients and their doctors, and is glad that everyone in New Mexico who wants a vaccine has access to it.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico called the bill dangerous.

Congresswoman Herrell is playing partisan games and actively undermining life-saving efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, DPNM Chair Jessica Velasquez said in a statement. As COVID cases continue to spike, this deference to conspiracy theorists and extremists is not only unacceptable, but also dangerous for all Americans.
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When it comes to vehicle emissions, is it time for New Mexico to go California-style?

New Mexico regulators want to adopt Californias rules requiring more fuel-efficient vehicles and zero-emission vehicles. New standards wouldnt apply immediately; they probably couldnt go into effect before 2026 car models show up.

Californias standards are the strictest in the nation, but theyre starting to spread. More than a dozen other states already have adopted or are adopting the Golden States emissions playbook.

That may be because rules that may have seemed radical or groundbreaking (or just too San Francisco) several years ago now seem mainstream.

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The climate impact of greenhouse gases like those produced by the internal combustion engine are becoming more obvious and accepted. And the manufacturers themselves are promoting electric cars and trucks as the future of their business, bragging in ads about even big trucks and industry icons like the Ford Mustang going emissions-free.

Another sign of the times is that in a Journal story this week about the New Mexico Environment Departments plan to petition for approval of the California rules, there was no outrage from the head of the state group that represents nearly 100 vehicle dealerships.

Instead, Ken Ortiz, president of the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association, emphasized the need for an improved infrastructure with more vehicle charging stations around the state. He said the installation of more stations outside the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas should go hand in hand with the state clean-car initiative.

To be clear: The new standards wouldnt impose any new emissions testing.

And they would apply only to new cars. Manufacturers new fleet deliveries to New Mexico dealers would have to meet a combined emissions standard, one thats stricter than the existing federal standards, over a one-year period. Some vehicles in the fleet could surpass the standard, and some might release more pollutants than the target. From 7% to 10% of vehicles offered would have to be zero-emission.

The NMED says trucks and SUVs would still be available and the new standards actually would result in expanded vehicle choices, with more fuel-efficient options, that other clean-car states have.

Of course, New Mexicans who want a new car that doesnt meet the standards could always go to another state to make the buy. But President Bidens announcement Thursday that half of all vehicles sold by 2030 be zero emissions, though not binding, could help make car-shopping tourism the exception, not the rule.

The NMED and Albuquerque officials emphasize how the new standards can reduce health risks from, for example, ozone pollution, which reached unhealthy levels on 23 days from 2017 to 2019 in Bernalillo County.

In fact, the county was under an ozone warning Thursday, one of many in recent weeks.

NMED data shows the transportation category emitted about 16 million metric tons in 2018, 14% of state greenhouse gas emissions, the second-largest source after the oil and gas industry.

NMED plans to file a rule-making petition in December with the state Environmental Improvement Board and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board.

The state board, which recently rejected a clean-car plan submitted by environmental groups, should take up the petition with sympathetic eyes. And the local board should welcome getting the rest of the state in line with lower vehicle emissions, given Bernalillo County is the only one that requires inspections.

With a four- or five-year grace period before the stricter emissions standards become effective, its hard to argue NMEDs proposal is draconian. In fact, the proposed standards and how they would be instituted in New Mexico appear entirely reasonable.

editorial

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Pokelulu, a new poke restaurant in the Northeast Heights, is looking to bring aloha to the 505.

The restaurant, at 5901 Wyoming NE, opened July 30, and co-owner Jenifer Duarte said it is meant to bring a more traditional version of the popular Hawaiian dish to New Mexico.

Poke is a dish made with diced raw fish, typically served over rice with toppings and a sauce.

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Pokelulu also offers a kale salad instead of rice, and has cooked proteins in addition to raw fish options.

To keep with tradition, Duarte said the restaurant uses such Hawaiian ingredients as purple rice, a type of high-protein grain made with black and white rice, Maui onion, bubu balls and traditional sauce recipes.

Ingredients are also prepped throughout the day in order to maintain freshness.

Certain items were making in small batches throughout the day; that way, we can make sure its fresh, she said.  We want to make sure that our qualitys there.

Duarte is no novice when it comes to seafood-based culinary restaurants.

She and Michael Broder, one of the other co-owners of Pokelulu, also started the San Diego-based franchise Sushi Freak, which has two Albuquerque locations.

Duarte said that plans for Pokelulu began a year ago and, like Sushi Freak, she hopes to eventually franchise the concept.

Pokelulu employs 12 people and the roughly 1,000-square-foot restaurant has limited indoor seating.

Duarte said the choice to limit indoor seating was inspired partially by COVID-19, adding that the food lends itself to takeout.

Were serving everything cold, except for the rice, so its a good takeout food that travels well, she said.

Items range from $8.95 to $10.95 and toppings are unlimited.

Orders can be placed in person, over the phone or online, and the restaurant will eventually add delivery.

Pokelulu is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit mypokelulu.com or find Pokelulu on Facebook.
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LAST WEEK: Do you think all children and adults should be required to wear masks inside New Mexico school buildings?

Yes, New Mexicos children need to return to school. The question is how to achieve the goal of keeping schools open while keeping children, teachers and school personnel healthy. At this time, vaccination and wearing masks inside schools are the only tools available to achieve this goal.

 Ann E. Kepley, Bernalillo

No, I do not believe children and adults need to wear masks inside N.M. school buildings because children rarely contract the virus, and if they do, they recover. The majority of adults have been vaccinated against the virus when their level of access was raised to just behind health officials. Also, the germs that exist on the masks for children are more of a detriment than the virus. We are overlooking herd immunity, which is natures way of protection.

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 Judy Martin-Tafoya, Albuquerque

My answer, of course, why not? Negative participation continues to befuddle me! Lack of respect, others, self, very serious, telling. Might as well get used to it, venue gonna be same for years!

 Michael N. Callahan, Albuquerque

Children absolutely should not wear masks in school. The science is not there, and it is so detrimental to children not to see and respond to facial expressions. Enough is enough! Freedom of choice. Wear if want but not mandatory!

 Phyllis Martinez, Edgewood

Yes, everyone should wear masks in school, at least until we have a firm handle on the delta variant. Many people in close contact, some too young to be vaccinated, creates the perfect environment for the virus to spread. We need to take every precaution!

 Flo Wells, Roswell

Yes they should be required. People do not have a choice to go to school so they have a right to be protected. At other locations where people go by choice it should be up to the establishment if necessary to protect their employees.

 Peter Kalitsis, Albuquerque

All the schools and teacher unions are forcing students to wear masks. This is so stupid, and when will these leaders do what the people want, stop the mask mandates? Masks are not protection against the virus. Those who refuse to get vaccinated are only hurting themselves, and that is their right. So let them suffer their fate.

 Jack Hamilton, Albuquerque

This weeks question: Should Albuquerque taxpayers approve a $50 million bond issue to fund a new multi-use stadium Downtown to be home to N.M. United?

Want to participate in Top of Mind? Send your thoughts in 50 words or less with your name and city to question@abqjournal.com by Wednesday at 5 p.m. Look for reader responses in this space next week.
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Merger is a step closer to fighting climate change

By STEVE MICHEL, Deputy Director, Clean Energy Program, Western Resource Advocates, Santa Fe

Its simple, climate change.

 Unless we act quickly and decisively to stop burning fossil fuels, the world as we know it will no longer exist. Our weather is not just extreme; its freakish. 116 degrees in Portland, frozen landscapes in Texas, historic mega-droughts, deadly storms, floods and wildfires ravaging our world. It will get worse, much worse.

The hearing examiner in the PNM/Avangrid merger case recently ruled there is no longer anything to debate: If we dont act fast to address climate change, the adverse consequences for public health, welfare and safety; the economy and the environment; and for all living things, is likely to be severe, widespread and irreversible.

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Which brings me to WRAs support for the merger. Avangrid is the worlds largest developer of renewable energy. Its committed to combating climate change. The terms we negotiated with Avangrid show that commitment. 

If the merger is approved, Avangrid will work to fully decarbonize PNMs electricity supply by 2035  10 years sooner than required by state law. PNM will have a full-time environmental officer with a strong climate background and direct access to PNMs president and board. PNM executive compensation will include incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and PNM will seek to join a regional transmission group so clean energy can be produced and distributed efficiently and reliably.

 Avangrid has also pledged $50 million in rate reductions, $6 million to forgive customer debt incurred during COVID, $7.5 million for economic development, $15 million in energy efficiency programs for low-income customers, $12.5 million to Indigenous communities impacted by coal-plant closures, and $2 million to bring electricity to households that lack service. Unlike typical merger proposals where cost savings are achieved through workforce reduction, Avangrid will not only preserve all PNM jobs for at least three years but bring 150 new jobs to New Mexico.

Opponents believe if the merger is denied, public power  i.e. owned by local government  and customer-sourced renewables will step up to rescue us from climate disaster. That is naive at best and ignores history and the scope and urgency of our climate challenge. The failed pursuit of public power by Albuquerque and Las Cruces in the 1990s only resulted in years of litigation and millions wasted on legal fees.  And public power does not necessarily mean clean power. 

Nor can rooftop and community solar provide nearly the scale of transformation we need in the little time we have. Avangrid stands ready and willing to deploy its multibillion-dollar, multinational resources to help us fight the most important and difficult challenge of our time. 

Simply put, rejecting the merger will not result in the utopian fantasy merger critics seek. It will mean continuing with a weakened PNM, higher electric rates, more pollution, no benefits for communities or our economy, and no strong ally to combat climate change. Hopefully, we can avoid all that and embark on the important climate work ahead with PNM/Avangrid as a partner.

Company bringing jobs, investing tens of millions

By JOSEPH SANCHEZ, former manager, Jemez Mountains Electric

It is widely reported New Mexico ranks among the highest in unemployment compared to other states. In fact, our state is tied for dead last in job growth. Additionally, according to a U.S. News report, New Mexico ranks 44th out of 50 on the list of strongest economies in the country.

New Mexicans need good jobs, and we need a strong economy. Which makes me wonder why every New Mexican is not welcoming Avangrids merger with PNM.

Avangrid is a leading sustainable energy company that will be merging with PNM and bringing with it jobs, competition and dollars that New Mexico desperately needs. While there may have been some recent voices opposed to the decision, let me tell you why I support this move and why it can be good for New Mexico and our economy.

As Ive researched this issue, Ive come across information that Ive found helpful.

First, Avangrid has promised to bring 150 full-time jobs over the course of three years to the state. These are good-paying jobs that many in our community could use and desperately need. Lets break that down: those new jobs will generate more than $200 million in wages and economic development for our state. And Avangrid has also promised an additional $27.5 million in economic development funding  $12.5 million for Indigenous groups in the Four Corners area who have long been impacted by coal generation in that region, and an additional $15 million in more traditional economic development funding.

In addition, Avangrid is bringing even more to the table for our communities.

Avangrids commitments are unheard of in any other utility merger thats occurred before in our state. For comparison, five years ago when Emera took over TECO, which owned N.M. Gas Co., they offered just $20 million in economic development, and the J.P. Morgan funds that acquired El Paso Electric also only offered $20 million over 20 years in economic development.

New Mexicans should also get to keep more money in their pockets because of $88 million in benefits from Avangrid. This $88 million includes $65 million in direct rate credits, forgiveness of $6 million in past due bills, $2 million to provide electricity to new customers in rural areas of the state, and $15 million for low-income energy efficient programs and investments.

Finally, there are clear rules and protections that prevent any self-preference among affiliates and ensure competition. This means customers will get resources and services at the best price and the operations will benefit consumers.

It appears the future of energy in New Mexico is very promising with this merger. Once it is finalized, we can look forward to more competitive renewable and clean energy options, more jobs, and a stronger economy. 

Joseph Sanchez is a former Democratic member of the N.M. House where he served as vice chairman of the Appropriations and Finance Committee.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The Japanese artist Isohi Setsuko used to hate her given name because it sounded old-fashioned.

When she discovered it contained the Chinese character for bamboo node, she changed her mind.

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I believe it was my destiny to become a bamboo artist, Setsuko stated.

Santa Fes TAI Modern will showcase that magic with fiber and fingers in a solo exhibition of Setsukos work through Aug. 28. The artists work appeared in a TAI show of women basket-makers in 2010; the current show marks her first solo exhibition here.

Gallery owner Margo Thoma discovered Setsukos work through the Japanese Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition. At the time Setusko started, it was unusual for a woman to pursue the art.

She was only the third female basket artist to become a full member of the artistic group shes a part of, Thoma said. Shes on the leading edge of this.

Known for her precise style, as well as her vibrant reds, Setsuko may produce just three exhibition-quality baskets annually, Thoma said.

The artist buys her bamboo from a wholesaler, but the rest of the process is hers alone. It all began 25 years ago when she decided to take a class on bamboo weaving offered near her home in Otawara City. What began as a hobby grew into a passion. Setsuko advanced rapidly, studying her craft with fellow bamboo artists who were considered national treasures.

Basket weaving has aways been around for utilitarian purposes, Thoma said. As an art form, it developed with the tea ceremony and flower arranging. At the time, there was this intense admiration of Chinese culture.

The Japanese imported these baskets and began weaving their own.

It wasnt until the 19th century that the basket makers made this transition from artisan to artists, Thoma added.

While the Chinese versions were ornate, their Japanese counterparts boasted clean lines with precision weaving.

The Japanese aesthetic is that it showed off the natural beauty of the bamboo, Thoma said, instead of subsuming the material to the form.

Setsuko is known as a precisionist who favors vibrant reds.

The style reflects her personality, Thoma said.

Shes never been late finishing a basket for an exhibit, Thoma said. She said she never turned in a school assignment late. She always imagines the piece in her mind before she starts.

Setsuko learned much from her male predecessors. Her current work reveals the arrow pattern techniques she learned from Living National Treasure Hayakawa-sensei and the radial splitting of bamboo technique she learned from bamboo master Katsushiro-sensei.

Other works show the subtle sophistication of her quadruple layered hexagonal plaiting. She layers each of the four layers tinted darker than the other, creating a sense of depth.

Athough the weaving is pristine, it is never mechanical.

Her work is very warm and it breathes, Thoma added.

Setsuko starts by scraping the waxy layer of the bamboos skin. Then she repeatedly splits and cuts it to form either constructed or woven baskets. Many of her works combine both techniques.

The rim is bent into a V shape, Thoma said. A tray base may contain four layers of hexagonal, plaited bamboo.

The color is probably the first thing that caught my eye, Thoma said of Setsukos crimson dyes.

In 2010, Setuko won Best of Show at the Japanese Traditional Craft Arts Exhibition, one of just three bamboo artists to win the prestigious title across its 62-year history.
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Now is the time to celebrate Americas public lands and the stories they tell about our nation.

This summer marks the 115th anniversary of the Antiquities Act, which grants U.S. presidents the unique ability to designate culturally, spiritually, historically, scientifically and ecologically important federally managed lands as national monuments.

This includes the Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks monuments in New Mexico, and the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Bears Ears is one of the most significant cultural landscapes in the country. It includes more than 100,000 sacred cultural sites and areas of spiritual significance. The monument designation was the result of grassroots work by Utah Dine Bikeyah and consultation with the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition to determine the future of the landscape.

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The Trump Administrations call in 2017 to reduce the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (also located in Utah) was deeply disrespectful and harmful to the tribal nations that call the region home.

President Biden should act quickly to restore and expand protections for both monuments. This is an immediate step that the federal government can take to begin repairing relationships with tribal nations, including the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute, Kaibab Paiute, Paiute Tribe of Utah, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, Jemez Pueblo, Acoma Nations and others with ties to these lands.

Restoring these boundaries also provides an opportunity to recognize the significance of Americas national monuments and the community-led processes that result in these designations.

When we think of national monuments, we may think of natural landscapes, perhaps with stunning cliffs, rivers and deserts. But the monuments are complex  they honor cultural, spiritual, historical and ecological values, and can be centered around justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. This is certainly the case in New Mexico.

Take, for example, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Grande del Norte. Both protect important cultural resources and landscapes. Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks is used by Puebloan tribes from Ysleta del Sur and the Piro-Manso-Tiwa for gathering traditional plants, and Rio Grande del Norte protects traditional lands of the nearby Taos and Picuris pueblos, as well as the Jicarilla Apache and Ute Tribes.

Looking ahead, it is imperative to tell the full range of our countrys stories in existing and newly protected landscapes. This is one step in the path toward repairing harm, and building a more just and equitable society.

In El Paso, Latino communities have organized for years to designate the Castner Range National Monument. Led by U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, the first Latina congresswoman to represent Texas, Latinos are calling to protect 7,000 acres of public lands. Designating the national monument would provide more inclusive places for borderland communities to enjoy the outdoors and recognize Latino advocacy for these protections.

With Secretary Deb Halaand  a member of Laguna Pueblo and Americas first Native cabinet secretary  leading the Department of Interior, we are eager to see restorative strategies that return leadership in land management back to Indigenous peoples.

We call on President Biden to restore the boundaries of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. We also look forward to the Biden administration acknowledging more of the stories that our communities have to tell us and leading inclusive efforts to protect public lands into the future.

Teresa Ana Martinez, Jessica Loya and Eboni Preston are founding board members of the Next 100 Coalition, which is committed to co-creating a system of public lands that engage, reflect and honor our nations entire people. They live in Santa Fe, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The acequia dispute in Cleveland turned violent, some say, after several people reported a fight breaking out July 31 over attempts to remove the acequia diversion channel block to Richard Fresquezs property.

New Mexico State Police were called to the scene just before noon after receiving a call that Fresquez and a group of people were allegedly trespassing on Rey Villas property  where the block is located. Officers attempted to locate the alleged trespassers, but were unsuccessful.

Villa declined Journal requests for comment on Wednesday.

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According to Fresquez and other witnesses at the scene, the group attempted to use a backhoe to dig out the filled-in ditch, but when they started, Villa and other property owners chased them off. Fresquez said he was injured in a fall while he was running away.

At around 4:30 p.m., State Police said it received another call where Fresquez reported he was chased off his property by two men. State Police said they were unable to get onto the property due to muddy roads and weather, so officers planned to speak with Fresquez as he was being transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital for suspected rib and head injuries. He is currently out of the hospital and recovering.

State Police did not report that anyone was injured or arrested as a result of these incidents, but Fresquez and Kathleen Dudley  who was at the attempted acequia block removal  claim that she was pushed and Fresquezs injuries were a result of these incidents.

Carla Gomez, mayordomo for the Acequia de los Vallecitos de San Ysidro, denied that the July 31 events turned violent. She said she wasnt there, but that the removal attempt was totally against the law.

Gomez said she was speaking as an individual, not as mayordomo, and that the whole situation could be put to rest if Fresquez paid his fees and abided by the irrigation schedule set out by the acequia association. She said she reached out to Fresquez earlier this year to try and end the dispute, but got no response.

The water diversion channel to Fresquezs property was filled in by the acequia association earlier this year over a fee dispute.

She said the acequia association had no choice but to pursue criminal actions against Fresquez.

On July 21, Fresquez was charged with four counts of illegal water use from the acequia. The criminal complaint against Fresquez accuses him of continuing to use water from the acequia and interfering with the acequias ditch. The misdemeanor charges were filed in Mora County Magistrate Court.

Fresquez said he doesnt have a lawyer at this time, and that the charges dont make any sense. He claimed the state doesnt have any jurisdiction over the acequia.

Tom Clayton, 4th Judicial District Attorney, was unable to answer questions concerning the acequia dispute by press time.

Moises Gonzales, associate professor at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico, said acequia governing units have existed since before New Mexico was a state, and the earliest laws in New Mexico pertained to water.

He said acequia disputes are extremely common, and that he isnt surprised a dispute had turned criminal, referring to Fresquezs accused illegal water use. He also said acequia associations are considered their own governing units and are written into state law.

There are also international protections for acequias because the governing bodies are written into the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. That treaty, which ended the Mexican-American War in 1848, recognized property rights of New Mexicans and pueblos brought under United States sovereignty  which included acequias, according to the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office.

There are dozens of court cases and case law in New Mexico concerning acequias because of water disputes, Gonzales said, especially in times of drought. Acequias are more common in northern New Mexico, but are present statewide.

New Mexico is becoming more water-stressed due to ongoing drought and climate change, he said, and he anticipates an increase in acequia and water rights disputes.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Students seeking to enter the naprapathy field just got a leg up as the Southwest University of Naprapathic Medicine in Santa Fe received national accreditation under the Distance Education Accrediting Commission in June.

The accreditation was a multi-year process, Dr. Patrick Nuzzo, co-founder and president of the university, said. It officially took effect June 18 and lasts for three years.

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Naprapathy is similar to chiropractic, but focuses on the connective tissue that pulls bony structure out of alignment, Nuzzo said. The profession was founded in the early 1900s by Oakley Smith, who originally trained as a chiropractor, but then branched off to form his own field.

Naprapathy got its start in the Midwest and spread slowly to other parts of the country. Nuzzo graduated from the National College of Naprapathic Medicine in Illinois, which at the time was the only naprapathic university in the United States, before coming to Santa Fe to start his own practice and co-found the Southwest University of Naprapathic Medicine in 2010.

Accreditation for the school is really kind of like the crown jewel of what you would be looking for as an educational institution, Nuzzo said. With accreditation, that really opens the door for naprapathic medicine to start expanding this profession.

Nuzzo said he chose to pursue the distance education accreditation because about 75% of the program, such as the basic sciences, is taught online. Students will come into the clinic on Saturdays to take clinical evaluation or technique classes, depending where they are in the program, which lasts about three years.

Student Lydia Trusso, who is slated to graduate in five months, said accreditation opens the door to help expand the naprapathy field. She said she already sees the merit in the school, but accreditation proves that what shes learning is valid and a great practice.

Trusso is a nurse and discovered naprapathy after she injured her back, and it helped with her injury. She said she had the realization that she wished she could do something more to help people, and decided to go back to school to become a naprapathy physician.

Naprapathy can be like a missing link for a lot of injuries that dont need surgery or dont need orthopedic involvement, theyre just things that are really causing pain on a daily basis, she said.

Trusso works as nurse in primary care and she sees people coming into the office in pain, and the doctor has only a few options, such as physical therapy, or referring them to an orthopedic doctor. She said its really cool to see naprapathy as an additional option, and one doctors are beginning to use.

New Mexico has also been at the forefront of recognizing naprapathy. In 2003, former state Sen. Ben Altamirano, D-Silver City, sponsored the Naprapathic Practice Act, which was signed into law. The act defined the scope of practice for naprapaths, established the Naprapathic Practice Board and education requirements for naprapaths seeking to practice in New Mexico.

Since then, New Mexico lawmakers have helped further the profession by passing licensure laws and other protections for the field.

State Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, said Nuzzo would often set up a table during the legislative sessions and provide naprapathic treatments to lawmakers and staff. He said he noticed the benefits of the treatments and looks forward to receiving the service from Nuzzo during the session.

He sponsored a bill to expand Medicaid money to include naprapathic treatments in 2013, but it failed. Ortiz y Pino said getting naprapathic services recognized is important to have as part of the whole quiver of arrows that can be used when someone is in pain.

We shouldnt be hesitant, I think, to look beyond the traditional boundaries of Western medicine in finding ways to help people who are in pain or who are suffering from illnesses of various sorts, Ortiz y Pino said. We shouldnt artificially limit ourselves.
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LAS VEGAS, N.M.  A former northern New Mexico mayor has been ordered to apologize to Las Vegas city officials and contractors as part of her sentence in a corruption case.

District Judge Abigail Aragon on Friday ordered ex-Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron to publicly apologize and write letters of apology to city employees and contractors impacted by her interfering in city contracts to benefit her boyfriend.

Aragon also sentenced Gurule-Giron to 18 months of probation and ordered her to complete 40 hours of community service and pay $1,000 in restitution.

A jury in May convicted Gurole-Giron of two felony charges  violation of ethical principles of service and soliciting or receiving illegal kickbacks.

However, Aragon ruled that the two charges were too similar and constituted double jeopardy, so she sentenced Gurule-Giron on only one of them.

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Attorney General Hector Balderas told the Las Vegas Optic that he was disappointed that Gurule-Giron received probation instead of the three-year prison sentence sought by prosecutors.

Gurole-Girons defense requested six months of probation and no restitution, citing her lack of criminal history and the nonviolent offense.

Gurule-Giron served as Las Vegas mayor from 2016 until her resignation in January 2020, after charges were filed in December 2019 following lengthy investigation by the Attorney Generals Office.
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Researchers trace the history of storytelling in the Southwest back to Indigenous campfires and walls.

Much later, dime store paperbacks and film offered a canvas for a romanticized idealization of the West.

Open at the New Mexico Museum of Art, Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West explores the angles artists have used to tell stories of the West through their work.

From illustrations of historic events such as Diego Romeros images of the Pueblo Revolt and paintings of local religious ceremonies like William Penhallow Hendersons Holy Week in New Mexico,to the ruminations on spiritual traditions in Patrocino Barelas The Last Supper,the stories of the West reflect a kaleidoscope of viewpoints.

Many of these works, the majority from the museums own collection, bear extended labels.

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I like the idea of people seeing the work and spinning their own stories, curator Christian Waguespack said.

Take James Earle Frasers 1918 bronze The End of the Trail. The piece has come to symbolize the genocide of Native American tribes amid relentless westward expansion.

Were being challenged to consider the way Indigenous people were treated, Waguespack said.

In contrast, Fritz Scholders (Luiseno) lithograph Indian Cliche? parodies and challenges that iconic image, the title a play on both the words cliche and kitsch.

Other works have both savaged and celebrated the annual Santa Fe Fiestas, commemorating the reconquest of the city by Don Diego de Vargas in 1692 over the pueblos.

Ceramic artist Romeros piece Siege of Santa Fe expresses the Indigenous point of view, asking What are we really celebrating? Waguespack said.

In Joseph Henry Sharps 1914 painting The Stoic, the artist illustrates a story he heard about a Montana Indigenous man on the Blackfoot Reservation. The man sent his son to a Native boarding school, where he died.

He killed his three favorite ponies as a physical expression of grief and walked until he collapsed in exhaustion, Waguespack said.

The painting of more than 100 years ago resonates with current issues surrounding deaths in Indian boarding schools in both the U.S. and Canada.

But all is not doom and gloom.

Luis Tapias Zozobra sculpture captures the whimsy and joy of the fiesta celebration.

Many of the works tell the story of 20th century migration. Gerald Cassidys Cui Bono? c. 1911, asks who has benefitted from the European influx. The artist placed a Taos Pueblo man at center stage of the dialogue around statehood and modernization. Luis Jimenezs Border Crossing, 1986, shows the wrenching struggle of the journey across the Rio Grande from Mexico. The piece reflects the true story of his parents migration.

Others maintain a fantasy of the American West and the people who inhabit it. Many of those narratives were invented through poeticized artworks by early painters like E. Irving Couse, Jr. The cowboys and Indians concept of the West was further reinforced by 20th century popular culture, from dime store novels to TV programs like The Lone Ranger.

Patrocino Barelas carved a wood sculpture of The Last Supper (c. 1948) in the tradition of New Mexican santeros. Barelas low relief tells the Christian story of the Last Supper in ponderosa pine. During the meal, Jesus says one of his disciples will betray him. Barela captures the look of awe on their faces during this pivotal moment.

Henderson painted Green Corn Dance, San Ildefonso, c. 1920, from an outsiders perspective. The viewer can only see the scene through a gap in a crowd of Indigenous onlookers.

Maybe theyll take a moment to think about the stories we take for granted, Waguespack said of the exhibitions patrons. What the crux of them? Maybe were a little more careful about how stories support our culture and our perception of reality.

If you go

WHAT: Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West

WHERE: New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace Ave., Santa Fe

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Feb. 13, 2022

HOW MUCH: $12; state residents $7, at nmartmuseum.org, 505-476-5072
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

A project to pipe water from Albuquerque to the Navajo community of Tohajiilee is on hold again, as partners work out details of a state funding package.

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority trucked emergency water Tuesday to the community about 30 miles west of the city.

A deteriorating pipe segment for the villages one functioning water well had caused a temporary water service disruption, said George Mihalik, a senior project engineer with Souder, Miller & Associates, the company working on the conveyance project.

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The water is so corrosive that it eats up all the metal, Mihalik said.

ABCWUA has delivered tankers to Tohajiilee at least a dozen times in the past 18 months because of system failures.

They have six wells that weve studied, and only one is kind of usable, Mihalik said. Wells just keep failing, and drilling more wells is just not a long-term solution. I think everyones aware that the waters very poor-quality as well.

Construction on a 7.5-mile transmission line from water authority tanks to Tohajiilee will cost $8 million.

The utilitys application to the state Water Trust Board sought $4.96 million for project construction.

The state board awarded about $7.7 million total, including a $4.6 million grant and $3 million loan.

But the loan component is problematic, water authority spokesman David Morris said.

It wouldnt be the water authority repaying the loan, it would be Tohajiilee, Morris said. The community would not be well-positioned to repay that because theyll have to spread that out over the households in the community.

Jamie Henio, the Navajo Nation Council delegate who represents the 2,000 residents, said they desperately need a long-term reliable water supply.

Without this important water pipeline project, Tohajiilees existing water wells will continue to fail after years of band-aid fixes, Henio said in a statement.

The Navajo Nation government has spent about $4 million on the project.

Morris said the money was directed to easements and some initial engineering and planning work.

And of course their agreement with WALH required a significant investment, he said.

In November, Western Albuquerque Land Holdings, the Navajo Nation and water authority reached an agreement for a property easement to build the pipeline.

Parties did not disclose terms of the deal, which followed two years of negotiations.

The water authority joined the Navajo Department of Water Resources and the Tohajiilee Chapter in sending a letter to the New Mexico Finance Authority in late May asking for a reconfiguration of the funding award.

Agencies requested that the NMFA consider principal forgiveness of the loan component based on the Navajo Nations matching funds of $4 million.

The water authority estimates that pipeline construction, which Morris said is shovel ready, will take four to six months once funding issues are resolved.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
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Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

Editors note: Stricken with COVID-19 more than a year ago, long before a vaccine was available, Albuquerque cardiologist Dr. Charles Kim spent weeks on a ventilator in the ICU. As health professionals urge vaccine holdouts to get the shot, Kim and two critical care doctors who treated him agreed to talk about the experience  and why people should get vaccinated.

Dr. Charles Kim knew he was in trouble.

What had begun as mild shortness of breath was getting worse and he was headed back to Lovelace Medical Center, where he had been seen in the emergency room earlier in the day. This time, he would be admitted.

I remember the day I had to go the hospital, Kim recalls. My wife took me, and my (teenage) son stayed home. I distinctly remember telling him this might be the last time we would talk.

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Kim had begun to experience symptoms the day before, July 3, 2020, when most people were off for the holiday, and had gone to get swabbed for a COVID-19 test.

The next day (July 4) I woke up and said Im really short of breath. I said, Something is not right, so I came back to the hospital. I had already had the swab with results pending.

They found my oxygen was a little bit on the low side, but I didnt feel terrible. The ER doc said he could admit me or send me home and see how you do. I said Id rather go home. Oxygen was delivered, and I was put on 2 liters, a low standard amount, around noon. Six hours later, I was incredibly short of breath and I was dialing up the oxygen, needing more and more just to maintain saturation above 90.

At that point, I knew I was in trouble and thought, This is bad.' He went back to the hospital and was admitted.

Two days later, I just couldnt breathe at all. I remember that sensation and going into the ICU. The person on duty was Sophia Rogers, a nurse practitioner I had known since 1998. I distinctly remember telling Sophia. I cannot breathe. You have to put me on the ventilator.'

Before that happened, he called his wife and texted some close friends to tell them, Im pretty sick and that I was going on the vent.

  

More than 4,400 New Mexicans have died of COVID.

Kim, 56 and an interventional cardiologist with the New Mexico Heart Institute/Lovelace Medical Group, knows he is one of the fortunate ones who beat the mortality odds for COVID-19 patients who go on a ventilator. He spent about five weeks on one and nearly died on more than one occasion as doctors and nurses in the Lovelace Medical Center ICU worked round the clock to keep him alive.

He was one of four health care workers at the Heart Institute who tested positive for COVID in late June and early July of 2020, according to news reports at the time. The Department of Health said the institute had followed all procedures.

For a patient about to be intubated, Kims conversation with family and friends is one the physicians who cared for Kim have witnessed too many times  and one that is especially gut-wrenching now because it occurs almost exclusively among patients who have chosen not to get the vaccine that wasnt available to Kim in the first part of 2020.

Ive stood at the bedside and watched more people than I can count  young people and old  talk to their families when I knew there was a good chance this might be the last time they talked, said Dr. Jeffrey Mazer, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist. I can go around to each bed in the ICU and remember a conversation at every single one where somebody talked to their 13-year-old son or 7-year-old daughter or 25-year-old wife to say goodbye.

And the patients usually know whats happening to them.

The progressive shortness of breath with COVID is different than other pneumonias that are systemic. Most COVID patients have been lucid right up to the point weve put them on the breathing machine, Mazer said.

Then they either lose five or six weeks of their lives like Charles did  or more  or they dont wake up at all.

  

Kim was in critical condition during most of his six weeks in Lovelace Medical Center as caregivers in the ICU treated him with Remdesivir, the FDA-approved anti-viral drug, steroids and antibiotics along with various kinds of sedation and ventilator maneuvers.

Kim is well aware now of his brush with death.

Dr. Mazer and his associates took phenomenal care of me, he said. Only later did I learn that I almost died twice  maybe more but at least two distinct episodes. Each time they were able to pull me through.

Charles was a bit of a petri dish, Mazer said. He had a super infection in his lungs and developed what is known as a C. diff infection after being on antibiotics for his pneumonia. We treat the acute events that come up and work to manage the COVID itself.

Mazer said people hit hard by COVID-19 often develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. They progress to profound hypoxia. No matter how much oxygen we deliver, we cant get enough into them.

  

Kim says he doesnt remember much after going on the ventilator. The doctors and nurses in the ICU, however, recall their efforts to keep him alive  and their fears he wouldnt survive.

I think there were times when we did think Charles was going to die  that he wasnt going to make it, Mazer said.

From the moment he was intubated, it was a crisis for all of us, Mazer said. Taking care of someone you know is hard and its even harder if its someone the system knows  by that I mean all of the nurses and all of the doctors, the community that we live in.

After Charles went on the vent, Sophia (the nurse practitioner) called me in tears  Ive known Charles for 20 years and he almost died on me tonight,' she told Mazer. I dont know what I would have done.

That level of crisis, Mazer said, is something we all felt, recalling daily phone calls to Kims wife and what she was going through during a time when families werent allowed inside hospitals because of COVID.

It was a terrible time for patients and families, Mazer said. Keeping families away from their loved ones was and is a terrible experience for patients and families.

  

Dr. Theresa Heynekamp, also a pulmonologist and critical care specialist, describes treating Kim and other COVID patients in the ICU and on ventilators this way: We feel we are watching people suffer for weeks on end, and Charles was having a lot of difficulty with fevers. One of the most profound things is that we are wearing our full gear and people are on varying levels of sedation so they are very confused.

The amount of fear I see in peoples eyes  and in his eyes  I remember telling him that, Ive never met you but were going to get you through this.

But inside I felt like I was lying. I was trying to encourage him but I wasnt sure he was going to make it.

  

Kim, thoughtful and soft-spoken, recalls the day in mid-August 2020 when I remember opening my eyes and realizing Im not on a vent. I was told that it took about three days for me to wake up.

Dr. Mazer chimes in, telling Kim that you and I had several days of conversations you dont recall anything about.

As Kim processed what had happened last year, he began to wonder whether he had any neuro deficits.

So at some point, he said, I sat down with a piece of paper and derived the quadratic equation. I could still do that. So I thought, OK, my high school memories seem to be intact because I can still do algebra. 

  

Shortly after he came off the ventilator, Kim was discharged from Lovelace Medical Center to Kindred Hospital, which provides acute long-term care. He spent the next three weeks there.

I was on oxygen and too weak to care for myself, he said. I couldnt sit up in bed or feed myself. I could do that by the end of three weeks but could barely stand.

He was discharged from Kindred on Sept. 1 and admitted to Lovelace UNM Rehabilitation Hospital, where I spent the next three weeks learning to walk. I had been bed bound for two months and lost 40 pounds. My muscles atrophied. I started by walking 10 feet, then 20, then 40. The day before I was able to go home, my physical therapist and I walked around the block  with a walker and an oxygen tank.

He left the rehab facility on Oct. 1, 2020  nearly three months after his wife drove him to the Lovelace Medical Center with shortness of breath. Staff, friends and colleagues with signs and balloons gathered to cheer him on as he slowly walked out using a cane. Cries of I love you Charles rang out and can be heard on video taken that day.

  

More than a year after he was stricken with COVID-19 and nearly 11 months after leaving the rehab facility, Kim has yet to regain all his strength.

In January, I was getting restless but wasnt sure I would be strong enough to go back to work. So I went over to New Heart and did a month of rehab with them  walking on treadmills and riding bicycle  just to see if my physical stamina would improve. I came back to work in the office part time in early February and am still doing physical therapy, hoping I can get better and stronger to return to full-time work.

The last time Kim had been at work was the first week of July 2020, before he felt any symptoms. He and his staff at the institute were doing temperature checks and wearing masks.

The institute is still requiring masks and taking temperatures. Kim said he isnt doing procedures but is caring for patients in the office. He described himself as a .6 employee.

How is he feeling?

My energy is still not 100%. I still get fatigued but can carry out most daily activities.

My oxygen level during the day is fine (he was able to discontinue supplemental daytime oxygen in December), but I still use oxygen at night.

  

To Kim, Mazer and Heynekamp, there is little reason to debate getting a vaccine that in almost all cases has shown it can prevent a COVID-19 illness like the one that was nearly fatal for Kim.

New Mexico has been very good with people getting vaccinated but we still have a long way to go, Kim said.

The science behind the vaccine is very good, and we know the consequences of not being vaccinated. Ninety-eight percent of our inpatients did not get vaccinated. We know that people with vaccines can still catch COVID, but usually much milder, and they are not the people who end up in the hospital.

I would recommend everyone eligible should get it. Im not a virology or public health expert, but if we could instantaneously have the whole country vaccinated I think we would see COVID drop dramatically.

Even though he had a severe case of COVID-19, which creates antibodies, Kim was vaccinated in January before returning to work.

The experts said get it, so I did.

He took the Pfizer shots. He said he felt fine after the first and was under the weather for a couple days after the second.

Mazer was one of the first Lovelace employees to be vaccinated when the shots became available.

Its a strange place to find us with excess vaccines sitting in Walgreens and Walmart and no one interested in getting it, he said.

  

Heynekamp, who has a background in microbiology, said the RNA technology in the Pfizer and Moderna vacines isnt new. Its the pandemic, funding and commitment that pushed it to production in record time.

Its been around for years, even if people perceive it as urgent.

The vaccine remains on emergency use authorization and full FDA approval will help, she said. The fact there are health care professionals who have chosen not to get vaccinated is very concerning.

I think all of us have some PTSD from last year, and looking ahead and thinking it (a surge) could happen again is frightening. And if it does happen again, I think there is going to be an epidemic of severe stress in health care providers.

Heynekamp said of watching people suffer with COVID, standing at the bedside and listening to them say goodbye to families, Its a lot of moral injury.

I dont know how to educate people more and tell them about the suffering weve seen  not just in patients, but families and health care workers.

Even last week, I was taking care of a 30-year-old who didnt actually believe in COVID up to the point they were intubated, she said. We feel like sometimes we are beating our heads against the wall.

A lot of people are choosing not to be vaccinated for something that feels completely preventable, she said. We dont need to do this.
WENN/Instagram/FayesVision Celebrity

Turquoise Miami slams a publication which claims to have obtained a death certificate that allegedly reveals 4-year-old Lauren Maxwell died of heart defect complications.

Aug 6, 2021

AceShowbiz - Fetty Wap's ex Turquoise Miami is left furious after a publication leaked the possible cause of her daughter's death. Taking to social media, Turquoise Miami, the mother of the rapper's late daughter Lauren Maxwell, slammed the news outlet for spreading the unconfirmed information based on her alleged death certificate.

"This is what y'all people do for fun. F**k all y'all," Turquoise wrote on her Instagram Story on Thursday, August 5. "Her death certificate says cardiac arrhythmia due to a congenital heart defect BUT THAT IS NOT THE FULL CAUSE OF HER DEATH THAT IS WHY THE AUTOPSY HASN'T COME BACK!"

"HOW DARE Y'ALL GO STEAL MY CHILD'S DEATH CERTIFICATE AND ANNOUNCE THE CAUSE OF DEATH BEFORE ANYBODY WAS READY," the grieving mother added, before stressing, "THERE IS A REASON WHY! HER AUTOPSY ISN'T BACK YET."

Turquoise went on blasting the media for publishing stories out of her pain. "Y'all love breaking news so bad but this is my life and it's me without my daughter not none of y'all!" she continued in a separate post. "I feel the loneliness every night not none of y'all! Y'all so f**kin Thirsty to report a 4 year old. This is my trauma that is why I posted and moved HOW I FELT COMFORTABLE!"

It was TMZ which first reported the possible cause of Fetty Wap's daughter's death. According to the site, Lauren's death certificate reveals that she died from a fatal cardiac arrhythmia due to complications of congenital cardiac anomalies.

It was explained that the girl had the heart problem since birth, and the resulting irregular heartbeat killed her. It was additionally claimed that Lauren died on June 24 at her home in Riverdale, Georgia.

Turquoise first announced Lauren's passing on July 31. "This is my amazing, beautiful, funny, vibrant, loving, talented, smart and hardheaded princess mermaid Aquarius," she captioned a video of her daughter on Instagram. "If you see this post scrolling by with her comment or just say to yourself 'I love you LAUREN' because they say that souls can feel your love. #rip."

Fetty later broke his silence on the loss on Instagram Live. "She's good. My baby's happy now," he said during an emotional livestream on Tuesday, August 3. Calling his daughter "my shorty" and "twin," he showed a picture of his late daughter before kissing it. "That's my little twin right there," he said.
GREENVILLE, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Greenville on Saturday to see for himself the devastation from the Dixie Fire.

The Governor's Office said on Saturday that the Governor met with "local law enforcement, elected officials, and firefighters to discuss the damage and ongoing firefighting efforts."

The Governor said in a Tweet to the people of Greenville, "Though this moment may seem insurmountable, we'll be there to help you rebuild."

Also on Saturday, an announcement by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services was made that will give the Greenville Fire Department a new fire truck following the complete loss of its building and equipment to the Dixie Fire.

The Cal OES Type 1 engine will be "on-loan" from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Dixie Fire is now the third-largest fire in California's history and is the largest fire burning currently in the US. The fire started on July 13. The cause is still being investigated at this time.
Alton, IL (62002)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 67F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 67F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
As harvest begins, the durum market continues to show very good strength with bids across the region ranging from $12 to $13 a bushel. Thats up close to $5 a bushel from just a month ago.

Whats driving the rise in prices is continued stress on the U.S. crop, primarily in Montana and the drier areas of North Dakota and Canada, according to Jim Peterson, marketing director for the North Dakota Wheat Commission.

The recent heat and dryness continues to cause concern with what the potential production will be, he said.

In the most recent USDA production estimate in July, it showed a national average yield in the low 20s per bushel range for durum. Looking at condition ratings, the Montana crop has really slipped with the most recent rating showing 55 percent of the crop was rated in very poor condition with 39 percent poor and only 2 percent good. The five-year average range is 18 percent poor-to-very poor and close to 45 percent in good-to-excellent condition, so it is certainly well below its more recent levels.

North Dakotas crop is faring a bit better with 37 percent rated in good-to-excellent condition and 45 percent rated poor-to-very poor. But until the combines start rolling no one knows for sure.

Peterson noted that harvest has started, probably a little too soon in North Dakota, but producers are trying to get a good read on what's happening. In Montana, 5 percent has been harvested, more so in the Golden Triangle region of north central Montana.

In the $12-$13 range, theres probably not a lot of trading, if any, going on at those levels, he said. More or less, speculative bids are trying to figure out where producers might sell. Thats going to be the question through harvest  are producers going to try to market some right off the combine?
https://www.aish.com/ci/s/The-Last-Two-Nazis-on-Trial.html

Two upcoming trials in Germany are likely the last trials of Nazi camp workers.

Two upcoming criminal trials in Germany will likely be the last chance to convict Nazi war criminals. In September, a 96-year-old woman is scheduled to be tried in the German town of Itzehoe. Shes accused of working as a secretary to the SS commander in the Stutthof concentration camp and facilitating the deaths of over 1,000 prisoners.

The following month, a 100-year-old man from Brandenberg will stand trial in the German town of Oranienburg, charged with 3,518 counts of accessory to murder after working as an SS guard in Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Neither defendant has been publicly named, in accordance with German privacy laws.

The trials are the last time that the world will be able to hear first person testimony about what took place in brutal Nazi death camps.

These trials mark the end of an era, the last time that the world will be able to hear first person testimony about what took place in brutal Nazi death camps. Germany has not ruled out holding additional Nazi-era trials, but given the advanced ages of the witnesses and defendants involved, these will be difficult to prosecute.

Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazis designated over 44,000 prisons in various forms, including ghettos, concentration camps and death camps. These trials will also allow a new generation to learn about Stutthof and Sachsenhausen, two relatively unknown concentration camps that illustrate the vast web of camps built by the Nazis and illustrate the scope of their barbaric cruelty.

Stutthof

Even before World War II broke out, the Nazis monitored areas in Poland, with an aim to build a political prison for Polish dissidents. An entire Nazi unit, the Wachsturmbann Eimann, was created to scout out sites for future concentration camps. The first Poles were sent to Stutthof, in the woods outside the Polish city of Gdansk (Danzig in German) on September 2, 1939, the day after Germanys invasion of Poland. By September 15, 6,000 Polish political prisoners were held in the camp: most of them were murdered by SS guards.

Stutthof was nominally a Polish civilian camp initially; in 1941 it became a German labor camp and in 1942 was designated a concentration camp. Originally home to mostly Polish political prisoners, tens of thousands of Jews were moved to Stutthof as the war progressed. Continually expanded, the camp was surrounded by electric fences and eventually encompassed over one hundred sub-camps where Jews and other prisoners worked as slave laborers. They toiled in Nazi-owned enterprises and also in nearby privately-owned factories, farms and brickyards. The brutal conditions of Stutthof and its many satellite prisons were clearly visible to the neighboring community.

One of the most gruesome factories using Stutthof slave laborers was a Danzig factory owned by SS officer Prof. Rudolf Spanner. He experimented with methods of producing soap from human fat, and had hundreds of Jewish prisoners in Stutthof executed so he could produce his soap, which he called RJS - short for Reines Judische Fett (Pure Jewish Fat). When Soviet soldiers liberated Stutthof, they found rooms full of dead Jews whod been murdered for this horrific purpose. (After the war, Rudolf Spanner was never arrested and continued his scientific career.)

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum characterizes the conditions in Stutthof as brutal. Those who were too sick to work were murdered by camp doctors in the infirmary. The Nazis also built a small gas chamber at Stutthof in which they killed injured or ill workers with Zyklon B gas. Typhus epidemics swept the camp, killing thousands. Its thought that well over 60,000 prisoners died in Stutthof and its satellite work camps.

In 2019, an elderly Israeli man named Abraham Koryski traveled to Germany to give evidence at the trial of a former Stutthof guard . We were beaten constantly, the whole time, even while working, he recounted. Worst of all were the whips. He described seeing SS guards put on sadistic shows of torture. In one case, a son was forced to beat his own father to death. You didnt know if the officers were acting on orders, Koryski described of these instances of horrific cruelty, or if they did it on their breaks for amusement.

By January 1945, there were 50,000 prisoners - mostly Jewish - in Stutthof. With Allied forces closing in, Nazi guards (aided by Ukrainian guards who also manned the camp) forced approximately 5,000 prisoners on a death march to the Baltic Sea. Forced into the water at gunpoint, all 5,000 were shot and their bodies left in the water.

Stutthof Prisoner barracks after liberation

The remainder of Stutthofs wretched slave laborers were forced to march towards Germany in the east in the brutal mid-winter Polish weather. Thousands died. The Nazi guards found themselves surrounded by Soviet troops and returned the remaining prisoners to the prison camp. Later on, thousands more surviving prisoners were again marched to the Baltic Sea and shot. By the time Soviet soldiers liberated Stutthof on May 9, 1945, only about 100 survivors remained in the camp.

Sachsenhausen

Built in 1936, Sachsenhausen was the first concentration camp run entirely by the SS and was meant as a model concentration camp; its design features were copied throughout Nazi-occupied Europe. Within months, Sachsenhausen housed 1,600 prisoners, mainly German political prisoners, but also Jews, Jehovahs Witnesses, Roma, homosexuals, and common criminals.

Among the prisoners interred in Sachsenhausen was the famous German pastor Martin Niemoller, who was an outspoken critic of Hitler. Neimoller is well known for haunting warnings: First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me.

As the Russians closed in at the end of the war, prisoners were sent on death marches

During the widespread Kristallnacht pogroms throughout Germany and Austria in November 1938, 30,000 Jews were arrested, and about 6,000 were imprisoned in Sachsenhausen. The number of Jews at Sachsenhausen fluctuated during the war. For a time, many Jewish prisoners were transferred to concentration camps in Poland in an attempt to make Germany Judenrein, free from Jews.

In 1944, the SS began to transfer thousands of Hungarian and Polish Jews to Sachsenhausen to work as slave laborers. By 1945, over 11,000 Jews were inmates at Sachsenhausens. They were housed separately and treated worse than the other inmates.

As many as 200,000 prisoners passed through Sachsenhausen between 1936 and 1945. Prisoners worked in local factories, including a brickworks factory in the nearby town of Oranienburg, which Sachsenhausen inmates were forced to build and which at the time was the largest in the world. Each day the SS marched up to 2,000 internees over the canal bridge to the Klinkerwerk brickworks before the eyes of the local populace, the Sachsenhausen memorial site notes. This work detail was particularly feared, as SS guards used the brickworks as a site to carry out murders of inmates with impunity.

Another feared work detail was shoe testing at Sachsenhausen. Guards forced inmates to march around a track for days at a time, laden with heavy bags, in order to test various materials meant for shoe soles. In time, over one hundred smaller satellite camps were set up around Sachsenhausen. Prisoners were forced to work in factories including such well known German corporations as AEG and Siemens.

Soviet prisoners of war in Sachsenhausen. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Gedenkstatte und Museum Sachsenhause,

Nazi guards in Sachsenhausen murdered over 13,000 Soviet soldiers - many of whom were Jews - using novel and grotesque methods. Prisoners were immobilized then shot in the neck. The SS experimented with different forms of gas chambers, including portable gas chambers. Tens of thousands of prisoners were murdered through hangings, beatings, and from starvation, overwork and disease.

As the Soviet Army closed in in February, 1945, thousands of Sachsenhausen inmates were shot in the camp. Many were transferred to other camps, and over 30,000 were forced on a death march to hide the crimes of Sachsenhausen from Soviet soldiers. By the time Allies liberated Sachsenhausen on April 22, 1945, only 3,000 inmates remained in the camp. 300 of these died shortly after liberation.

Remembering the Past

A recent poll found that 41% of Americans - and over two thirds of millennials - could not identify what Auschwitz, perhaps the best known Nazi concentration camp, was. In this climate of Holocaust ignorance and denial, the upcoming trials in Germany are a crucial coda to the Holocausts tortured history. The upcoming testimony will provide the opportunity to educate ourselves about Sachsenhausen and Stutthof and the thousands of other Nazi camps.

This is one of the worlds last chances to learn about the Holocaust directly from the perpetrators. Lets not waste it.
How disappointing it is to realize that Southwest Louisiana, one of the better educated and culturally advanced areas of the state, has less than one-quarter of its citizens fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Because of the more infectious delta variant of the disease, cases, hospitalization
Gov. Andrew Cuomo remains firm on keeping the job the people of New York have elected him to serve.

He wasnt going to cave after Attorney General Letitia James released a scathing 165-page investigative report detailing his sexually predatory and toxic bullying behavior targeting young women and political opponents in his administrative orbit. One of the 11 young female alleged victims indelicately summed up the governors behavior as sleazy and creepy in the extreme.

Many in Cuomos own party have said the governor ought to resign his office. If Cuomo is thinking of resigning, he must be doing it poolside -- at the politicians mansion in Albany -- where he was photographed hunkering down this week. He wasnt alone.

The governor was photographed with an unidentified (but shapely) blonde sharing the poolside experience. No doubt his public relations team viewed the photograph as an unfortunate distraction that couldnt have come at a worse time. Impeachment proceedings against the politician are heating up, along with the endless session, now dragging into its sixth month, of the New York State Assembly.

One of the 150-member assembly claimed that Cuomos removal was inevitable, asserting that 80 assembly members support impeachment, going beyond the 76 votes required for a simple majority.

Cuomo is entitled to due process, but his opponents appear to be in a hurry to speed up his removal. They are appealing to the court of public opinion, which is what really counts in turning the protracted wheels of justice. This is a domain where they rule as the masters at manipulating a compliant media. Why wait for the matter to be voted on?

They can be far more effective at assembling a publicity campaign to steamroll the beleaguered Cuomo. One can only suspect what Gov. Cuomo thought as he read a headline generated by a popular UK-based publication: Meet the Down-to-Earth Irish Immigrant Ready to Replace Cuomo, blared a headline in the Daily Mail, referencing the possible selection of Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. She was hand-picked by Gov. Cuomo to run on his dream ticket in 2014 and 2018.

Et tu, Brute? must have been Cuomos response to reading Hochuls comments about the much-discussed AG investigative report. She called his actions repulsive and unlawful, but declined to tweet further. Because Lieutenant Governors stand next in the line of succession, she wrote, It would not be appropriate to comment further on the process at this moment. That didnt stop her from adding one hint as to the possible outcome to this sordid matter: No one is above the law. Under the NY Constitution, the Assembly will now determine the next steps.

To some, that next step may be the governor being pushed to the edge of a political cliff.

It is ironic that this isnt the first time Hochul may be ascending to greater career heights owing to a male boss engaging in sexual misconduct. She replaced a male colleague, Rep. Chris Lee, when the married politician was charged with soliciting women for sex on Craigslist in 2011.

Cuomos political star may be fading, but Hochuls has never looked brighter. This week Democratic strategists have worked overtime in a publicity campaign designed to bolster Hochuls possible ascension to the governors office. Shes gone to great heights in government, yet one-to-one, she is so accessible and so warm and just a very generous person, says Assembly Member Karen McMahon in the Daily Mail. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan added to the chorus of endorsements telling the Wall Street Journal She works hard, she listens to people, she cares It doesnt always happen, but in Kathy Hochuls case she has the ability to do the job if it comes to it.

There was one media outlet -- CNN -- unwilling to abandon Cuomo in what has become one of his darkest hours.

It may not count for much, but CNNs Don Lemon chose the day the attorney general released her scathing report to turn over his broadcast to colleague Chris Cuomo, saying: I love your brother.

Apropos of nothing, Cuomo said in response: I love you, Don Lemon. The lovefest was aired on Fox News and the outtake hung in the air as another cringeworthy moment in the history of CNN. It may have designated a new low in the networks coverage, provided there werent so many other competing embarrassing exchanges.

But it did provide viewers with another sterling example of CNN repackaging the news to fit a one-party narrative: This time it fell short because Gov. Cuomo no longer fits the woke narrative.

Image: Zack Seward

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After a brief respite, the Capitol and surrounding areas are playing the mask game again. Count me out. My mother is 102 and infirm and I will wear a mandated mask to visit her in her senior residence as she and those living there are aged and extremely vulnerable. I wore one on a trip to Hawaii to visit my family whom I hadnt seen in well over a year, although I knew this was preposterous. To go there we had to prove we were vaccinated and take a COVID test hours before we got on the plane where the air was rapidly exchanged (the entire volume of air every 2-3 minutes). My danger of getting COVID on that plane or giving it to anyone was zero, but I complied or didnt get to see them. Even sillier the steward demanded that I lift my mask up after every sip.

In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser this week reinstituted masking to begin -- not by accident -- one day after her big maskless birthday bash, and was nevertheless seen a day later when the masking was required by her diktat, at a wedding without a mask on. Par for the course. I do not know of a single Democratic governor or mayor who ordered masking and lockdowns who did not break their own rule. (Rather like Climate Czar John F Kerry taking 16 private plane trips this year which use up far more fossil fuel than you will if you continue as you were driving your fossil-fuel car. Flight logs indicated that his family's private jet spent over 20 hours in the air from February of last year to January -- eventuating in an estimated 116 metric tons of carbon emissions.

For comparison, a March 2018 report from Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. That calculation assumed a car that drives around 11,500 miles per year with a fuel economy of about 22.0 miles per gallon.)

The Democrats are revisiting Medieval sumptuary laws. Instead of barring us peasants from wearing purple or pointed shoes, they are demanding we bike or bus masked while they party maskless and take private flights and, like the Obamas, plan a giant birthday bash with fellow aristocrats using private planes to Marthas Vineyard to mix it up maskless.

This latest round is something I will not endure. I refused the mask at the hairdressers. Ive canceled my in-studio workouts, which I enjoy, because exercising in a mask is in my view unhealthy and unnecessary. The apparatus in the studio are stationed at reasonable distances from each other, the equipment is sanitized after every use, everyone there is fully vaccinated. I feel bad for the owner who seems to face new obstacles every other week, but unless the firms in this area protest en masse, this nonsense will continue until they are all out of business. I have refused to enter any commercial establishment where masks are required except for one fifteen-minute trip to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. I have everything delivered, and if that means less revenue for the merchants, perhaps they will stand up against this preposterous, unscientific overreach by the CDC and local governments. (If you live where you cannot get groceries delivered, try to use the almost universally available service where you phone in your order and then drive by to pick it up. Again you wont be tempted to impulse buy, merchants will feel the sting of these absurd policies, and just might get off their duffs to pressure local authorities to stop it.) To comply with the distancing rules in restaurants, whole lanes of traffic, already cut up for the handfuls of bikers, are now occupied by outside tables and chairs, making movement throughout many of the areas with such establishments very difficult, and their bottom line must show revenue falling. Inside seating is restricted and stupidly you must wear a mask when entering or leaving the establishment but can remove it as soon as you are seated. Its like playing Simon Says where Simon is psychotic.

Please read in its entirety this wonderful article by Ryan Bourne on the economic case against mask mandates, which I can only summarize here.

As the vast majority of the population can access something that mitigates their risk of getting and transmitting COVID-19 much more significantly than a mask, it is surely the case that we should now consider the majority of the external costs as internalized. Each individual now is the lowest cost avoider of harm. In non-economic speak: if people still want to roam unvaccinated, they should bear the elevated risk, and not expect others to be coerced into making sacrifices to (primarily) keep them safe. In other words, after setting aside a period of time to allow people to get the vaccines, we should take the non-vaccinated folks decision not to be pricked as a willing acceptance to personally front up the infection dangers. Many will self-evidently change their minds if they see delta cases in their area surge. But burdening everyone in a territory with government-enforced mask wearing or even lockdowns again (as Krugman advocates) is unjustifiable when the vast majority of the benefits will go to those actively forgoing the most effective means of alleviating the viruss effects. Accepting this means acknowledging that this principle may result in more illness and death. In many areas with weak vaccination coverage, hospitalizations are surging. If the public health officials are right, then mask mandates would reduce cases and deaths in these cities. But provided these hospitals are not at risk of having their capacity exceeded, the case for personal vaccine responsibility, and government action instead concentrating on broadening vaccine availability to children while offering resources to protect the immunocompromised, is now much stronger relative to society-wide mandates.

I did get vaccinated and not without a lot of effort. Mayor Bowser refused people living in my ward, largely well-off white people -- from getting a chance at them until late, having shifted the priority for receiving the vaccines to minority wards where people are still refusing to take them. In the District of Columbia, Black people have received 43% of vaccinations, while they make up 56% of cases, 71% of deaths, and 46% of the total population. The CDC reports demographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity, of people receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at the national level. As of August 2, 2021, CDC reported that race/ethnicity was known for 58% of people who had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Among this group, nearly two thirds were White (59%), 10% were Black, 16% were Hispanic, 6% were Asian, 1% were American Indian or Alaska Native, and <1% were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, while 8% reported multiple or other race.

The lockdowns were bad enough, an economic and social blunder of the highest magnitude. John Tierney lays it out most clearly, including the journalists role in fanning fear and supporting this nonsense. Again, I strongly urge you to read it all.

We still have no convincing evidence that the lockdowns saved lives, but lots of evidence that they have already cost lives and will prove deadlier in the long run than the virus itself. One in three people worldwide lost a job or a business during the lockdowns, and half saw their earnings drop, according to a Gallup poll. Children, never at risk from the virus, in many places essentially lost a year of school. The economic and health consequences were felt most acutely among the less affluent in America and in the rest of the world, where the World Bank estimates that more than 100 million have been pushed into extreme poverty. The leaders responsible for these disasters continue to pretend that their policies worked and assume that they can keep fooling the public. Theyve promised to deploy these strategies again in the future, and they might even succeed in doing so -- unless we begin to understand what went wrong.

He details the history -- it began with an outrageous estimate of fatalities from the Imperial College in London, which was swiftly declared the consensus among public-health officials, politicians, journalists, and academics. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, endorsed it and became the unassailable authority for those purporting to follow the science.

Scientists like John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at Stanford who argued against the lockdowns on scientific and commonsense grounds, met with a heavy backlash which the author details as journalists, scientists, and scientific journals in herd mentality ferociously attacked the dissenters.

To keep you under the thumb of the autocratic hypocritical officials, the press keeps lying about the situation in Florida where almost alone Ron DeSantis has been fighting for scientific responses and freedom.

Florida Governor DeSantis did not buy the Fauci-Birx line.

DeSantis was an incredible outlier, Atlas says. He dug up the data and read the scientific papers and analyzed it all himself. In our discussions, hed bounce ideas off me, but he was already on top of the details of everything. He always had the perspective to see the larger harms of lockdowns and the need to concentrate testing and other resources on the elderly. And he has been proven correct. If Florida had simply done no worse than the rest of the country during the pandemic, that would have been enough to discredit the lockdown strategy. The state effectively served as the control group in a natural experiment, and no medical treatment with dangerous side effects would be approved if the control group fared no differently from the treatment group. But the outcome of this experiment was even more damning. Floridas mortality rate from Covid is lower than the national average among those over 65 and also among younger people, so that the states age-adjusted Covid mortality rate is lower than that of all but ten other states. And by the most important measure, the overall rate of excess mortality (the number of deaths above normal), Florida has also done better than the national average. Its rate of excess mortality is significantly lower than that of the most restrictive state, California, particularly among younger adults, many of whom died not from Covid but from causes related to the lockdowns: cancer screenings and treatments were delayed, and there were sharp increases in deaths from drug overdoses and from heart attacks not treated promptly.

He notes examples from other countries which did not lock down and close schools as further evidence that these draconian measures were unwarranted. As for who suffered the most from these policies -- surprise -- it was not the elites, but the poor.

The brunt was borne by the most vulnerable in America and the poorest countries of the world. Students from disadvantaged families suffered the most from school closures, and children everywhere spent a year wearing masks solely to assuage the neurotic fears of adults. The less educated lost jobs so that professionals at minimal risk could feel safer as they kept working at home on their laptops. Silicon Valley (and its censors) prospered from lockdowns that bankrupted local businesses. Luminaries united on Zoom and YouTube to assure the public that were all in this together. But we werent. When the panic infected the nations elite -- the modern gentry who profess such concern for the downtrodden -- it turned out that they werent so different from aristocrats of the past. They were in it for themselves.

All this nonsense reminds me of the movie Bananas where the dictator requires everyone to change their underwear every half hour and wear it outside their clothing so the authorities can check for compliance and all children under 16 are now 16. RESIST!

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Call me old-fashioned, but I don't like living in cities where life is mocked and made into a perilous contact sport by cadres of riotous thugs who glorify violence and death as societal goods. The only lesson such people have learned in school is "kill." The problem is simple. Progressive leaders have tacitly permitted criminals to run life off the tracks and ruin it by relativizing the rule of law and behaving as if it applies to everyone else but them. Conceptually, enforcing the law is the solution, but progressives don't see it that way.

America's cities are testaments to the abject failures of these policies because violent crime has escalated, especially murder. Yet progressive district attorneys adamantly refuse to prosecute them. Moreover, the movement to eliminate cash bail steadily gained traction as it has in New York, which attenuates accountability. It is incumbent upon district attorneys to prosecute all those who commit violent crimes. But district attorneys Larry Krasner in Philadelphia and Cyrus Vance, Jr. in New York don't see it that way. According to Niall McCarthy, a data journalist for Statista, the world's leading statistical database, murder rates have risen 52% and 32%, respectively, in those jurisdictions during the first half of 2020 when compared to the same period in 2019.

Rather than vociferously prosecuting crime, Krasner and Vance have acceded to the defund the police movement, perhaps for the inexplicable pretext of imposing reparations. Clearly, they do not uphold the rule of law themselves, nor do they allow police officers in their charge to have the same so done. Such sentiments strongly suggest that they hate equal justice under the law with such reckless abandon that they hold the moral stature of terrorists, illegal aliens, and other criminals in higher regard than their honest and law-abiding countrymen. A double standard exists because progressive leaders lack moral clarity and relativize the rule of law. Criminals become emboldened, so crime ensues.

The economic foundations in both cities have been marred probably beyond redress. The cascading effects have been felt by manufacturers and consumers alike. As we have already seen in San Francisco, for example, honest, hardworking folks cannot produce goods if riotous mobs shoplift their work products with impunity. If left unchecked, petty crimes spawn more serious crimes, hence the rising murder rates, which make life purposeless as well as perilous. The folks have suffered unduly because of it and deserve far better. Defunding the police will not avail and has become the philosophical byword for error.

Philosophically, proponents of the police defunding movement are premised and err upon the ideology that criminals aren't culpable because America is a systemically oppressive and racist country, more especially in the aftermath of George Floyd. Hence the imperative of "police reform." The mainstream media obsequiously objectified Floyd's murder along racial lines as a pretext to control the narrative of the national consciousness. However pernicious their errand may be, it has succeeded brilliantly. Not only has it unduly skewed the 2020 election and wrecked American public policy, but it has promoted Critical Race Theory, their hidden objective. Leftists wear it as a suicide vest with alacrity to make even an ISIS terrorist blush!

Amid such social instability, I am reminded of the stark contrast between Pope Francis's papal visit to Philadelphia in 2015 and Pope John Paul II's in 1979. I didn't like seeing millions of people inconvenienced because of their presence here, much less having to live in a veritable police state during Francis's visit by having to show ID even to enter my own house. John Paul II never wanted such stringent security and doubtless would have resented the undue inconvenience of those affected by it. His Magisterium being far more mature than Francis's, neither his messages urging freedom with responsibility nor his ministry, which heralded the demise of communism, even required it.

During the Mass on October 3, 1979, John Paul homiletically echoed the importance of using freedom responsibly: "This principle of freedom is paramount in the political and social order[.] ... However, man's life is also lived in another order of reality: in the order of his relationship to what is objectively true and morally good" (Holy Mass at Logan Circle: Homily of His Holiness John Paull II, October 3, 1979). Continuing, "Every human person, endowed with reason, is free when he is the master of his own actions[.] ... Freedom can never tolerate an offense against the rights of others[.] ... Freedom can therefore never be construed without relation to the truth as revealed by Jesus Christ, and proposed by his Church[.]" The responsible use of freedom, he taught, is prerequisite and fundamental to living not only in a free society but within Christ. He considered each person he met, regardless of that person's station, a unique aspect of His life or Christology.

Lessons that guard against the attenuation of Christology are more urgently needed, a theme echoed by Pope Benedict XVI in "Crises of Law": "the sense of the sacred no longer has any meaning for law; respect for God and for that which is sacred to others is now regarded with difficulty as a juridical value[.] ... To eliminate law is to despise man; where there is no law, there is no liberty." Where law is relativized, there can be no freedom, and without freedom, there can be no country. Without country, there is no Church. While people may have welcomed Pope Francis, they did not welcome Christ, as Pope Francis did not articulate the primacy of the law and the responsible use of freedom in accord with his predecessors, but tendentiously chastised classic American capitalism.

People have dignity. So do laws. Through their observance, we mark our superiority as individuals and exceptionalism as Americans. This becomes the means whereby we set the example and thus earn freedom against the chains of communism, which Pope John Paul II would go on to singlehandedly defeat in 1989, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Pope Francis has not clearly understood the foundational moral implications of the fall of communism brought. When we uphold the law instead of relativizing it, we in effect realize the big dreams of the heroic and dramatic by becoming ourselves aspects in the life of Christ and the logos for His Church, as John Paul II wanted. In so doing, we aspire to the cultural and moral grandeur of which we as Americans are eminently capable.

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Imagine that youre accused of a crime. For our purposes that crime is murder. A body is found. An anonymous tipster testifies to the police that they saw you commit the murder. It just so happens that the murder was committed outside of your place of residence. You are apprehended by the police and questioned about your whereabouts the night of the murder. You were at home where you always are. The victim is identified as your neighbor, with whom youve feuded for years. Your mug is plastered all over the pages of the news, and every association that you have in life is cut off. Who wants to be associated with a murderer?

This scenario is all too common in modern affairs. You may be familiar with the case of Richard Jewell. Jewell was a security contractor for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. On July 26, 1996, a backpack full of explosives and debris like nails is detonated during a public event at Centennial Olympic Park, killing one and injuring a dozen or so others. Richard Jewell was quickly identified as a suspect for several reasons. Primary among those reasons, Jewell was in proximity to the bomb and also filmed purchasing nails from a local hardware store. His name and photo appeared on the front page of every newspaper in the country and he was vilified as a ruthless killer. Only there was a problem with this narrative: Jewell was innocent and law enforcement and the press identified the wrong man in their haste. Jewell would eventually win a defamation lawsuit against the government and the press, but years later he dies lonely and isolated. The damage was done.

The example of Richard Jewell provides a stark reminder of why due process matters. In the United States, we subscribe to an idea of due process that finds its origin in the Magna Carta and Roman Law. Under the British crown during the 1600s, it was routine for witnesses to be interrogated and coerced into giving false testimony behind closed doors, and for the accused to be left unable to mount a defense since they did not know who or why such testimony was brought against them. The Framers of the Constitution understood this and adopted ideas about due process such as the Confrontation Clause into the Bill of Rights. The Sixth Amendment states:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

The Confrontation Clause is cut and dry in its assertion that you have a right to a face-to-face confrontation in court with those who bring accusations against you in a speedy and public trial. This allows for cross-examination and for a jury to observe the body language and responses of an accuser to discern the truthfulness of their claims. Unfortunately, of late there has been a complete rejection of this principle in the court of public opinion. We saw this on display in the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump. Hiding behind whistleblower protections, accusers leveled charges of impropriety against Trump in regard to the contents of a phone call placed in his official capacity as President. Any and all attempts to confront the accuser are met with censorship and suppression, to the point of a refusal on the part of the press and Big Tech to even print the whistleblowers name. And they are able to skirt due process protections by waging the battle in a political court instead of an actual court. This has also been the weapon of choice in the #metoo movement. This is the anatomy of a liberal smear campaign.

In Idaho, theyve seen a similar campaign waged against former State Representative Aaron von Ehlinger and his allies. Von Ehlinger is accused of rape by a former staffer. For his part, von Ehlinger confesses to a sexual relationship with the accusing staffer but claims that it was a consensual affair. In whatever manner this plays out, the accused is entitled to due process and for a jury of peers to hear all sides of a story and come to a conclusion. Unfortunately, the accusation is being waged in political ethics committees and the press and not necessarily in an actual court where due process is guaranteed.

One of von Ehlingers advocates, State Representative Priscilla Giddings, is currently being censured by the same ethics committees for sharing an article in which the accusers name and photo are published. The state legislative ethics committee has censured and stripped Giddings of her committee assignments for outing the alleged whistleblower. In addition, corporations have distanced themselves from her as a newly established victim shamer. In this scenario, the accuser is entitled to complete anonymity, while the accused party is plastered throughout the press. Merely sharing an article defending the accused is tantamount to harassment. As usual, there is more to this story. Priscilla Giddings is also currently a declared candidate for the Idaho lieutenant governors office. She has a reputation for not toeing the party line and is the most likely candidate to replace outgoing Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin. The smear campaign is on.

It remains to be seen what if any legal proceedings will ensue in the case of Aaron von Ehlinger. Historically, due process has been afforded to those accused of a crime by official judicial bodies, and those accusing others in the public square. Politicians have never been charged with ideological consistency, so perhaps its unrealistic for them to offer the same due process to the accused as the accuser? In the absence of due process afforded to all parties in potentially criminal affairs, its imperative that the public recognizes the smear and hold the press and politicians to a higher standard of justice. As long as battles are waged in the court of public opinion and not official judicial proceedings, the accused is entitled to exactly the same justice afforded to the accuser.

Brian Parsons is a digital marketing consultant by trade, a proud husband and father, saved by grace & an unabashed paleoconservative. You can follow him at WithdrawConsent.org or find his weekly opinion column in the Idaho State Journal. Gab, MeWe, Email

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To use a twist on an Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen line, millions of people hate what they think Christianity is. Far fewer people hate what Christianity actually is.

Bringing this to mind, again, is a comment I recently came across from an avowedly "non-religious" mother who was upset that her seven-year-old's Mormon best friend wouldn't stop talking to him about Bible stories and Jesus. "I don't want him to be religious, honestly," the woman wrote to an advice columnist in April. "I want him to learn that you should be a good person and do the right thing because it's the right thing to do, not because God will punish you if you don't."

This is a common atheist lament, one sometimes expressed even by Christianity's more intellectual critics, such as the late essayist Christopher Hitchens and biologist Richard Dawkins. Yet it reflects a comic-book understanding of faith.

Here's reality: religious parents want their children to be good people, too (of course!), "and do the right thing because it's the right thing to do." They know that motivation by love of God is the ideal. But the wise among them understand something else as well: fear of God is also necessary.

In fact, something corresponding to the love of God/fear of God model is reflected where many would least expect it: in psychology's prescriptions. Famed psychologist Erik Erikson, by way of his well known "Stages of Psychosocial Development," informed that when a child is in a certain early developmental stage, he understands that something is wrong only if he gets punished for it.

This reality may disturb the moderns who'd rather romanticize matters. Yet it's akin to how very young children can't understand that an amount of liquid remains the same despite being poured from one size and shape container into one with different dimensions. Certain things are still beyond their immature minds  moral understanding is one of them.

For this reason, the parent/child model must in a way reflect the God/child of God model in that a youngster should ideally love his parents but also fear that he'll endure their wrath should he misbehave. For what else will keep him in line and prevent him from hurting himself and others until he's old enough to "do the right thing because it's the right thing to do"? Moderns' failure to accept this reality is one reason today's parenting is often so poor and too many children are woefully uncivilized.

But here's the point: what do you do with people who, morally stunted and never rising out of those early developmental psychosocial stages, never learn to "do the right thing because it's the right thing to do" and only respond to fear of consequences? Do you with resignation just accept that they'll do wrong?

Some may now say that this is what the police and judicial system are for, and recalcitrants very well may end up behind bars. But this raises a question: why even have police and a judicial system if we'll only accept a standard whereby people "do the right thing because it's the right thing to do"?

How is it that we find fear of God's wrath unacceptably primitive but instinctively accept fear of government's wrath as wholly necessary?

Moreover, isn't it better if the fear-of-God model is firmly in place, and aiding in behavioral control, so we don't have to resort to police and judicial action nearly as often?

As for Christianity, its critics should know that it recognized the "do the right thing because it's the right thing to do" ideal ages ago. Good theology holds that there are two types of valid repentance. One, "perfect contrition," is the ideal and is when you're sorry for having committed a transgression because you know it's wrong and you love God. The other, "imperfect contrition," is when you're sorry only because you fear punishment.

The latter is accepted because Christians understood what Erickson propounded long before he propounded it: that moral understanding will, like it or not, be beyond a certain population segment. Moreover, even generally "good" people will have "missing pieces" in their moral compasses  that is, many moral principles will be in their hearts so that they'll genuinely feel bad when violating them. One or two (or more), however, may not be, so that they may know (intellectually) that violating them is wrong but not actually feel bad at all when doing so.

Accepting only perfect contrition would be what's most unreasonable: accepting only perfection  and perfection is not a thing of this world.

Anyway, observing today's power-mad politicians, increasingly above the law and having no respect for it, it could occur to one that maybe, just perhaps, their behavior might be a tad better if they believed there was accountability in the next world that no amount of political clout could forestall.

As for Christianity's critics, know that faith will certainly seem like a snake-handler's domain when you have a snake-handler's understanding of it.

Contact Selwyn Duke; follow him on Gab, MeWe, or Parler; or log on to SelwynDuke.com.

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When Bob Gates famously said that Joe Biden has been "been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades" he was obviously thinking of Afghanistan.

And now that Biden is pulling out all U.S. troops, to neatly match that 9/11 20-year date and giving the Taliban a heads-up, it's getting obvious to everyone:

According to the Financial Times:

The Taliban have captured at least two provincial capitals and besieged several more across Afghanistan, making the most significant advances yet in their revived campaign for control of the country as the US and UK warn their citizens to leave.

The U.S. is reduced to doing this:

The United States was sending B-52 bombers, AC-130 gunships and fighter jets into Afghanistan Saturday to turn back dramatic recent advances by the Taliban. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers, the mainstay of American strategic airpower since 1952, were flying into Afghanistan from al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, The Times of London reported, citing Defense Department sources. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, stationed in the Arabian Sea, is contributing its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets to the missions, but they are not involved in the bombing, the report states. Lockheed AC-130 Spectre attack planes, dubbed the worlds deadliest gunship, have also been sent into action.

So, rather than have a base or bases to fight from, the U.S. is reduced to fighting from the outside. Which amounts to a strategic disadvantage, given that 'location, location, location' is as important to winning wars as it is to real estate sales.

But Biden's idea of 'winning' is pulling out, 1960s-style, handing the Taliban a convenient schedule so they could do their planning. Not even President Trump, who abhorred overseas entanglements, did that. What Biden is ending is something Trump left in place.

And now we have what was entirely predictable, a Saigon-style pullout. The Taliban made its move to take over and is on a blitzkreig to get it all done quickly.

Did Biden have any sort of plan here with his proud and noisy vow to pull out, or is the military now improvising? Was there a strategy, other than to make America look bad and set the stage for China to reign supreme? It sure looks all of that and done with two hands tied behind its back. Our enemies are watching, but no problem to Old Joe.

Image: Picryl / U.S. National Archives / public domain

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Fresh from announcing under pressure that his celebrity-studded 60th birthday party would be 'scaled down' on COVID concerns, and would include only close family and friends, former President Obama went ahead with his Martha's Vineyard bash.

Here's the Daily Mail's tweet about it:

EXCLUSIVE: Obama's 60th birthday bash looks anything but intimate as huge tents are erected on his $12M Martha's Vineyard estate https://t.co/naqVNmBl4v pic.twitter.com/sqnLvtqRGq  Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) August 7, 2021

Which leaves the only question 'Scaled down from what?'

That's a big party. And it comes as Democrat governors and federal officials are talking about extending lockdowns, particularly targeting children.

Here's how bad it was, according to the Daily Mail:

Stars also began rolling into Martha's Vineyard Friday afternoon, with the island's airport abuzz with private jets and helicopters flying in ahead of the party expected to take place Saturday. Biggest among the arrivals so far, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen who flew in just after 3:00pm Friday seen here in these exclusive pictures. Ex-NBA star Dwayne Wade, his wife Gabriel Union and actor Don Cheadle were also spotted arriving on Martha's Vineyard. DailyMail.com has learned that Jay-Z and Beyonce are already on the island as is George Clooney who, along with Oprah Winfrey, are just some of the big names believed to have made the final cut on the truncated guest list.

A few people did seem to be disinvited to the extravaganza as Obama scaled down, and Vanity Fair kept tabs:

The New York Times reported on Friday that Beyonce and Jay-Z were still on the list, but that longtime Obama strategist David Axelrod was out. Also disinvited were three men who at least know how to laugh about such things: Larry David, Conan OBrien, and David Letterman. On Friday the New York Post spotted couples John Legend and Chrissy Teigen as well as Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union on the small island off the coast of Massachusetts where Obama has a 29-acre home. Don Cheadle, Kim Fields and (according to the Daily Mail) Stephen Colbert and Oprah Winfrey were also seen in the area. The Times, however, reports that both Winfrey and Ava DuVernay have sent their regrets to the Obamas and will not attend, because of concerns over the Delta variant. Rumored A-listers who remained on the approved list include Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, and Bruce Springsteen,

The gross part was that the celebs flew in on private jets to the meatless event, presumably in the name of stopping global warming. The private jets and their carbon emissions pretty well cancelled out all the sacrifice that went into serving and eating that gray substance known as meatless meat. Vanity Fair reports that Oprah at least, sent her regrets.

According to the Mail:

The menu is said to include Spam Musubi made with plant-based faux-beef and faux-pork and Eat Just's plant based eggs. Cheesesteak Eggrolls made with Impossible 'beef' and 'cheese sauce,' from Perfect Day Inc will also be offered.

Sound tasty?

It was a parade of wokester excess, with a heaping helping of hypocrisy. Next time the cops bust up some kid's party on COVID lockdown violations, show them the pictures.

Update: It gets worse. Here are a couple of tweets since Obama got the party started:

Rules do not apply to the ruling class of the Overstate  Jack Posobiec  (@JackPosobiec) August 7, 2021

Breaking Barack Obama Eric holder Kamala Harris all meeting in secret Barack Obamas birthday party pic.twitter.com/65FzR3pSbo  0HOUR (@AnonymousZeros) August 7, 2021

It's probably not just arrogant and elitist, it might just be nefarious. What are these dirty tricksters plotting?

Image: Twitter screen shot

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One after another, with increasing speed, we are losing the people who have first-hand memories of fighting in World War II. Colonel Dave Severance (ret.), who served in the Marine Corps, was one of those men. He managed to survive the incredible carnage of WWII, served as a pilot in the Korean War, and still came home to see his children, grandchildren, and some great-grandchildren grow up. In his later years, he became one of the keepers of the memories about the famous Iwo Jima flag-raising. He died last Monday, aged 102.

Even in this benighted age, when children are being miseducated, rather than educated, its hard to imagine an American grown past childhood who is not familiar with the picture that AP photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped on February 23, 1945, of the Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi, when they (wrongly) thought the brutal fighting on Iwo Jima had come to an end.

Despite the photos ubiquity, since wars end there have been different stories about what led to its creation. The battle for that volcanic outcropping off the coast of Japan was one of the most important in the lead-up to Japans ultimate defeat, for it had airstrips that the Americans needed for missions to Japan. The Japanese knew this and had 21,000 Japanese troops stationed to defend the island.

The fighting was extraordinarily brutal. It took five days for the Marines to subdue the Japanese troops holed up in caves carved in the extinct volcano known as Mt. Suribachi. On February 23, 1945, the Marines (naively as it turned out), thought the worst of the fighting was over, and a group raised a flag on the mountains summit. A Marine took a picture of that flag raising for the Marine magazine, Leatherneck.

However  and this is where Col. (then Captain) Severance comes in  Captain Severance wanted a larger flag for the mountaintop. He was one of the commanders of Easy Company, which was part of the 28th Marine Regiment which, in turn, was a subset of the Fifth Marine Division  which was part of the 70,000 Marines brought to fight for tiny Iwo Jima, all 7.5 square miles of it.

Col. Severence, therefore, ordered another group of men to raise the bigger flag. This time, Joe Rosenthal was there to take that iconic picture. Over the years, though, many men claimed to be part of that flag-raising, and many others accused Rosenthal of having staged the photo. Col. Severence, however, knew what had happened and told the story often:

When the first flag was raised, he said, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, who had just arrived on the island, asked to have it as a souvenir. Hell, no, Johnson said, according to Severance. We put it up there, and we are going to keep it. A second group of Severances Marines was sent up with orders to replace the flag. The Marines would keep the first one, and the Navy secretary would get the replacement, which flew over Mount Suribachi for the rest of the battle. Both flags are now in the National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Va.

The cheering was premature, for the Battle of Iwo Jima continued until March 26. Over 6,800 Americans died and more than 19,000 were wounded (and that counts only the physical wounds, not the mental trauma from that long, bloody campaign).

As for Severence, he went on to become a Marine pilot, and flew 69 combat missions in Korea, which earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross. He was promoted to colonel in 1962 and retired from the Marines in 1968.

Ill toss in my own mite here because I have every reason to feel grateful to those American men who fought and died across the Pacific. My mother and her sister, Dutch citizens, were in Indonesia when the Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor and then attacked the entire Malayan peninsula, including Batavia (modern-day Indonesia), which was then a Dutch colony. The two were interned in a concentration camp for the duration of the war. If the Americans hadnt won the war, they were certain that they would have starved to death.

IMAGE: Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. Public domain.

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Extensions of time are over. Waiting for someone to emerge to lead us out of this nightmare is over. We The People, the ultimate power of America, the Sovereign, are going to have to take over and take over now.

After much anguish, many Americans have symbolically opened the basement door and gone down some of the steps into the dark, feeling dread. With great trepidation, they switch the light on. And there they see the gangrenous body of our country, writhing in agony. The smell freezes them in place and wrestles with a competing urge to run back up the stairs and shut the door. How could this have happened?

The first stages of grief take hold. This cannot be real. We have institutions and governance structures that check and balance each other. We are a good people who love our country. Perhaps, instead, we are just a human people, and subject to all the imaginative ways a moral core is whittled away in such tiny slivers that one hardly notices. No one writes thank-you notes anymore  a sure first sign.

Anger comes next. Desperate parents, wailing as if wounded, plead with school boards not to poison their children with destructive ideologies. The microphone is turned off or ripped out of a mothers hands; a parent is arrested. Someone must be blamed. The Superintendent is blamed! The teachers unions are blamed! The School Board is blamed! Perhaps, instead, We the People are to blame. We were too busy to notice what public schools are doing to our children and have been doing for some time.

And so, standing on the stairs, we must decide. Those institutions we thought could help are not there. The current Executive Branch, whether lawfully elected or not, is in power and entirely corrupt. By Executive Order, our southern border is being illegally overrun and the states involved invaded and abused. The administration deliberately disseminates diseases common to the Third World all over America. Drug cartels, not only pour deadly drugs into every state but also insist that those children they trafficked into the country continue to ply the trade until the cartel is paid. A wicked plan.

The Legislative Branch has ceased to exist as a working body. Congressional law is supposed to be carefully crafted after hearings, held in both the House and the Senate so that expert testimony with cross-examination can inform the public regarding both intended and unintended consequences from the proposed legislation. After that, each chamber votes, and the Bill is re-written in conference before being sent to the President for approval or veto. A free and fair press provides detailed and objective information to the public. At present, there are no hearings. There is no objective press. There is no sense of fiscal duty and responsibility. The two parties, Democrat and Republican, are simply labeled differently to make the public think they are a check on the other. They differ only by degree.

The Supreme Court justices, out of the political spotlight, the remaining best hope for We the People, are terrified regarding their own existence and have retreated entirely. These nine Justices will not save the nation. Perhaps not cowards but certainly not patriots, either. The distinction is meaningless in these times. The Court refuses to take the hard and immediately imperative cases.

And so, We the People can go upstairs and shut the door, or We the People can go to the bottom of the stairs and act. The gangrene must be cut out and the healthy flesh nourished and hydrated. Those parasites sucking the life out of the country must be eradicated. We need to bring in lights. Look and see clearly what We the People have allowed to happen. We must accept that there is no one to blame but ourselves. We have not paid proper attention to a relatively fragile, precious system.

For now, those with knowledge and authority might:

1. Have a public interest law firm file a Mandamus Motion in US District Court to compel the Executive Branch to execute federal immigration law. Individuals coming into this country must be vetted under the United States Code, Title 8, section 1182. Any code section that would temporarily halt illegal immigration at the southern border should be used. In the alternative, Article IV, section 4 of the Constitution requires that the federal government protect states from Invasion.

2. Suspend relationships with China to provide time to conduct a proper investigation into COVID-19s origins and hold the responsible parties accountable. Build up the Navy immediately.

3. Put on hold the approved Global Minimum Tax until the public can be assured of the full range of consequences for this action. In fact, Congress should investigate thoroughly the relationship between the United Nations and American tax Sovereignty.

These are the big issues. For the individual American, it will take the courage of the Founders to save the children, to demand fiscal integrity from elected representatives, to wean from the destructive, and to educate oneself about our Constitutional Republic and its Philosophic roots. These large and small things must be done way before the elections of 2022. Our barely surviving body politic might not make it.

M. E. Boyds Apples of Gold  Voices From the Past that Speak to Us Now is available at Amazon.com using the title and subtitle.

IMAGE: Dark Stairs by JoseGracia, edited. Pixabay.

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When last we caught up with the renegade Texas legislators, the ones who were determined to prevent Texas from amending its voting laws to prevent election fraud, they had abandoned D.C. and headed for Portugal. Thats not a good look for people who swear theyre acting to defend voters rights. Now, these legislators have hit a new low: Theyre suing Governor Abbot because he caused them discomfort and embarrassment, among other woes. Its hard to imagine most Texans taking kindly to this nonsense.

The main point of the Democrats complaint seems to be that it was mean of Governor Abbott to inform the fleeing legislators that, upon their return, they could expect to be arrested and dragged into the Assembly to do their jobs. The Texas Tribune explains:

The lawsuit is peculiar, to say the least. For starters, while it names State Rep. James White as a defendant, he wasnt served and has no idea why he was named. Also, it gets wrong House Speaker Dade Phelans legal name. It alleges, with the bare minimum of words, that

Defendants Abbot, Phelan, and White have embarked upon a course of conduct which is intended to violate State and Federal Constitutional Rights of the Plaintiffs and the classes of citizens they represent by denying rights under the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution because of (a) Race, in that certain Plaintiffs are either black or white, (b) Creed, in that certain Plaintiffs have expressed a faith or belief that every eligible citizen has the right to vote, (c) Color, in that certain Plaintiffs are distinguishable based upon the melanin in their skin, and (d) Natural original, in that certain Plaintiffs are descendants of persons born in other countries.

So, the Democrats, after violating their duty to the citizens who elected them by running away instead of appearing in the legislature, are claiming that the defendants silenced their voices, denied them due process, and deprived them of their rights as citizens because the Governor said they should come back and represent the people of Texas.

By making this demand, the Democrats allege, the defendants were racist against both Blacks and Whites, as well as people with other degrees of melanin, they failed to respect that the right to vote is a religion, and they discriminated against people who are unnatural in the original state.

Ultimately, as damages, the plaintiffs claim that theyve been deprived of liberty for substantial periods of time, suffered much anxiety and distress over the separation from their families, and much discomfort and embarrassment and their reputations impaired, and have lost much time from their homes and the companionship and care of their families and have been required to spend substantial sums of money and of time traveling to and from the State of Texas to persuade Congress to pass laws to ameliorate the harm done and redress their grievances.

Considering the private jets, nice hotels, favorable press coverage, super spreader opportunities, and a jaunt to Portugal, its hard to take all of this seriously, especially when you learn that theyre seeking $5 in actual damages and $10 in punitive damages  all because the Texas legislature refused to vote their way.

Yes, its gibberish. What may explain this shoddy bit of work is that the renegade Democrats hired an unusual lawyer. The Texas Tribune explains that Craig Anthony Washington, is a former Democratic lawmaker, who is practicing law under a probationally suspended license, according to the State Bar of Texas. Washington is almost 80 and it may be that hes simply no longer capable of providing quality legal representation.

Still, even while the renegade Democrats look like morons, its worth remembering that, unlike Republicans, Democrats always play for keeps. They dont care if they look mean, stupid, greedy, or corrupt. What matters is the win. And as long as they can prevent Texas from implementing anti-fraud provisions in its voting laws, theyve won.

IMAGE: Deleted Julie Johnson selfie.

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After having appointed a special counsel, or in place of it, under 5 U.S. Code 1212  Powers and functions of the Office of Special Counsel, specifically under (a) (aB), (a3), Congress must act to impeach this president for high crimes and misdemeanors, gross mismanagement, violating the nation's laws, and endangering the public health and safety of citizens.

(a) The Office of Special Counsel shall (1) in accordance with section 1214(a) and other applicable provisions of this subchapter (B) file a complaint or make recommendations for disciplinary action under section 1215; (3) receive, review, and, where appropriate, forward to the Attorney General or an agency head under section 1213, disclosures of violations of any law, rule, or regulation, or gross mismanagement ... an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety[.]

Congress must begin impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden, V.P. Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, and his deputies, who likely have knowledge of the events that squashed investigations into the nation's murderous governors.

The investigations should include the governors, secretaries of state, and attorneys general of New York and Michigan. Charges include, but are not limited to, obstruction of justice, abuse of authority, abuse of power, abuse of office, covering up criminal activity, conspiracy, and criminal self-dealing. Considering allegations of potential collusion among these individuals and associates to cover up crimes that resulted in the deaths of citizens, provisions of the RICO Act for fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud shall be attached.

Investigative subpoenas to the staffs of these politicians must be prepared immediately to protect the integrity of the nation's justice and political systems, primarily its national security to protect America's citizens from harm.

This administration's corruption of Department of Justice investigations into the COVID deaths of thousands of innocent Americans at the hands of negligent and profiteering Democrat governors is an unconscionable violation of the standards and norms of governance. The EOs and fraudulent reports signed by these governors were designed to keep them, and other Democrats allied with them, in power. These COVID deaths are the documented results of the official malfeasance, mismanagement, and self-aggrandizement of the Democrat politicians who had control of and misgoverned their respective health care systems. They placed their political interests first, the health, welfare, and lives of their citizens last.

Behind mismanaging their respective health care systems that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars while killing, rather than curing patients, these politicians opportunistically used the tragedy of the pandemic to campaign for themselves seeking higher office (the same assisted by partisan media soft money). Negligently having created the health care debacle to begin with, they avoided accountability for their lethal decisions.

These Democrats not only were committing criminal fraud against the people but have blood on their hands.

Blocking investigations across several blue states is a criminal shirking of presidential responsibility and duty worthy of impeachment. Biden covered up for self-dealing Democrats Gretchen Whitmer and Andrew Cuomo, who deliberately, solely for political advantage, made choices to endanger their state's citizens, and then filed deceitful, fraudulent reports on the number of deaths. All for political advantage.

The civil rights of American citizens were first violated by Cuomo and Whitmer, whose negligence took their lives, and their survivor's civil rights were violated again by Biden's blocking the only path to accountability and justice.

Did these two governors actually murder their respective state's citizens?

RES IPSA LIQUITUR: The Facts Speak for Themselves.

Democrats involved in this scheme to cover up their associates' high crimes have faced no accountability for misdeeds that are real (as opposed to the fake impeachment of Donald Trump for Joe Biden's crimes in Ukraine and China).

This abuse of power, by and for Democrats only, sets double standards as precedents for politicians on the public dole to freely continue their persistent criminal corruption and self-dealing.

18 USC 1503 OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE (REFERENCE) Obstruction of Justice occurs when an investigation in process is obstructed by withholding information from ... or [having] ordered a subordinate to not proceed or dismiss a case. Definition 18 USC 1503 defines "obstruction of justice" as an act that "corruptly or by threats or force, or by any threatening ... communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice." Overview Someone obstructs justice when that person has a specific intent to obstruct or interfere with a judicial proceeding. For a person to be convicted of obstructing justice, that person must not only have the specific intent to obstruct the proceeding, but that person must know (1) that a proceeding was actually pending at the time; and (2) there must be a connection between the endeavor to obstruct justice and the proceeding, and the person must have knowledge of this connection.  1503 applies ... to federal judicial proceedings. Under 18 USC 1505 a defendant can be convicted of obstruction of justice by obstructing a pending proceeding before Congress or a federal administrative agency.

This president, as well as the former president who enacted a coup to save his broken legacy and destroy the pro-American legacy of his successor, has been corrupting the justice bureaucracy to benefit himself and his agenda of malfeasance and corruption.

ABUSE OF POWER/ABUSE OF OFFICE (REFERENCE) 11.448 Abuse of office. A person acting or purporting to act in an official capacity or taking advantage of such actual or purported capacity commits a misdemeanor if, knowing that his or her conduct is illegal, he or she denies or impedes another in the exercise of an investigation or enjoyment of any right, privilege, power or immunity.

Congress, state attorneys general, federal judges, America-first organizations with the resources to influence, GOP, take note: you have an obligation. You know what to do. Do it now!

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Carer Rebecca Alexander was dragged along the ground when she tried to stop four youths from stealing her handbag. (Nottinghamshire Police)

A carer was dragged along the ground as she fought off four youths trying to steal her handbag in an alleyway.

Rebecca Alexander was on her way to start a night shift as a care assistant when she was ambushed by the youths in Arnold, Nottinghamshire.

She heard footsteps behind her then was hit over the head, falling to the ground and landing on broken glass, Nottinghamshire Police said.

The group then tried to take her bag in the attack, which happened between 7.20pm and 7.45pm on Wednesday, 4 August, but she held on to it and curled herself into a ball to protect her face.

The mum-of-five was left with cuts, scrapes and grazes to her face, arms and legs while her attackers ran off empty-handed.

Alexander, who has lived in the area for around 15 years, was helped by a local couple who gave her some wipes for her wounds, brought her a drink and comforted her.

Police took her home and an ambulance was called but she didn't need to go to hospital, despite being left with a swollen knee.

She said: "When I heard the footsteps behind me I just carried on walking and thought nothing of it.

"Then I felt being hit to the head and I fell to the floor. They tried tugging my bag away from me but I held on to it and kept my head down.

"It all happened within the blink of an eye. While I was on the floor I just had this sickening feeling  that if I saw their faces I might have well known them."

The attack happened just off Birchfield Road in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, on Wednesday, 4 August. (Google Maps)

She added: "Id like to thank the couple who helped me. It just shows that not everyone is bad and there are more good people than bad.

"This incident could have been a lot worse. Im a healthy person but it could easily have happened to someone elderly.

"Looking back on it now I think I should have just let go of my bag but I think its really important that people remain vigilant and stay aware of their surroundings."

The attackers are believed to be white and aged in their early to late teens. One is described as wearing a dark grey hoodie, two others were wearing black hoodies and had dark hair and a fourth also had dark hair and was wearing dark-coloured trousers and a t-shirt.

Detective Sergeant Gary Hewson, who is leading an investigation into the attempted robbery, said: "While we would never want anyone to put themselves in harms way I would like to commend Rebecca for her bravery shown during this incident which must have been very distressing.

It was fortunate she didnt suffer more serious injuries during this cowardly attack.

We are working hard to trace the suspects and Im appealing to anyone who may have been in the area around the time and saw these youths immediately before or after the incident to please come forward.

"Equally anyone who has any CCTV or dash-cam footage which could help us identify them is asked to get in touch as soon as possible.

"Incidents of this nature are understandably concerning for local communities. We treat all reports of robbery seriously and we have upped police patrols in the area to provide reassurance while we continue to progress with our investigation."
Dev Patel has said he has felt not British enough to be fully British and not Indian enough to be fully Indian in his acting career.

The 31-year-old told the Guardian that, after starring in Slumdog Millionaire, he would wait for an Indian role to come by, where I could put on a thick accent as there wasnt anything else, it was literally the cliches: goofy sidekick, taxi driver.

Patel said Freida Pinto, his co-star in the film and his former girlfriend, was also being typecast as this exotic beauty next to all these Caucasian leading men.

Dev Patel said he would previously wait for an Indian role (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

He added that he became fixated on the ethnicity of his character in The Personal History Of David Copperfield, in which he basically plays Charles Dickens.

He said he asked director Armando Iannucci: Wait, so is his mum going to be brown? How are we going to talk about that?

Is there going to be, like, a scene where they, like, arrive on a boat?

He said he knew Iannucci would face a barrage of comments for casting him in the role.

Dev Patel said he felt not British enough to be fully British, not Indian enough to be fully Indian (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

However he added that the very essence of acting is for you to perform, transform, change, thats the allure of the job.

And sometimes I feel stuck in this cultural no-mans land, he said.

Im not British enough to be fully British, not Indian enough to be fully Indian.

Patel added that the film industry is moving in the right direction in terms of diversity, adding: My mate Daniel Kaluuya just won an Oscar.

And there are so many beautiful films in the mix now, he said.

Were getting more nourished as a society for it.
A 33-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder over a knife attack on a social worker who was trying to check on the welfare of two vulnerable children.

The 61-year-old social worker, who has not been named, suffered multiple stab injuries in the incident in Wood Green, north London, on Friday evening.

Two police officers who were called to assist him when he was denied entry to a property in Noel Park Road also suffered knife wounds during the incident.

Sulai Bukhari, of Noel Park Road, was charged on Sunday morning with attempted murder as well as two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent against the two officers.

He is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said.

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The social workers injuries have been assessed as non-life-threatening, while the two officers were discharged from hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning, the Met said.

Officers were called to assist the social worker just before 8pm on Friday.

After forcing the door and entering a communal area of the building, the social worker was approached by a man who stabbed him several times.

Two other men arrested in connection with the same incident have been released under investigation, the Met said.

Haringey Council said previously it would provide all the necessary support to the social worker as he makes his recovery.
Former Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is opening up about his struggles with alcohol, admitting that he contemplated suicide during moments of depression. The British actor has been sober for two and a half years following a 2019 stay at a Connecticut treatment facility for substances and behaviors," which he describes as mainly alcohol.

When asked by the Sunday Times Magazine if he felt suicidal during this time, Harington responded, I will give you an answer to that question: The answer is yes."

He added, "Yes of course. I went through periods of real depression where I wanted to do all sorts of things.

The star  who welcomed a baby boy this year with wife and former co-star Rose Leslie  also shared that he hopes his candor about his experience can maybe help someone, somewhere."

"But I definitely dont want to be seen as a martyr or special," he noted. "Ive been through something, its my stuff. If it helps someone, thats good.

Kit Harington opens up about getting sober and feeling suciidal. (Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Harington sought treatment after going through "some pretty horrible stuff" around the time Game of Thrones, on which he played Jon Snow, was ending.

He told the Sunday Times Magazine that "things that have happened to me since Thrones ended, and that were happening during Thrones, were of a pretty traumatic nature and they did include alcohol." He admitted to the U.K. publication that he hit rock bottom during that time, but has a much more positive mindset since leaving rehab.

You get to a place where you feel like you are a bad person, you feel like you are a shameful person," he explained. "And you feel that theres no way out, thats just who you are. And getting sober is the process of going, No, I can change. One of my favorite things I learnt recently is that the expression a leopard doesnt change its spots is completely false: that a leopard actually does change its spots. I just think thats the most beautiful thing. It really helped. That was something I kind of clung to; the idea that I could make this huge fundamental change in who I was and how I went about my life.

Harington also addressed the strain his alcohol abuse put on his personal relationships, including his marriage to Leslie.

"You can imagine the stresses that it causes to those around you," he said, adding, I will say about my addictions that I kept them very, very quiet and I was incredibly secretive and incredibly locked up with them. So they came as quite a surprise to the people around me. Which is quite often the case, I guess.

He credited his actress wife with teaching him "kindness," and revealed that the couple enjoyed "dare I say romance" during lockdown at their country home, just months after he finished treatment. Harington  who shared that tobacco remains his only vice these days and "Im trying to work out how to kick that"  also shared how his close friends reacted to his bad behavior.

Like all of us, I have been an arsehole," he admitted. Ive been incredibly privileged to have some real f***ing pricks as friends who told me the truth. Someone said to me once, When youre sitting at a table and everyone around that table youre paying, thats when you know youre in trouble.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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Air India Express paid the interim compensation to the injured persons and the next of kin of the deceased persons by September 2020

The Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board, including a six-member crew, overshot the tabletop runway during landing at the Kozhikode airport amid heavy rains on August 7, 2020. (PTI file photo)

New Delhi: Air India Express said it has made final compensation offers to all 165 passengers, who were injured and the next of kin of 19 flyers who died in the plane crash, in Kerala's Kozhikode district last year.

According to the airline, 80 out of the 165 injured flyers have taken up the offers as on August 6. The airline is awaiting acceptance of the offers from the remaining 85 injured flyers and the next of kin of the 19 deceased passengers.

"We have not received any rejection on the offers made from the injured passengers or the next of kin of the deceased. Also, no legal case has been filed on the offers made," an Air India Express spokesperson told PTI.

The Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board, including a six-member crew, overshot the tabletop runway during landing at the Kozhikode airport amid heavy rains on August 7, 2020.

It fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into pieces, killing 19 passengers and the two pilots. A total of 165 passengers and four cabin crew members were injured in the crash.

The spokesperson said the carrier paid the interim compensation to the injured persons and the next of kin of the deceased persons by September 2020.

The interim compensation was Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of deceased passenger of more than 12 years of age, Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased passenger of less than 12 years of age, Rs 2 lakh for critically injured passenger and Rs 50,000 to injured passenger.

Once the interim compensations were given to the victims, the airline gave them the claim forms so that full and final compensation offers for each of them could be calculated, he said.

The spokesperson added that the airline made the full and final compensation offers to each of the injured passengers and the next of kin of the deceased flyers between November 2020 and April 2021.

"The airline started organising one-to-one meetings in Kozhikode to address the concerns or doubts of the injured passengers and the next of kin regarding the offers made. A total of 138 one-on-one meetings have taken place till August 6," he mentioned.

He said the full and final compensation offers have also been made to the four injured cabin crew members and the next of kin of the two deceased pilots, and they have been accepted.

Five days after the plane crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) had formed a five-member panel to inquire into the circumstances of the accident. The panel is yet to submit its report.

Captain S S Chahar, former DGCA-designated examiner for pilots of the B737NG aircraft, is the investigator-in-charge in the panel.

He is assisted by operations expert Ved Prakash, senior aircraft maintenance engineer-B737 Mukul Bhardwaj, aviation medicine expert Y S Dahiya and AAIB deputy director Jasbir Singh Larhga.
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Athens, TX (75751)

Today

Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

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Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Of course, one of the factors that will decide the answer to that question is your age. I assume anyone that's about 20 years old will most likely choose the Aventador, or even worse, the Urus . Just as I imagine that if you were born in the late '70s or early '80s, you might be crazy about the Countach. So I guess that having fully enjoyed in the '90s when I was growing up, my answer would be: the Diablo.Maybe it also has to do with the fact that the Diablo managed to achieve more impressive performance figures than any other Lamborghini before it. And I can't help but recall Richard Hammond's impression of the Aventador. While he was having fun behind the wheel, he did note that something was missing: "a kind of Stockholm syndrome...I miss that feeling that the car is trying to kill me".Audi came into play in 1998, when it took Lamborghini over from its former owner. And before producing the Murcielago, it decided to modernize the Diablo. And that led to the VT 6.0 and VT 6.0 SE. One last hoorah for the mighty Diablo. Less than 3,000 Diablos were ever built, but these two final versions are only a fraction of that number. The SE is slightly rarer, with 44 units. But the VT 6.0 isn't too common either, at 337 units.If that's not special enough for you, learn that just 136 cars were built for the United States market. Still not enough? Reportedly, just two of these cars were finished in Monterey Blue, and you'll have a hard time finding another one that's up for sale. But if you're located in Missouri, you're in for a surprise. Because this 2001 Diablo VT 6.0 is looking for a new home and is currently residing in Saint Louis.This is one of the last Diablos to ever come out of the factory, as the Murcielago was introduced in 2001 as its successor. There's a five-speed manual gearbox inside, and I can honestly say that I'd be terrified to push this thing to its limits. Even more so considering it only has 19,000 miles (30,577 km) on its odometer. Some of you may be excited to know that Valentino Balboni himself has signed the underside of the rear hood.The current owner bought the car from Los Angeles five years ago and has since spent $50,000 on bringing the car to its current state. I guess we can all agree that not keeping track of these expenses may be better for your sanity at the end of the day. There are still some minor imperfections here and there, but that's what happens when you drive your cars.Also, the Sony head unit is somewhat questionable when looking at the whole package, but I guess that's not going to be a major concern for anyone. There are 10 days left until the auction is over, and the highest bid right now is $226,000 . Do you think it will go for more than half a million dollars? There's a short driving video included in the ad. And that alone may be enough to have you considering the option of selling your house in order to buy this.
A 2021 example, powered by the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 270 brake horsepower, it has only 101 miles (163 km) on the clock, and it is for sale.The right-hand drive Jeep Wrangler Black Hawk is advertised on the tuners official website here , with an asking price of 79,999 ($111,310). Thats 28,549 ($39,723) more over the UK's base five-door Sahara on which it is based, and the premium is justified by the aftermarket mods inside and out.Finished in 3D texture black military paint , the tuned Wrangler features a new four-slot grille in exposed carbon fiber. It has an Iron Man hood, fender extensions front and rear, and Chelsea Truck Company branding on the spare wheel cover, which also incorporates the reversing camera, and on the fuel filler car.The 100 mm (4 in) quad tailpipes and 9x20-inch Mondial Retro alloy wheels, in the same color as the rest of the exterior, shod in Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires, complete the exterior design.Now, as conservative as it may look on the outside, it is quite the opposite once you open the door, because Kahn went for bright orange leather upholstery. The premium material can be seen on the seats, and center and door armrests, at the front and rear, while the special plaque, added between the front seats, on the center cubby, rounds out the makeover.The aftermarket gear complements the factory features such as the LED DRLs, dusk-sensing LED headlights, split-level Targa roof , keyless entry, push-button start, touchscreen infotainment system, speed limit assist, hill start, assist, hill descent control, rear privacy windows, and others.
Unfortunately, Google Maps is hitting all kinds of problems lately, and unfortunately, none of the typical workarounds that users turn to seem to make a difference.First and foremost, its the struggle we told you about earlier this week. As it turns out, Google Maps is causing the audio to cut out in some cars, as we said, for no clear reason. My guess is the culprit is the voice guidance that Google Maps relies on and which automatically reduces the music volume to speak the navigation directions.When this happens, Google Maps causes some sort of cutting out for everything else using the audio on Android Auto, including the likes of Spotify and YouTube Music.Google says its already looking into reports signaling this problem, but of course, an ETA as to when a fix could land isnt yet available.Starting this week, Google Maps on Android Auto also switches automatically from the right-hand drive mode to the left-hand one in some cars, all without users requiring the change. Several users have confirmed the same behavior, and once again, Google said it is looking into what happens.For the time being, however, no workaround seems to exist, and unfortunately, the only options are to either wait for Google to come up with a fix or to just switch to a different application.And needless to say, Waze is the best alternative , not only because it belongs to Google as well but thanks to its crowdsourcing engine that makes it incredibly accurate.As compared to Google Maps, Waze is first and foremost supposed to help you beat the crazy traffic in the city, providing alternative routes that avoid accidents, traffic jams, speed traps, and other road events that could slow you down.
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The British and Romanian governments summoned the Iranian ambassadors to London and Bucharest on Monday to protest last week's drone strike on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which both countries have attributed to Iran.

The latest: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a briefing Monday that the U.S. is consulting with the U.K., Romania and Israel to prepare a collective response to the alleged Iranian attack.

State of play: The Iranian foreign ministry responded to the U.K.'s move on Monday by summoning the British charge d'affaires in Tehran, claiming the British government has no evidence to support its allegations.

An Iranian foreign ministry official warned the British diplomat that "any adventure" by Israel or other countries will draw an Iranian response.

In his first statement on the attack, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it "outrageous" and said that Iran needs to "face the consequences" for what it has done.

Why it matters: A Romanian national and a British national were killed in the July 29 attack on the Mercer Street ship, which is owned by a Japanese company but managed by Israeli-owned Zodiac Maritime. Iran is still denying its involvement.

The U.S. and U.K. said publicly they are holding consultations regarding a possible response to the attack.

Driving the news: The Romanian foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador on Monday and requested explanations from Iran without delay. "We reserve the right to act accordingly, together with our international partners, for an appropriate response," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Iranian ambassador to the U.K., Mohsen Baharvand, was summoned on Monday to the Foreign Office by James Cleverly, the minister for the Middle East and North Africa.

Cleverly reiterated in a statement that "that Iran must immediately cease actions that risk international peace and security, and reinforced that vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law."

The other side: An Iranian official quoted by the Nour news agency warned the U.S. and the U.K. not to threaten Iran. "Any move against the interests and national security of Iran will face a tough and firm response, and Washington and London will be directly responsible for its consequences," the Iranian official said.
As the delta variant fuels an increase of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., some of President Joe Biden's critics blame the surge on his border policies, which allow some migrants to enter the country to apply for asylum.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 67F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 67F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  The resurgence of COVID-19 in Texas has put some cities' health systems in dire circumstances, as intensive care unit beds fill up, officials say.

MORE COVID: Abbott prohibits cities from requiring masks, vaccines

In Austin, the health department said there were only nine ICU beds available on Friday in the 11-county trauma service region that includes the city and serves 2.3 million people.

We are running out of time and our community must act now, said Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin's medical director/health authority. Our ICU capacity is reaching a critical point where the level of risk to the entire community has significantly increased, and not just to those who are needing treatment for COVID. If we fail to come together as a community now, we jeopardize the lives of loved ones who might need critical care.

In a joint statement, three hospital systems that serve the Austin area  Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White and St. Davids Healthcare  said the latest COVID-19 spike is putting extraordinary pressure on our hospitals, emergency departments and healthcare professionals, and it has further challenged hospital staffing due to a longstanding nursing shortage.

Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio is also facing a nursing shortage caused by an increase of coronavirus patients. City leaders had hoped the state would help fill the shortage, but in a letter sent Thursday to city and county leaders across Texas, the state directed local governments to instead make their own plans to increase hospital staffs before asking the state for help, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

The state previously hired staffing companies to send traveling nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists to help hospitals cope with COVID-19 surges.

In San Antonio, COVID-19 hospitalizations on Saturday were up by 430% since the start of July, the newspaper reported.

We have patients waiting in the lobby; we have patients in the hallway, said Tommye Austin, the chief nurse executive for University Health, one of the largest hospitals in San Antonio. Every nook and cranny in this organization has a patient.

RELATED: Fauci says 'more pain and suffering' ahead as Covid cases rise

On Sunday, there were 6,594 people in Texas hospitals with COVID-19, which was the most since Feb. 24. State health officials reported 21 new COVID-19 deaths on Sunday. Texas has had 53,248 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began, the third most in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University.

Despite the rise in hospitalizations and new cases, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has repeatedly stood by his order banning mask state, county and local mask mandates.

As of Saturday, only 43.8% of Texas' total population had been fully vaccinated. That trailed the national rate of 49.5% and was far behind Vermont, which had the highest rate of any state, at 67.5%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A military veteran was saved last week from potentially jumping off the Rainbow Bridge between Port Arthur and Bridge City.

Local law enforcement officials were alerted Tuesday afternoon of a possible missing person after receiving the report of an abandoned SUV on the Texas 87/73 bridge between Port Arthur and Bridge City.

Deputies found the SUV, but at the time it was unclear why the vehicle had been left behind and where the owner had gone.

Officials searched on land and water where the high bridge  along with the neighboring Veterans Memorial Bridge  crosses over the Neches River just upstream from Sabine Lake.

Orange County Sheriffs Office Det. Josh Lockett said any time there is a situation where a person may have been at the bridge and fallen, been pushed or jumped, rescue boats are sent out from the sheriffs office to evaluate all potential circumstances.

Hours passed as the search continued, and some area residents, including the mans family who feared he had jumped, began to fear the worst.

The Southeast Texas mans mother, who asked to be kept anonymous to protect her familys privacy, said her son had previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps and had recently hit a dark point because of some troubling circumstances in his life.

All she and her family knew Tuesday afternoon while police were searching was that her sons SUV had been found running with his cell phone still inside.

I was very concerned, she said. We definitely thought that he had made the jump.

Fearing the worst, her other children left their jobs and traveled home from the Houston area to gather as a family.

We were driving around, looking for this guy, checking the bridge, checking with family members (when) we get a call from a civilian who was up on the bridge with this guy when he tried to jump, Lockett told The Enterprise. He ends up tackling him.

Lockett said the rescuer told deputies he had once been in the same position and simply was in the right place at the right time to intervene on the bridge where many people have died by suicide in the past.

After tackling the veteran, Lockett said the good Samaritan put him in his own car. He was planning to drive back around to the other mans car, but officials already had towed it, Lockett said.

Ultimately, the good Samaritan and the veteran, who now is receiving mental health support, met law enforcement at the Bridge City Police Department.

The veterans mother said she believes the good Samaritan, who talked her son off the ledge and spent time talking to him, including about religion, was sent to answer the familys prayers.

Myself and my family are just so thankful and feel so blessed that someone was gracious and kind enough to stop and talk our son down, the mother told The Enterprise.

I dont know what was said to him personally, but it had to be some great encouragement, and I feel like God put that Good Samaritan there for my son at the exact right time, and God also allowed my son to open his heart and hear what the man was saying to him.

Words just cant explain how grateful and thankful we are to this guy. she said. He means the world. In our eyes, he did Gods work.

She believes the man, who she is attempting to reach out to, somehow knew the right words to say to make a difference for her son, who she described as a believer going through a tough time.

Before we got the word that he had been rescued by this person, needless to say we were devastated  we felt hopeless, the mother said.

When we got the good news that our son was indeed saved by this guy, and thats how we look at it, we were so thankful and bless and we couldnt tell the guy how much we thank him for that.

Just dont give up hope. God is always there at the right time  and thats from my heart, she said before her voice cracked, overwhelmed with emotion.

The mother said her son is stable and doing well.

Lockett said the sheriffs office is appreciative of residents stepping up and helping the officials out. He encouraged people who may be struggling to reach out and explore available resources.

Reach out and talk to someone before you make a rash decision or a knee-jerk reaction, Lockett said.

There are people and places that can help if you are going through something. Theres several organizations, there are people to help veterans, theres people to help regular citizens.

Theres avenues out there, he said. You are not alone.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com
The board of the Port Arthur Economic Development Corp. still is looking to replace key administration and one board member, but its at least secured an interim director  well, kinda.

At the end of a more than three-hour meeting last week, officially voted on the appointment of Ike Mills, current executive director of the Port Arthur Greater Minority Chamber of Commerce and former PA EDC director, as the new interim executive of the organization.

But Mills cant officially be hired for the position just yet because it technically doesnt exist.

The corporations administration and board work separately from the influence of the city and its city council, but council members ultimately have the final say on key decisions like appointing board members, approving the use of large sums of money by the EDC and the budget for hiring administration.

The decision to create and fund an interim director position for the EDC also lies with city council.

Floyd Batiste, current CEO and executive director of the EDC, said under normal circumstances, the board would direct staff to draft a proposal to send to the city council to request approval for a position and accompanying salary.

Our fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, and the city council typically approves a budget some time in September, Batiste said. If the council allows the board to have the position, it could be hired any time between now and then.

But the real timeline for how soon Mills could become official really depends on how soon the board sends a proposal to the city council, which Batiste said could happen by next week if it tried to call a special session.

A special session has been called on Monday, but the interim director position isnt anywhere on the agenda.

Port Arthur City Manager Ron Burton told The Enterprise on Friday that he wasnt aware of any proposal from the EDC making it over to city administration yet.

Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie said that he had been informed about the decision while recovering through most of the week from a minor surgery and was confident that the EDC and its board would make the best decision for themselves in moving forward with a selection.

Whatever the board of directors decide and come up with to meet their needs, I think the council will consider it, Bartie said.

But, while the timeline of the process and the final decisions of picking a new executive director and legal counsel are up to the board, Bartie said that there is pressure to handle the transition so the EDC can continue its important work on several projects under development.

One of the projects  partnering with Lamar State College Port Arthur to house its new culinary and hospitality program at The Press Building  took a step forward last week with the approval of a lease agreement with the EDC.

The board seems to be on its way to having its interim director and already appointed its interim legal counsel, San Antonio lawyer Francisco Garza. But a committee still is working to form a job description for the permanent executive and deputy director.

Once that is done, it can contract a national search firm to collect candidates for the position.

Batistes last day with the EDC is on Sept. 30.

Since it is unlikely that the board will be able to hire a candidate before Batistes departure, the board will be relying on Mills, if and when he is officially appointed, to keep the EDC on track.

Mills told The Enterprise on Friday that he was honored that the board would think of him for the position and he was focusing on the work ahead.

Im looking forward to working with the EDC board, city council and the other regional partners that help keep the local economy thriving, Mills said.

jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/jd_journalism
avid_creative, Contributor / Getty Images

The Beaumont Police Department has released the name of a motorcyclist killed in a fatal crash on College Street early Saturday morning.

Authorities reported Mario Reginald Cantue, Sr., 41 of Beaumont, was pronounced dead on the scene after falling from his motorcycle around 3:40 a.m. in the 7500 block of College Street.
PORT NECHES  Port Neches residents could see their tax rate decrease next year.

The Port Neches City Council last week announced a proposal to decrease the property tax rate to 68.5 cents per $100 of value. For example, the tax bill on a $100,000 property would be $685.

The citys current tax rate is 73.5 cents per $100 of value.

Port Neches City Manager Andre Wimer said the county experienced an increase in appraised property values, which would bring in more revenue to the city should the tax rate stay the same. However, state law sets a limit on how much more revenue a city can bring in without requiring the tax rate to be approved by voters.

There is an inverse relationship between appraised value and tax rate, Wimer said. If appraised values go up, then the tax rate goes down. Conversely, if your appraised value goes down, then the tax rate goes up.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

Property taxes fund various city services such as police, fire, parks, streets and libraries.

The proposal is expected to be considered by the council at its next meeting on Aug. 19.

At our next regularly-scheduled council meeting, there will be a public hearing on the proposed tax rate, and the council will vote to approve a tax rate, Wimer said. It could be the 0.685 number that has been proposed or in the next two weeks, they could decide on a different number.

The meeting starts at 4 p.m. at Port Neches City Hall, 1004 Merriman St.

Residents also can reach out directly to council representatives.

They can contact their council members, Wimer said. They can always contact their council members.

rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/ontheREKord
BOSTON (AP)  Massachusetts State Police are looking for a suspect involved in a road rage stabbing in Boston.

The confrontation Saturday on the West Roxbury Parkway resulted in one motorist stabbing another in the chest, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital, while the suspect fled the scene.
On Thursday, July 29, a Texas police department released body camera footage of an arrest they made for a suspect "swimming naked."

Fulshear Police Department, a Houston-area agency, stated in its post it received a call in regard to criminal trespass in a nearby community. The "suspect" entered the homeowner's backyard and decided to go for a swim in their hot tub.

"Officers Chavez and Landry quickly made the scene and observed the suspect swimming naked without regard to the owner's wishes," the department joked. "The suspect resisted at first but was soon arrested and later released without further incident."

A video of the cute guy is below:

The post received lots of laughs and love, as it has more than 17,000 views and around 90 shares as of Monday.

After rescuing the gator, a responding officer decided to name it "Emma" because it is "so pretty." Luckily, there weren't any injuries during the incident  human or gator.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
Officials at Berkshire Superior Court are facing a significant criminal case backlog. The court has begun scheduling for trial several high-profile cases, and those trials, as well as lower-level jury matters, will happen in county courthouses, not the temporary hotel space the state Trial Court leased for jury business during the coronavirus pandemic.
Several high-profile cases to begin this month at Berkshire Superior Court, but potential jurors got summoned to go to the Holiday Inn. Why?

Massachusetts spent $854,100 to rent space for trials at the Holiday Inn during COVID, only two were held there and now the state wants to end lease early
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, says he believes that the new federal eviction moratorium is necessary because of rising COVID-19 cases. The reality here is that we began to prematurely, I think, celebrate the end of the pandemic, only to find its made a bit of a comeback, he told The Eagle.
New state regulations would effectively prevent new biomass facilities in 90 percent of the state, although 35 towns would remain open to new facilities. In Berkshire County, seven towns  Becket, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield and Sheffield  are not protected by the new rules.


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Top Australian miner BHP is facing a renewed shareholder push to launch a comprehensive review of its industry lobby groups and sever ties with those whose positions are deemed out of step with global efforts to combat climate change.

A motion filed ahead of BHPs annual meetings in October asks investors in the worlds largest mining company to vote on demands to identify areas of industry groups inconsistency with the Paris climate accords goal to limit global temperature rises to well below 2 degrees.

BHP, the nations largest mining company, is facing renewed pressure to review its ties to fossil fuel lobby groups. Credit:

Although fossil fuels including coal and oil remain part of BHPs portfolio, the company has set some of the resources sectors most ambitious climate policies, with goals to tackle both its own greenhouse gas emissions and the emissions of the customers that use its products overseas.

However, BHP has come under growing pressure over its links to powerful lobby groups, which have advocated for policies said to be inconsistent with its own positions and the goals of the Paris agreement.
Sky News boss Paul Whittaker has taken his concerns about a seven-day YouTube ban to the top of the video-sharing company, telling global chief executive Susan Wojcicki that the platforms editorial policies are inconsistent.

Mr Whittaker expressed disappointment about the way the review of the ban was handled, as Sky News suspension was lifted and the 24-hour news channel posted its first video - Uncancelled: Sky News Australia set free - on the platform.

The News Corp-controlled channel was banned from YouTube more than a week ago after it received a strike for a clip from May 3 of controversial broadcaster Alan Jones speaking about the worsening COVID-19 situation in India.

Sky News boss Paul Whittaker has asked for clarification about last weeks YouTube ban from chief executive Susan Wojcicki (pictured).

The manner in which YouTube conducted its review, suspension and media statements concerning the Sky News Australia channel is profoundly disappointing, Mr Whittaker said in the letter, seen by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Lots of bands strive to stand out from the crowd. Few do it quite as memorably as Melbournes own Curse ov Dialect.

Curse ov Dialect. Credit:Nicole Reed Photography & Shaun Ferraloro

This is the hip-hop troupe who combine Macedonian, Pakistani, Maltese, Anglo-Indian and Maori cultures, who litter their albums with obscure and exploratory sounds, who have been the lyrical scourge of homophobia, racism and capitalism since they arrived on the scene in the mid-90s.

The music is a radical blend of Arabic and traditional Macedonian beats, Balkan grandiosity and instrumentals. And their shows at the Evelyn in the early 2000s were epic in scale, with members of the band in Macedonian folk outfits literally hanging from the stage rafters.

As one social media post puts it: Theyve been keeping hip-hop surreal since 1994.
FIVE BEDROOMS

Series return

Wednesday, Paramount+

The cast of Five Bedrooms: Katie Robertson, Stephen Peacocke, Kat Stewart, Doris Younane and Roy Joseph. Credit:Paramount+

Two of Australias best-loved television actors, Kat Stewart and Rodger Corser, have been circling each other for years. They both had roles on Stingers and Last Man Standing. While filming Underbelly, Corser was awestruck by Stewarts ability as Roberta Williams to release a single tear from one eye, take after take, when learning of Benji Veniamins death. Stewart always found Corser charming but it wasnt until Corser was cast as Stuart  the dastardly ex-husband of Stewarts luckless lawyer Liz Wendell in the second season of Tens hit sharehousing drama, Five Bedrooms that they had the chance to work intimately together.

The infuriating thing is, Id built up Stuart as this monster in season one, Stewart says of the previously unseen online trader who completely ruined Lizs life. And then they cast Rodger Corser, and I was like, Oh, damn it!, because hes so charming. But on the upside, you can kind of understand how it all happened. Its much more nuanced and complex than him just being a baddie.

Stewie is a good guy!, Corser insists. He just made some really bad cryptocurrency decisions and got some bad advice from the Internet. I think whats really great is, its a lot easier to introduce a character when youre not having to explain them all in that episode. Everyone who followed Five Bedrooms for season one will know exactly who this guy is and where he sits within the dynamics of the show. We hit the ground running with him.
Australia lags most rich countries in weaning itself off fossil fuels with even the much-touted gains in renewable energy eclipsed by nations less endowed with natural advantages, according to a study released ahead of a major global climate update.

As the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change readies for Mondays release of its first big review since 2014 of planetary heating, research from an Australian National University professor shows Australias record of cutting carbon emissions is falling further behind similarly developed nations.

Too much of one, and not enough use of the other: how Australias transition off fossil fuels lags most of the rest of the world. Credit:AP

Taking 2005 as the starting point for emissions cuts  as Australia does for its climate pledges  the country was among the worst performers in terms of pollution per person and per unit of economic output, said Hugh Saddler, an ANU honorary associate professor and author of the Back of the pack report.

Its rather stark ... it does show how bad we are, Professor Saddler said.
Victorias Department of Health provided a late update on Sunday night over the exposure site status of the Joan Kirner Womens and Childrens Hospital in St Albans.

The Maternity Assessment Area (third floor) and Dorevitch Pathology (ground floor) have both been listed as tier one sites on the exposure list.

A positive COVID-19 case visited Dorevitch Pathology on August 6 between 9.05am and 9.50am, while a positive case also visited the Maternity Assessment Area on August 6 between 8.15am and 2.45pm.

Anyone who was there at those times needs to get a COVID-19 test and quarantine for the next 14 days.

The CafAC Bar (main corridor) at Joan Kirner Womens and Childrens Hospital has been listed as a tier two site on August 6 between 9.20am and 9.50am. Anyone at the venue during that time needs to seek a COVID-19 test and isolate until receiving a negative test result.

All other parts of Joan Kirner Womens and Childrens Hospital have been declared a tier three site with anyone at the hospital on August 6 between 8.15am and 2.45pm who has COVID-19 symptoms should seek a COVID-19 test.

Dance Effects performing arts studio in Ravenhall has also been listed as a tier one site so anyone who was at the studio on August 3 between 4.50pm and 6.05pm needs to get a COVID-19 test and quarantine for the next 14 days.
The geographical spread of Victorias COVID-19 exposure sites is growing, with more than 240 sites now on the list.

Authorities identified more than a dozen new sites on Monday evening. Many of them are tier 1, meaning people whove attended them during the specified timeframes have to get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of the result.

The exposure sites come ahead of South Australia becoming a green zone under Victorias traffic light traffic permit system from 11.59pm tonight. If people come into Victoria from a green zone area, they only need to obtain a permit beforehand.

The new tier 1 sites are:

IPC Health, St Albans - Wednesday, August 4 between 9.45am and 11.40am

Coles, Taylors Hill - Friday, August 6 between 9am and 10.15am

Wolf Cafe and Eatery - From Monday, August 2 to Thursday, August 5 between 6.30am and 11pm

Bus route 456 (towards Sunshine station) from Melton bus interchange/Palmerston Street to Rockbank Middle Road/St Georges Avenue - Thursday, August 5 between 12.48pm and 1.14pm

Chef Lagenda, Deer Park - Wednesday, August 4 between 12.15pm and 1.30pm

Public toilets adjacent to Coles Burnside, Burnside Hub Shopping Centre, Burnside - Thursday, August 5 between 2.15pm and 2.35pm

The Coffee Club Cafe, CS Square, Caroline Springs - Thursday, August 5 between 1pm and 2.30pm

Bayswater North, Rapid Laser, Elsum Avenue, Bayswater North - Thursday, August 5 between 1.30pm and 8.30pm

The remainder of the new exposure sites are tier 2, meaning anyone who attended them during the specified timeframes has to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.The new tier 2 sites are:

Bendigo Bank, Heidelberg - Thursday, August 5 between 3.30pm and 4pm

Bunnings, Northland - Thursday, August 5 between 4.40pm and 5.30pm

Chemist Warehouse, Burnside - Saturday, August 7 between 11.40am and 12.15pm

New Oriental Cafe, Caroline Springs - Thursday, August 5 between 12.20pm and 12.40pm

Target, CS Square, Caroline Springs - Thursday, August 5 between 12pm and 12.35pm

Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses, Caroline Springs - Thursday, August 5 between 10.45am and 11.05am

Rare Spares Bayswater, Bayswater North - Thursday, August 5 between 2.30pm and 3pm

ALDI Watergardens, Taylors Lakes - Saturday, August 7 between 9.25am and 10am

Caltex Woolworths, Taylors Lakes - Saturday, August 7 between 8.35am and 8.50am

Liquorland Cairnlea, Furlong Road, Friday - August 6 between 10.45am and 12.15pm

Liquorland Cairnlea, Furlong Road - Saturday, August 7 between 10.45am and 12.15pm

Bunnings Taylors Lakes, Melton Highway - Thursday, August 5 between 6.49pm and 7pm

The Good Guys Taylors Lakes, Watergardens Town Centre, Melton Highway - Thursday, August 5, 7.03pm and 7.30pm

Lucias Euro Deli Taylors Lakes, Watergardens Town Centre, Melton Highway - Saturday, August 7 between 9.50am and 10.25am

Woolworths Taylors Lakes, Watergardens Town Centre, Melton Highway- Saturday, August 7 between 8.50am and 9.45am

The remainder of the new exposure sites are tier 3, meaning anyone who attended them during the specified timeframes must monitor for symptoms and get tested if any appear. The new tier 3 sites are:

Cairnlea Town Centre, Furlong Road Friday - August 6 between 10.45am and 12.15pm

Cairnlea Town Centre, Furlong Road - Saturday, August 7 between 10.45am and 12.15pm

A full list of Victorian exposure sites can be found here.
Billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox has lost a bid to kick the Victorian government off a private beach outside his weekender following a court decision handed down last week.

Lindsay Fox enjoying his private beach. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare

Foxs weekend compound in the upmarket hamlet of Portsea - about an hour south-east of Melbourne - boasts a rare piece of privately owned beach. Its a prized asset for the truckie considering just 4 per cent of the states foreshore is held in private hands.

Trouble is, much of the Point King Beach owned by the Fox family also sits inside the Port Phillip Bay conservation zone. Following planning changes enacted in 2014, the family is required to obtain a permit signed by the states environment department for any significant work or changes of use to the sandy strip.

The family applied to the local Mornington Shire Council in 2018 to have the beach rezoned as residential, which would have given them more control over its use. When they were knocked back, they took the battle to the Supreme Court with barrister Stuart Morris arguing the 2014 decision amounted to acquisition by subterfuge of the beach, while also seeking damages for the alleged land grab.
You were born and raised in Matraville, in Sydneys south-eastern suburbs, the second of five kids. Did you grow up poor, working-class, middle-class or rich? Definitely working-class. Dad was a carpenter, constantly covered in sawdust, working seven days a week. Mum worked nights for 16 years at the Matraville drive-in. We didnt have holidays, never had luxuries, no big gifts. My parents came from nothing, but created a life for their children and sent us to good schools. I went to a private Catholic girls school, with Volvos pulling up outside; my father would come in his Kombi, me sitting on a milk crate in the back. I got this work ethic from my parents.

Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects were told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics theyre given. This week, he talks to Anita Heiss. The Wiradjuri professor, writer and public speaker, 52, is an author of novels, non-fiction and books for children. Her latest novel is Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams).

Does that mean youre now rich? Im rich in books. Unless youre selling hundreds of thousands of copies, youre not rich from writing. Studies show published Australian authors earn an average of $12,000 a year from their creative work and that its other work that makes up the bulk of their income. Lead me through the pie chart of your earnings. If we take out my salary at the University of Queensland [where Heiss is a professor of communications], Id say 80 per cent of my income is from public speaking. What I get paid for one keynote can be the same as the advance on a book. But books give us the platform to talk about the issues.

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In 2011, you were part of a group of plaintiffs who won a federal court ruling against columnist Andrew Bolt, who was found to have breached the Racial Discrimination Act. No one received compensation from that case. If it wasnt about money, what was it about? We could have pursued a case around defamation and potentially made claims for money. But for me, and many others, it was about seeing a change in the way the media represents Aboriginal people and other minorities. It put the media on notice about whats acceptable, ethical and lawful. It ensured media professionals understood they could no longer crucify Aboriginal people in their columns without being accountable to their readers. People who hadnt read the witness statements or testimony asked, What about my freedom of speech? Id say, What is it you want to say about someone that you cant say under the law? If I never did anything in my life after that, Id be okay with having made that contribution. Who am I to not take a stand when so many people before me have put their lives on the line for the rights of our people? I thought about Windradyne [an early 19th-century resistance warrior] and the war he waged for the Wiradjuri mob in the Battle of Bathurst [against the incursions of white settlers]. And I thought, Who am I not to give it a crack?

What is your greatest extravagance? Im collecting something from every Tiffany & Co around the world. I dont have kids, and I dont have a man, so I buy myself things Id expect someone to give me for my birthday and Valentines Day and Christmas. Im the best Valentine Ive ever had.
Research into smoke from household wood fires has found that in one Australian town, it resulted in 14 deaths annually and reduced the general life expectancy of the entire population by a year.

The year-long study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, surveyed air quality in Armidale, NSW, revealing a six-fold increase in particulate matter during peak wood-smoke pollution periods.

Danny Gelb plans to get rid of his homes wood heater. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Toxic air pollution from wood heaters was resulting in 14 deaths a year in the regional city, the study found.

Dorothy Robinson, adjunct senior research fellow at the University of New England and report co-author, said the toxic air may be increasing the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, premature birth and death.
The update also said some unexpected detections were made in the Benalla and Healesville catchments with Healesville including the towns of Badger Creek and Coldstream. Anyone who works in or has visited Benalla between August 3-5 or Healesville between August 1-5 is urged to watch for COVID-19 symptoms and seek a test if they do. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said all of the states new confirmed cases were linked to the Hobsons Bay cluster in Melbournes south-west. Of the 11 cases recorded on Sunday, four are students from Al-Taqwa College, three are household contacts of the Wolf Case and Eatery in Altona North, one is a team member of the Newport Football Club case and three are linked to the CS Square shopping centre in Caroline Springs. Two of the cases linked to the shopping centre worked at The Jolly Miller Cafe, which is located close to the Spectacle Hub, which had previously been identified as an exposure site by authorities.

There are now hundreds of staff and students from Mount Alexander College in Flemington and Ilim Colleges Kiewa campus in isolation after positive cases spent time at the schools. Professor Sutton said health authorities were taking the same approach to testing those school communities as the successful testing program conducted at Al-Taqwa College. Weve had a really successful approach with Al-Taqwa [College], Professor Sutton said. Weve had more than three-quarters tested in a really, really short period of time, so were taking the same approach with these two new sites.

Professor Sutton also reiterated calls for Victorians to get vaccinated after the state government expanded the vaccine program to allow 18-39-year-olds to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at state-run clinics. Professor Brett Sutton (right) and acting COVID-19 response commander Naomi Bromley. Credit:Paul Jeffers If I were 25 and AstraZeneca was the only vaccine available to me today, I would get it, he said. Acting COVID-19 response commander Naomi Bromley said Australias first drive-through vaccine hub, which will be open from Monday at a former Bunnings site provided by the hardware chain, would offer just the Pfizer vaccine in its first week. You drive up, roll down your window, roll up your sleeve, get a jab. Its that easy, Ms Bromley said.

This is a fantastic addition to our existing state infrastructure, itll be a really good and convenient, simple, safe way for Victorians to get vaccinated. Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said the company was pleased to be able to play a small part in the governments vaccination rollout by providing access to our former Melton store. We are strongly encouraging our own team to take up COVID-19 vaccinations and were providing them with up to six hours paid leave to attend appointments, he said. Loading

Ms Bromley said children who were aged between 12 and 15 and had specified medical conditions or who were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander would be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine at state-run clinics. Only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for the 12 to 15-year age group, she said. Children, adolescents, young adults with underlying medical conditions do have an increased likelihood of developing severe disease and complications with COVID-19. A testing site has also been operating for residents of the Racecourse Road public housing towers since about 9.30am on Sunday after running until about 10pm on Saturday. Mr Andrews said the families that had been isolating on the 17th floor of the Flemington public housing tower, whom authorities were worried could form a new transmission chain, had returned a negative test.

The families that have been isolated on the 17th floor of the public housing tower that weve all been talking about, theyve all been tested and theyve all returned a negative test result, he said. Residents from the Racecourse Road public housing towers line up for testing on Sunday morning. Credit:Paul Jeffers One resident of 130 Racecourse Road, who didnt want to be identified, said he had received his negative result on Sunday morning. He said the response from authorities had been far better than the snap lockdown last year, when police were sent as the first response. We need doctors and we need nurses, not police, he said. Loading

Fisal, who is aged in his 50s and lives in one of the neighbouring towers, came down for a test just to be safe. Last year, it was complicated, he said. They have the idea now. During Sundays press conference, Victorian health authorities added four new exposure sites to the official list, including two tier-1 sites on a bus line that services Melbournes north west. A positive case travelled on the 418 route twice on August 8 on their way to Caroline Springs shopping centre CS Square on August 4 and 5. A positive case also visited an East Melbourne doctors office, Melbourne Orthopaedic Surgeons, on August 3, which is now a tier-1 site, and Bunnings Taylors Lakes on August 2, which is now a tier-2 site. Loading

On Sunday afternoon, contact tracers added four visits to Woolworths Caroline Springs to the states list of COVID-19 exposure sites. A COVID-19 case was at the supermarket at 8 Commercial Road, Caroline Springs, during parts of August 2-5 and all visits have been listed as tier-2 exposures so anyone at the store during the times listed has been asked to get a COVID test and isolate themselves until they receive a negative test. The case was at Woolworths Caroline Springs on August 2 from 8.40am to 5.50pm, August 3 from 5pm to 9.10pm, August 4 from 8.30am to 5.30pm and August 5 from 8.30am to 10.15am. Lady and the Hair hairdressers at 22 Bakery Square, Melton has been listed as a tier-1 site on August 4 from 9am to 7.30pm and August 5 from 9am to 12.45pm with anyone at the venue during those hours asked to get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days. Morgans IGA at 335-345 High Street, Melton, is listed as a tier-2 site with anyone at the supermarket on August 5 between 10am and 10.40am asked to get tested and isolate until receiving a negative test. Other tier-2 sites in Melton include the Jolly Miller Cafe on 265-267 High Street, on August 4 between 11.45am and 12.25pm, and Shoppers Bonaza at 317 High Street, on August 5 between 9.45am and 10.30am.

The Victorian Department of Health will ramp up wastewater testing in a number of areas around the state after more positive detections. Government sources and epidemiologists have told The Age that Victorias lockdown would almost certainly last for more than seven days because it could take weeks for all people to be in isolation for their infectious period. The Premier said Saturdays 29 recorded cases, the highest daily total since September, made for a concerning day. Two senior Victorian government sources, speaking anonymously to make predictions about the outbreak, said it could take weeks for a ring to be put around the clusters. However, Mr Andrews insisted it was achievable to drive local cases to zero despite the new outbreak penetrating western suburbs communities with greater language barriers, bigger family groups and an increased proportion of essential workers who cant work from home. Health authorities processed 38,179 tests on Saturday and administered 17,360 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Kabul: Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistans key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighbouring provincial capital after a month-long siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as US troops complete their pullout after nearly two decades in the country.

A Taliban flag flies in the main square of Kunduz city after fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces, in Kunduz, Afghanistan. Credit:AP

The militiamen planted their flag in the main square of Kunduz city, where it was seen flying atop a traffic police booth.

It was the fourth provincial capital to largely succumb to Taliban fighters in less than a week, as they ramp up a push across Afghans regions, and wage an assassination campaign in the capital, Kabul.

Two provincial council members said the Taliban took control of the governors office and police headquarters after a day of firefights, as well as the main prison building, where 500 inmates including Taliban fighters were freed.
The woman who filed a criminal complaint against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo alleging he engaged in illegal sexual conduct has come forward publicly for the first time.

Brittany Commisso was previously identified only as Executive Assistant #1 in a report released on Tuesday by state Attorney-General Letitia James after a lengthy investigation into numerous sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has denied accusations of sexual harassment. Credit:AP

On Thursday, Commisso also filed a criminal complaint against Cuomo with the Albany County Sheriffs Office, but had remained anonymous.

In a joint interview with CBSs This Morning and the Albany Times Union that will air on Monday, Commisso revealed herself to be Executive Assistant #1. A preview of the interview was shown Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation.
An influential trade association has told the government the Enforcement Directorate (ED) served notice only to and not to Amazon when the Karnataka High Court had prime facie found both e-commerce firms guilty of indulging in anti-competitive prices.

EDs action raises suspicion, said Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), in a letter to the investigating agencys director after it sent a Rs 10,600-crore recovery notice against for allegedly violating foreign exchange rules.

said it has also made a representation on Saturday to Piyush Goyal, minister for commerce and industry, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and urged them to take action.





ALSO READ: In compliance with Indian laws, will cooperate with ED on notice: Flipkart

A spokesperson of did not respond to queries on the issue.

has been in the forefront of a campaign against global e commerce companies, saying they should be banned and penalised for allegedly violating foreign investment policies. However, the global e commerce players have stood firm that there have not been any violations at all. has urged that their anti-competitive policies have destroyed the livelihood of small traders.

In its response to the draft amendment to the government's Consumer Protection ( e-commerce) Rules 2020, CAIT has suggested some sweeping changes, It wants a a clear transparent definition of different e commerce entities. According to CAIT, an inventory e-commerce entity would mean an entity which runs a retail store on its own e commerce platform, owns the inventory of goods and services and sells such goods and services directly to the consumer on a principal to principal basis.

It has also suggested that no e-commerce entity shall make any segmented offers to particular consumers on an arbitrary basis. The classification of consumers shall be on a transparent and objective basis and offerings shall be uniform across consumers. Secondly, an e-commerce firm will also not use the information collected for sale of goods directly or indirectly by any seller related or not. Thirdly, an e commerce marketplace entity cannot directly or indirectly license its brand or private label products to third parties to be sold on the platform.
Multiplex chain operator Leisure has so far signed agreements with various developers to add 926 screens to its network, which are expected to come in the next few years, said a top company official.

India is an "under-screen" nation and the company is growing and is "bullish" about this industry, said Leisure Chief Executive Officer Alok Tandon in a conference call with the investors.

Besides, is also planning to spend around Rs 65 crore as capital expenditure (capex) and has plans to take a fit-out of another 25 screens.

"Based on the agreement already signed, I feel proud to share that beyond the financial year 2021-22, we have properties signed up to the extent of nearly 133 more properties, 926 more screens with an addition of another 1,71,675 seats.

"And, once this entire pipeline is fully implemented, we will have 296 properties, 1,618 screens and nearly 3,27,000 seats," said Tandon.

However, when asked if the rentals of 926 properties will be the same as what it is paying now or will it have a more mix of revenue sharing, he did not comment.

"No, it is too early to say how we see those 926 screens. But, let me tell you that today, our rentals are in the tune of 18-20 per cent of the total revenues.

"It is difficult to say whether, going forward, we have more properties signed on a revenue share or a mix of revenue share and minimum guarantee or a fixed minimum guarantee," Tandon added.

He also said the entire company today has been battling how to survive this pandemic or how to stay afloat, and how to ensure that costs are reduced. "I think it will be some time before we visit the drawing board again and go through every property that we have signed and then decided the way forward. So, it is too early for me to comment on that."



During the quarter, Inox had in April 2021 opened SBR Horizon Bengaluru with 5 screens and 694 seats.

Currently, Inox is operational in 69 cities of 18 states and one Union territory with 648 screens.

"We are a very under-screen nation, and today, what we are doing at INOX is we are trying to expand our footprint because we all know that we have only 8-8.5 screens per million population; and if I talk about multiplexes, it is about 2.45-3 screens per million population.

"So, we at INOX are growing, we are very bullish about this industry, we have got a very robust pipeline," he said.

Inox would spend around Rs 65 crore on expansion but it would depend on the normalisation process.

"As far as capex is concerned, we have 19 screens wherein 90 per cent of the work has been completed and, hence, would require an additional capex of anything between Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crore.

"We may open and invest in another 25 screens, but all that depends on the normalisation process and how the movies do. For those 25 screens, we would require an additional Rs 65 crore," he said.

Like other multiplex chains, Inox started its operation from July 30 in some regions after a forced closure by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Inox has permission to open 459 screens and has opened 201 screens so far as on August 3.

Tandon said Inox has a "healthy line-up of movies" to show once normalcy returns.

"If we look at the movie line-up, I think it is mouth-watering; and in Hindi, we have movies like Bell Bottom, Satyameva Jayate, Suryavanshi, Shamshera, Prithviraj, and Lal Singh Chaddha, just to name a few.

"If I talk about movies in other Indian languages, we have RRR, KGF-2, Pushpa, Radheshyam and many more to come. And, English is not far behind F9: The Fast Saga, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Jungle Cruise, Suicide Squad, Spiderman and the list gets endless," he added.

The company has an "impact on revenues during the first quarter of 2021-22 due to the second wave of COVID-19" and tried to keep its fixed costs under control.

"However, year-on-year comparison of Q1 FY2022 with Q1 FY2021 would be skewed as Q1 FY2021 was a complete shutdown," it said.

According to Tandon, Inox liquidity position is "very strong".

"As of July 31, 2021, we have a liquidity of about Rs 400 crore, which includes undrawn limits of Rs 120 crore," he added.

Alternatively, INOX owns six cinema properties and a head office and can raise about Rs 350 crore by doing the sale on a lease back of these properties.

As of July 31, 2021, Inox Leisure's gross debt stood at Rs 117 crore.

It is also in talks with our various partners overpayments on rentals and common area maintenance (CAM) charges during the COVID-19 period.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
B K Birla Group company is likely to offer a hefty discount of 30 per cent or more from market price in the proposed upcoming rights offer to reward the shareholders, company sources said.

Kesoram had tweaked its fundraising plan by dropping a preferential allotment of shares to a promoter group company at Rs 100 crore at a price of Rs 100 per share and a rights offer worth Rs 200 crore.

The company has now decided to drop the preferential issue to promoters and instead go for Rs 400 crore rights offer in a single shot in the overall Rs 500-600 crore raising plan to make Rs 1,900 crore debt from PE funds serviceable.

"The rights offer will be made attractive to It will be not less than 30 per cent discount to the ruling price otherwise it will not be remunerative to retail shareholders," company sources told PTI.

"After receiving feedback from of the company, who desired to participate in a rights issue, we decided to cancel the preferential allotment and go for a larger rights offer," the sources said.

On Friday, Kesoram closed at Rs 92.55 per share of Rs 10 each.

The company board will be meeting on August 12 to ratify the rights issue plan and announce the quarterly financial results.

The plan is a win-win for both retail who were deprived of rewards for a long time and the company with a liquidity position getting stronger and faster turnaround.

Last dividend paid by the company was back in 2013.

While, in the previous preferential issue plan to the promoter, only Rs 25 crore was supposed to come upfront, with the rest would have come after 18 months.

The promoter shareholders also include Kumar Mangalam Birla, the grandson of B K Birla and the chairman of Aditya Birla Group.

Pilani Investment and Century Textiles, which is understood to be under his control, hold nearly 20 per cent stake in the company out of nearly 46 per cent of the total promoter's holding in Kesoram.

(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.)
Macrotech Developers, which sells properties under Lodha brand, has formed four joint ventures in April-June to build projects with a sales value of Rs 3,500 crore and is looking at two such tie-ups every quarter to expand presence in Mumbai and Pune regions, a top company official said.

Mumbai-based Macrotech, erstwhile Lodha Developers, is one of the leading in the country. It got listed on the stock exchanges in April after launching Rs 2,500-crore initial public offering (IPO).

In an interview with PTI, Macrotech Developers Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abhishek Lodha said he remained bullish on the growth prospects of the housing segment, notwithstanding the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We want to expand our presence across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune for future growth," Lodha said.

During the first quarter, he said the company entered into four joint development agreements (JDAs) with landowners and local realtors to build projects, comprising a total of 3.3 million square feet, in micro-markets of MMR and Pune regions.

"The estimated sales value in these four projects will be around Rs 3,500 crore," he added.

In the MMR market, it has signed two JDAs in western suburbs with sales potential of around Rs 2,100 crore and one in eastern suburbs worth Rs 450 crore.

One JDA has been formed in Pune with sales potential of around Rs 900 crore.

Asked whether the company would add more projects through this route, Lodha said, "We are targeting to form 2 JDAs every quarter on an average."



Macrotech Developers has huge land bank in MMR and Pune, but not in all micro-markets of these two major cities in Maharashtra.

"Our focus on the JDA is to serve all the parts of the Mumbai region and Pune where we are not present," he said.

In MMR, Lodha said the company has a strong presence is in south central Mumbai, Thane and the extended eastern suburbs.

The company is looking to grow in the western suburbs, the eastern suburbs and Navi Mumbai.

"Similarly, in Pune, we only have one development, Lodha Belmondo; and the rest of the city, we don't have enough presence. So, we are looking to grow in almost all parts of Pune," he said.

Macrotech will share revenue with JV partners and is looking at around 20 per cent profit margins in JDA projects.

On sales bookings, the Macrotech MD was confident of achieving the guidance of Rs 9,000 crore during this fiscal year, despite the second wave of pandemic.

It sold properties (largely housing) worth Rs 5,968 crore during the last financial year.

To speed up the pace of construction, Lodha said the company would almost double its investment on construction to Rs 2,700 crore in this fiscal.

The company's construction spend stood at around Rs 1,400 crore during the last fiscal year.

On debt, Lodha said the company was on track to bring the net debt to below Rs 10,000 crore levels this fiscal from around Rs 12,500 crore at the end of the June quarter.

(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.)
Bengaluru-based software firm Happiest Minds Technologies, which has been facing rising levels of late, is planning to hire 300 techies in each of the next three quarters, its top management has said.

The Ashok Soota-promoted 11-year-old company had a high of 14.7 per cent in the June quarter when its total headcount stood at 3,538, after net-adding 310 in the quarter to June.

Against this, market leader TCS had the lowest of 8.6 per cent, (up from 7.2 per cent in March), followed by Infosys at 13.9 per cent (was up from 10.9 per cent in March); Wipro (15.5 per cent in June, up from 12 per cent in March), and the US-based Cognizant, which has two-thirds of its employees here, had 31 per cent for the June quarter.

However for Happiest Minds, on an annualised basis the employee retention level increased from 16.2 per cent in Q1 of FY'21 to 14.7 per cent now, but fell from Q4 of FY'21 when it was 12.4 per cent.

"We plan to add 300 people in each of the next three quarters of this fiscal. Our net headcount stood at 3,538 as of the June quarter, after on-boarding 310 new people and we hope to maintain the pace of in every quarter of the fiscal," Happiest Minds executive vice-chairman Joseph Anantharaju told PTI.

Managing director and chief financial officer Venkatraman Narayanan chipped in saying is necessitated by both by attrition of those who have spent two-six years with the company and they bagging new jobs with huge hikes, and also to meet the rising demand which led to much higher utilisation level of the existing resources, which was marginally down to 82.1 per cent in Q1 from 82.6 per cent in Q4 of FY21.

"So I am ready to budget for a net addition of 300 people in each of the next three quarters. Hope my sales team follow suit," Narayanan said.

Happiest Minds, which went public in the thick of the first wave of the pandemic last September with a primary share sale that was oversubscribed by 151 times, gave over 562 per cent in returns to the shareholders since then, whose number went by 1.25 lakh since the listing when it had just 2 lakh public shareholders, Narayanan said.

Anantharaju attributed the higher margin of 25 per cent in the June quarter to the pandemic-driven savings by way of lower overhead cost, and the overall positive positive rub-off that the the IT industry got from the crisis. He said the energy bill is down by Rs 65 lakh a month, and there is also dip in rentals.

On the business mix, Narayanan said they are only listed software firm in the world with almost all -- 96 per cent -- its revenue coming in from the digital business with the cloud vertical contributing the highest at 42 per cent, automation 24 per cent, security 11 per cent, analytics 13 per cent and IoT 10 per cent.

Narayanan explained that the 29 per cent decline in net income to Rs 35.73 crore in the June 2021 quarter was primarily on a higher base -- a deferred tax credit of Rs 18 crore and a Rs 9.5 crore tax claw back in the year-ago period. Revenue grew 41.4 per cent to Rs 331.52 crore in the June quarter.

(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.)
Aviation regulator has asked the airlines to submit details about the airfares they have been charging for during August, a senior official said on Sunday.

On Saturday, Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Union Home Ministry, had complained on Twitter that an economy-class ticket on British Airways's Delhi-London flight for August 26 was priced Rs 3.95 lakh.

He added that economy-class ticket on Delhi-London of Vistara and Air India for August 26 was also priced between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.3 lakh amid the college admission time in the UK.

Gupta said he has "alerted" Union Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola about this matter.

A senior official of the Directorate General of Civl Aviation (DGCA) said on Sunday that the regulator has asked the airlines that operate currently to submit details about their fares.



ALSO READ: Delhi-London economy class airfares zoom up to Rs 4 lakh on revenge travel

While there have been lower and upper limits on all domestic airfares in India since May 25 last year, no such limits have been imposed on international airfares.

Vistara, which currently operates flights on Delhi-London as wells Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday: "Pricing is always a function of supply and demand.

"There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on India - UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices."



Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) Vikrant on Sunday successfully completed a five-day maiden sea voyage as the performance of the key systems of the 40,000-tonne warship was found to be satisfactory, officials said.

The aircraft carrier, built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore, set sail on Wednesday for the crucial sea trials ahead of its planned induction into the Indian Navy by August next year.

"Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 'Vikrant' successfully accomplished its maiden sea voyage today. Trials progressed as planned and system parameters proved satisfactory," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

He said the ship's performance, including of the hull, main propulsion, power generation and distribution (PGD) and auxiliary equipment were tested during the sea trials.

"Trials, which were reviewed by Vice Admiral AK Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command on the last day, have progressed as planned and system parameters have been proved satisfactory," Commander Madhwal said.

The delivery of Vikrant is being targeted to coincide with celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India's independence 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', he said.

The warship will operate MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters, MH-60R multi-role helicopters. It has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1700 people, including specialised cabins to accommodate women officers.

The aircraft carrier set off on its maiden sea trials, 50 years after its namesake played a major role in the 1971 war.

"The ship with a high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft," the Navy spokesperson said.

Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.

The IAC is 262 metres long, 62 metres wide and it has a height of 59 metres. Its construction began in 2009.

Commander Madhwal said that the successful completion of the maiden trials, despite challenges faced due to the coronavirus pandemic, is a testimony to the dedicated efforts of a large number of stakeholders.

"This is a major milestone activity and historical event. The carrier would undergo a series of sea trials prior to its delivery in 2022," he said.

Around 550 Indian firms including about 100 MSMEs are registered with the Cochin Shipyard Limited(CSL) and they provided various services for the construction of the IAC,



India currently has only one aircraft carrier -- INS Vikramaditya.

The Indian Navy has been focusing on significantly bolstering its overall capabilities in view of China's growing efforts to increase its military presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy, is critical to the country's strategic interests.

(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.)
Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to increase the quota of COVID-19 vaccine for

He also said there is a lurking danger of Covid explosion in the state given its dense population.

"I am given to understand that up to August 2, approximately 3,00,65,845 persons have been vaccinated (in the state)," Chowdhury said in the letter.

The state Congress president mentioned that seventy per cent of West Bengal's 10 crore population is "still waiting for protection from the virus".

Chowdhury requested the prime minister to "do the needful to increase the quota of Covid vaccine" for the state.

The Mamata Banerjee government has repeatedly accused the central government of providing an inadequate number of Covid vaccines to than some BJP-ruled states with comparatively less population.

(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.)
exported 8 lakh tonnes of coal to its neighbouring nations, including Nepal, in the fiscal year ended March 2021.

Of the said quantity, the maximum 77.20 per cent was exported to Nepal, followed by 13.04 per cent to Bangladesh, according to the Coal Ministry's Provisional Coal Statistics 2020-21.

"Although, there was short supply of coal in compared to its demand and it had to resort to import of coal, exported some quantity of coal to its neighbouring countries during the year 2020-21," it said.

Coal was exported mainly to Nepal 0.618 million tonnes (MT), followed by Bangladesh 0.104 MT, it added.

"In spite of sufficient coal reserve, we have not been able to meet our demand



from our own production. Moreover, the supply of high-quality coal (low-ash coal) in



the country has been limited," it added.

Therefore, to bridge the demand and supply gap as well as to provide high quality



coal for use in various industries, the country has no option but to resort to import



of coal, especially low-ash coal, it said.

In FY'21, import of raw coal of the country was 214.995 MT valued at Rs 1,16,037.2 crore against import of 248.537 MT valued at Rs 1,52,732.1 crore in 2019-20.

"Thus, in the year 2020-21, import of coal decreased by 13.50 per cent over the



previous year," 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.)
received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine from on Saturday, local media reports said.

Japan's envoy to Kathmandu Kikuta Yutaka handed over 05,13,420 vaccines to Nepal's Minister of Health and Population Umesh Shrestha at the country's Tribhuvan International Airport.

On Sunday evening, the vaccine's second batch will arrive in Kathmandu. The remaining half doses will be brought to the country soon, The Himalayan Times reported quoting Nepal's Foreign Affairs Ministry as saying.

Through the vaccine sharing scheme COVAX, had promised to provide nearly 1.6 million doses of to Kathmandu.

" appreciates for their generous provision of life-saving vaccine to through COVAX. These Japanese-made COVID vaccines will be administered to the senior citizens who are waiting for second shots of vaccines of this group," the country's foreign affairs ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

On Saturday, the country reported 2,231 new infections in the last 24 hours with the total number of cases reached to 7,12,740. Nepal has vaccinated nearly 68,02,415 people so far across 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.)
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs will stage dharna in front of Gandhi Statue inside premises on Monday against the alleged attack on their party workers in Tripura, said sources.

MP Saugata Roy slammed BJP for allegedly attacking workers in Tripura.

"I condemn the action of the BJP. Their desperate deed cannot be forgiven. They cannot stop by attacking our young workers. I will win the forthcoming elections in Tripura. We will see if the issue can be raised in Parliament," Roy told ANI.

TMC alleged that several workers of the party were attacked by BJP workers in Tripura on Saturday. Following this, TMC workers protested and were arrested by Tripura Police.

Earlier today, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee reached Agartala and said democracy is being choked in Tripura and TMC will not spare a single inch for BJP in the state.

Meanwhile, the arrested TMC workers have been released on Sunday after grating bail by Khowai court.

"All 14 TMC youth leaders have been granted bail by the Khowai court against a local security bond of Rs 50,000. They were granted bail in a case of violation of the Disaster Management Act," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh in Agartala.

(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.)
Census operations, aborted due to Covid, are set to resume soon. In a huge rush of orders, the has filled in the vacant positions of director of Census operations in states over the last week.

The states covered include large ones like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh as well as smaller states and union territories like Mizoram and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, among others. Corresponding vacancies in the headquarters of the ministry have also got filled up.

The central government has revived work on the Census as there are fresh demands for counting of caste in the operations. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has pitched for it. Opposition leaders from the state have backed his demand. A source in the government said the rush to fill the posts of directors of Census operations in states where they were lying vacant is meant to bring the counting operations to a fast-forward mode.

Once the operations begin, given Indias demographics, it will be relatively easier for the Centre to claim that no change is possible now. Any new category for enumeration will mean going back to the drawing board again.

The next Census would be 10 years later in 2031, a long time-frame in political equations.

Preparations for the Census got stalled last year as the first phase of Covid brought work in the office of the Census Commissioner of India and those in states to a halt.

All government offices were affected. The Census organisation of India is a family of 33 directorates of Census operations at each state capital. They report to the registrar general & Census commissioner, India, in New Delhi.

Some work had begun but enumeration, including counting of people country-wide, which happens in one go, usually in the month of February of the Census year, could not begin.

The government wants to complete the operations rapidly, including the actual counting of people, by February next year. Caste enumeration can wait.
A slow-going Senate debate over a broad $550 billion package spilled into Sunday and could go on for days yet, with lawmakers unable to agree on which final changes to consider.



Amendments still on the table include proposals for new cryptocurrency rules and flexibility for states and localities that choose to use some unspent pandemic relief funds for roads and bridges.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who helped negotiate the bipartisan proposal, said he expects the package of money for roads, water systems and broadband expansion will eventually pass, but suggested that may be two days away unless all 100 senators can agree to speed things up.

Probably its going to pass, he said on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. Well have a vote tonight at 7:30 and then another vote -- if you just look at the clock playing out -- sometime on Tuesday. So, it could go quicker, but its going.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer opened the Sunday session saying Democrats were ready to consider amendments to the legislation, which is a cornerstone of President Joe Bidens agenda.

That will require the cooperation of our Republican colleagues, he said. In any case, well keep proceeding until we get this bill done.

At least one GOP senator, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, has refused to allow the unanimous agreement needed to speed past hours and hours of remaining debate. He is among a cluster of Republicans who oppose the bill because it will be followed by a Democratic effort to push through without Senate GOP backing a more expansive $3.5 trillion measure entailing the rest of Bidens economic agenda.

Im not inclined to expedite this process whatsoever, Hagerty said on Saturday.

On Sunday, he proposed bringing up a package of amendments for votes, but without a time agreement to bring the bill to a close quickly.

Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the top Democrat negotiator on the bipartisan package, objected, drawing a rebuke from Hagerty.

Democrats true intention is to rush this bill through so that they can hurry up and light the fuse on their $3.5 trillion spending spree, a socialist debt bomb, then leave town for vacation, he said.

The Senate did edge the legislation past one of its final procedural hurdles on a 67-27 vote on Saturday, an indicator of the bills bipartisan support. But agreement on a last batch of amendments was elusive.

Amendments



Senators in both parties were still working to resolve a dispute over two dueling amendments to modify a provision dealing with reporting requirements for cryptocurrency transactions and tax collection. The bipartisan group that drew up the legislation was counting on the extra tax revenue generated to help pay for some of the bills costs.

Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, a progressive Democrat, teamed up with conservative Republicans Pat Toomey and Cynthia Lummis in working with the cryptocurrency industry to draft changes to narrow those affected by the reporting requirements. It would exclude entities such as miners, software designers and protocol developers from the groups that need to report data to the Internal Revenue Service.

But Senator Rob Portman, a Republican, and Democrats Sinema and Mark Warner -- three key players in negotiating the legislation -- proposed an 11th-hour alternative endorsed by the White House. It would target some software companies and cryptocurrency miners.

Toomey said Saturday that the talks werent immediately fruitful.

I dont know how its going to work out. Were working on it, the Pennsylvania Republican said.

Meanwhile, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn is pressing for the Senate to vote on his amendment that would allow state and local governments to use as much as 30% of their unspent Covid relief funds on infrastructure projects. Cornyn said his proposal, sponsored with Democratic Senator Alex Padilla, could free up between $80 billion and $100 billion for projects.

He pleaded with other senators on Saturday to allow consent needed to vote on the proposal considered non-germane under Senate rules.

This money is readily available and does not add to the deficit or debt, but merely provides them with flexibility, Cornyn said.

Crawling Pace



Hagertys objection to speeding up debate underscored how a single senator can use the chambers arcane rules to force the Senate to move at a crawl. He may have another chance to do so beginning Sunday night.

The Senate still has one more procedural vote to wrap up debate and move toward final passage -- but that comes only after another 30 hours of debate, unless he along with everyone else agrees to drop that time.

Lack of agreement to move things ahead risks pushing final passage into early Tuesday. After that, Senate Democrats will begin a days-long debate over the fiscal blueprint underpinning the $3.5 trillion economic plan before lawmakers leave for an August recess.

The infrastructure bill includes $110 billion in new spending for roads and bridges, $73 billion for electric grid upgrades, $66 billion for rail and Amtrak, and $65 billion for broadband expansion. It also provides $55 billion for clean drinking water and $39 billion for transit.

The state of play looks good and the package is on the cusp of moving through the Senate, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Fox News Sunday. The infrastructure spending will generate enormous economic growth, he said.

The legislation still faces challenges in the House, where Democrats can afford only three defectors if Republicans vote in unison against the bill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi reaffirmed Friday that the House wont take up the infrastructure legislation until the Senate also passes the more sweeping economic package, a linkage demanded by progressives in the chamber. That is a central demand of progressive Democrats in the House, but some moderates are urging Pelosi to not delay the infrastructure bill.

--With assistance from Laura Litvan and Daniel Flatley.
The top leaders of the Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC), an alliance of 22 religious and political parties and organisations in Pakistan, have declined to condemn the vandalism and desecration of a Hindu in Rahim Yar Khan last week, saying it was unaware of the details of the incident, a media report said on Sunday.

According to the Dawn news report, they held a media briefing in Islamabad following the elections for top positions in the Supreme Council of the MYC.

The Supreme Council of the MYC unanimously re-elected Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair of Jamiat Ulema-i- (JUP) as president and Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami as secretary general for the next three years.

During the briefing, when reporters asked about the position of the MYC on the attack in RYK, the newly elected president started talking about an incident in Hyderabad instead.

"There is a Muslim family living in front of a in Hyderabad. The area also housed some Hindu families and they filed a complaint to the authorities that sacrificing (a) cow in front of the temple should not be allowed," Zubair said, as per the report.

The MYC president further said that the rights of the religious minorities have been safeguarded under the Constitution and Sharia.

"We do not deny the rights given to the minority communities in Islamic laws and the laws of the country, but denying the rights to the majority community too was not fair," he added.

The MYC president said that they cannot comment as they were not aware of the ground realities and details of the incident. Secretary general Baloch added that the MYC will respond when the facts are available to them. "The minority community in the country has complete freedom," he said.

When they were asked whether they believed the temple's desecration should not be condemned, the former deputy secretary general Saqib Akbar told reporters to move on to the next topic and refrain from arguments over the temple issue.

Hundreds of people had vandalised a Hindu temple in Bhong town on August 4 and blocked the Sukkur-Multan Motorway after a nine-year-old Hindu boy, who allegedly urinated in a local seminary, was granted bail by a local court.

A video clip that went viral on social media showed charged people wielding clubs and rods storming the temple and smashing its glass doors, windows, lights and damaging the ceiling fans.

--IANS

san/ksk/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The have captured Afghanistan's third provincial capital Kunduz in the last three days but fierce fighting is still underway in the city, the terror group said on Sunday.

The terror group captured the police headquarters, the governor's compound and the prison in the city, Al Jazeera reported quoting the

Earlier, the took control over Jawzjan province's capital Sheberghan and Nimroz province's capital Zaranj.

The terror group's aggressive offensive has killed many government forces and innocent civilians. Multiple reports have claimed that the group has been looting innocent civilians after capturing multiple areas.

The Taliban's recent skirmish became aggressive soon after the US troops started leaving war-torn in large numbers under the new peace deal signed between Washington and the insurgent group in February last year.

As the Taliban intensified attacks, started urging global organisations and to address the deteriorating situation in the country.

On Saturday evening, the US B-52 bombers targeted a Taliban gathering in Afghanistan's Shebergan city. The terror group suffered heavy casualties during the US Air Forces strike.

(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 United States on Sunday condemned the Taliban's violent offensive against Afghan cities and called on the terrorist group to agree to a permanent ceasefire.

While condemning the violence, US Embassy in in a statement said, "the unlawful seizure of Zaranj, the capital of Afghanistan's Nimroz province, the attack on Sheberghan, capital of Jowzjan province yesterday and today, and continuing efforts to take over Lashkar Gah in Helmand and provincial capitals elsewhere."

The embassy statement said that these actions to forcibly impose its rule are unacceptable and contradict its claim to support a negotiated settlement in the Doha peace process. "They demonstrate a wanton disregard for the welfare and rights of civilians and will worsen this country's humanitarian crisis."

The United States further called on the to agree to a permanent ceasefire and pave the way for an inclusive political settlement that benefits all Afghans.

This statement comes as the have captured the third provincial capital Kunduz in the last three days but fierce fighting is still underway in the city.

The terror group captured the police headquarters, the governor's compound and the prison in the city, Al Jazeera reported quoting the Taliban.

Earlier, the Taliban took control over Jawzjan province's capital Sheberghan and Nimroz province's capital Zaranj. The terror group's aggressive offensive has killed many government forces and innocent civilians. Multiple reports have claimed that the group has been looting innocent civilians after capturing multiple areas.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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On Friday, the Prime Minister interacted with the heads of Indian Missions abroad and urged them to understand the needs of the country/region where they are posted very well so that they can act as a bridge for the commerce and industry in India.

He asked the Commerce Ministry to put in place a system for regular communication between our exporters and our Missions. He listened patiently to the inputs and suggestions of the heads of Indian Missions regarding setting sector/region specific trade targets, the need to focus on value addition, quality standards of products, supply chain ...
MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said unless the 50 per cent cap on reservations is relaxed, the constitutional amendment on allowing states to prepare their own OBC list will not help and the cannot be restored.

Talking to reporters here after meeting president and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Raut said he discussed the issue and developments regarding it in Parliament with the CM.

He said state Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan will hold a virtual meeting to inform leaders of all political parties about the status of the issue of Maratha quota, which was quashed by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

The demand for a debate will be raised when the constitutional amendment issue comes up in Parliament, the Rajya Sabha member said.

"Unless the 50 per cent cap is relaxed, the cannot be restored," he said.

The Union Cabinet is learnt to have cleared a Constitution amendment bill that seeks to give power to states and UTs to make their own OBC lists. The bill will now be introduced in Parliament for passage, sources said in Delhi on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the Centre's plea seeking review of the May 5 majority verdict which held that the 102nd constitution amendment took away the states' powers to declare socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) for grant of quota in jobs and admissions.

The Maharashtra government had granted reservation to the Marathas in jobs and education under the SEBC category.

On May 5, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously set aside the quota for Marathas and refused to refer the 1992 Mandal verdict putting a cap of 50 per cent on reservations to a larger bench.

Raut also said he discussed organisational matters with Thackeray, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra.

The Sena leader also said he had briefed Thackeray about his meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on the same day when he met the latter.

Raut declined to respond to questions about prospects of an alliance between the BJP and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls due next year.

He also evaded a reply to a question on whether Rahul Gandhi would visit 'Matoshree', the residence of CM Thackeray in Mumbai, when he visits the city on December 28 this year.

"December is much ahead. Let's see then," Raut 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.)
Former Congress



Committee president Tindivanam K Ramamurthy died here on Sunday and leaders including Chief Minister M K Stalin condoled his death.

He was 86 and died due to illness.

Ramamurthy had held various positions in the party including that of state secretary, general secretary and had headed the unit as its president, a party release here said.

A former MLA, and a nominated Rajya Sabha MP between 1984 and 1990, he was also previously the leader of opposition in the now defunct legislative council, and worked hard for the growth of the party, TNCC president K S Alagiri said.

Condoling Ramamurthy's death and expressing grief, Alagiri said he raised his voice for people's issues in the Assembly and worked to protect the interests of backward classes.

"Tindivanam Ramamurthy's death is an irreparable loss and I convey my condolences and to his family and friends," Alagiri said.

Chief Minister Stalin, who placed a wreath over the body at the former TNCC chief's residence here, said Ramamurthy passed away due to illness and he was anguished to learn about it.

Hailing Ramamurthy as a veteran in the national mainstream who worked closely with leaders like K Kamaraj, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Stalin said he fought for Tamil Nadu's welfare and rights and brought fame to the state.

AIADMK top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami in a statement recalled that Ramamurthy worked with a spirit of friendship when their party aligned with the Congress years ago and hailed the former TNCC chief's work for the welfare of people.

Congress legislature party leader K Selvaperunthagai, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder leader S Ramadoss, Indian Union Muslim League chief K M Khader Mohideen, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran were others who condoled Ramamurthy's death. All the leaders conveyed their sympathies and condolences to the bereaved.

(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.)
Here you'll find our latest collection of Caledonian-Record reports on the coronavirus outbreak and local response, from the beginning of April. Our January, February and March stories are here: https://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/local/our-coronavirus-coverage/collection_5885178c-692e-11e
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Published On Aug 08, 2021 12:39 PM By Sonny for Mahindra XUV700

It seems that upcoming XUV range of models would be visually distinctive from other Mahindra SUVs

The XUV700 is likely to be previewing the styling of future XUV models as well.

This would include the C-shaped daytime running lights, arrow-head tail lamps, new grille and a new logo as well.

Mahindra is expected to introduce multiple XUV models in the coming years based on various trademark registrations.

The XUV-specific styling would distinguish those models from other Mahindras like the Bolero, Scorpio and Thar.

The XUV700 is expected to launch soon as a replacement for the current XUV500.

The Mahindra XUV700 is one the most highly anticipated new cars of 2021. It has been spied testing numerous times and now without camouflage as well. The latest sighting revealed the exterior design details of the XUV700 which can be expected on future XUV products as well.

The XUV700 will succeed the XUV500 which was the first XUV model launched nearly a decade ago. Mahindra has been trademarking multiple XUV monikers and a facelift for the XUV300 is due to arrive in 2022. These new models are likely to feature a similar design language in terms of the LED headlamps with C-shaped daytime running lights, arrow-head tail lamps and new grille. Recent spy shots of the XUV700 also revealed a new logo on the grille we may see on future XUV models as well.

Also read: Amazon Alexa-Powered AdrenoX Infotainment System To Power The Mahindra XUV700

The XUV500 badge is expected to return for a new Mahindra SUV that would be a five-seater offering to rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Meanwhile, the entry-level offering could be renamed as the XUV100 and the top of the line model could even be called the XUV900 in the future.

This consistency in design language for XUV models would help stratify Mahindras various products. These cars would be visually distinctive from the likes of the Bolero, Scorpio, and Thar.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., arrives as the Senate convenes for a rare weekend session on the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Smoke rise from Israeli shelling near the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Shouba, after Hezbollah fired rockets near an Israeli positions the Golan Heights, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. The militant Hezbollah group said it fired a barrage of rockets near Israeli positions close to the Lebanese border on Friday, calling it retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon a day earlier. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom makes a gesture as he speaks during a news conference at San Bernardino Unified School District Office after visiting Juanita B. Jones Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP)
Demolition debris sit where hangars once stood at the Michael J. Smith Field Airport in Beaufort. Crews demolished the old hangars last fall as part of a federal grant-funded project to rebuild 28 damaged units at the airport. (Elise Clouser photo)
Photo: The Canadian Press Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont.

The United States will remain on the sidelines for now as Canada gamely welcomes back fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents.

As of midnight Sunday night, non-essential U.S. travellers who have had a full course of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine will again be allowed on Canadian soil.

To be eligible, travellers must live in the U.S., have allowed at least 14 days to pass since their last dose and show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that's no more than 72 hours old.

They are also required to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details.

Denis Vinette, vice-president of the travellers branch of the Canada Border Services Agency, says the agency learned a lot when fully vaccinated Canadian citizens were allowed to return last month.

Vinette says about half had to be turned away during the first week because they hadn't received one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada, or had not waited the full 14 days after their last shot.

"We found that many travellers  while they believed they met the full vaccination requirements  in fact did not, for one of two reasons," Vinette said in an interview.

"One, it had not been a full 14 days since they'd received their second vaccination shot, and secondly, there were a lot of individuals who received a non-Health Canada vaccine who believed they would have been exempt from the quarantine requirements."

Canada has approved four vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, also known as Covishield, and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson option.

"We had a lot of individuals who didn't have a full understanding of what applies and what does not apply," Vinette said. "I expect the same here. I think that from a vaccination perspective, the vaccines being administered in the U.S. are approved in Canada, so I would expect that might be a lesser issue."

The U.S., for its part, has been mum on when it might begin to ease its own restrictions on non-essential Canadian travellers at land crossings. Air, sea and rail travellers are exempt.

The White House did say last week that it is exploring whether to require discretionary visitors to be fully vaccinated when the time comes to ease restrictions, although it remains unclear whether that discussion specifically includes Canadian travellers.

The U.S. has maintained stringent travel limits on a number of foreign countries, including China, India, Ireland, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and the 26 European countries without border controls, known as the Schengen group.

The borders with Canada and Mexico, however, are widely seen as falling into a different category, in part because of the close trade ties between the three countries as well as the fact that visitors can enter without the help of a private-sector company like an airline or cruise ship operator.

Observers also detect a measure of unease in the White House at the idea of allowing travel to resume from Canada without doing so at the southern border, where an ever-present flow of would-be refugees continues to pose a political challenge for President Joe Biden.

While a short-lived labour dispute with Canadian border agents was resolved promptly last week, travellers looking to enter the country after Sunday would still be wise to pack some patience, given the likelihood that a lot of people will be getting turned away.

Some people "will not have perhaps the totality of information they require to be able to present themselves to enter the country for a discretionary purpose," Vinette said.

"They'll be denied entry to the country; they'll simply be sent back to the U.S., then they can choose to comply with all requirements and then seek re-entry after that case."

Travellers arriving by air can also expect delays, given that it already takes a lot of time.

Torontos Pearson International Airport, one of four in Canada that has been allowed to accept flights from outside the country, has been warning people that the international arrivals process could take more than three hours.

Canadians are growing more comfortable with air travel, which means more people in the airport, all of them dealing with augmented security and health checks thanks to COVID restrictions, said Pearson spokeswoman Beverly MacDonald.

"There are a variety of factors that impact wait times upon arrival, including additional health screening due to government travel requirements, vaccination status, immigration processing, multiple flights arriving at the same time and more," MacDonald said in a statement.

Pearson saw nearly double the amount of passengers in the second quarter than during the same months in 2020  though at an average of 11,500 a day its still significantly down from that quarter in 2019, when an average of 140,000 passengers flowed through the airport.

In June, the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport saw about 10 per cent of its 2019 volumes, which rose to 20 per cent in July, and they expect to see around 30 per cent in August.

"Even if we are used to attending to a far larger number of passengers in our facilities, there are longer wait times to be expected especially at the international arrivals level, depending on the time of the day," said spokeswoman Anne-Sophie Hamel.

The federal government is currently planning to allow vaccinated visitors from outside the U.S. to return to Canada for non-essential reasons as of Sept. 7.
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Larry Parker Willerson, 71, of Chattanooga, passed away on August 2, 2021, after losing his battle with leukemia.



Larry was born on Sept. 1, 1949 to John Grover and Virginia Willerson. He attended Central High School in Chattanooga. He married Deborah (Debbie) Hall on Nov. 13, 1971 in Chattanooga. He continued his education by graduating with a bachelor of business from Tennessee Wesleyan. He worked as a sales representative for Beeler Impression Products for over 38 years.



He served in the Army from 1968 through 1972; a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served as a tank driver, earning his National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, three Overseas Service Bars, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, SPS Quality Badge, and the rank of E7, before exiting service with an honorable discharge.



Larry was an aficionado of Harley Davidson Motorcycles, a collector of antique guns and a connoisseur of chocolate and peanut butter. He had many talents, but his gift of gab was the one that everyone enjoyed, as I am sure his neighbors will agree. You could always count on a lengthy conversation and a good belly laugh out in the front yard.



Larry was a proud vet. Any time he saw a fellow veteran, he always stopped and said thank you for your service, which was followed by a handshake and a big smile.



Larry is preceded in death by his parents, John Willerson and Virginia Raby; step-father, Lawrence Raby; a sister, Phyllis Walker; and brothers, Roger Willerson, John (Buster) Willerson and Steve Willerson, Sr.



Larry is survived by his loving wife, Debbie; his daughter, Michele Paty (Dan Overton Sims); his grandson, Parker Overton Paty; sister-in-law, Linda Starr; brothers-in-law, Jimmy Hall (Virginia) and Ronald Cadorette; plus many nieces and nephews.



The family wishes to extend its sincere thanks to Dr. Bertrand Anz, his staff and the staff at Memorial Oncology Department for the care and treatment they offered over the past several months.



There will be a private service of family to be held at a later date. Thank you for your prayers and condolences.
Its no secret one of the first unwritten rules of running a business is: Dont create unnecessary problems for yourself. The real problems will find you without any help, and they should be your focus. In other words, any company, large or small, that demands its employees to be vaccinated is run by a fool. The view from here is that a vaccine is a personal choice  not a business decision  and unless youre a Hey, look how noble I am! type, it is far better to let people be people. Let each march to their own drummer.

Two days later they waved their badly singed fingers and backed away from such malarkey, largely based on Tennessee Code Annotated 68-5-155 which reads, a political subdivision of this state shall not promulgate, adopt, or enforce and ordinance or resolution, that requires a person to receive an immunization, vaccination, or injection for the SARS-CoV-2 virus or any variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Tennessee city of Germantown drifted over the crazy line early in the week when its City Fathers decreed all municipal employees must be vaccinated.Two days later they waved their badly singed fingers and backed away from such malarkey, largely based on Tennessee Code Annotated 68-5-155 which reads, a political subdivision of this state shall not promulgate, adopt, or enforce and ordinance or resolution, that requires a person to receive an immunization, vaccination, or injection for the SARS-CoV-2 virus or any variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

State Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, was one of the sponsors of the house bill, and said at the start the intention of the law was to insure no one would be required to take the vaccine, including government employees. Yet as the Delta variant continues to flex its COVID muscle, there are those who believe they should save Tennesseans from themselves.

One businessman believes he owes it to his vaccinated employees to provide the best workplace environment when his detractors angrily say he is punishing his employees for exercising their basic rights. Stay tuned on this one but the best argument is he never should have invited such a distraction upon himself or his company. It can easily be argued he would have been far better served not to have said a thing.

Believe it or not, the strongest case for the vaccine is from the Delta variant itself; 95 percent of its victims are unvaccinated. Hello? That leaves fewer than five percentof the vaccinated at risk. If that isnt a straight enough message, there can be a no stronger reason to take the jab. This, and health experts are now predicting there are other variants feared to be coming to the United States.

Anthony Fauci, Americas COVID expert, predicted that when the Food and Drug administration formally approves the vaccinate, that is when we will see a rash of bold mandates  and they wont be from the Biden administration. Speaking to the USA Today editorial board on Friday, he predicts vaccine approval will embolden many groups. Organizations, enterprises, universities, colleges that have been reluctant to mandate at the local level will feel much more confident," he said.

"They can say, 'If you want to come to this college or this university, you've got to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this plant, you have to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this enterprise, you've got to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this hospital, you've got to get vaccinated.'"

McCallie School, the premier prep school located in Chattanooga, was quick to say in May any student or teacher must be vaccinated by the start of school (Aug. 17) and with the impending approval by the FDA. Fauci believes there will be a rush for mandates. This is a dystopian world we're living in," he said. The public is awash in lies and misinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccines, "they are being misled." (Definition of dystopia -- an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives.)

FROM USA TODAY: With COVID-19 cases rising among the unvaccinated as the highly contagious delta variant spreads, Fauci hopes people's "better angels" will prevail over the sea of lies on social media. The delta variant has thrown the danger of COVID-19 to young children into sharp relief. In Tennessee, the Department of Health projects the state's children's hospitals are on pace to be completely full by the end of next week.

The state's health commissioner, Dr. Lisa Piercey, said the Delta variant is rapidly spreading among children, who are quickly showing symptoms after possible exposure, possibly amounting to a much faster incubation time than previous versions of the virus. Children under 12 are not yet eligible for the vaccine, so the adults around them must be their protection, Fauci said.

At schools, everyone needs to be vaccinated, he said, teachers, assistants, janitors, "anybody who is anywhere near a child in what should be a protected environment of a school." Because in the current political environment that won't happen, Fauci said masks are the next best thing. Schools are crucial for children's mental health and intellectual, physical, and social development, so it's important they stay open.

"I would rather have a child be a little bit uncomfortable with a mask on and be healthy than a comfortable child without a mask in an ICU," he said. "It just doesn't make any sense to me why you would want to not protect the children."

* * *

SHOULD VACCINATED AMERICANS PANIC?

(From Yahoo.com) Peter Weber, Senior editor, Thursday, August 5, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has now officially resulted in 200 million cases and 4.25 million deaths worldwide, and the extremely virulent Delta variant is erasing many of the gains achieved through time and remarkably effective vaccines.

"For public health officials and the Biden administration, the Delta variant is the biggest communication conundrum we've seen in a while," Politico health care editor Joanne Kenen writes in Wednesday's Nightly newsletter. "Don't panic, they tell us in one breath. Well, maybe panic a bit, they tell us in the next, urging us to put our masks back on and think twice about how, when, where, and with whom we gather indoor." This "'panic/don't panic' conundrum," she writes, is exacerbated by the many, many things we still don't know about the Delta strain.

The one clear thing is that "this latest surge, as public health officials remind us, is largely an outbreak among the unvaccinated," Kenen writes. "The best way to protect ourselves and others, to contain the pandemic, is by getting vaccination rates way up." And until enough people are vaccinated, in the U.S. and the world, COVID-19 will be a problem for everyone.

U.C. San Francisco's Dr. Bob Wachter calls this Delta outbreak perhaps "the most confusing time in the pandemic." The "bottom line is that my thinking has changed," he wrote in a Twitter thread Tuesday night. "Six months ago, I felt like I understood all of the key variables when it came to the virus and vaccines," but "now I see that it's best to assume that nearly every parameter is different  usually for the worse"  with the Delta variant.

In lower-vaccination, high caseload states like Florida, Texas, and Missouri, the unvaccinated majority is "no better protected vs. COVID than they were in early 2020," but the virus is now "2.5 times better at its job of infecting people," Wachter writes. "It's obvious what an unvaccinated person should do: get vaccinated ASAP," and "be very afraid" and "super-safe" until two weeks after your second shot.

"What should a vaccinated person do? That's trickier," Watcher concedes. "Everybody's got to choose their own risk tolerance, which'll depend on your psychological state and your risk factors for a bad outcome," plus the prevalence of COVID-19 in your area. "You'll make your own choices, but don't underestimate Delta," he adds. "As the CDC said, it's a new war."
Hamilton County had 250 new coronavirus cases reported on Friday, bringing the total to 49,961. There have been three more deaths from the virus, and the total is at 529 in the county. It is reported they were one male and two females; one black and two race not determined; and one was age 21-30, one was age 70-80 and the other was age over 81. There are 188 patients ... (click for more)
During routine patrol officers spoke with management at the Fairfield Inn at 40 Starview Lane. The desk manager said she has a homeless couple visit the hotel nearly every Sunday asking guests to contribute donations for a pizza party. The unknown couple arrives in a Toyota sedan and the woman goes knocking door to door while the man stays in the driver's seat. Hotel staff said the couple have been asked not to return, however they still frequent the facility. Officers recognized the woman who is a well known scam artist (conducting the same type of activity) from the East Brainerd/Hamilton Place area. Officers will continue to monitor the area hotels for the pizza pair.

* * *

A woman on Grove Street Court said her 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe was repossessed. She said the company that repossessed the car was Title Max and they used MVTrac recovery services. She saidit was taken to an address on Asbury Street. She said that she got it back and now the radio does not work right, the left side rear door will not lock nor unlock and she cannot turn off the light switch and that it stays on automatic. She said that all of these problems happened after the vehicle was repossessed.

* * *

An officer responded to a report of an abandoned vehicle in the area of 902 Federal St where a black Nissan Versa was parked curbside facing west. When checking the car, the officer found an abandonment decal had been placed on it and there was no evidence that anyone had made an attempt to move the vehicle. When making contact with the residents at 902, they believed the vehicle had been abandoned by the previous occupants. After checking records, Cains Wrecker Service did respond to remove the vehicle from the roadway.

* * *

A man on Glass Street said a woman who has been trespassed was on the parking lot asking people for money. Police searched the area around the parking lot and found the woman walking south on Wheeler Avenue away from the store. The officer spoke to her and she said she would not go back to the store and that she only went there to get a cigarette. The officer told her if she was back over there that he would arrest her for criminal trespass.

* * *

A man on Greenway View Drive said a man grabbed several clothing items from the front two tables and fled in a black F-150. The business next to them have video footage and was able get a tag. The tag comes back to a stolen Toyota Tacoma. They calculated the total price to be $869.

* * *

An employee with Hobby Lobby loss prevention on Gunbarrel Road said a woman attempted to use a counterfeit $100 bill. The employee said the woman tried to buy some face masks and candy with the counterfeit bill. She said when the lady was told the bill was counterfeit she asked for it back. The employee said they refused to give her the counterfeit bill, so the lady paid for her items and then left. The employee said the woman was around 30 years old. Police checked the area but were unable to locate the possible suspect. Police collected the counterfeit bill and entered it into property.

* * *

A man on West Martin Luther King Boulevard said his previous caregiver was terminated but never returned the key fob to enter the building or the keys to enter his apartment. Police spoke with the building manager who said that she would disable the fob and get his lock changed.

* * *

A woman on South Germantown Road said the last time she saw her car was last night and when she was off from work the vehicle was not there. She said she is going to try and locate a video footage of possible suspect on her ring camera. Her vehicle is a Honda Accord hatchback that has a new paint job on it. The vehicle has been put into NCIC.

* * *

A woman on Peeples Street said she has not been talking with her brother due to a prior incident. Her brother then showed up at her job and took off her temp tag while she was trying to drive away. She does not wish to press charges.

* * *

A woman on Lookaway Trail said her laptop and sunglasses were stolen from her car. She doesn't have any suspect information or know exactly when the items were taken from her vehicle.

* * *

The security officer at FedEx at 6023 Century Oaks Dr. found a suspicious package with a very strong marijuana smell. The marijuana package was released to the Chattanooga Police Department and turned into the property section. It was addressed to a man in Birmingham.

* * *

A caller on King Street said he was approached by a homeless man. The homeless person said there were "things about to go down" in tent city tonight. The homeless man also said he had a hit on him and he stayed in tent city. The homeless man did not give a name or birth date to the caller. The caller just wanted to let police know what the homeless man said.

* * *

An anonymous caller said someone punched the window on his car and yelled at him on Aviara Drive. The caller didn't want to give his name but wanted a report made because he was scared of the person that punched his window.

* * *

A man on Mountain Creek Road said an ex-coworker came by his apartment drunk. He was mad about losing his job and was blaming the caller. The man said that he only knows him as David. He left before police arrived. The man did not want to take any action, he just wanted him to leave.

* * *

A woman on Memphis Drive said she arrived home about 12:30 a.m. and saw her 2003 red Saturn Vue had been stolen. She suspected her ex-boyfriend had taken it while she was at work. There were no witnesses to the vehicle theft. The woman said she has the only keys to the car but the ex-boyfriend had broken the column inside the vehicle to where it could be started. The vehicle was entered into NCIC as stolen.

* * *

A man at 2351 Shallowford Village Dr. said he pulled in to the Sleep Inn motel with his truck and trailer not knowing that the hotel didn't have an outlet at the back. The man said he saw that he could not turn his truck and trailer around so he unhooked the trailer in a parking spot and turned his truck around. When he went to back up to the trailer so that he could hook it back to his truck he hit the trailer with the truck which caused it to start rolling. It rolled over a retaining wall that was around the parking lot. The man said when the trailer went over the wall it hit a woman's vehicle causing extensive damage to the front of her car and to the trailer. The woman was notified and came down from her room in a different hotel. All parties involved were given a complaint card.

* * *

Police responded to an abandoned car at 300 Interstate 75 northbound. A caller saw a van stopped by the fast lane on I-75 northbound. The blue Toyota Carola Matrix with Florida plates was parked on the right shoulder. The vehicle was still running with the keys in the ignition, however there were no occupants. The front driver side of the Toyota appeared to have new damage which left the vehicle inoperable. Upon further investigation the officer found that the on-view registration did not belong to the vehicle. The officer ran the VIN and received no stolen returns. The vehicle was a traffic hazard due to the wet road conditions and heavy traffic. The car was towed by Don Yates Wrecker Service.

* * *

A man on Shallowford Road said his girlfriend had threatened to use mace on him. The officer spoke with the girlfriend who said she did not, but that the man was the one making threats to use the mace. The man said in order to help keep the peace between them, he would leave the residence for awhile. He left without incident.

* * *

An officer responded to Milne Street for a stolen vehicle recovery report. At the scene, the officer found a Chevy Silverado, which was confirmed as stolen through NCIC. Dispatch attempted to reach the owner by phone but was unable to. Ault Towing responded to the scene to recover the vehicle. Several personal items including the paper copy of the vehicle registration and several blueprints were found on the ground near the vehicle and the key fob was found destroyed under and around the vehicle. The left rear tire was flat as well but no other damage was seen. There were several tools in the bed of the truck including an air compressor, circular saw, nail gun, extension cords, and some hand tools. The officer attempted to dust for fingerprints inside the vehicle but was unsuccessful in locating any useful lifts. There is no new suspect information at this time. NCIC removed the stolen status for the truck.

* * *

A woman at 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. said her car was stolen. Officers collected the information and drove through the parking lot and found her car in a different lot. Officers notified her where her vehicle was.
Malia White from Below Deck Mediterranean recently offered more details about the scooter accident she was in during an outing with her crew in Spain. She shared exactly how she got into the accident, how much worse it could have been, and why she couldnt help but go running a few weeks ago despite nursing a few broken toes.

I was with some of my crew and a crew member was in front of me, she recalled to Showbiz Cheat Sheet. He looked over their shoulder but didnt see me. And he made a sharp left and hit my front tire.

Malia White was traveling at a speed of 75 mph when the scooter crash occurred

White revealed she was traveling at a speed of 75 miles per hour when the collision occurred. I didnt go unconscious but yeah, I was going 75 miles per hour when it happened, she said. I just tumbled and just did a bunch of barrel rolls. But luckily I was wearing a helmet.

Malia White from Below Deck Mediterranean cast photo |Laurent Basset/Bravo

She was taken to a hospital in Spain for treatment. I was in a Spanish hospital, I was there for two days, she said. White first shared on Instagram about the accident from the hospital. Shes giving the thumbs up to the camera and an IV port is seen in her hand. Shes bruised and had severe road rash. She also fractured her elbow and broke a few toes. Then they flew me home to recover in Florida.

Malia White recovered from her scooter crash at home in Florida

White also shared photos getting TLC at home from her mother. A few weeks later she posted a funny video from a different kind of scooter, a grocery store scooter, where she shopped for a Buffalo sauce. Shes bandaged and, while healing, still nursing some pretty tender wounds.

She later eased back into her fitness routine. White admitted that one tough aspect of the recovery process was not being able to work out. Unable to sit on the sidelines much longer, White went for a run  despite still dealing with broken toes.

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterranean: Malia White Explains Why She Couldnt Move Forward With a Romance With David Pascoe

Not too shabby a 5k time all considered! she shared on Instagram. The temporary pain of running with some broken toes doesnt outweigh the mental instability I suffer from sitting on the couch going days without exercise. Exercise has always been my release and without it I get very down & out. Im thankful things werent worse and I am recovering quickly! Today I find out how much longer until I can be back on deck! Just need this elbow to heal.

Malia White from Below Deck Med is ready to return to her boat

She admitted that while cathartic, the run was pretty painful. It was [painful] but to me, I just cant sit, White said. Not working out is kind of worse for me.

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterraneans Malia White Reveals if Lexi Wilson Apologized to the Crew After Their Night With Satan

Thankfully, her injuries were not season-ending. She plans to return to the same boat that shes worked on the last two years in the coming weeks. Shes also rocking her rank on the boat too. Im bosun slash second officer, she revealed. So that means Im bosun but working my way to second officer.

Below Deck Mediterranean airs on Mondays at 9 pm ET/PT. New episodes will be available on Peacock one week early on Mondays.
BTS has been making headlines these past few years for breaking records and going places no other K-pop group has ever been before. Behind BTSs world domination is their massive fandom, ARMY, which has been with the group every step of the way.

Its hard to talk about BTS without mentioning their dedicated followers, and an expert even praises ARMY for being intelligent consumers and leading global trends.

BTS | Jeff Kravitz/AMA2017/FilmMagic for dcp

BTS fans have helped the group achieve unimaginable feats

The members of BTS are no doubt talented and hard-working. However, it would be hard to achieve a large number of their goals without the help of fans.

For example, BTS first gained attention on the global stage in 2017 after winning the fan-voted Top Social Artist prize at the Billboard Music Awards. BTS continues to win this category year after year. So far, the group has won Top Social Artists five times consecutively.

ARMY has also helped BTS move up the Billboard Hot 100something that is difficult to do for many K-pop artists. In 2020, BTS got their first number-one single with Dynamite. Then, the group did it again with the release of Butter, which has been at number one for nine non-consecutive weeks. BTSs latest single, Permission to Dance, has topped the Billboard Hot 100 as well.

Additionally, BTSs fans also help the group get attention from the public on social media. Many of BTSs music videos have broken YouTube records. There are also countless fan accounts dedicated to BTS on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

BTS ARMY is praised by industry experts

RELATED: BTS Has Surprising Tricks They Use to Go Outside Undetected

The collective power of ARMY has helped BTS ascend to the top of music industries in South Korea and the United States. However, according to The Korea Times, some people continue to criticize ARMY for skewing the playing field by mass-streaming BTS content and bulk buying BTSs albums.

Yet, music experts have defended ARMY, noting that these tactics are not cheating in any way.

As long as theyre not cheating  for example, artificially boosting streaming or sales totals with robotic replays or fake purchases  it is totally fair for them to buy all of the remixes or buy a song on vinyl that they already have as a download, chart analyst and pop critic Chris Molanphy said.

Music journalist Maria Sherman also noted that Western artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have been incentivizing their fans for doing these same things for a long time.

Fans are smart listeners, Sherman added. Those who criticize BTS and its followers for juking the chart want music listeners to always remain passive and ignorant about what they want, what they like and what they listen to, and keep the chart not as a performative but phenomenal site. They should accept the fact that these fans are intelligent consumers leading global trends.

BTS members have always credited fans for their success

RELATED: Heres How BTS Became Good at Covering Up Mistakes While on Stage

No matter how popular BTS gets, the group has always shown appreciation for the fans who helped them to get to where are they.

In an interview with Indias NDTV, Jungkook explained that BTSs fans help them stay grounded.

[Our achievements] are all amazing things that we still cant make sense of, Jungkook said. There could be various factors that contributed to us coming this far, may it be our effort or timing, but we truly believe that the love and support from ARMY made all of this possible. Thats the most important thing that keeps us grounded.
For 50 years, Dolly Parton has dominated the country music scene. To say shes the queen of country would be an understatement. If anything, Parton is the empress. Like any proper empress, her subjects honor her by plastering her name on anything and everything they can. Parton has added her own name to many endeavors, although sometimes she prefers to stay in the background. Although she provided funding for the new Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the star refused to jump the line and get the vaccine before others her age were eligible. Still, Partons name is all over. In fact, theres a rooftop bar in Nashville named after one of Dolly Partons biggest hits.

Dolly Parton has her name attached to some impressive causes

Dolly Parton attends We Are Family Foundation honors Dolly Parton & Jean Paul Gaultier. | John Lamparski/Getty Images

The West Coast has Hollywood, but Tennessee has Dollywood. The famous attraction brings people from all over the world. In a lot of ways, the theme park may seem like an exercise in self aggrandizement. After all, the theme park is covered in references to Parton herself. The casual observer may think that Parton wanted to be the center of attention, so she created a giant theme park to honor herself. Thats far from the truth. Dollywood was created so that Parton could give back to her community. She brought business and tourists to northern Tennessee, and is one of the biggest employers in the area.

Parton is no stranger to giving back. Her most famous charitable endeavor, the Imagination Library, has provided books to countless children; last year, it celebrated sending its 1 million books. Parton funds the literacy program, but shes clear to anyone who asks that she doesnt run it. Just like with Dollywood, Parton started it and backed off. But she does seem to have a knack for leadership, and for hiring the right people. Those skills are what make all her endeavors so successful.

White Limozeen, the Dolly Parton classic, inspired the name of a Nashville rooftop bar

Parton often inspires others so much that they decide to use her name for their project. Last year, a Nashville rooftop bar opened with a Parton-related name  even though it has nothing to do with her legally. White Limozeen is named after one of Partons most famous songs, and it is entirely inspired by her persona.

We wanted it to feel really approachable and really feasible for everyone to be there, everyone to have a good time, whether youre drinking a can of Natty Light, or youre ordering caviar, the rooftop bars operator, Marc Rose, told USA Today. And if you order that caviar, we expect you to spill it on your shirt because youre having such a good time.

Approachable is a good way to describe Parton. Despite being larger-than-life, Parton has never lost her country charm. Like Parton herself, the interior is fancy and country at the same time. And everything is pink.

Dolly Partons White Limozeen is a classic

White Limozeen, is actually both a song and an album. The album came out in 1989, more than 20 years after Parton started her music career. In the song, she sings about a girl who arrives in Hollywood with big dreams. Like most aspiring actresses, the young Daisy Mae meets her fair share of obstacles, but doesnt give up. Parton sings in the chorus that the girl is dreaming of a white limozeen.

Daisy Mae makes it big, but doesnt forget her roots. Although Parton made it big in Nashville, not Hollywood, it could be that the song contains some truth about Parton herself. Despite her fame, shes never forgotten who she is. The song White Limozeen: makes no reference to a bar, so its unclear why the owners chose the name of that song over so many other, memorable Parton hits.

RELATED: What Is Dolly Partons Favorite Color? Surprisingly, Not Pink
Josh Duggars arrest shocked Duggar family fans and critics. Police arrested Josh in April 2021 on suspicion of obtaining child sexual abuse content. And the family from TLCs Counting On has stayed relatively quiet for weeks as fans anxiously await to hear Joshs fate. In the midst of the chaos, it seems John-David Duggar, Joshs younger brother, and his wife, Abbie Duggar, went on vacation and left the state of Arkansas  and it looks like they had a blast. Heres whats going on.

When is Josh Duggars trial? He was arrested in April 2021

Josh Duggar speaks during the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference | Kris Connor/Getty Images

Police arrested Josh in April 2021 after allegedly finding child sexual abuse content downloaded on a computer at his workplace. Josh pleads not guilty to the crimes. But the Duggar familys lives have been turned upside down regardless. Initially, TLC defended their choice to keep filming Counting On, as Josh was never involved with the show. But the network soon went back on this decision.

TLC will not be producing additional seasons of Counting On, the network stated. TLC feels it is important to give the Duggar family the opportunity to address their situation privately.

A few of the Duggars have made statements of their own following the news. Jinger Duggar mentioned she wholeheartedly agrees with TLC canceling the show. And Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar also made a statement.

So, when is Joshs trial? It was pushed back to November 2021, though Joshs lawyers initially requested the date get pushed even further into 2022.

John-David and Abbie Duggar left Arkansas for a trip to Wisconsin

While the Duggar family doesnt have Counting On as their main platform anymore, a few members of the family continue to post about their lives to YouTube, Instagram, and other social media. And it seems John-David and Abbie are having a blast getting out of Arkansas for a bit with their young daughter.

On July 31, 2021, the couple posted photos from EAA Airventure Oshkosh, a celebration of aviation. The event happens in Wisconsin and certainly seems perfect for John and Abbie, as they both adore planes.

The couple posted photos of their huge grins as they attended the event. Many of the photos also contained their daughter, Grace, who seemed to love the show.

Love how you guys are exposing sweet little Gracie to all sorts of things and creating fun-filled family adventures! a fan commented on Instagram. Such special times!

John-David Duggar on Josh Duggar: What does the younger Duggar family member think?

'Counting On': Abbie Duggar's Business Might Hint at TLC Series Ending Amid Josh Duggar Arrest: https://t.co/MCIYz9WF77 pic.twitter.com/9c8pBCqGRB  PopCulture.com (@PopCulture) June 12, 2021

Were sure John-David is struggling with everything going on with Josh. In the past, the Duggar family brother expressed he didnt even recognize Josh after Joshs cheating scandals and pornography addiction came to light.

One of the toughest things I ever had to tell my older brother was, I dont want to be like you anymore, John-David said.

With that in mind, it seems John-David is doing his best to set an example for his daughter and the rest of his younger siblings by getting out, enjoying the world, and leaving Josh to deal with whatevers to come. We look forward to seeing what else John-David and Abbie get up to. And, were curious to see if they post anything about Joshs upcoming trial.

How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

RELATED: Duggar News: Anna Duggar Pretty Much Moved in With Josh Duggar Away From Their 6 Kids
Josh Duggars arrest made major Duggar news in April 2021. Police arrested the older Duggar family son on suspicion of obtaining child sexual abuse images. Now, fans and critics alike are wondering whats next for his wife, Anna Duggar  and whats going on with their six children. So, where are Josh and Annas kids now? Recent reports explain who theyre staying with.

Josh Duggars wife, Anna Duggar, is reportedly spending time with Josh at his guardians home

Anna Duggar is Leaving Her Kids Behind to Stay With Josh as He Awaits Trial https://t.co/XWyCrJUOxZ  CafeMom (@cafemom) August 4, 2021

According to an insider who spoke with The Sun, Josh and Anna are spending plenty of time together after Joshs arrest. Currently, Josh is staying with Lacount and Maria Reber, friends of the Duggar family. The Rebers have a mansion in Elkins, Arkansas, and theyre allegedly allowing Josh to stay on their property prior to his trial.

In addition to their mansion, the Rebers reportedly have nine acres of land they purchased in 2005 for $68,000. On top of that, they have a long, gravel driveway leading out to the main road. Given the length of their driveway and the amount of land they own, it seems Josh is able to get a decent amount of privacy away from the outside world.

The insider who spoke to The Sun claims Anna visits the Reber residence quite often to see Josh. And it seems she also stays over there. Anna has pretty much moved in, but shes still not on good terms with Mrs. Reber, the source claimed. Shes disappointed she said in his bail hearing she didnt feel safe around Josh alone.

Where are Josh and Annas children? Theyre reportedly not with the Duggar family

Happy 4th birthday, Meredith!! You are as sweet as your ice cream cake!  We love you!! @annaduggar I think we Posted by Duggar Family Official on Tuesday, July 16, 2019

If Anna is staying with the Rebers, where are her and Joshs kids? The insider told The Sun her familys helping out with watching their six children.

Anna is spending most of her time with Josh at the Rebers, and her family has stepped in to help raise all their kids, the insider alleged. She takes them to visit him or they are looked after while shes there alone, despite what hes been charged with she refuses to believe hes guilty.

Another insider then noted its Annas sister, Priscilla, whos helping the most. Her family has been helping with the kids, especially her sister Priscilla and her husband David, they noted.

So, why isnt the Duggar family helping Anna out? Anna allegedly isnt on good terms with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar after Joshs arrest. Anna is in denial, another source told The Sun. Jim Bob is telling people she is defending Josh and no longer speaking to most of the family. Jim Bob said she blames him and wife Michelle for Joshs arrest.

Do the Duggars speak to Josh?

Hilaria Baldwin (R) interviews Josh Duggar and his daughter during their visit with Extra | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

So, do the Duggars currently speak to Josh after his arrest? It sounds like Jim Bob keeps in touch, as hes likely the one who arranged for Josh to stay with the Rebers. But it seems like Joshs siblings dont speak to him. A number of Duggar family members, like Jessa, Jinger, and Jill, released statements after Joshs arrest noting they hoped to learn the truth of the situation  whatever that may be.

Josh also cant have any access to his siblings, nieces, or nephews who are minors. While he can see his kids as long as Anna is present, such is not the case for any other minors. Joshs trial is now set for November 2021.

How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support

Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

RELATED: The Duggar Family Didnt Make a Birthday Post for Anna Duggar Amidst Josh Duggar Arrest
NCIS: Hawaii has an experienced production team behind the newest Navy police procedural. The executive producers are Christopher Silber and Jan Nash from NCIS: New Orleans, and Matt Bosack from SEAL Team. Another executive producer, Larry Teng  Nancy Drew and Animal Kingdom  also went behind the camera to direct the first few episodes.

As they film, Teng has been sharing behind-the-scenes looks at the newest series in the NCIS franchise.

Kahu (Officiant) Ramsey Taum presides over the blessing ceremony of NCIS: Hawaii, Vanessa Lachey, Executive Producer / Director Larry Teng, and Director of Photography Yasu Tanida | Karen Neal/CBS via Getty Images

NCIS: Hawaii stars Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent Jane Tennant

For the first time in NCIS history, a woman will be in charge of a team. Vanessa Lachey will star as Jane Tennant, the leader of the team at NCIS: Pearl. They are filming on location on the Hawaiian island of Oahu at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, a real-life Air Force/Navy base.

CBS describes Lacheys character as diplomatic as she is hard-charging. But also a master juggler of balancing her professional and family life.

CBS has announced more cast members

In addition to Lachey, NCIS: Hawaii will star Yasmine Al-Bustami and Jason Antoon as NCIS agents Lucy and Ernie. Noah Mills stars as Jesse Boon, a former Washington DC homicide detective who joins the NCIS: Pearl team as a special agent. In addition to being Janes second in command, hes also her close confidant.

Tori Anderson stars as agent Kate Whistler, a defense intelligence specialist who becomes an NCIS special agent. Alex Tarrant stars as Kai, a new NCIS agent who has returned home to Hawaii to care for his dad. Kian Talan has landed the role of Janes son, Alex.

Enver Gjokaj has also been cast in the recurring role of Joe Milius, a high-ranking Navy Captain and commander of the Pacific fleet.

NCIS: Hawaii director Larry Teng shows off 2 gems from behind-the-scenes

Since filming for the inaugural season began in early July, Tengs Instagram has been a great place for fans to stay up-to-date on NCIS: Hawaii.

The director has posted some sneak peeks of the shows fabulous stunt team by sharing a scene of a police raid and a scene that features a massive crash.

Hes also shared location pics and showed off two NCIS: Hawaii gems  also known as Lachey and Tarrant.

RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii Drops First Look Photos as Executive Producers Spill On the Series Premiere

From last weeks shoot at #PearlHarbor with these two gems @aggytarrant and @vanessalachey. #NCISHAWAII  @erikaaresta, Teng wrote in the caption.

The cast and crew started filming the first episodes of NCIS: Hawaii in early July. Teng shared an update on July 22, 2021, that revealed episodes 1 and 2 had officially wrapped. The director also gave a shoutout to his cast and crew to recognize their hard work.

After 22 days of filming, I can officially say that the pilot and episode 102 for @ncishawaiicbs is wrapped, Teng wrote. I feel so lucky to collaborate with this amazing cast, this amazing group of producers, and more than anything, this amazing crew. They have held me up, worked long hours, and devoted their time, sweat, and talents for this maiden voyage. Its been an unforgettable experience. Mahalo for allowing me to be a part of this incredible ohana.

Vanessa Lachey praises NCIS: Hawaii director Larry Teng

As much as Teng has enjoyed working on NCIS: Hawaii, the stars of the show have enjoyed working with him even more. Lachey recently took to Instagram to give Teng a shoutout, and to thank him for believing in her.

RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii Showrunner Offers Up a Major Update on Episodes 1 and 2

Meet Jane Tennant & the man behind the lens @tengstagram, Lachey wrote in the caption of a selfie with Teng. Top to bottom this cast and crew are exceptional! The Aloha spirit is taking us over and I cant WAIT for you guys to see this show! I wish I can Thank EVERY person (and I will get to them over time), but first, I want to give a shout out to THIS guy! (And his diesel arms!) Thank You LT for believing in me day 1 and for bringing this character to life! I trust You, I appreciate You, I Love You. Ohana for life!   #NCISHawaii.

NCIS: Hawaii will premiere on Monday, September 20 after the flagship series, NCIS.
The Suicide Squad is a big breakthrough for David Dastmalchian and for Polka-Dot Man. Writer/director James Gunn gave the obscure DC Comics villain a major role in his superhero sequel and the actor appreciated it. It just meant he had to keep up with major movie stars like Margot Robbie and Idris Elba in more ways than one.

L-R: David Dastmalchian, Margot Robbie and Idris Elba | Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics

Dastmalchian spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet by Zoom on July 18 about his role in The Suicide Squad. He described one scene with Robbie and Elba that challenged him take after take. The Suicide Squad is now playing in theaters and on HBO Max.

David Dastmalchian lagged behind Margot Robbie and Idris Elba

At the end of The Suicide Squad, the squad battles Starro the Conqueror on the streets of Corto Maltese. Running through the streets, Polka-Dot Man brings up the reer behind Bloodsport (Elba) and Harley Quinn (Robbie). That wasnt acting. That was Dastmalchian running at full speed.

Starro and King Shark | Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics

RELATED: The Suicide Squad Star Michael Rooker Drew on Lifeguard Experience for Savant Swimming Scene

You know, it was very hot, Dastmalchian said. We were in Panama and it was a warm couple of days. I dont remember the exact number but we did do a lot of running and thank goodness I have been jogging for years. I dont mind running but I will say that I was easily the slowest of all the people running that day. So I think me and Steve Agee, who was doing the King Shark work, maybe we were probably racing to not be in last place.

David Dastmalchian felt left behind in every The Suicide Squad scene

Its okay that Dastmalchian couldnt really keep pace with the action heroes. The joke is the Polka-Dot Man is the dumbest supervillain of all time. So it worked when Dastmalchian couldnt keep up.

Margot Robbie | Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics

RELATED: The Suicide Squad Star Flula Borg Knows Why Harley Quinn Is Attracted to Javelin

It was hard to keep up with them for everything, Dastmalchian said. Every stunt that they would do, every action that they would do. They are such phenomenal beasts. It forces you as an actor when youre working with people at that caliber to really up your game if you will. I really push myself to rise to the challenge every day to work at the level that they did both physically and just in performance and in every other thing that they did.

David Dastmalchian loved working with Margot Robbie and Idris Elba

The Suicide Squad welcomed new cast members. By all accounts, the original cast remained friends and made new ones with the newcomers. Dastmalchian valued his time with the ensemble, even if they made him look slow.

It was such an incredible, incredibly experience, Dastmalchian said. Being surrounded by that much talent, that much passion, that much creativity, such amazing people for such a long shoot on such an amazing project, its something Ill cherish for the rest of my life.
Its no secret that Disney has been an industry giant for more decades than most of us have been alive. Theyve only grown bigger and better over time as they pump out hundreds of shows and movies under the Walt Disney label and more, such as Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. Disneys films often top the charts year over year. Now its time to see what movies are topping the charts in Disney.

Disney got its start animating kids movies

Disney | Getty Images

For decades, when people thought of Disney, they thought of all our favorites animated movies like Pinocchio, The Lion King, Aladdin, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, Bambi, Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan, and so much more. In fact, their dynasty goes back as far as their very first film in 1937  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Since then, theyve also gotten a lot of attention for their Disney Channel shows and movies that resonated with many kids and teenagers, namely Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Sam & Cat, The Wizards of Waverly Place, and more.

Today, they have something for everyone, in just about any age group. This is especially true now that they have acquired Marvel and Star Wars, introducing new storylines and leads unlike ever before.

Its a Happy, Bashful, Sneezy, Grumpy, Sleepy, Dopey, and Doc day! Celebrating the anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released on this day in 1937. pic.twitter.com/VaXCqAsj1G  Disney (@Disney) December 21, 2020

Marvel has taken over most of Disneys top five

Its no surprise that the following movies made it in the top Disneys chart of highest-grossing movies of all time, especially since every single one of them was highly anticipated and loved.

According to Newsweek, these are Disneys top five grossing movies of all time.

5. The Avengers ($1,518,815,515)

In 2012, The Avengers amassed a significant amount of money when they brought together some of the most talented actors and best Marvel characters  Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.

Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, reactivated the Avengers Initiative and brought the group together to avenge Earth and stop Loki from destroying it in an attempt to take over. The superheroes struggle to come together as a team to defeat the God of Mischief.

4. The Lion King ($1,670,719,887)

Surprising facts about Disney movies you probably didn't know https://t.co/Ukal01qS5d pic.twitter.com/FIwk5Uw7El  Newsweek (@Newsweek) July 12, 2018

In 2019, Disneys animated classic, The Lion King, came back in action with Beyonce Knowles starring in its cast. The film outdid itself in realistic animation, bringing the story of a young king being born amidst an uncle focused on taking his fathers place at whatever cost.

The tragedy and drama centers around a coming-of-age story as Simba navigates life without his father and as the future King of Pride Rock.

3. Avengers: Infinity War ($2,048,359,754)

In 2018, Marvel introduced the third installment of The Avengers series, Avengers: Infinity War. To take on Thanos, a mighty genocidal warlord from Titan, the Avengers Initiative regroups with more superheroes added to the original cast list  Dr. Strange, War Machine, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Vision, Wanda, Falcon, Winter Soldier, and many others.

The superheroes take on Thanos separately, trying hard to stop him from collecting all six Infinity Stones before using them to destroy everything, including the solar system. A lot of superheroes lose their lives in the process.

2. Star Wars: Episode VII  The Force Awakens ($2,070,828,263)

In 2015, Star Wars graced the big screens for the first time since its original series with The Force Awakens  and fans couldnt wait, as you can tell by the same. The film took fans 30 years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, following Hon Solo, Rey, Poe Dameron, and reformed stormtrooper Finn as they try to end the New Republic.

With the help of the Resistance, its up to them to stop Kylo Ren before its too late.

1. Avengers: Endgame ($2,797,501,328)

In 2019, Avengers: Endgame brought the series to a strong end, amassing the most money of any Disney movie ever to make it to theaters. Viewers got to witness the ultra-powerful Thanos after he acquired all six Infinity Stones. With only a few heroes left to save the day, the future gets a little more uncertain and bleak by the minute.

This time around, its up to Black Widow, Captain America, Thor, and Bruce Banner to bring back their allies and take Thanos down for good.

Upcoming movies from Disney to look out for

Marvel is back with the #1 movie of the year Don't miss experiencing Marvel Studios' #BlackWidow. Get tickets or order it now. https://t.co/TLNjQCK29Q pic.twitter.com/w9z6BmytrL  Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) July 11, 2021

As most of us already know by now, Marvel and Disney just dropped Black Widow with Scarlet Johnson, who is now suing Disney, on July 9, 2021. If you havent seen it, its definitely worth it. That isnt it for the Marvel Universe, though.

In order of release dates, Marvel has announced the following will come out in 2021: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in September, Eternals in November, and Spider-Man: No Way Home in December. Many more have been announced for years to follow already.

Other Disney movies coming out soon include Dug Days in the Fall, Encanto in November, Home Sweet Home Alone in December. In 2022, you have Baymax!, Turning Red, and Zootopia+ to look out for.

RELATED: The Best Disney Movies for People Who Dont Like Musicals
More than 150,000 more Oklahomans now qualified for Medicaid
Rust Belt revival in Erie

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Who knew?

Thats what I asked myself after visiting Erie, Pennsylvania. The continued uncertainty of traveling internationally this summer gave me the excuse I needed to visit a place that sits on the same Rust Belt arc as Detroit in my home state of Michigan.

Sandwiched along Lake Erie between Ohio and New York, the city offers a surprising number of things to do and see. One such thing is its pristine shoreline, almost certainly the best-kept secret anywhere in Pennsylvania.

This is especially true in recent years with the redevelopment of former waterfront industrial areas. One such redevelopment is the Sheraton, where I stayed. Rooms come with views of either the bay leading to Lake Erie or the marina. On a nearby wharf stands the 186-foot-tall Bicentennial Tower.

While many putz around the water on boats big and small or plop themselves on the beach at the 3,200-acre Presque Isle State Park (pronounced presk-ile), I spent my two days getting a lay of the land.

Downtown Erie, anchored by two historically Roman Catholic colleges, Gannon University and Mercyhurst University, looks and feels like other Rust Belt cities. Beyond some derelict buildings and hideous postwar parking garages, the mix of architecture gives the cityscape a patina that planned suburbs can never imitate.

One of the major landmarks is St. Peter Cathedral on West 10th Street.

Covered in scaffolding as part of an extensive restoration, this is the seat of the Roman Catholic bishop of Erie. The interior, partially reordered following the controversial liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council, includes the carved marble reredos (or screen) that formed part of the original high altar.

Three blocks away stands the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul, which pales in comparison to First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant just down the street. The Presbyterian edifice, having been built in the interwar period, is a rather late example of Gothic revival architecture. No penny was spared, at least judging from the elaborate west front.

Unable to gain access to the reconstructed Gen. Anthony Wayne blockhouse  the original was erected after earlier French and British fortifications were abandoned and destroyed  I stopped by two local museums to learn more about Eries extensive history.

Normally, the big draw at the Erie Maritime Museum is the U.S. Brig Niagara. Unfortunately, the ship, which dates to the War of 1812, is closed for a second consecutive summer due to the pandemic. However, the museum has plenty of exhibits, including on Eries pivotal role in that all but forgotten war.

Back downtown is the recently reopened Hagen History Center. Among the museums four separate buildings is the Watson-Curtze Mansion, a National Register of Historic Places-listed brownstone. The collection includes, of all things, the rebuilt office of acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The only time I really needed my car was for the approximately 30-minute drive to Waterford in outlying Erie County.

The quaint small town (population 1,517) sits on the location of Fort Le Boeuf, a French fort that played a small role in the prelude to the French & Indian War. This explains the small park with its statue of 21-year-old George Washington in a British uniform. Then a major in Virginias militia, he arrived in 1753 with orders commanding the French to leave. Within a year Washington would return to Pennsylvania and start the first world war. Nothing remains of that fort, though the Fort LeBoeuf Museum is well worth the visit even if the collection is somewhat disheveled.

If you go

Erie is a perfect road trip destination, thanks to its location about halfway between Cleveland and Buffalo. For those arriving by plane, American and United commuter flights service the airport.

Stay at either the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel or Hampton Inn & Suites, which must be one of the only Hampton Inn properties with a rooftop restaurant.

Eat at Cork 1794, Olivers at the Hampton Inn or Pier 6, another rooftop restaurant. For lunch, try Federal Hill Smokehouse or Molly Brannigans Irish Pub.

Consider a sightseeing tour or sunset cruise with Presque Isle Boat Tours.

Follow @dennislennox on Instagram and Twitter.
US pastor pledges $50K to rebuild orphanage torched by Fulani terrorists

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A New York pastor has pledged to give $50,000 to rebuild an orphanage in the conflict-devastated Plateau State of Nigeria, which housed about 150 children, many of whom were orphaned by previous Boko Haram and Fulani attacks until the building was burned down by Fulani herdsmen.

Thank God the  children were evacuated prior to the destruction by these demonic terrorists," says the Facebook page of Pastor Bill Devlin, who has committed to donating $50,000 to rebuild the orphanage. Devlin, co-pastor of Infinity Bible Church in South Bronx, New York, identifies himself as an international humanitarian in the war zones.

The Binta orphanage in Plateau States Jos area, the only orphanage supported by a U.S. nonprofit, the Religious Freedom Coalition, was destroyed on Monday, The Epoch Times reported.

The staff and children are safe, the coalitions founder, the Rev. William Murray, was quoted as saying. The 147 kids were evacuated to Jos, he said.

The attackers came when the place was becoming dark around 7 p.m., a civilian neighborhood watchman was quoted as saying. The Fulani got support from the Nigerian army. They were escorted by the army on three army vans. We saw them from afar coming in numbers, the watchman said. The soldiers did not help us. They allowed Fulani to burn down our houses.

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 any 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 at 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.
Spouses suffering abuse find empowerment to leave destructive marriages in secret online groups Emotionally abused spouses say they struggle to find help in their churches, told God will be angry with them if they consider divorce

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A burgeoning cadre of secret online groups are educating and empowering emotionally abused spouses within the Christian community about their options to help them escape destructive relationships.

According to authors Gretchen Baskerville and Cindy Burrell, along with a woman who recently escaped an abusive marriage and spoke with The Christian Post on condition of anonymity, these online communities are providing a vital lifeline to spouses who are suffering in agony. Many have been taught in churches that the only grounds for divorce are adultery or physical abuse.

The women (and a few men) who are in these destructive relationships are often suffering from a variety of chronic health problems, and their lives and physical well-being almost universally improve once they're able to leave. Most unfortunately, however, far too many churches that claim to hold high a view of marriage have failed to grasp the devastating impact of abuse that's neither physical nor sexual.

Emotionally abused spouses, these women say, largely consider pastors and other church leaders to be the least trustworthy people in their lives because they don't understand the abuse dynamics that psychologically entrap victims. They strongly believe that many pastors and leaders have also been blinded by certain theological paradigms that prioritize keeping marriages together at all costs and that abused wives must stay married "as long as he's not hitting you or cheating on you."



Baskerville, the author of The Life-Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships, says many Christians are confused about what the Bible says about divorce.

To clarify what the Bible says and help those suffering in silence, she started an online group for abused spouses last year and it already has over 2,000 members, all of whom have been screened.

In an interview with The Christian Post, she explained that she and most women who run these online groups are strong believers in the sanctity of marriage, and it was God's intention for it to be loving, undefiled and lifelong. When these women got married they fully intended to honor their vows and very much wanted a God-honoring covenant.

"So what happens when it's the opposite? What happens when it's not just unloving but it's destructive or even dangerous? Abuse does defile; it's not loving or respectful," Baskerville said.

And the failures to understand this are compounded further by certain dynamics present in U.S. politics over hot-button social issues. For socially conservative, small-o orthodox evangelical Christians to admit that there is abuse within Christian marriages is particularly humiliating and a struggle because it wrenches their general outlook on life and theological worldview.

"We're supposed to have great marriages because we have Jesus. And we're supposed to have emotional closeness, godly love, and amazing sex because we did everything right," Baskerville said of this mindset.

But many women never got that, despite their best efforts to live in accordance with Christian teaching on the subject, she maintains. The reductionist formula of husband + wife + God = great marriage does not prove true for everyone. Complicating matters further for abuse victims is the belief that God can and does work miracles and, therefore, He can and will restore struggling marriages. Divorce, then, is viewed as largely unthinkable.

"They'll say, just try harder, or pray more, or fast more, or be more agreeable or sexually enthusiastic. And as to why your husband isn't changing or your wife isn't changing ... many pastors just can't deal with that reality, so they end up blaming the victim," she says of what happens all too often when women dare to approach church leaders and explain how they're being mistreated in their marriages.

"But God doesn't change people against their will and if God can't change them how in the world can we?" Baskerville asks.



Cindy Burrell, the author of Why Is He So Mean to Me?, had no idea there were so many women just like her: Women enduring abuse in their Christian marriages.

Seeking validation that what they were enduring was real while failing to find support in most churches, in 2009 Cindy started a website ministry, HurtByLove.com. Almost immediately, women began contacting her who had discovered her website and read articles she posted, many of whom described her own journey. The experiences of the women who reached out closely mirrored hers.

Burrell told CP that she was married for 20 years to an abusive man, and he never hit her. Though her ex-husband professed to be Christian, looking back, Burrell doesn't believe he was a believer at all. It was only after she was able to escape the marriage and began reviewing her journals that she was able to see with clarity the patterns of abuse she endured for all those years. As more and more women started contacting her she knew that her personal situation was not a random one-off.

"The abuse dynamic is so consistent it's almost shocking," Burrell explained.

She self-published Why Is He So Mean to Me? because she couldn't find a Christian publisher to carry it, and when she started HurtByLove.com she knew of no other websites addressing these issues. But her ministry has grown since then. Earlier this year, Burrell has released a new book, Reformulating the Christian Marriage Counseling Model Where Abuse Is Involved.

The most powerful aspect of the group she proctors on her site is being able to assure other victims that they're not crazy and build them up in the truth of God's Word about who they are in Christ and Gods heart for marriage.

Abuse survivors who are trying to exit a destructive relationship "live in a constant state of fear and confusion, and they're often isolated from any kind of support. So to be able to come alongside them and say, 'Let's bring it down. Give me the specifics; let me validate you. What you're experiencing is not normal. It's not healthy; it's not biblical, and you don't have to live this way,'" are important words to hear.

Yet it's an uphill battle because almost every abused wife has heard that "if he isn't hitting you, you have to stay," or that if they have faith "God can move mountains."

"But we don't have control over another person's will," Burrell said, echoing Baskerville.

Life with an abuser

After fleeing her abusive marriage, a woman we'll refer to as "Katie" in this article to protect her identity, stressed to CP that Christian women are not required by God or His Word to suffer year after year in an abusive marriage. An abusive marriage, she maintains, is distinctively different from a difficult one.

Katie said she first met her now ex-husband "Rick" (also not his real name) at church. It seemed like he had his act together and he appeared to love God, just as she did. She saw no relational red flags but noticed that he was especially meticulous, something that she didn't consider a negative trait at the time. She was married to Rick for 33 years and he never once hit her. But he was very intimidating and controlling. He'd block her in rooms, was verbally abusive, and would sometimes embarrass her and shout at her in public places.

"Life with an abuser," as she calls it, is living at DefCon1 all the time."

"I was willing to let him be him. But what I found out pretty quickly was that he was not willing to let me be me. He was interested in molding me and forcing me to be the version he thought I should be," she explained.

Years of this mistreatment precipitated both mental and physical deterioration.

"I just could not get un-tired," she said, realizing how the ever-present anxiety she was enduring in the relationship was causing her body to break down physically.

She remembers awakening to the fact that the persistent fatigue she felt was more than the demands of her job as a teacher or as a mom to young children should normally yield.

"I know it's abusive; I know it's destroying me, but I don't want God to be mad at me," she said of her thinking when she pondered separating from her husband.

Yet upon reading about how stress affects the body, particularly how it impacts the bones  she discovered she was pre-osteoporosis in her 40s  she knew something had to give. With cortisol flooding her system from the near-constant tension and stress, she wound up not caring what God was going to think of her because her body and mind were disintegrating.

"I felt at the time that I couldn't have God and save myself at the same time. So I let God go. He's just going to have to be mad at me," she said of her frame of mind in 2013, "because I can't do this anymore."

What mentally freed her up to finally take steps to start leaving was realizing that what was happening to her was not just bad behavior but all part of an entitled, abusive mindset. She realized she was powerless to stop it and the only workable option was to distance herself as much as possible.

"It's not like I was done with God, but I put up a wall there. I said: 'I can't afford to try to please you [by staying married] and survive. So I'll survive and I'll worry about that later,'" Katie said.

"I didn't know how to reconcile those two things while everybody in the church was telling me that if you do or consider this, or even talk badly about him, that God is going to be mad at you."



The arbitrarily drawn lines in churches

What, then, is the difference between a difficult marriage where couples have issues  often painful ones that they can work through  and an abusive one? And when does a difficult marriage cross the line into abuse territory where the relationship becomes destructive and irreconcilable?

Burrell believes it all comes down to the issue of the heart.

"And that's between us and God," she said, adding, "if you have a lackadaisical view of your marriage you're going to find an excuse to leave. But I've never dealt with one of those people.

"All the people who have managed to find me are heartbroken and desperate and have done everything they know to do. And they've busted their butts, they've jumped through every hoop, prayed their knees raw, and wept an ocean of tears, and [Christian] people are still saying, 'Well, you know, if he's not hitting you,'" she reiterated.

One woman whom Burrell ministered to had a teenage son who approached her about his dad, her husband, who was abusive. The teenager told his mother: "I don't understand why you don't divorce my dad."

The woman told him that she thought God would be disappointed in her if she divorced him.

Her son replied: "I don't think I want to believe in a God who would make us live this way."

That was her wake-up call and she divorced him, realizing the mistreatment they were enduring had nothing to do with honoring God, that it was a sham and a mockery of His design for marriage, Burrell explained.



Baskerville is of the persuasion that divorce can be scripturally justified for the four A's: adultery, abuse, abandonment, and addiction. Though positions vary and nuances abound, many evangelical Protestant churches and denominations draw theological lines permitting divorce only for adultery and abandonment.

"You can imagine that if people being told that they are going to displease God, that they are sinning if they divorce for physical or emotional abuse, then they're going to, probably, if they need to save their life and their sanity and their children, they're going to have to walk away from the church," Baskerville said.

"A few churches will accept them, and I have some stories about pastors who did a wonderful job in supporting and encouraging people who were victims of emotional abuse, and sadly, many stories of pastoral counselors who didnt."

In her own Christian Facebook group, Baskerville posted a poll asking everyone who it is that they go to for support, and the result was that their pastor was the last person they trusted to help on the matter.

"Our church leaders have made a horrible mistake. They treat all marriage problems as mere normal ups and downs. They assume conflict is due to soft reasons like childcare issues and poor communication and household chores and growing apart, falling out of love, rather than accepting the truth that half the divorces are for hard reasons like domestic violence and repeated sexual immorality, drug and alcohol addiction, and coercive control," she added.

"What makes a pastor think that invested spouse  the one who is willing to buy all the marriage books, find a marriage counselor, the one who is willing to go to all the marriage retreats, the one who is willing to turn themselves inside out to be more agreeable, more submissive, more sexually available  can single-handedly fix the marriage? What makes the pastor think that the invested spouse has any more power than God does? Even Jesus didnt change everyone He met. Judas, the rich young ruler, the religious leaders  they all made their own decisions."

Emotional abuse from narcissists and others with destructive character problems is often so insidious and it grows so gradually over time that it often takes a while for the abused party to realize that what they are enduring is indeed abuse. For many, the light bulb goes off in their heads when they see the Duluth Wheel of Power and Control, a tool often used by social workers that helps explain the different ways an abusive partner can use power and control in order to manipulate a relationship.

Unfortunately, some Christian pre-marriage resources dont warn couples about problems that could in fact ruin the marriage and might be so serious they might want to call off the engagement.

Over 35 years ago, Baskerville and her ex-husband went through the premarital workbook Before you Say I Do by Norm Wright.

"It assumed that two people who identify as Christians will never have any serious issues because they'll always care for each other's best interests. It's incredibly naive," Baskerville said.

The words "adultery," "lying," "cheating," "betrayal," "gambling," "pornography" and "addiction" never appear in the book, she said.

Surely today, given how American culture has changed in recent decades, the book would have been updated to address these issues, Baskerville thought. But no, she found that the most current version of that same workbook still contains no mention of those words, nor are there any references to abuse.

"Any behaviors that would destroy the trust in a marriage and jeopardize its future? They aren't there. There was absolutely no instruction in this entire book to break your engagement or even to get counseling. It was as if these marriage-destroying behaviors didn't even exist in anyone you might meet at church," she said.

"And if these undesirable behaviors did crop up, the readers were actually told they could 'learn to adjust.' That's an actual quote. It's shocking. No wonder emotional abuse victims don't feel seen or heard because even the bestselling Christian authors pretend they don't exist."



In addition to pretending abuse doesn't exist, at least in some premarital resources, many pastors have all too often elevated the institution of marriage over the heart of God for victims and have enabled further harm, according to Neil Schori, who pastors at The Edge Church in Aurora, Illinois, and has worked extensively with domestic abuse survivors.



"Jesus always valued individuals over institutions, but pastors tend to get stuck in the weeds and fail to see the heart that God has for his people. Because of this, pastors will be hesitant to call abusive behaviors, 'abusive,'" Schori said in an email to The Christian Post.



"Until we, as pastors, grasp the heart of Jesus for His sons and daughters, we'll do what the religious leaders of Jesus' own time on Earth did: Place burdens on the wrong people and in the process, further victimize the abused parties in marriages. Why did we ever think that pastors got to determine whether something was or was not abusive?"





Asked why it is that some pastors and counselors are wedded to efforts to preserve a destructive marriage at all costs when it's apparent that one spouse is a hardened narcissist  the offender in the relationship who is unwilling to change  Schori explained that Scripture is often misused, especially Malachi 2:16, to accomplish this end.



"Does He give grace to the hardened narcissistic abuser? He undoubtedly offers it. But for many abusers, it remains an unopened gift. To open the gift of God's grace, the abuser would have to acknowledge wrongdoing and actually change," Schori said.



"The crux of what drives the narcissistic abuser is the belief that they are largely without fault."



Schori now equips pastors and church leaders to make their congregations a safe place for victims and works with DocumentTheAbuse.com, an organization that helps victims tell their stories safely and cathartically.



What emotional abuse does to the body

The line that is drawn between physical abuse and emotional abuse in some churches fails to take into consideration how emotional abuse affects people physically. Many emotional abuse victims have PTSD symptoms, Baskerville says.

Widely considered the preeminent expert on traumatic stress is Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a Dutch psychiatrist now based in Boston, Massachusetts, who grew up in a religious fundamentalist household. Van der Kolk interviewed Vietnam War combat soldiers who had never been injured but were experiencing terrible nightmares.

"After trauma, the world for the victim is experienced with a different nervous system. The survivor's energy now becomes focused on suppressing inner chaos," Baskerville quoted van der Kolk as saying.

For emotional abuse victims, all the attempts to maintain control over unbearable physiological reactions can result in a whole range of physical symptoms including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and autoimmune diseases. We know that the body keeps the score, van der Kolk explains.

Baskerville added: "The landmark book, Trauma and Recovery, reported that World War II military doctors who worked with soldiers with stress-induced combat reactions after the war concluded that 200 to 240 days in combat would suffice to break even the strongest soldier. So how does that apply to emotional abuse victims? A 20-year marriage might be 7,000 days of combat. For many spouses who walk on eggshells that long, their health is destroyed."

She estimates that of the survivors in the private Facebook group she oversees, 8 in 10 divorcees say their health improved after separation or divorce from an abusive spouse.

What the Church needs is a more nuanced view of just versus unjust divorce, she stressed, noting that divorce itself might not be an indication of moral decay. By contrast, tolerating abusive marriages is indeed evidence of such breakdown.

"I'm 100% against frivolous divorce," she emphasized, adding that a huge chasm exists between divorce to escape abuse and "I'm bored divorces" or "I feel unfulfilled divorces" or "I miss the party-life divorce."

"But once one person no longer cares about the well-being of the other, their conscience is seared, as the Bible says. They cheat, deceive, abuse, and care only about themselves. They no longer have the best interests of the other person at heart, only their own interests. If they continue with their marriage-destroying sin it's pretty much game over. This is the hardhearted spouse," she said soberly.

The mother of all misused scriptures: 'God hates divorce' Malachi 2:16

Although the Bible can be and has been used in a variety of ways to entrap victims of spousal abuse in a destructive marriage, without question the most oft-quoted verse is Malachi 2:16.



The book of Malachi was written more than 2,400 years ago, nearly 500 years before Jesus. The entire book condemns deceivers and hypocrites who pretend to be devout but treat God with contempt and provide cover for their cheating, lying friends.

The focus of Malachi is not divorce, its about these treacherous people who break their covenant with God, take advantage of laborers, widows, orphans, and especially their wives. For the first 2,100 years of major Bible translations, Malachi 2:16 was always translated as an anti-abuse verse or anti-treachery verse, not an anti-divorce verse, Baskerville explained.

The verse in the 2011 update of the New International Version was changed to read: "'The man who hates and divorces his wife,' says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'does violence to the one he should protect, says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.'"

Why this change? The 1984 version of the NIV and other versions translate it as God saying "I hate divorce."

The oldest copy of Malachi we have is a Dead Sea scroll fragment that does not say God hates divorce or I hate divorce, Baskerville said.



"Thats why the NIV, ESV, and CSB [translations of the] Bible dont say that. For example, when the NIV updated their translation in 2011, they changed Malachi 2:16 back to the earlier interpretation. In the first 2,100 years, no major Bible translation said, God hates divorce. Not Jerome, not John Wycliffe, not Martin Luther, not John Calvin. Then King James translators in 1611 went rogue and changed the verse and that became the default for 385 years.

From 1611 to 1996, nearly all major Bible translations used God hates divorce. As of 1996, the English Standard Version, the Christian Standard Bible, and the 2011 update of New International Version reverted back to the original interpretation  that it is an anti-abuse, an anti-treachery verse, not an anti-divorce scripture, she added.

Today, those new major versions now all say something along the lines of: "He who hates and divorces his wife covers his clothing with violence."

"John Calvin actually believed that to abuse a wife was worse than armed robbery and murder because it was done under a cloak, in secret, behind the closed doors of her own home. Calvin said, God is not deceived," Baskerville said.

The way Calvin interpreted that verse was: "If you hate her, divorce her."

But abuse survivors do not know this.

The contemporary church has also not sufficiently examined Exodus 21:10-11, the cornerstone of Jewish divorce law, Baskerville maintains, which specifically reveals how God set forth a minimum requirement for even the lowest-ranking wives, including slaves' wives and wives of prisoners of war in ancient Israel. Their husbands were required to meet the basic standards for food, clothing, and marital rights (love). The rabbis determined that if God wanted these low-ranking wives and indentured servants treated well, then how much more so an Israelite wife?

In that Exodus passage, for example, this might happen if a man acquired a slave wife as a debt payment. Later, when the man found a woman that he actually did want to marry, he couldnt be miserly to the first woman. The law of Moses effectively said: "Hey, wait a second, you have to give her [the slave wife] full marital rights, meaning food, clothing, and love. And if you try to reduce her level of care, you must let her go," Baskerville stressed.



The same is true in Deuteronomy 21:10-14 for the wife of a POW. If the husband no longer likes her, he cannot demote her to slave status and treat her any way he likes. He must let her go free to anywhere she wishes.

To the perpetual frustration of abuse victims today, while the Exodus and Deuteronomy passages are dismissed as irrelevant Old Testament verses for New Testament believers, somehow Malachi 2:16, also in the Old Testament, still seems to apply and for all intents and purposes is wielded authoritatively to discourage them from divorcing.

The pain of being misunderstood; unmasking abuse tactics

When Burrell and her husband visited a church for the first time and told the pastor that both of them had been divorced and they have a ministry to women in abusive relationships, his countenance fell immediately.

"He could not extricate himself from my presence fast enough," she recalled.

"That's what we get. We're like the third-class Christians," she said. "The assumption is, 'Well, you must have done something wrong. You really didn't care or work that hard.'"

As brutal as it is for women, and they comprise the vast majority of participants in Burrell's and other online support groups, in some ways men who have been abused by women have it even harder. Those cases do, in fact, exist.

What abused husbands routinely face, Burrell explains, is: "You're being abused? What are you, a weenie?"

"So they have an even more uphill battle when they are legitimately being abused by their wives," she said.

Burrell once worked with a gentleman who joined her website, and she kept a cautious eye on him at first because she has had other "posers" try to invade the group and play games with the women. But after she vetted him and got to know him over time, she knew for sure that he was sincere and that he was not the offender in the marriage.

"His wife was absolutely toxic. She was a liar, a manipulator, and a crazy-maker," Burrell recounted.

When abuse victims first arrive in these online forums they're dazed and confused, often ashamed. But when they start to divulge the specifics of their stories, particularly the verbal messages from the abusive spouse, it opens the door for others to walk them through a process of helping them understand just what it is that has been happening.

"It's a matter of leading them gently to a place where they can see the dynamic. They're so used to taking it all in and taking responsibility, feeling like there must be something they're not doing, or that they're inadequate, or lazy, or selfish," Burrell said.

"It's a slow-burn walking them through 'What is he really saying, why is he saying it, and what does he mean?'"

When women start to realize the mental games abusers have been playing and finally get the courage to say 'No,' what often happens is that the proverbial mask comes off and the abuser explodes in a raging fury. The alternative is that he suddenly becomes Mr. Wonderful, and the victim is tempted to see his behavior as change. But it rarely lasts.

Speaking to Christians who have believed and denominations that have held that the only permissible grounds for divorce are physical abuse or sexual infidelity, Burrell urges them to consider the myriad ways abusers can exhibit cruelty while hiding behind an image of faith.

She recounted her own ex-husband, a professing Christian, once telling her: "Just so you know, I can treat you any way I want, and as long as you don't catch me in the act of adultery there's nothing you can do about it."

Another woman Burrell knows and describes as the "dearest, kind-hearted person you could ever meet," was married to an abusive husband who was also a Christian missionary. He was uncannily skilled at unleashing a wicked torrent of verbal abuse, but his "trump card" was God, as he could manipulatively mix seemingly righteous spirituality with isolating cult-leader-like tactics.

"He would call her up and say, 'I've been praying about this and the Spirit told me to tell you this.' And with the tenderness of her heart and the depth of her faith, she felt she had to listen to his directives," Burrell said.

But what he was actually doing was separating her from her family and other supportive connections.

"God told me you need to stop talking to this person; this person is not your friend," he would tell her. "I'm the authority, I'm the head, you are obligated to trust me."

This woman has been divorced for about a year. She is reportedly free and happy now.

Burrell also recounted the story of a supposedly Christian man who would gather his wife and children in the family room where they were ordered to watch him beat their dog. Although he was never physically violent to his wife and children, he was an animal abuser and intimidated his family.

Leading survivors back to Jesus, setting captives free

For Burrell, the bottom line in her ministry for marital abuse survivors is leading them back to the Lord who loves them.

"Peel away the layers and take everything else out of the picture and let this be between you and God first," she tells them. "Go to Him, pray for wisdom, wait for peace and let Him validate and lead you in this dark time and let His light shine in.

"I believe very powerfully that God intervenes and speaks to people when they come alongside and say: 'You are not alone; its not your fault, and youre not crazy.'"

When asked about where churches might improve in their approach, she reiterated that it's vital that they realize abuse can take so many forms and to limit abuse to sexual immorality and physical assault doesn't take into account the entire witness of Scripture.

"Even just words. Words are crippling. In Matthew 5, Jesus makes it clear that we can murder someone's heart with words. And I don't think people understand that keeping people in toxic, ungodly marriages doesn't make them any less toxic or ungodly," Burrell said.

"When it comes down to it, God is not a legalist. He is a relational-ist. Everything with Him always comes back to relationship  first with Him and then with others. And it has to be based on righteousness and truth," she said, noting that the goal of an abuser is not to solve the problems or disagreements that arise within most healthy relationships. With personality-disordered abusive people, the peccadilloes that normally come about are always a huge ordeal.



As Katie was desperate to find resources to navigate the abuse dynamics in her own marriage, she happened to stumble upon the blog, A Cry for Justice. Then in 2014, in a terribly troubled state of mind, she found Burrell's articles and the online Facebook groups of survivors.

"Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of women, many more all the time, are joining these groups," Katie told CP.

One group called Confusion to Clarity helps women in covert relationships where their husbands operate under the radar insidiously and the women are so psychologically manipulated that they can hardly tell what is happening to them.

Katie said she's a part of five online groups, co-moderates one group with a few other members, and is actively involved on a daily basis in three of them, including the one she helps moderate.

Burrell's six-part abuse primer and her articles on the six words that keep every abusive trapped and what survivors of abuse can do when they let go of hope that their marriages can be saved, were especially helpful in cutting through the fog of her own confusion.

Katie thinks that one of the most damaging lies that is communicated to women in many evangelical churches is that most if not all of their feelings are superficial emotions and are therefore not trustworthy, even when it might be the Holy Spirit who is alerting them in their gut, to the point where they feel it physically, indicating that something is amiss or wrong.

When abuse survivors dare to voice their complaints of spousal abuse to leaders in the church and are told that they cannot make decisions based on emotions, "it's like being stabbed," Katie says.

As she started separating herself from her husband and began relaying her pain to church counselors operating with the biblical "nouthetic" counseling model, she soon learned that they were not trained in how abusers think. Such counselors could not fathom that they did not quite know what to tell her, especially since they believed the advice they were giving was supposedly biblical.

"I've never once heard anybody say something like that because they have set themselves up on a pedestal, and they are set up on that pedestal by others, that if they have that title in any church then they are to be believed and honored and trusted," she said, reiterating that this is reinforced by the belief that if the advice they are giving is rooted in Gods Word and thus it cannot possibly be unwise or wrong.

"God has given His Word authority but when spoken from a mouth of a man who wants a certain outcome to happen [a preserved marriage, even if it's abusive] is control. Then it becomes control, and not of God," Katie added.

"When someone divorces you it's like getting your arm cut off. When you're the one that is forced to divorce another person because there are no more boundaries left, you're cutting off your own arm. It's 100 times worse," she said.

But the beauty of the divorce in order to escape an abuser "is that the arm grows back stronger and more beautiful," she said.

"And you don't have to worry about the gangrene setting in anymore."
Hindu leader issues call for anti-Christian violence: Let us drag people from the church

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Weeks after all police stations in a district in eastern India were ordered to keep surveillance on Christians and report on any conversion activities, Hindu nationalist leaders held an anti-Christian rally there, advocating for violence against the Christian community, according to a report.

The rally, attended by less than 500 people including prominent leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, was held in the Bastar District of Chhattisgarh state on Tuesday, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern said in a report.

Let us drag people from the church and stop conversions at any cost, Amit Sahu, president of the state unit of the BJP, told the crowd, challenging them to make the Bastar region a conversion free zone.

We will frighten Christians who are involved in conversion work in the region, Roop Singh Mandavi, another state BJP leader, told the gathering. We will not allow the missionary work to be carried on in Bastar and will protect the Hindu religion by stopping the conversions.

Although it attracted a thinner crowd than had been portrayed prior to it, the rally has spread fear among local Christians.

We took a long breath after seeing the poor show in attendance, a Christian leader from Chhattisgarh was quoted as saying. It was expected that 10,000 to 12,000 people would turn up for the rally. This was very concerning, but less than 500 people attended.

A pastor from the Jagdalpur area added: Though the rally was not successful in terms of numbers, the (Hindu nationalist) activists will be more aggressive. It is their plan to do reconversion programs, particularly in the villages and interior places. We wont know about these incidents of persecution because of the remoteness of these areas. Only God can save His people.

The superintendent of police of the Sukma district in the same state and part of the Bastar region recently issued a circular to all police stations directing officers to surveil the districts Christian community and be on the lookout for fraudulent religious conversions and to act against Christians where these activities are found, ICC previously reported, adding that several incidents of intimidation, threats and assaults against the Christians of Sukma had been reported since the circular was sent.

Christians make up about 2.5% of Indias population, while Hindus comprise 79.5%.

India ranks as the 10th worst country globally when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA's 2021 World Watch List. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has urged the U.S. State Department to label India as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India says in a report that it documented 145 cases of atrocities against Christians  three murders, 22 attacks on churches and 20 cases of ostracization or social boycott in rural areas  in the first half of 2021.

The violence, detailed in the report, itself was vicious, widespread and ranged from murder to attacks on churches, false cases, police immunity and connivance, and the now normalized social exclusion or boycott which is becoming viral, the report says.

Since the current ruling party (Bharatiya Janata Party) took power in 2014, incidents against Christians have increased, and Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences, noted Open Doors World Watch List last year.

The view of the Hindu nationalists is that to be Indian is to be Hindu, so any other faith  including Christianity  is viewed as non-Indian. Also, converts to Christianity from Hindu backgrounds or tribal religions are often extremely persecuted by their family members and communities, Open Doors said at the time.

Several Indian states have anti-conversion laws, which presume that Christian workers force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert them to Christianity.

While the anti-conversion laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity. These laws, however, allow Hindu nationalist groups to make false charges against Christians and launch attacks on them under the pretext of the alleged forced conversion.

Some of these laws state that no one is allowed to use the threat of divine displeasure, meaning Christians cannot talk about Heaven or Hell, as that would be seen as forcing someone to convert. And if snacks or meals are served to Hindus after an evangelistic meeting, that could be seen as inducement.
Evangelicals voice support after Biden nominates first Muslim to top religious freedom post

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The public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention and an evangelical leader have expressed their support for President Joe Bidens nomination to fill the State Department's top international religious freedom post.

Last week, the White House announced the nomination of diplomat and former law professor Rashad Hussain to serve as the next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, a post previously held by former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback. Hussain is the first Muslim ever to be nominated for the position since it was created in 1998 by the International Religious Freedom Act.

Hussain, 41, presently serves as director for Partnerships and Global Engagement at the National Security Council. He served in the Obama administration as the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the U.S. Special Envoy for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications.

Brent Leatherwood, vice president of external affairs and chief of Staff for SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said in a statement that he has long called for America to be a bold voice for liberty against these oppressive regimes.

Similarly, naming a U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom helps us to consistently use that voice, stated Leatherwood, as reported by Baptist Press on Tuesday.

We appreciate the Biden administration prioritizing this appointment, and we stand ready to work with Mr. Hussain upon his confirmation to advance the fundamental human right of religious freedom internationally.

Biden also nominated people to fill other critical human rights posts.

Deborah Lipstadt, a scholar of the Holocaust, was nominated to serve as the special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. Meanwhile, Khizr Khan, a lawyer and founder of the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project, was nominated to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Sharon Kleinbaum, a lesbian rabbi of the Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in New York City, was nominated as a commissioner for USCIRF, a bipartisan, congressionally mandated panel tasked with advising the federal government on religious freedom issues.

Johnnie Moore, the president of the Congress of Christian Leaders who informally engaged with the Trump White House, praised the nominations. Moore is a former USCIRF commissioner.

"I congratulate President Biden's appointees and I'll look forward to collaborating with each of them in order to advance the freedom of religion and belief around the world," Moore said in a statement.

"There will, as always, be divergent points of view on certain ideas, policies and strategies, but international religious freedom continues to be  and must remain  almost entirely bipartisan."

"In fact, it must be nonpartisan," he added. "I intend on doing my part to keep it so and beginning with continuing to build a diverse, great wall of collaboration to confront the unconscionable, genocidal efforts undertaken by the Communist Party of China to crush religious freedom within China while exporting similar tactics and ideas abroad."

Biden's nomination of Hussain also received praise from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a United Kingdom-based persecution watchdog group.

"The announcement is an encouraging indicator of the importance the Biden administration places on the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief," CSW Chief Executive Kori Porter said in a statement. "We hope that Mr. Hussain will build on the excellent work of his predecessors, and look forward to working closely with him in pursuit of the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief around the world.

Michael Wear, a strategist who advised former President Barack Obama on how to engage evangelical voters, called Hussain a "wonderful pick."

"Perennial complaint from IRF community that administrations delay making an appointment to this position, and so it's [important] Biden Admin receives credit for relatively speedy action here," Wear argued on Twitter. "I mean, they just announced Amb. to the EU, and the IRF announcement comes just days after."

Last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., that a nominee for the ambassador-at-large position was forthcoming.

The position had been vacant since Biden took office. Brownback, who left his job as sitting Kansas governor to assume the ambassador-at-large position in 2018 and is credited with elevating the prestige of ambassador role, previously told CP that he wasn't asked to stay on when the Biden administration took office.

Under Ambassador Brownback, the IRF movement took a more prominent place in U.S. foreign policy than ever before, Ben Harbaugh, who formerly worked on international religious freedom for the State Department, wrote in a recent piece published by ERLC.

The IRF office held the inaugural 2019 Ministerial to Advance International Religious Freedom  the largest civil society event ever held by the state department  created an IRF alliance with 32 other countries, and played a pivotal role in declaring Chinas persecution of the Uyghur Muslims as a genocide in the final days of the Trump administration.

The ERLC has been critical of past actions by the Biden administration on the issue of religious freedom, releasing a statement in March denouncing the presidents decision to remove the general counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Sharon Gustafson was appointed to the general counsel position by former President Donald Trump in 2018 and refused to resign and was fired instead.

Bidens decision to fire Gustafson may have significant implications for religious liberty protections, which would be deeply concerning for Christians, stated the ERLC in response.

 this action violates the EEOCs autonomy and may portend further hostility toward Americans who dissent from the radical sexual orthodoxy of the progressive movement. The effort to replace Gustafson sends troubling signs about the future on these issues.
Google Play will remove sugar dating apps fostering prostitution and sex trafficking

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Google Play will no longer carry sugar dating apps widely known for promoting compensated sexual acts that have led to many cases of sex trafficking and sexual assault among young women and underage girls.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) had been pressuring Google for over a year to change its Google Play app store policies by removing exploitative sugar dating apps like SeekingArrangement. The app was listed is on NCOSEs 2021 Dirty Dozen List  an annual campaign list calling out 12 mainstream entities for facilitating or profiting from sexual abuse and exploitation.

Starting on Sept. 1, the app will no longer be carried on Google Play.

As a platform we are always excited to support our developer partners, but we also work hard to provide a safe experience for users, a Google spokesperson said in a statement shared with news outlets. We have updated our inappropriate content policy to prohibit apps that facilitate sexual acts in exchange for compensation following feedback we received from NGOs, governments, and other user advocacy groups concerned with user safety. This aligns our policies with other Google policies and industry norms.

Lina Nealon, the director of corporate and strategic initiatives for NCOSE, warns that sugar dating is a form of prostitution and that more businesses today are capitalizing on demand for wealthy daddies for younger, financially insecure women called babies.

Using sex as a weapon for profit is the most egregious form of abuse to humankind, Nealon told The Christian Post. Social media tries to normalize the sexual exploitation industry by making it seem like women and girls will be empowered and in control of what they choose to do sexually. However, Google Plays decision to end these apps shines a light on how wrong this is by sending a cultural message.

NCOSE, a leading activist group that seeks to expose links between forms for sexual abuse and exploitation, reports that SeekingArrangement is the largest hub of sugar dating in which survivors of prostitution make clear is part of the commercial sex industry. They contend that sexual favors are expected in return for gifts and valuable benefits.

Nealon said that SeekingArrangment markets the babies as college students, aspiring actors or actresses, single parents, or someone just starting out."

The activist group claims SeekingArrangement most aggressively targets college students struggling with student debt through advertisements and free premium accounts.

With over 20 million users, Nealon said that there are four babies for every one daddy on the app. She warned that creates a power dynamic because the babies have to compete to get "daddied.

According to Nealon, sugaring or prostitution happens too frequently on the apps, and it's too difficult to tell how many people are being affected globally.

In many cases, she said, women and underaged girls are manipulated, coerced and forced into sexual acts. She said many women and girls initially thought the app was an opportunity to innocently make money and decrease debt.

But some of the women, Nealon said, know they will be exposed to prostitution when they begin using the apps.

Nealon said these young women who choose to use the apps for prostitution often think its not a big deal to use the apps and sell sex.

Nealon said she has heard from multiple survivors that becoming involved in prostitution frequently results in rape, sex trafficking, control and forceful manipulation from the daddies.

She added the women often fear for their lives if they dont comply with what the daddies" tell them to do.

Many young women dont realize the reality of being sold into the sex industry, and the media sells sex as power by sending messages that selling sex will bring you power and financial stability and control, Nealon told CP. These young women, particularly, college students are risking the chance of economic dependence and sex trafficking. They hear that using the apps is going to be empowering and they will be in control of the sex. But they dont understand the full ramifications of the emotional, psychological and physical trauma and harm caused by selling themselves.

In the aftermath of several cases with women who used sugar dating apps for prostituition, Nealon said, most often, those who survive frequently struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder that is no different from the post-traumatic stress disorder that combat war veterans have experienced.

These women are traditionally financially vulnerable individuals who see a promise of economic freedom and if you look at the power dynamic, its not a relationship on their own terms, Nealon said. My hope is that no mainstream entity would support sexual exploitation, porn and prostitution and that these egregious acts would cease to exist and everyones dignity would be recognized as valuable. I hope that corporations recognize the power they have and make moves to put an end to this.

By no longer providing sugar dating sites with a platform, Nealon believes Google is curbing the harmful effects of sugaring directly and also sending a strong message to counter the cultural normalization of these exploitative practices.

Google Play has rightfully recognized the bitter truth about sugar dating, Nealon said in a statement. We are grateful to Google for hearing our concerns and commend them for making a principled move to no longer enable this form of exploitation.
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As judgment day approaches for Gov. Gavin Newsom in the form of the California recall election, a perfect opportunity emerges for the Christian Left to demonstrate both the sincerity of their faith and their true support for oppressed people groups.

They can do this by giving Newsom, a wealthy white male, a downvote, in favor of the current front runner and African American gubernatorial candidate from South Central Los Angeles, Larry Elder.

Progressive Christians who commonly champion leftist ideology, such as white guilt, and a belief in a white patriarchal hegemony, should jump at the chance to send Newsom packing, as they welcome a strong new voice in Elder, even if he is conservative, because after all  its the right thing to do.

But are progressive Christians, the same group who piously flexed their support for BLM on their Instagram pages throughout 2020, gleefully floated the idea of reparations and have defended the merits of critical race theory and woke ideology, anywhere to be found? So far it seems not.

Wouldnt "VeggieTales" creator Phil Vischer, who regularly attacks white normativity on his podcast show, The Holy Post, be happy as a talking pickle to stand in support of a so-called oppressed black man Larry Elder, especially if it means putting Newsoms elitist regime in the rearview mirror? Or how about other progressive Christian figures, like Russell Moore, Ed Stetzer, Pastor David Platt, Beth Moore or author Gregory Thompson, who have all advocated for greater levels of diversity. If theyve added their voice in support of a diverse candidate like Elder, I sure havent heard them.

While Newsom, a multimillionaire, is perhaps the poster child for white privilege, his main competition, Elder, born into a blue-collar family, is an accomplished attorney and radio host who has been studying California politics for decades. Unlike Newsom, Elder has a strong vision to fix urban housing, public safety and environmental concerns throughout the state. So with a diverse candidate like Elder, where are these so-called "Conscious Christians" who boast of being awake to inequality and racial inequity?

Historically, white progressive Christians support a social gospel, which, much like critical theory, segments people into two categories, oppressed and oppressor, but with an added belief that God favors the oppressed and opposes the oppressor. If their convictions are sincere, the California recall offers liberal Christians, who often stress the importance of stepping aside to offer opportunities for diverse members of the population, then why withhold support?

Why instead is it that white conservative Christians, a segment of the population frequently accused of being racist, are at the frontlines supporting Elders campaign, such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pastor Jack Hibbs, who offered his support stating:

"The Christian is told to walk in wisdom and to steward over all the resources that God has given. Sadly and for far too long the church has ignored its calling to influence culture for what is good and right. However - I believe Gods grace has allowed us the opportunity to elect a new governor who believes in religious freedom, the protection of our First Amendment, and the defense of the unborn child.

For the Christian Left, this is a powerful occasion to demonstrate that black lives truly do matter and that candidates like Elder need to be heard. Ultimately, this will be the test to see whether the Christian Left were ever sincere in their pleas to carve out room for African Americans in white-dominated spaces, or if it was just empty rhetoric by political activists once again using African Americans as pawns to advance their liberal agenda.
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High expectations filled my mind as I swayed back and forth in the rhythmic movement of the train. I was returning to Poland many years after I had lived working there with students. I anticipated a sweet, heart-filling reunion. I looked forward with anticipation to visits with cherished friends from days gone by.



Yet, upon my arrival, I found myself depleted and somewhat discouraged. Difficulty, broken relationships, loss of faith, health issues filled the stories of my colleagues and weighed heavily on my heart. Making my way to a park bench one afternoon in a despondent mood, I questioned God about it all. The stories I had heard  and even the circumstances of my life didnt seem to measure up to what I had expected when I started this journey of faith years before. I was caught in a personal reflection of the disappointment life had brought my way.

Suddenly, my reverie was interrupted by the music of a childs laughter. Searching out the source of this delightful sound, I discovered that under a nearby flowering tree, a little toddler was twirling and dancing, arms up to catch the falling blossoms as they swirled to the ground in the spring breeze. He was utterly captivated by the delight of the moment. My heart was captured by his exuberant joy, and I knew this was what I wanted: to live life just as he did at this moment, my own hands upraised, delighting in the beauty to be found around me.

Experiencing one of those rare moments of insight, I understood that I had agency to focus on what is beautiful in order to keep my soul alive, instead of only pondering the harsh realities that so many had shared. Unless one becomes like a child, Jesus had said. I needed to practice the way I steered my thoughts: to focus on the falling flowers or the raging storms. Everyone I know wants to live a life full of happiness, warm memories, and laughter. Yet the very real troubles we face threaten to force our attention their way instead, stealing the joy we might otherwise experience.

With every phase of life comes new areas of distraction and challenges, interruptions, and misfortune. Many of these situations are completely out of our control. Yet our perspective, the way we choose to approach or react to them, is up to us. Will we focus on the bad news, health and financial challenges, political unrest and other difficulties we are surrounded by? Or will the falling flowers, rainbow-glistening soap bubbles, and wonder of newborn baby skin play a larger role in our minds and hearts?

Joy is a choice. God has given us the power of agency, the ability to direct our minds, wills and emotions in the direction we want them to go. Such power requires discipline, determination, and practice in centering our lives on Gods Word and Spirit, so we might submit our attitudes and emotions to Him and respond appropriately to the realities of life.

Choosing joy is not innately natural as most of us have not had a model of such determination. But it can become a habit if we ask Gods help in shaping our heart-attitudes. Choosing to see joy and beauty in every moment has produced abundant fruit in and through my own life. But I had to learn how to practice it as a way of life.

Today, determine to change your perspective. Whatever small treasures you find, focus on really noticing and delighting in them. Purposefully seek joy in the creation that surrounds you  the stunning mountain sunset, golden retrievers created for giving delight, the intimacy of deep friendship that brings comfort and healing, and many more. See each one as a personal reminder from God that He is present with you in every moment. May He make His joy known to you in the middle of your own chaos and stormy life today.
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Critical race theory (CRT) is all over the news today. Whether its in our schools, universities, workplaces, or government offices, the Left is pushing this woke ideology rooted in Marxism across the nation.

CRT ideology fosters discontent, divisiveness, and disloyalty to America instead of the unity and equality that it claims are its goals. Those on the Left who promote CRT are not content with spreading it to our schools, our workplaces, or our government  they are now targeting our military, the institution sworn to protect and defend our Constitution. The Lefts promotion of critical race theory in the military can dangerously affect our nations security.

Ever since the Biden administration came to power, the promotion of critical race theory has accelerated in the ranks. In February, following the Capitol riots, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austinordered a stand down in the military searching for extremism in the ranks, creating the Countering Extremism Working Group to implement his orders. According to Lt. Gen Jerry Boykin (ret.), Austin based this initiative on the assumption that the military is riddled with white supremacists, an assumption rooted in CRT.

Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier saw the result of this stand down firsthand. He spoke out against CRT, saying he had received a training booklet  the fruits of Austins order. The booklet gave multiple, one-sided examples of extremism, including the January Capitol riots, but failed to mention the violent civil uprisings during the summer of 2020.

He also said that his bases inclusion initiative asked them to read the book, So You Want to Talk about Race? The book suggested social justice groups and political figures for readers to support, and it called the U.S. a white supremacist nation throughout its pages.

The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military ... is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism, Lohmeier said. Because of Lohmeiers comments, General Stephen Whiting, head of the U.S. Space Operations Command, removed Lohmeier from his position as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron.

After Lohmeiers removal, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, called for whistleblowers to speak out about CRT.

They set up a link where service members can anonymously write about their experiences with woke ideology in the military. Cotton told Washington Watch that they have received over 300 serious, credible complaints.

For example, a young cadet did not realize the Air Force was such a racist institution when she enlisted, and she never would have enlisted if she knew that was the case. Another service member said that he was [so] tired of these indoctrination sessions  as opposed to tactical and operational excellence that he planned to leave when his enlistment contract is up. Cotton said that the CRT indoctrination silently corrode[s] morale and cohesion.

As Cotton pointed out, the danger of CRT is that it fosters divisiveness and distrust among our troops. The precious time that our soldiers could be spending on training for war readiness, lethality, and mutual trust is instead being wasted on ideology sessions espousing that the nation for which they fight and the Constitution they have sworn to defend is inherently racist. Why would soldiers risk their lives to protect a cruel, oppressive country?

Our militarys strength depends on the unity of our troops and the knowledge that America is a noble nation worth fighting for, Cotton pointed out. Critical race theory teaches that race is a persons most important characteristic, and that America is an evil, oppressive place.

Instead of fostering unity among troops who need to fight together against the enemy, CRT is teaching our soldiers that their white comrades oppress their fellow soldiers of color. As FRCs own General Boykin said,All this is doing is driving a wedge between members of the military. And theres nothing more important on the battlefield  not weapons, not the technology  [than] the cohesion and the morale of those men and women who are out there fighting. They make the difference. Thats how you win on the battlefield.

If the Left continues to push CRT in the military, morale and patriotism in the ranks will likely continue to plummet, and our militarys effectiveness will suffer because of it. We need our troops to love their country, believe in the Constitution, and implicitly trust their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and coastguardsmen.

As Cotton said,The militarys strength is not its diversity but its ability to weather adversity through unity. We need to teach our young troops ... to befriend, fight alongside, and, if necessary, die for their comrades on the battlefield  not to obsess about skin color.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
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If indeed there is, in todays Church, a unique hardness in the hearts of men and women formed by humanism, then we must believe that if we seek the Lord, He will give us special wisdom. Jeremiah 33:3 states Call to me, and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (NKJV).

Unfortunately, when dealing with different sociological trends affecting the thinking of the people throughout history, instead of counteracting such teachings, the Church formed teachings and doctrines, which accommodated them. We can clearly see that we live in an age of sensuality paralleling the immorality of the Roman Empire, an immorality that led to its eventual demise.

With self sparkling at the center of the humanistic idol, opportunistic church-going modernists have seized the moment and developed teachings that appeal to sensuality and this self god. They have formulated teachings that I believe are demonically inspired which sound good to those seeking philosophies from the spiritual realm, which might just have the God stamp of approval.

Closet humanists, supposing themselves to be true believers, have accomplished this by taking scriptures out of context and bending or twisting them to appeal to peoples itching ears. They recognize that those that have been bottle-fed the basic principles of humanism from the time that they were old enough to watch cartoons all the way through college, will automatically give a hearty amen to those teachings because they sound good to them!

Take for instance the teaching of positive confession that swept through the Charismatic Movement in the 1980s. Not only did it appeal to the god of self and to ones personal power, but it also promised a lot of good stuff would come to the child of God. Using a few carefully selected scriptures, people were told that if you speak positive things then positive things would come to you. In contrast, you were to resist any negative speaking because that could open the door to allow the devil to bring bad things into your life.

This theory was partially extrapolated from Romans 10:17, which states, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (NKJV) The developers of this power of selfcentered philosophy stated that if you speak positive things, and quote the Bible as much as you can, you will hear yourself speak it, causing your faith to grow, and then grabbing the last sentence of Mark 11:23, you will have whatever you say! This false teaching left many people in bondage, fearing that if they ever expressed doubt or said anything negative they were sinning and opening the door to the devil.

To this day, I still meet people who continue to practice this concept. If you try to tell them something negative they believe that it is coming from the devil. Many have fallen away due to this misinterpretation of Scripture. The fundamental problem with the Positive Confession teaching was that it did not consider the Greek meaning of the word hearing in Romans 10:17. The word akoe found there and several other places in the New Testament has nothing to do with physical hearing but instead in this context means the ability to receive what was being taught.

Instead of dealing with this generation of humanists by developing teachings that appeal to their culture, we should preach the cross of Christ like never before. Jesus demonstrated the greatest act of love in the history of the universe on the cross. The Holy Spirit will still anoint preachers who pay the price in prayer, develop their own personal relationship with Jesus and proclaim the time-proven message of Matthew 16:24; Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, and follow me.(NKJV) Once their eyes are opened to the true nature of their sinful state, people are still being truly converted today.

I challenge the preachers of today: If you preach solid biblical truth, the lies of humanism will fall, and people will be genuinely born again! The pure Gospel will reach humanists just as it has reached communists, anarchists and atheists throughout history!
43K Nigerian Christians killed, 18K disappeared in last 12 years: NGO report

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A Nigerian civil society organization estimates around 43,000 Christians have been killed by Nigerian Islamic radicals in the last 12 years, while 18,500 have permanently disappeared and 17,500 churches have been attacked.

The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) published a new report this week, estimating that about 10 million people have been uprooted in northern Nigeria, where extremist violence is most severe, from July 2009 to July 2021.

During that time, the report states, about 2,000 Christian schools were attacked.

The atrocities include massacres, killings, mutilations, torture, maiming, abductions, hostage-taking, rape, girl-child defilements, forced marriages, disappearances, extortions, forceful conversions and destruction or burning of homes and sacred worship and learning centers," Intersociety reports.

Intersociety said the mass violence has resulted from the propagation of radical Islamism."

Intersociety is an organization headed by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi and relies on what it deems to be credible media reports, government accounts, reports from international rights groups and eyewitness accounts to compile statistical data.

However, a lack of adequate government record-keeping means that death tolls reported by media outlets or the government are estimates that can often be skewed.

"The total number of direct Christian deaths since 2009 or from July 2009 to July 2021; a period of twelve years, is independently put at no fewer than 43,000," the report reads. "The figure arises from total jihadist killing of not less than 72,000 defenseless citizens."

"The total number of moderate Muslims killed by the Jihadists since same July 2009 is independently put at 29,000," the report continued. "Of the no fewer than 43,000 Christian deaths, 20% or over 8,600 deaths are members of the Church of Brethren in Nigeria or EYN."

The deaths, the report explains, are a result of "systematic and coordinated attacks" carried about by Islamic extremists and their collaborators.

The report comes as international human rights advocates have long voiced concern over the increasing violence in Nigeria.

In the northeast, groups like Islamic State and Boko Haram have attacked civilian communities, killing and abducting thousands. In the farm-rich center of the country, attacks have been carried out against predominantly Christian farming communities by suspected radicalized Fulani herders, many of which are Muslim. However, advocates for the herders claim that youths from the farming communities have also attacked their communities in reprisal attacks.

In another report released in July, Intersociety reported that 3,400 Christians had been killed by extremists since January, which nearly surpasses the number of Christian deaths estimated in Nigeria for all of 2020.

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, Intersociety said in the July report.

The surviving victims and families of the dead victims are also totally abandoned by the Government of Nigeria.

Critics accuse the Nigerian government of failing to protect civilians adequately from radical attacks and failing to hold perpetrators accountable.

Kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative industry in Nigeria, though the government denies paying ransom to terrorists.

People in Nigerian government and terrorists and jihadists [want] to inflict pain by forcing people to believe what they believe or act the way they want them to act, Hafsat Maina Muhammed, a Nigerian woman and founder of Choice for Peace, Gender and Development, shared during a recent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom panel discussion.

More Christians are killed in Nigeria than anywhere else globally, Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors USA reports.

Nigeria is Africas most populous country and ranks No. 9 on Open Doors 2021 World Watch List for Christian persecution due to an extreme level of Islamic oppression.

The Global Terrorism Index ranks Nigeria as the third country most affected by terrorism in the world and reports over 22,000 people killed by acts of terror from 2001 to 2019.

Nigeria is the first democratic nation to be added to the U.S. State Department's list of "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Human rights activists have warned Nigeria is headed toward Christian "genocide" if global action is not taken quickly.

Frank Wolf, former U.S. congressman, religious freedom advocate and author of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, shared during a June panel discussion how the U.S. and the international community must intervene in Nigeria.

When the world and the U.S. ignored  genocide in Rwanda, hundreds of thousands of people died, Wolf said. History is repeating itself. Because of the atrocities in Rwanda that we had ignored, President Bill Clinton flew to Rwanda and apologized to the Rwandan people near the end of his term.

If what is happening in Nigeria were happening to nearly any country in Europe, the world would be enraged and engaged," Wolf continued. "But in Nigeria, there is no action."

The population split between Christians and Muslims is roughly even in Nigeria. Around half of Nigeria's population identifies as Christian, and there are over an estimated 95 million believers in the country of over 200 million people.

The Nigerian presidency released a statement last year stating that organizations and groups that claim a religious genocide is taking place in Nigeria are receiving funds from separatist groups. However, some activists have refuted that claim.

Intersociety, which is based in an Igbo-dominated area that seceded from Nigeria as part of an independent Biafra in 1967, told CP that it has received support in the form of free professional resource donations, expert advice, technical assistance and individual cash donations or cash sums that are periodically and voluntarily donated by some concerned citizens who are usually less politically exposed persons.

CP was told that Intersociety has never received sponsorship from a foreign body or international grant sponsorships and its advocacy campaigns on the killing of Christians have been done free of charge "without group sponsorship."
Businesses large and small, from McDonalds and Home Depot to local yoga studios, are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise. Bars, gyms and restaurants across the country are requiring vaccines to get inside.

After a largely mask-free summer, it's a reversal no one wanted to see, brought on by the fast-spreading delta variant and new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But business owners and workers say they will do what they can to keep their doors open and not slow the economic gains of the last few months.

MORE COVID: Public health collides with politics in latest wave of mask wars

Weve already been through the worst of the challenges when we shut down the indoors last year, said Brack May, the chef and owner of Cowbell, a New Orleans burger joint. Lets just get ahead of the curve here.

May recently began requiring customers to show their vaccine cards for indoor dining. He said he wants to protect his workers, who are required to be vaccinated but have young children at home, as well as his neighborhood, where some musicians recently contracted the coronavirus.

May expects that eventually, vaccine rules like his will be commonplace. Next month, New York City will start requiring vaccinations to enter restaurants, gyms and theaters.

But for now, customers are far more likely to encounter mask mandates. After lifting mask recommendations for fully vaccinated people in May, the CDC reversed course in late July, recommending masks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people in areas of higher transmission.

The shifting guidance has caused confusion over which rules to enforce and how. Walmart and Target, for instance, recently began requiring masks for employees __ but not customers __ in areas where virus transmission rates are high. McDonalds is requiring masks for both employees and customers. Home Depots mask mandate is nationwide.

A handful of places, like Louisiana, the San Francisco Bay area and Las Vegas, are mandating masks indoors.

Many business owners didnt wait for the CDC or their local governments before acting. In mid-July, Tamra Patterson reinstituted a mask mandate and reduced seating capacity from 200 to 65 at Chef Tams Underground Cafe, the restaurant she owns in Memphis, Tennessee.

I need every dollar and dime and penny I can get, but if I dont have employees healthy, I dont have a business. If customers are sick, I have nothing, Patterson said.

Customers are generally receptive to the mask mandate, Patterson said. Only one has walked out.

PanTerra Gallery, a womens clothing store in Bisbee, Arizona, reinstated a mask mandate for customers a few weeks ago after watching cases climb nationwide.

RELATED: Texas is cutting red tape for doctors and patients

Were a tourist town, so it was just a matter of time before it reached us again, said Lisa Wines, a PanTerra employee. Most people are fine with the new mandate, she said, but some turn around and stomp out of the store.

Not every business supports the mandates. Basilico's Pasta e Vino, a restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, has railed against masks on social media. A sign on its door requires patrons to prove that they're unvaccinated.

Some workers also don't want to see masks return.

Dru W., a grocery employee in Houston who asked not to use his full name for fear of reprisals at work, said he was fully vaccinated months ago and enjoys the freedom it gives him to go without a mask. Few stores around him are enforcing the new CDC guidelines, he said, and he wont either.

I didnt get both my doses and deal with the rather gnarly side effects only to be told to go back to the way things were during the pandemic, he said.

But other retail workers see masks as an important way to end the pandemic. Austin Ray Shanks, who works at a Walmart in Monroe, Washington, said he finds masks uncomfortable but necessary. He's disappointed that many customers at his store refuse to wear them.

Marshall Crawley said his gym in Morrisville, North Carolina, recently announced that it would require masks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated patrons. But the rule isnt being enforced, he said.

It doesnt really feel like it is doing much good wearing a mask when everyone around me is not, said Crawley, a client manager for J&J Editorial, a managed services company for scholarly publishing.

Crawley thinks the CDC went too far when it told vaccinated people they could remove their masks this spring. Now, he said, it will be too hard to convince people to put them back on.

Jose Backer, who works in customer service at a food packaging manufacturer in Los Angeles County, said his company began letting vaccinated workers remove their masks earlier this year. But soon everyone stopped wearing them. That angered Backer, who doesnt want a repeat of a COVID-19 outbreak that sickened him and others at his workplace last year. He's relieved that his county is requiring masks for everyone again.

The new wave of mandates give some comfort to companies that never gave up on masks, even when U.S. cases ebbed earlier this summer.

Liz Manasek, the co-owner of Warner Bodies, a custom truck manufacturer in Elwood, Indiana, kept a mask policy in place after watching other companies struggle with different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.

About 60% of the companys 105 employees are now vaccinated, she said. She has told employees she wont consider removing the mandate until that level reaches 80%.

VAXXED SUMMER? Cruises are adding rules as delta cases surge

Manasek has gotten some pushback from workers, but she reminds them that the policy has been effective. Only one or two employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, she said.

Weve just got to hold out and keep on the basics, she said.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  One person was killed and another injured Sunday in a Kansas City, Missouri shooting, police said.

Police responding to reports of a shooting found two victims with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle, The Kansas City Star reported.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP)  A man was killed and three other people were injured in a shooting related to a real estate dispute among family members at a Southern California home, police said.

Officers responded to reports of gunfire late Saturday morning and found three victims outside the house in Huntington Beach, a police statement said.

While officers were evacuating the victims, a male, who was believed to be the shooter, came out of the residence with a superficial gunshot wound, the statement said.

Paramedics took all the victims to a hospital, where one died, police Capt. Tim Martin said.

Huntington Beach Police Chief Julian Harvey said the three people who were injured were expected to survive, among them the suspected shooter, who was in custody.

Officials did not immediately explain the suspect's connection to the victims, the Orange County Register reported.

The shooting was related to a family dispute involving property on Operetta Drive in the coastal city, Harvey said.

The preliminary investigation found the dispute involved the upcoming sale of the house, police said.

A group of real estate professionals accompanied a family member to view the residence when the shooting took place, the police statement said.

Additional details including the names of the victims and suspect were not immediately available.
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP)  Just two more school districts in South Carolina send at least some of their students back to school this week.

All students in Darlington County go back to school Monday, while middle and high school students in Oconee County are back in the classroom Wednesday.
CANON CITY, Colo. (AP)  An inmate died after being assaulted by a fellow inmate at the Colorado State Penitentiary, prisons officials said Saturday.

Glen Young, 35, was seen assaulting Gerado Banda, 23, at the prison near Canon City on Wednesday in an attack that lasted about 15 seconds, the Colorado Department of Corrections said. Banda was taken to the hospital in Canon City and later moved to a hospital in Colorado Springs before dying on Thursday, the department said.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP)  Mothers who produce more breast milk than they need now have an easy way to give that precious liquid to other mothers.

A new donor breast milk collection site has opened at CHI Health Clinic Womens Health, 705 Orleans Drive.

CHI Health hopes that area mothers will donate breast milk to protect the lives of vulnerable infants across the country.

People are starting to see the research that breast milk is the best nutrient that we can try to give our infants, said Chelsey Kennedy of CHI Health St. Francis.

Parents want to do whats best for their infants, so the demand for breast milk is growing, Kennedy said.

Breast milk contains important nutrients that cannot be replicated by commercial formula. It is sometimes called Liquid Gold.

Research shows that infants should have nothing but breast milk for the first six months of life, said Kennedy, a womens health nurse practitioner.

In addition, medical professionals are seeing a lot more premature deliveries for whatever reason, said Beth Deida, the obstetrics educator at CHI St. Francis.

Premature babies and other infants with health issues can benefit from breast milk.

Some women do have an overabundance of milk, and this is an easy way for them to donate and give back to another mother, Deida said. Its the most generous gift that you can give to another mother to help care for their baby.

The Mothers Milk Bank Donation and Outreach Center was launched with a reception last week.

In the United States, one out of 10 babies is born prematurely every year, and others struggle with serious illness.

According to CHI Health St. Francis, the nutrients in breast milk are critical to protecting against infections and intestinal complications common with premature birth. Unfortunately, some mothers are unable to produce the quantity of breast milk needed at crucial times in an infants life.

The CHI Health Mothers Milk Depot, as its called, works with the Mothers Milk Bank of Arvada, Colo. Milk donated in Grand Island is sent to that facility.

Donated milk will be stored in a freezer in Kennedys office until we have enough to ship for a donation, she said.

We can keep frozen breast milk for up to a year. But we would want to get it to them within the month, is the goal, and depending on how many ounces are donated, more than likely well be sending it within a day or two, Kennedy said.

In Colorado, the donor milk will be processed, tested, pasteurized and distributed to neonatal intensive care units or hospitals around the country.

Breast milk donors must have delivered a baby within the last 18 months. Theyll be asked to complete a health screening, including a blood test.

Many mothers who are breastfeeding now or will be in the future have had infants that have received some sort of donor milk or have been offered donor milk in the past because it is such a popular and healthy option, said Kennedy, who is also an internationally board-certified lactation consultant.

Mothers who have lost infants also may donate.

The Mothers Milk Bank has a program for bereaved mothers called Teardrops and Milkdrops. The program helps mothers process through the loss of their infant, while at the same time helping other mothers and their babies, Kennedy said.
PEFKI, Greece (AP)  Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts.

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began Aug. 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast as it burned out of control. Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed and thousands of residents and tourists have fled, many escaping the flames via flotillas that even operated in the dark of night.

The blaze is the most severe of dozens that broke out in the wake of Greece's most protracted heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) for days, creating bone-dry conditions.

Its already too late, the area has been destroyed, Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the northern Evia municipality of Istiaia, lamented on Greeces Open TV. He was one of several local officials and residents who took to Greek TV networks to appeal for more firefighting help, particularly from water-dropping planes and helicopters.

Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for four villages in northern Evia, including Pefki, but many residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties.

In dramatic scenes Sunday afternoon, fast-moving flames had encroached on the seaside village of Pefki, burning trees on the fringes and entering the houses yards. Panicked residents raced with water tanks, hoses and branches in a seemingly futile effort to extinguish the flames.

Late Sunday, firefighters managed to stop the fire before it advanced further into Pefki, on the islands northern coast. Pefki residents and tourists fled to the port of Aidipsos to take the ferry to the mainland port of Arkitsa, 150 kilometers northwest of Athens.

Acrid, choking smoke hung in the orange-grey air, turning the day into an apocalyptic twilight as people headed towards Pefki's pebble beach, dragging suitcases, clutching pets and helping elderly relatives.

The ferry, carrying panicked, exhausted evacuees who had boarded the vessel before the advance of the fire was halted, arrived at Arkitsa on Sunday evening. Passengers complained they had been left to fend for themselves as the fire approched.

"We were completely forsaken. There were no fire brigades, there were no vehicles, nothing!" David Angelou told The Associated Press, adding that the villagers' hoses were inadequate to stop the fire.

Angelou described the frightening hours before the evacuation.

You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around, he said.

Angelou's complaint was echoed by others, who decried government efforts, citing what they saw as a lack of firefighting forces or planes or delays in their arrival.

There was ash and smoke everywhere, said Christina Tsatou, who had been in the seaside village of Agios Georgios. It is very sad that they did not send help in the first days and they left the island burning. It was unfair and many people have lost their property, their livelihoods.

In the picturesque mountain village of Gouves, towering flames leaped from the treetops, devouring the pine forest leading to the village. Some residents remained, dousing homes with water from garden hoses in a last-ditch effort to save them. Others used bulldozers to raze trees and bushes, hoping to create rudimentary firebreaks.

Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the Evia fire was burning on two fronts, one to the north and one to the south. He said the conditions there were particularly tough for the water-dropping planes and helicopters, whose pilots faced great danger" with limited visibility and air turbulence.

We have before us...one more difficult night, Hardalias said. All the forces that have been fighting a difficult battle all these days will continue operating with unabated intensity, with the same self-sacrifice.

The wildfires have stretched Greece's firefighting capabilities to the limit, and the government has appealed for help from abroad. More than 20 countries in Europe and the Mideast have responded, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and manpower.

The fire department said Sunday 575 firefighters, 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters. Four helicopters and three planes provided air support.

Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greece's southern Peloponnese region, while another broke out Sunday afternoon on the southern island of Crete.

Another massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane. That blaze burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens.

Firefighters were worried that the Mount Parnitha fire would rekindle, so they and the military had been patroling all night, Hardalias said.

On Friday, a volunteer firefighter died after suffering head injuries from a falling electric pole north of Athens, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters hospitalized in intensive care.

The causes of the fires are under investigation. At least eight people have been arrested around Greece.

Greek and European officials have also blamed climate change for the large number of fires in southern Europe this summer, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia.

In the U.S., hot, dry, gusty weather has also fueled devastating wildfires in California.

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Becatoros reported from Argostoli, Greece. Iliana Mier-Lavin contributed to this report from Arkitsa, Greece and Demetris Nellas from Athens.

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Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail will add a new marker to honor the state's first march of the movement.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, a Republican who leads the state's tourism office, will unveil the marker Monday at A.Z. Young Park in downtown Baton Rouge.
BARNEGAT LIGHT, N.J. (AP)  Coast Guard authorities say an injured boater was medevac'd to a hospital with injuries reportedly sustained after his vessel ran aground off New Jersey.

Authorities say the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay was called Saturday after the 33-foot pleasure craft ran aground in Oyster Creek Channel near Barnegat Light.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Kansas City, Missouri police detained a man in relation to a fatal shooting Saturday at a gas station.

Officers dispatched to a QuickTrip on Southwest Boulevard found a man in the parking lot who was shot, The Kansas City Star reported.

A Kansas City police spokeswoman said the man was declared dead at the scene. Police have not yet identified the man who was killed.

The police spokeswoman said police believe there was an argument leading up to the shooting.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Alabama students are returning to classrooms this month with local school systems split on whether masks will be required.

Mask mandates in local K-12 schools have drawn a mix of support from parents who see it as the best way to protect unvaccinated children against COVID-19 and anger from those who see it as infringement on personal decisions, news outlets report.

The Alabama Department of Public Health, adopting guidance from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, is recommending schools require masks as the state sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases. Alabama is leaving the decision to local school systems, instead of imposing  or forbidding  mask mandates as some states have done.

Hoover City Schools on Friday voted to require masks for the first 30 days of the school year.

I want my kid and every other kid in the community to go back safely - this includes high-risk kids, kids with disabilities, and we cant do that without a mask mandate, Misty Mathews, a parent, told WBRC.

But some students carried signs reading, no more masks" during the meeting and a group of parents opposing the mandate gathered to pray in the parking lot.

In neighboring Vestavia Hills, the school system announced that masks will be optional during the school year.

The Opelika-Auburn News reported that parents attended city council and school board meetings in both cities to voice opposition to mask mandates in those city school systems.

What we do with our bodies is a personal choice.  Im not here to tell you what choices you should make, nor will I ever. We all have our opinions, we all think were right, Auburn resident Jonathon Parish said,

Im not here to tell you how to live your life, Im here to tell you, Dont do that to me. Dont do that to my kids.

But another Auburn resident said parents should get vaccinated if they want the mask requirement to go away. Alabama has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Theres one good way to get rid of the mask. Ninety-nine percent of the people who have died were not vaccinated. Our school children have to be vaccinated for polio, for diphtheria, for measles and others, but nobody seems to be complaining about that, Michael Halperin said.

Im not a big mask person, but I want to save lives, he said.

A group of parents in Tuscaloosa urged that city's school system to adopt a mask requirement before school start next week, ABC 33/40 reported.

"You wouldnt send your child into a house on fire, why would you send your child into an environment with an aerosol-born virus, parent Amanda Lemmert said.
TOKYO (AP)  It began with a virus and a yearlong pause. It ended with a typhoon blowing through and, still, a virus. In between: just about everything.

The Tokyo Olympics, christened with 2020 but held in mid-2021 after being interrupted for a year by the coronavirus, glided to their conclusion in a COVID-emptied stadium Sunday night as an often surreal mixed bag for Japan and for the world.

A rollicking closing ceremony with the theme Worlds We Share  an optimistic but ironic notion at this human moment  featured everything from stunt bikes to intricate light shows as it tried to convey a "celebratory and liberating atmosphere for athletes after a tense two weeks. It pivoted to a live feed from Paris, host of the 2024 Summer Games. And with that, the strangest Olympic Games on record closed their books for good.

Held in the middle of a resurging pandemic, rejected by many Japanese and plagued by months of administrative problems, these Games presented logistical and medical obstacles like no other, offered up serious conversations about mental health  and, when it came to sport, delivered both triumphs and a few surprising shortfalls.

From the outset, expectations were middling at best, apocalyptic at worst. Even Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said he'd worried that these could become the Olympic Games without a soul. But, he said, what we have seen here is totally different.

You were faster, you went higher, you were stronger because we all stood together  in solidarity," Bach told gathered Olympians as he closed the Games. This was even more remarkable given the many challenges you had to face because of the pandemic. In these difficult times, you give the world the most precious of gifts: hope.

For the first time since the pandemic began," he said, the entire world came together.

He overstated it a bit. At these Games, even the word together was fraught. Spectators were kept at bay. A patchwork of rules kept athletes masked and apart for much of medal ceremonies, yet saw them swapping bodily fluids in some venues. That was less about being remiss than about being real: Risks that could be mitigated were, but at the same time events had to go on.

Athletes' perseverance became a central story. Mental health claimed bandwidth as never before, and athletes revealed their stories and struggles in vulnerable, sometimes excruciating fashion.

Japan's fourth Olympics, held 57 years after the 1964 Games reintroduced the country after its World War II defeat, represented a planet trying to come together at a moment in history when disease and circumstance and politics had splintered it apart.

The closing ceremony Sunday reflected that  and, at times, nudged the proceedings toward a sci-fi flavor. As athletes stood in the arena for the final pomp, digital scoreboards at either end of the stadium featured what organizers called a fan video matrix, a Zoom call-like screen of videos uploaded by spectators showing themselves cheering at home.

Even the parade of athletes carrying national flags  thousands of Olympians, masked and unmasked, clustering together before fanning out into the world again  was affected. Volunteers carried some flags into the stadium, presumably because of rules requiring athletes to leave the country shortly after their events concluded.

In front of such formidable backdrops, athletic excellence burst through, from the Games' first gold medal (China's Yang Qian in the 10-meter air rifle on July 24) to their last (Serbia defeating Greece in men's water polo on Sunday afternoon).

Among the highlights: Allyson Felix taking a U.S.-record 11th medal in track, then stepping away from the Olympic stage. American quintuple gold medalist Caeleb Dressel's astounding performance in the pool. The emergence of surfing,skateboarding and sport climbing as popular, and viable, Olympic sports. Host country Japans medal haul  58, its most ever.

Any Olympics is a microcosm of the world it reflects. These Games' runup, and the two weeks of the Games themselves, featured tens of thousands of spit-in-a-vial COVID tests for athletes, staff, journalists and visitors. That produced barely more than 400 positives, a far cry from the rest of non-Olympic bubble Japan, where surges in positive cases provoked the government to declare increasingly widespread states of emergency.

And, of course, there was that other microcosm of human life that the Games revealed  the reckoning with mental and emotional health, and the pressure put on top-tier athletes to compete hard and succeed at almost any cost. The interruption of that pressurized narrative, led by the struggles of gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Naomi Osaka in particular, permeated these Games and ignited the spark of an athlete-driven conversation about stress, tolerance and inclusivity that everyone expects to continue.

While Tokyo is handing off the Summer Games baton to Paris for 2024, the delay has effectively crammed two Olympics together. The next Winter Games convenes in just six months in another major Asian metropolis  Beijing, Japan's rival in East Asia and home to a much more authoritarian government that is expected to administer its Games in a more draconian and restrictive way, virus or no virus.

Beyond that, Paris organizers promised Sunday to take sport out of its traditional spaces and connect with new audiences in new ways in 2024  presuming, of course, the absence of a protracted pandemic. They went live from the closing to excited groups of fans clustered near the Eiffel Tower, a crowded public scene that Tokyo didn't allow.

In recent weeks, lots of people  officials, athletes, journalists  have been chewing over how these Tokyo Games will be remembered. That's up to history, of course, but there are hints.

The runup was messy and disputed. The days of competition were fraught but, in general, without incident other than sporting milestones. Even a moderate earthquake rumbled through and was quickly forgotten. Scattered protests of the Games  including one outside the stadium Sunday night  reflected a portion of Japan's sentiment, though certainly not all. The expenses  upwards of $15 billion  were colossal and will echo in Tokyo long after athletes are gone.

What are the Olympic Games supposed to be? A politics-free sporting event, as the IOC insists? A bonanza for sponsors and broadcasters? One small step toward world peace? Despite all the yarn-spinning, their identity remains up in the air and that fundamental question remains.

But as the cauldron was snuffed out Sunday night after the Pandemic Olympics concluded, it's easy to argue that Tokyo can take its place as a Games that didn't fail  as one that overcame a lot to even happen at all. And as vaccines roll out, variants emerge and lockdowns re-emerge, another city and government  Beijing, the Chinese capital  must grapple with the very same question.

In the meantime, the program for Tokyo's closing ceremony, outlining its Worlds We Share theme, captured the effect of the pandemic and the virtual worlds and separation anxiety to which it has given birth.

"We are in a new normal, and this edition of the Games were a different affair," it said. Even if we cannot be together, we can share the same moment. And that is something that we will never forget.

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Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation for The Associated Press, was APs director of Asia-Pacific news from 2014 to 2018. This is his sixth Olympics. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)  A Catholic priest in South Carolina has been placed on leave after he was sued by a woman who said the pastor manipulated her into a sexual relationship.

Father Wilbroad Mwape was removed at least temporarily as the pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Greenville by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, The Greenville News reported.

Diocese spokesperson Maria Aselage said the church is reviewing the lawsuit and will respond later.

Both Mwape and the diocese are named in the lawsuit, filed in Orangeburg County.

Before coming to Greenville in 2020, Mwape was pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Orangeburg. It was there that the woman said Mwape started grooming her into a sexual relationship, growing her knowledge in the Catholic faith while also using her confessions about trouble in her marriage to prey on her vulnerabilities, according to her lawsuit.

The relationship between the two grew more physically intimate until she spent the night in the church's rectory and they had sex, according to the lawsuit.

Mwape would later use hotel rooms paid for using a credit card from the Diocese of Charleston to continue the relationship, the woman said.

The lawsuit said Mwape's behavior was covered up by the diocese and reflects a pattern of abuse in other Catholic churches.

Neither Mwape or the woman and her lawyer responded to messages from the newspaper.

Mwape has been a priest for 25 years. Around 2000, he took classes for hospital chaplains in Charleston, then returned to Zambia, was he was born. Mwape returned to the Charleston Diocese in 2015, the newspaper reported.
Coronavirus developments across New England:

MASSACHUSETTS

In the absence of state or city mandates, a small but growing number of Boston-area restaurant owners are devising their own plans to make indoor dining safer.

Acting Mayor Kim Janey has said she does not support requiring diners to show proof of vaccination before eating indoors. But some local restaurants are implementing mandates, the Boston Globe reports.

At The Quiet Few in East Boston, guests must show proof of vaccination before stepping inside, and unvaccinated guests can eat on the patio. At City Winery, guests must show either proof of vaccination or a recent negative test for COVID-19. They also can take rapid tests at the door.

Theres nothing here about politics. Were simply creating a safe environment for our customers, our staff, and very importantly, working musicians, owner Michael Dorf said.

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CONNECTICUT

Gov. Ned Lamonts decision to allow local municipalities to make their own decisions on mask mandates and other restrictions has some health officials concerned about the potential for localized outbreaks in areas where vaccination rates are low  including the states capital city.

Though Connecticut is among the states with the highest percentage of residents who have been vaccinated  64% currently  Hartford and New Britain lag far behind, at between 40% and 45%. Mansfield, Sterling and Thompson round out the top five towns with the lowest vaccination rates, according to the Hartford Courant. Many smaller towns are at the bottom of the states vaccination list.

Youre going to have these pockets of communities that are really getting whacked with this, Dr. James Cardon, Hartford HealthCares chief clinical integration officer, told the newspaper. A small town, 90% vaccinated? Youre not going to see much there. Hartford? Scary. The potential to have a very localized kind of event is really problematic."

The key to increasing vaccination rates is to offer more community vaccination clinics, such as those run by churches, or to offer the vaccine to people through their own health care providers, said Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical officer for Yale New Haven Health.

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

The federal government has sent the final installment of money to New Hampshire to help schools reopen and operate safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

Most of the $116 million distributed last week will go to school districts to cover expenses such as cleaning supplies and extra tutors to help students get back on track after months of remote learning.

The state also plans to invest in after school programs, mental health supports and teacher recruitment and training.

New Hampshire learners, families, and educators have demonstrated incredible resilience and dedication throughout the past year and half, and we are excited to return to school safely and in-person this fall, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut said.

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VERMONT

A lack of court security is forcing the Vermont court system to reduce in-person services at the Grand Isle Superior Court in North Hero.

The new plan will still allow in-person drop-off of filings two days a week. The changes will not limit the judiciarys ability to conduct hearings or address other court-related needs of the public.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Isle Courthouse has been conducting proceedings almost entirely remotely principally because the building lacks the ventilation system necessary to meet courts COVID-19 protocols.

Court Administrator Patricia Gabel said the courts would continue to be available via phone and that remote hearings will continue.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
Businesses large and small, from McDonalds and Home Depot to local yoga studios, are reinstituting mask mandates as U.S. coronavirus cases rise. Bars, gyms and restaurants across the country are requiring vaccines to get inside.

After a largely mask-free summer, it's a reversal no one wanted to see, brought on by the fast-spreading delta variant and new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But business owners and workers say they will do what they can to keep their doors open and not slow the economic gains of the last few months.

Weve already been through the worst of the challenges when we shut down the indoors last year, said Brack May, the chef and owner of Cowbell, a New Orleans burger joint. Lets just get ahead of the curve here.

May recently began requiring customers to show their vaccine cards for indoor dining. He said he wants to protect his workers, who are required to be vaccinated but have young children at home, as well as his neighborhood, where some musicians recently contracted the coronavirus.

May expects that eventually, vaccine rules like his will be commonplace. Next month, New York City will start requiring vaccinations to enter restaurants, gyms and theaters.

But for now, customers are far more likely to encounter mask mandates. After lifting mask recommendations for fully vaccinated people in May, the CDC reversed course in late July, recommending masks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people in areas of higher transmission.

The shifting guidance has caused confusion over which rules to enforce and how. Walmart and Target, for instance, recently began requiring masks for employees __ but not customers __ in areas where virus transmission rates are high. McDonalds is requiring masks for both employees and customers. Home Depots mask mandate is nationwide.

A handful of places, like Louisiana, the San Francisco Bay area and Las Vegas, are mandating masks indoors.

Many business owners didnt wait for the CDC or their local governments before acting. In mid-July, Tamra Patterson reinstituted a mask mandate and reduced seating capacity from 200 to 65 at Chef Tams Underground Cafe, the restaurant she owns in Memphis, Tennessee.

I need every dollar and dime and penny I can get, but if I dont have employees healthy, I dont have a business. If customers are sick, I have nothing, Patterson said.

Customers are generally receptive to the mask mandate, Patterson said. Only one has walked out.

PanTerra Gallery, a womens clothing store in Bisbee, Arizona, reinstated a mask mandate for customers a few weeks ago after watching cases climb nationwide.

Were a tourist town, so it was just a matter of time before it reached us again, said Lisa Wines, a PanTerra employee. Most people are fine with the new mandate, she said, but some turn around and stomp out of the store.

Not every business supports the mandates. Basilico's Pasta e Vino, a restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, has railed against masks on social media. A sign on its door requires patrons to prove that they're unvaccinated.

Some workers also don't want to see masks return.

Dru W., a grocery employee in Houston who asked not to use his full name for fear of reprisals at work, said he was fully vaccinated months ago and enjoys the freedom it gives him to go without a mask. Few stores around him are enforcing the new CDC guidelines, he said, and he wont either.

I didnt get both my doses and deal with the rather gnarly side effects only to be told to go back to the way things were during the pandemic, he said.

But other retail workers see masks as an important way to end the pandemic. Austin Ray Shanks, who works at a Walmart in Monroe, Washington, said he finds masks uncomfortable but necessary. He's disappointed that many customers at his store refuse to wear them.

Marshall Crawley said his gym in Morrisville, North Carolina, recently announced that it would require masks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated patrons. But the rule isnt being enforced, he said.

It doesnt really feel like it is doing much good wearing a mask when everyone around me is not, said Crawley, a client manager for J&J Editorial, a managed services company for scholarly publishing.

Crawley thinks the CDC went too far when it told vaccinated people they could remove their masks this spring. Now, he said, it will be too hard to convince people to put them back on.

Jose Backer, who works in customer service at a food packaging manufacturer in Los Angeles County, said his company began letting vaccinated workers remove their masks earlier this year. But soon everyone stopped wearing them. That angered Backer, who doesnt want a repeat of a COVID-19 outbreak that sickened him and others at his workplace last year. He's relieved that his county is requiring masks for everyone again.

The new wave of mandates give some comfort to companies that never gave up on masks, even when U.S. cases ebbed earlier this summer.

Liz Manasek, the co-owner of Warner Bodies, a custom truck manufacturer in Elwood, Indiana, kept a mask policy in place after watching other companies struggle with different rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated workers.

About 60% of the companys 105 employees are now vaccinated, she said. She has told employees she wont consider removing the mandate until that level reaches 80%.

Manasek has gotten some pushback from workers, but she reminds them that the policy has been effective. Only one or two employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, she said.

Weve just got to hold out and keep on the basics, she said.
Are you planning on visiting Canada with a past driving under the influence offence? You may have a problem crossing the Canadian border.

Can you visit Canada with a DUI? Are you planning on visiting Canada with a past driving under the influence offence? You may have a problem crossing the Canadian border.

Can you visit Canada with a DUI? Are you planning on visiting Canada with a past driving under the influence offence? You may have a problem crossing the Canadian border.

Can you visit Canada with a DUI? Are you planning on visiting Canada with a past driving under the influence offence? You may have a problem crossing the Canadian border. Matt Hendler Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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While Canada is an open country, it does have strict rules that it enforces at its borders. You can be considered inadmissible to Canada based on a criminal conviction. Even a single driving under the influence can lead to you being denied entry to Canada.



This common situation arises as a result of Canadas strict laws on driving under the influence (DUI). Canada strengthened these laws in 2018 when it legalized marijuana. The maximum time in prison for a DUI doubled, from five years to ten years. The goal was to stop Canadian citizens from driving impaired. DUI applies not only to alcohol but also cannabis or any other substance known to intoxicate.

Contact a criminality expert at the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen

All travelers coming to Canada from the U.S. must show a U.S. passport or other U.S. travel document to an immigration officer. Your American passport has a direct link to an FBI background record. This report can feature recent or past DUIs. Even if the driving under the influence conviction is from many years ago, it can still show on this criminal record and create issues for you when trying to enter Canada.

If you are a U.S. tourist with a criminal record, you are strongly encouraged to plan in advance, to avoid any surprises at the Canadian border. Speaking with a Canadian immigration law firm about your status and options for entry is always a helpful option.

How do I visit Canada with a DUI?

The Canadian government offer several options for overcoming inadmissibility to a traveler with a past DUI:

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

If it has been less than five years since the completion of the DUI sentence, you must apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) in order to enter Canada. The TRP is a temporary waiver of inadmissibility that can allow someone who would typically be inadmissible to Canada to enter the country. If approved, the TRP may be valid for up to three years.

In order to be granted a TRP, you must have a strong reason for coming to Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) must make sure the applicant is not a threat to Canadian society. The applicant should also show how their visit will benefit Canada or Canadians. Because processing can be subjective, it is important for people to submit a well-prepared and compelling TRP application package.

Criminal Rehabilitation

If it has been more than five years, but less than 10 years since completion of a sentence, you may be eligible to apply for criminal rehabilitation. If the application is approved, the applicant will have a clean slate and be eligible to enter Canada. There will no longer be any obstacles relating to the previous conviction. This means that the traveler will be able to enter and leave Canada provided that they do not commit another offence.

If it has been 10 years or more since completion of a DUI sentence, an inadmissible person could be deemed rehabilitated simply as a result of the passage of time. This path would also allow them to Canada. This solution is only possible in cases where someone has a single, non-serious conviction on his or her record. If you have more than one conviction, you must apply for criminal rehabilitation to clear your criminal record to enter Canada without issue.

Legal Opinion Letter

If you are currently facing a charge of DUI with no prior criminal history, you should not be considered inadmissible to Canada. Canadian immigration officers have discretion in these situations, weighing the benefits and risks of allowing entry. Canadian law, not U.S. law, applies when you are attempting to enter Canada. A Legal Opinion Letter from a Canadian immigration lawyer can be helpful in the event you are looking to enter Canada with a pending charge. The lawyer can explain any important facts in the pending case, and explain why you should not be considered inadmissible.

Canadas rules for foreigners with criminality issues are complex, and tough. The security of the country and its citizens is always a priority, especially at Canadian borders. A thorough knowledge and understanding of criminality issues, and how they apply to you, can be the difference between entering Canada and being denied at a border.

Contact a criminality expert at the Law Firm of Campbell Cohen

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Discover your Canadian immigration options at CanadaVisa.com.
Given the current situation, many industries around the world, including Thailand, have to transform their operations and collaboration processes in order to cope with the New Normal, which requires every organization to boost their digitalization, and ability to collaborate through ICT technologies to reduce face-to-face interaction. Thai education is one of the sectors that has shifted to online learning, in response to the ongoing circumstances.

However, the acts of teaching and learning remotely via video calls can be quite inefficient comparing to in-class learning for certain subjects which require a practical learning process. Thus, some institutions have to integrate smart solutions into their curriculums, to improve the effectiveness of the remote online learning experience. One of the latest examples is the Krirk University which, in partnership with Huawei Technologies (Thailand), has made Huawei IdeaHub available as a smart solution to help elevate the remote learning experience.

Putting practical learning up front for more than half a century

Founded by Dr. Krirk Mangkhlaphrik in 1952, Krirk University is one of the most reputable private universities in Thailand. With the aim to promote practical knowledge to prepare its students for real-life work, the university is known for many of its well-respected faculties and colleges, including Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Law, International College, Political Communication College and China International Language and Culture College.

With the goal to strengthen students skills to meet new demands for the modern workforce, Krirk University has partnered with several distinguished higher education institutions in the country and worldwide, to create a strong knowledge sharing network that benefits both students and society. It has a long-term mission to always be one step ahead through its well-thought-out courses that can be applied to the transforming world.

Huawei

Bridging educational gap with intelligent remote learning experience

Under its smart campus initiative, Krirk University aims to develop effective online learning courses without compromising quality. The university offers a wide range of online courses for both undergraduate and graduate students through its high-quality e-learning platform. To create an engaging online academic experience, the university sought an integrated solution that could enhance productivity and quality of its e-learning programs as well as facilitate smooth collaborations among lecturers and students.

Huawei

Huawei IdeaHub elevates learning to the next level

When it came to develop an innovative learning environment, Krirk University saw in Huawei the ideal partner. The tech company is recognized as a worlds leading ICT provider and has long been at the forefront of advanced 5G technology development. Taking into account the universitys requirements to build a Smart Campus that supports remote education, Huawei proposed an ideal solution for smart education, the Huawei IdeaHub, with the aim to boost learning efficiency and innovative thinking anywhere, anytime.

Huawei IdeaHub is an intelligent device that helps campuses around the world transform collaborative e-learning. The product combines great functions such as an interactive whiteboard and a high-definition video conferencing. This first of its kind co-working device makes learning more real, fun and innovative. Brainstorming is also made easier with wireless sharing, automatic transfer of notes and presentations as well as intelligent writing recognition. Thanks to its 5G support, lecturers and students can engage in an immersive face-to-face communication and collaborate in real time, ensuring each student can stay focused and motivated in class.

Huawei

Online learning opens doors to education for everyone

Huawei IdeaHub is transforming education in physical and online classrooms by providing a smarter and more productive learning experience. Its unique features make learning more creative and enjoyable, delighting both students and lecturers. The device can support Krirk Universitys future plan to establish a new Learning Center Network in Thailand, providing avid learners across the country with practical online courses in different fields.

Huawei IdeaHub is utilized as an important tool to support the students learning process, reflecting Krirk Universitys vision to become a Smart University. The institution has already launched online learning curriculums, and has ensured that teachers, students, and online classes are well-prepared. Huawei IdeaHub has become an important teacher assistant, rendering online classes more convenient, reducing learning gaps, and even allowing Krirk University to easily expand with new branches.

Huawei IdeaHubs features are also remarkable in encouraging collaboration between teachers and students, a crucial element of the learning experience. The solution comes with a 4K camera, microphone that enhances the sound quality, intelligent handwriting recognition (via pen or direct touch), and convenient file sharing feature.

Huawei

Integrating data, learning methods and advanced technology in one smart device, the IdeaHub is a real game changer for smart education in the digital era. Lecturers and students can now create an interactive classroom, even when they are miles apart. With this intelligent tool, we can quickly set up a learning center from anywhere, promoting easier access to high quality education for all, highlighted Dr. Krasae Chanawongse, President of Krirk University.

About Huawei

Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have more than 194,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world.

Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether theyre at home, in the office, or on the go.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at https://e.huawei.com/th/products/cloud-communications/ideahub

or follow us on:

For media contact, please reach Carl Byoir & Associates:

Suthatip Boonsaeng (08-7685-1695, 0-2627-3501 ext. 102) sboonsaeng@carlbyoir.com

Sorawis Jumnansilp (08-1494-9339, 0-2627-3501 ext. 211) sjumnansilp@carlbyoir.com
Israel already began giving boosters to people over 60 years old. Pfizer says it will apply for emergency use authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the end of August
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8)  The country's top cop has ordered a probe into misleading information which led some Metro Manila residents to believe that unvaccinated individuals would not be able to get cash aid or allowed to go outside.

"We are already looking into this and part of it is to trace the identity of the source of disinformation on vaccination being circulated on social media and text messages," said Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement Sunday.

A day before Metro Manila shifted to enhanced community quarantine, thousands of people flocked to vaccination sites after hearing reports that there would be more restrictions for unvaccinated persons.

Eleazar said the public should not immediately believe information unless it comes from legitimate sources.

"Nais ko din magbigay ng paalala sa publiko na huwag basta-basta maniniwala sa mga kumakalat na impormasyon. Libre magtanong sa ating mga LGUs at mga ahensya. Maaari din tayong sumilip sa mga official websites ng mga government agencies at basahin ang mga announcements," he said.

[Translation: I want to remind the public not just believe messages that are going around. You can freely ask LGUs and government agencies. We can also look at their official websites and read the announcements.]

Meanwhile, MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos said they will be investigating those behind the messages that circulated last week.

"Sumulat na po kami to have you investigated and proper charges will be filed against you. You're not only hindi niyo lamang ginugulo ang sistema, but likewise you're playing with other people's lives. Delikado ito. Wag ganun. We have a tall order to follow, ang dami nating gagawin, 'wag na kayong manggulo pa," Abalos said in a message through CNN Philippines Sunday.

[Translation: We have written to have you investigated and proper charges will be filed against you. You're not onlyyou are not just confusing the system, but likewise you're playing with other people's lives. This is dangerous and should not be done. We have a tall order to follow, we have a lot of things to do, do not add to the confusion.]

Abalos did not mention names of who could be behind the messages which he said were circulated throughout the metro.

"Halos parang buong metro eh. Di lang yung metro eh, even outside hanggang Masinag, Antipolo eh. So they could be pranksters or orchestrated talaga ng isang grupo, we cannot tell," he said.

[Translation: It seems like it's the whole metro. And not just the metro, it goes beyond to Masinag, Antipolo. So, they could be pranksters or orchestrated by a group, we cannot tell.]

CNN Philippines' Pia Garcia and Paige Javier contributed to this report.
Apple268.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 11 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the apple268 homepage on Twitter + the total number of apple268 followers (if apple268 has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the apple268 homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the apple268 homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the apple268 homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if apple268 has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the apple268 homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE --! DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE GB2312 DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Microsoft-IIS/6.0 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003

Operative System running on the server. The language of apple268.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Type of server and offered services. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for apple268.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Nnpreteen.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 19 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the nnpreteen homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if nnpreteen has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the nnpreteen homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the nnpreteen homepage on Twitter + the total number of nnpreteen followers (if nnpreteen has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the nnpreteen homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the nnpreteen homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE SERVER lighttpd/1.4.19 OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. The language of nnpreteen.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for nnpreteen.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

The URL of the found Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Richard Cline Knight was born on December 29, 1942, to Iris Erlene and A.J. Knight in Corsicana, Tx. He went home to be with our Lord and Savior on August 6, 2021. Richard served in the United States Navy for 4 years and was a Vietnam Veteran. He retired from telecommunications after 30 year
Thelma Norris Dodson, 87, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, left us on Aug. 8, 2021. Thelma was born on Sept. 20, 1933, in Cumberland County, the second of six daughters born to Casto and Florence (Wyatt) Norris. She married Willie Dodson, USMC, and moved often to various military postin
Across Australia and New Zealand, a study from global professional association and learning organisation ISACA has found no strong differences between the security function ownership in a business being with a CISO or a CIO. For the State of Cybersecurity 2021, ISACA researchers spoke to 3,659 individuals who have cybersecurity job responsibilities, 152 of those from Australia and New Zealand.

Surprisingly, the study found there was no differences between the cybersecurity ownership and the organisational views on increased or decreased cyberattacks, confidence levels related to detecting and responding to cyberthreats, and perceptions on cybercrime reporting. So, whether there is a CIO or a CISO at the helm, the perception and confidence around the risks and importance of cybersecurity were relatively the same.

However, there were big differences depending on whether the CISO or the CIO was the executive in charge of cybersecurity. Organisations with a CISO in charge of cybersecurity had the board of directors prioritise cybersecurity more than those with a CIO in charge. The same applies to the alignment of the cybersecurity strategy with the organisational objectives; it happens more in organisations that had a CISO at the helm.

Karen Heslop, senior director of content development for ISACA, told CSO Australia that the value of cybersecurity risk assessments in Australia and New Zealand was 6% higher under a CIO than under a CISO. That was different from the pattern elsewhere in the world, but there was no obvious reason for that difference.

CISO vs. CIO in Australia and New Zealand
WASHINGTON (AP)  Senators hoisted the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package over another hurdle late Sunday, a coalition of Democrats and Republicans pushing it closer to passage despite a few holdouts trying to derail one of President Joe Biden's top priorities.

The rare bipartisan momentum was holding steady, a reflection of the bill's popularity and the eagerness of senators to show voters back home they can deliver. One of the biggest investments of its kind in years, the package promises to unleash billions of dollars to upgrade roads, bridges, broadband internet, water pipes and other public works systems undergirding the nation.

Senators easily overcame another 60-vote hurdle on a vote of 68-29. Final votes could drag into early Tuesday as a single GOP senator, Tennessee's Bill Hagerty, refused to relent on the mandatory debate time.

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stressed to colleagues that they could proceed the easy way or the hard way, as the Senate slogged through its second consecutive weekend session.

Well keep proceeding until we get this bill done," Schumer said.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide what Biden has called a historic investment in public works programs, the first part of the president's his rebuilding agenda. As many as 20 Republicans are expected to join Democrats in the evenly split Senate for what would be a robust final tally. If approved, it would go to the House.

Were on the cusp of seeing that move through the Senate, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Fox News Sunday, citing a remarkable coalition that includes business, labor and lawmakers from both parties. I think were about to get this done.

Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the budget outline for a $3.5 trillion package of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.

Despite the momentum, action ground to a halt over the weekend when Hagerty, an ally of Donald Trump, forced the Senate to run out the clock on debate time, refusing to consent to speeding up the process.

Hagerty, who had been Trump's ambassador to Japan, was leading the effort to take as much time as needed to debate and amend the bipartisan bill, in part because he wants to slow the march toward Biden's next big bill, which plans $3.5 trillion for child care, an expansion of Medicare for seniors and other so-called soft infrastructure needs.

Trump called Hagerty on Sunday morning, said a person familiar with the call who requested anonymity to discuss it. Hagerty said later Sunday in a speech on the Senate floor that he was trying to prevent a socialist debt bomb of new government spending.

The former president has been publicly critical of the bipartisan bill and criticizing Biden and the senators from both parties who support it, though its unclear whether Trump's broadsides will have much sway with Republican senators. He celebrated Hagerty's stand in a statement Sunday.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has so far allowed the bill to progress, despite the name-calling and criticism coming his way from Trump. This is a compromise, McConnell said.

As the weekend standoff dragged on, Republicans who helped negotiate the compromise spoke up Sunday commending the former president for having sparked infrastructure talks when he was in the White House even if those bills never panned out.

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, said it's time overdue to improve the nation's public works systems.

The American people deserve to have good roads and bridges and infrastructure to drive on, travel on, he said.

Another negotiator, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, acknowledged that no compromise is perfect, but doing nothing when there was a bill before them was not an option.

Every president in the modern era has proposed an infrastructure package, he said. This was an effort to say lets break the logjam.

Biden, who was spending the weekend in Delaware, said the bipartisan package offers an investment on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.

Senators have spent the past week processing nearly two dozen amendments to the 2,700-page package, but so far none has substantially changed its framework.

More amendments have been offered as senators seek to revise a section on cryptocurrency, a long-shot effort by defense hawks to add $50 billion for defense-related infrastructure and a bipartisan amendment to repurpose a portion of the untapped COVID-19 relief aid that had been sent to the states. But it's unclear if they will be considered for votes.

Senators have found much to like in the bill, even though it does not fully satisfy liberals, who view it as too small, or conservatives, who find it too large. It would provide federal money for projects many states and cities could not afford on their own.

An analysis of the bill from the Congressional Budget Office drew concerns, particularly from Republicans. It concluded that the legislation would increase deficits by about $256 billion over the next decade.

But the bill's backers argued that the budget office was unable to take into account certain revenue streams  including from future economic growth. Additional analysis released Saturday by the budget office suggested infrastructure spending overall could boost productivity and lower the ultimate costs.

Paying for the package has been a pressure point throughout the months of negotiations after Democrats objected to an increase in the gas tax paid at the pump and Republicans resisted a plan to bolster the IRS to go after tax scofflaws.

Unlike Biden's bigger $3.5 trillion package, which would be paid for by higher tax rates for corporations and the wealthy, the bipartisan package is funded by repurposing other money, including untapped COVID-19 aid, and other spending cuts and revenue streams.

The House is in recess and is expected to consider both Biden infrastructure packages when it returns in September.
WESTPORT  A former health district employee has filed a lawsuit against the agency and its executive director, claiming his First Amendment rights were violated when he raised alleged safety concerns in the office.

In a lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut, Louis DOnofrio  the former director of community health for the Westport-Weston Health District  saw continued health and safety hazards in the agencys offices and areas of clinic patient service delivery in his more than two years with the agency.

WWHD, a government agency, provides local public health services to Westport, Weston and Easton.

In addition to the WWHD, the agencys executive director, Mark Cooper, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Cooper could not be reached for comment.

Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe declined to comment about the lawsuit and referred questions to Otis Crawford, chairman of the Westport/Weston Health District. Crawford also declined to comment.

Among the concerns cited in the lawsuit were rodent droppings DOnofrio alleged he saw in the office and clinic areas since his hiring in April 2019.

His concerns were always disregarded, the suit alleges.

DOnofrio filed a complaint on June 24, 2019, prompting an inspection at the Westport premises at 180 Bayberry Lane by the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency, the lawsuit said.

During the inspection, the lawsuit alleges, multiple health and safety violations were reported. Among the violations listed in the suit were material safety data sheets that hadnt been updated for more than a decade and unlabeled bottles of chemicals left improperly stored.

In February 2020, without prior warning, the suit alleges that Cooper stopped DOnofrio in the hallway and threatened to eliminate his position because the district had lost approximately $70,000.

Prior to that incident, DOnofrio had asked Cooper about budgetary losses he found, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, Cooper was unable to explain when DOnofrio confronted him about losses that were placed in the clinic unclassified budget section.

Earlier this year, DOnofrio spoke with a Westport police detective and the departments chief about concerns of possible financial mismanagement of district funds in the approximate amount of $73,000 of unclassified medical services, the lawsuit stated.

It was not immediately known if a police report was filed or if the department conducted an investigation. A spokesperson for the Westport Police Department did not immediately respond for comment.

DOnofrio, a Westport resident, submitted his letter of resignation on June 16, citing what the suit called intolerable working conditions that were hazardous to health and safety for him, his co-workers and members of the public.

DOnofrio requested a permanent injunction to prohibit the defendant from engaging in unlawful employment practices, full back pay from his last day of employment and all fringe and pension benefits in addition to compensatory damages for emotional distress, inconvenience, mental anguish, punitive damages and attorney fees and costs.

Josephine Miller, who is representing DOnofrio, said the allegations are a major health concern.

It is rather curious and disheartening to my client, as well as to myself, that especially given the context of a pandemic that (DOnofrio) has been shoved out the door for basically raising complaints about what has been apparently going on for some time, Miller said.

Staff writers Liz Hardaway and Ben Lambert contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (AP)  A 29-year-old female police officer in Chicago was killed and another officer was seriously wounded in an exchange of gunfire during a traffic stop, officials said Sunday, the city's mayor later citing the shooting as a reason for Chicagoans to work together to stem violence.

The officer killed Saturday night was identified as Ella French, according to a post on the Chicago Police Departments Facebook page Sunday evening. French's death was the first fatal shooting of a Chicago officer in the line of duty since 2018 and the first female officer fatally shot on the job in 33 years.

We will never forget the true bravery she exemplified as she laid her life down to protect others, the department said of French on Facebook, adding that fellow officers will grieve the loss of this hero." The department also requested support for French's wounded partner, who is in the hospital fighting for his life.

At a Sunday news conference, Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged Chicagoans to end the acrimony between ardent police proponents who say officers are hampered by overly burdensome rules and staunch critics who say officers act with impunity.

Stop. Just stop, she said. This constant strife is not what we need in this moment.

The shooting of the officers occurred on another violent summer weekend in the nation's third largest city, with at least 64 people shot, 10 fatally, by afternoon Sunday, ABC7 in Chicago reported.

The police are not our enemies, Lightfoot added at the news conference. We must come together... We have a common enemy: Its the guns and the gangs."

Officers had stopped a vehicle with two men and a woman inside just after 9 p.m. on Chicago's South Side, when a male passenger opened fire, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said during the same news conference.

Officers returned fire, striking the passenger who appeared to fire at them, said Brown. He did not release the condition of that man. All three are in custody, but no charges had been filed, he said.

Police also did not identify the three who have been arrested.

When asked about the condition of the injured officer, Brown responded, Critical. We need your prayers.

The superintendent said it was too soon to say why the vehicle was stopped and what might have happened just before the shooting began. He said available evidence included police body camera footage. A gun was also recovered at the scene.

A large crowd of officers gathered outside the hospitals ambulance entrance overnight, some hugging and praying, as Lightfoot first addressed the shooting to reporters nearby. Lightfoot said the officer who died "was very young on the job, but incredibly enthusiastic to do the work.

The last Chicago officer shot to death in the line of duty was 28-year-old Samuel Jimenez, who was killed after responding to a shooting at a hospital on Nov. 19, 2018.

Two officers, Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo, died when they were struck by a train while pursuing a suspect on Dec. 17, 2018. The department also considers the COVID-19 deaths of four officers last year line-of-duty deaths.

The last female officer shot to death in the line of duty was Irma Ruiz, who was shot inside an elementary school in 1988.
Cecil Howard Hafley Jr., "CJ" to those who knew and loved him best, was embraced by the arms of our Lord on Tuesday, August the 10th, 2021. Arrangements by independently owned and operated Dalton Funeral Home.
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A Woolworths shopper has had a random act of kindness rewarded with a heartwarming note in her online order.

New South Wales woman Jacqui said she always leaves kind words for the staff at her local supermarket whenever she requests a delivery.

But in her latest order, she was thrilled to receive a message scrawled on the back of a packet of salami from the girls working on the deli counter at the Tweed City store.

The note read: 'Thank you for your note, hope you have an awesome day too. Love, Deli Girls.'

New South Wales woman Jacqui was thrilled to receive a message scrawled on the back of a packet of salami from the girls working on the deli counter

Jacqui shared a photo of the sweet gesture in a Facebook community group, telling members she was delighted to see her messages had not gone unnoticed.

'I always try and leave a message for the hardworking staff at my local Woolworths stores when I do an online shop,' she wrote.

'Lovely to receive a message back too from the deli team at Woolies. The online shop direct to boot was great!'

To make the feel good story even sweeter, one of the deli staff noticed Jacqui's post and thanked her for her kind words.

A Woolworths representative also weighed in on the exchange, saying the supermarket's management team was 'so delighted' to see staff going the extra mile

'Your beautiful message brightened our deli day,' she replied.

A Woolworths representative also weighed in on the exchange, saying the supermarket's management team was 'so delighted' to see staff going the extra mile.

'We're so delighted to see a little note surprise while you were unpacking the groceries,' the representative wrote from Woolworths official Facebook page.

They added: 'It's amazing to hear your experience went so great!'
Picky Eaters Pty Ltd has pulled all 1kg and 5kg packs of Jordan River dates from shelves

A popular fruit snack has been recalled from Australian supermarkets amid fears it has been contaminated with Hepatitis A.

Food Standards Australia reported that Picky Eaters Pty Ltd has pulled all 1kg and 5kg packs of Jordan River dates from shelves.

The dates, which had been on sale online and at IGA and independent supermarkets across New South Wales, were recalled due to potential microbial contamination with Hepatitis A.

The recalled items have an expiry date of June 2022 and the batch code is JRD 1/2021.

According to the website of the Australian Health Department, Hepatitis A is a contagious disease, spread by contact with infected food, drink and humans, through their fluids and waste.

The dates (pictured), which had been on sale online and at IGA and independent supermarkets across New South Wales, were recalled due to potential contamination with Hepatitis A

It affects the liver and usually causes mild illness, but can sometimes be severe and result in liver failure.

Symptoms include fever, nausea, stomach pain, jaundice - a yellowing of the skin - and dark urine. They typically begin two to four weeks after infection.

Food Standards Australia advises anyone who has consumed the recalled goods to seek medical advice.

'Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice and should return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund,' it said in a statement.

For more information about the recall, please click here.
Queen Letizia of Spain looked effortlessly chic as she joined her family on an outing in Mallorca last night.

The mother-of-two, 48, joined her husband King Felipe, 52, and their daughters, Princess Leonor, 15, and Infanta Sofia, 14, for an evening out during their summer holidays in the Balearic Islands.

Letizia opted for the stylish black maxi dress paired with a killer black heels and a leather clutch as she enjoyed some quality time with her family in the Ola de Mar restaurant in Palma, Mallorca.

The family were joined by Felipe's mother Sofia of Spain and her sister Irene of Greece as they enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine at the fine-dining restaurant.

Queen Letizia of Spain looked effortlessly chic as she joined her family out an outing in Mallorca last night

The mother-of-two, 48, joined her husband King Felipe, 52, their daughters, Princess Leonor, 15, and Infanta Sofia, 14, and Queen Sofia for an evening out

The family enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine at the Ola de Mar restaurant in Palma, Mallorca. Letizia is pictured leaving the fine-dining restaurant with husband Felipe and Infanta Sofia

Letizia and her family likely dined on fresh fish from the Balearic coast and the various types of rice and stews in which the restaurant specialises.

Queen Letizia kept her make-up relatively natural, with a lick of mascara to bring out her eyes, and accessorised with a pair of gold hoop earrings.

Putting safety first, the group all donned face coverings as they left the restaurant, but appeared to be chatting happily to one another as they walked.

Princess Leonor stepped out in a red and white polkadot wrap dress paired with a pair of white statement earrings.

Letizia opted for the stylish black maxi dress paired with a killer black heels and a leather clutch as she enjoyed some quality time with her family

Putting safety first, the group all donned face coverings as they left the restaurant, but appeared to be chatting happily to one another as they walked

Princess Leonor stepped out in a sweet red and white polkadot wrap dress paired with a pair of white statement earrings

The young royal had her hair back in two French plaits and wore a pair of beige sandals.

She could be seen holding her grandmother's hand as they left the eatery.

Queen Sofia put on a very colourful display as she donned a vibrant pair of 70s style trousers with a psychedelic print and white blouse.

The 82-year-old paired her eye-catching outfit with several beaded bracelets and necklaces, a blue face covering, and a pair of wedge heeled sandals.

Meanwhile, Infanta Sofia opted for the same hairstyle as her older sister as she wore a simple white wrap dress paired with a pair of lace-up sandals.

Felipe looked relaxed in a casual pair of white trousers paired with a light blue shirt and light beige suede shoes

Infanta Sofia was seen holding on to her grandmother as they left the restaurant last night

Queen Sofia put on a very colourful display as she donned a vibrant pair of 70s style trousers with a psychedelic print and white blouse

Felipe looked relaxed in a casual pair of white trousers paired with a light blue shirt and light beige suede shoes.

It comes after the family met with Mallorcan sailor Joan Cardona in Palma yesterday to congratulate him on his Olympic bronze medal.

They chatted to the athlete and commended his achievement during the 39th Copa del Rey (King's Cup) regatta at Real Club Nautico de Palma.

Cardona is the Spain SailGP Team's youngest member and took third place in the Finn class at the Tokyo Games. He was beaten by Team GB's Giles Scott, who took gold, and Zsombor Berecz of Hungary who won the silver medal.

Letizia kept her make-up relatively natural, with a lick of mascara to bring out her eyes, and accessorised with a pair of gold hoop earrings

Queen Letizia is pictured chatting with her family while leaving the restaurant with Princess Leonor and King Felipe last night in Palma

Letizia and her family, pictured leaving the restaurant, likely dined on fresh fish from the Balearic coast and the various types of rice and stews in which the restaurant specialises

Letizia and her daughters took the opportunity to get a closer look at Cardona's medal, leaning in to feel its weight and admire the design.

With handshakes still off the cards due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, the royals greeted the sailor with a fist bump.

In another sweet shot, tactile King Felipe was seen giving his smiling wife and daughters a hug.

Princess Leonor of Spain held hands with her grandmother as the family left the restaurant in Palma

Infanta Sofia opted for the same hairstyle as her older sister as she wore a simple white wrap dress paired with a pair of lace-up sandals

Queen Sofia paired her eye-catching outfit with several beaded bracelets and necklaces, a blue face covering, and a pair of wedge heeled sandals

The family have been enjoying spending their summer holidays in the Balearic Islands; earlier this week they had a day out in Escorca.

They visited the Interpretation Center of 'Sierra De Tramuntana' and the Lluc Sanctuary.

Escorca is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Serra de Tramuntana, which has the highest mountains on the island of Mallorca, and the royals enjoyed views of the whole island from the mountain top.

The family were joined by Felipe's aunt, Irene of Greece, as they enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine at the fine-dining restaurant

The family appeared to be getting along well as they left the Ola de Mar restaurant yesterday evening

Showing off their close relationship, Princess Leonor and her grandmother kept their hands intertwined as they left the restaurant last night

The family appeared in high-spirits as they left the Mediterranean restaurant yesterday evening

Letizia met Felipe VI at a dinner party in 2002, and the pair enjoyed an instant connection, leading to their royal wedding in May 2004.

The former newsreader is the granddaughter of a taxi driver and the eldest daughter of Jesus Jose Ortiz Alvarez, a journalist, and first wife Maria de la Paloma Rocasolano Rodriguez, a nurse and hospital union representative.

She attended public high school and did a degree at the Complutense University of Madrid. She later gained an MA in Audiovisual Journalism at the Institute for Studies in Audiovisual Journalism.

King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son, now King Felipe VI.
Lead producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh has said classic West End musicals should not be rewritten to make leading roles transgender as he hit out at 'gimmick casting.'

The billionaire West End titan, 73, who owns eight West End venues and has produced hits such as Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera and Hamilton, said changing established shows to include transgender people would damage the integrity of the story.

He told The Telegraph: 'You can't implant something that is not inherently there in the story or character, that's what I think.

'Just to do that, that becomes gimmick casting. It's trying to force something that isn't natural.'

Lead producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, 73, has said classic West End musicals like Hamilton and Mary Poppins should not be rewritten to make leading ladies transgender as he hit out at 'gimmick casting'

He continued: 'The thing that matters is that you've got to have a strong story and a good score.

'But you've also got to assume not everybody knows it, even if it's a famous story, and that somebody coming to the show can understand it and make sense of it.

'I try to make sure that whatever talent we have, the story should always shine through.'

Meanwhile Sir Cameron said he wouldn't support a transgender leading lady in Mary Poppins because the original story is 'not about that, that was not the story of that family.'

Sir Cameron said he wouldn't support a transgender leading lady in Mary Poppins because the original story is 'not about that, that was not the story of that family'

Instead, Sir Cameron argued that writers from younger generations could create work to include transgender leads.

Last year, a transgender actress refused to star in a new West End play - an adaptation of the novel Breakfast On Pluto - in a row about casting.

Kate O'Donnell had been cast as the mother of the lead character, Patrick/Pussy Braden, in a new musical version of Patrick McCabe's book at the Donmar Warehouse in London.

The novel, which was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize, tells the story of a trans woman's escape from a fictional Irish town and alcoholic foster mother.

Instead of casting transgender people in roles in classic musicals like Les Miserables, Sir Cameron argued that writers from younger generations could create work to include specially written parts

O'Donnell was due to play Ma Braden, who is not a trans character, but pulled out of the production in protest after the part went to Irish actor Fra Free.

O'Donnell told BBC News: 'I could not be in a show where a trans woman is once again seen as a main a dress as this perpetuates the idea that this is what a trans woman is and leads to violence, even death.

'I know that the production has countered the uproar about this: they did try to cast a trans person. But I would suggest that they didn't try hard enough.

'I was offered the part and realised with the heaviest of hearts - because West End theatre production roles do not come along every day, especially when you're a trans performer - that I was going to have to decline the role.'

In a post on Twitter, O'Donnell added: 'While @Donmar Warehouse are thrilled the trans community [are] less thrilled once again we are left out of the telling of a trans story.

'I was cast to play Pussy's adopted Mother but had to decline due to a cis man being cast to play her. It's been a sh*t few days.'

The actress said that the show's producers didn't try hard enough to find a trans performer for the role.

In a statement, the show's producers said: 'The partners offered Kate O'Donnell the role of Ma Braden in line with their usual casting processes.

'Kate declined the role and we all respect her decision.'
Bid battles are meat and drink to City bankers, lawyers and PRs: all the excitement of a contest, plus mouth-watering fees all round.

For managers of the target company, there is the prospect of a life-changing windfall as their incentive schemes pay out, and possibly a well-paid position under a new owner. Shareholders can sell out at a premium.

It's easy for everyone to get so carried away that the interests of staff, pensioners and the nation are forgotten. The long-term investment perspective is ditched.

Lack of leadership?: If shareholders send the bidders packing, Morrisons' board will be left in a deeply uncomfortable position

The sparring by private equity predators over supermarket group Morrisons fits this template. Later today is the deadline for Clayton Dubilier & Rice to make a new offer after its first overture was rejected. But the Takeover Panel is likely to allow an extension, probably to August 20, in the interests of shareholders to flush out a higher bid.

Rival bidder Fortress has muscled in ahead, increasing its previous price last Friday. Both Fortress offers have been recommended by the Morrisons board.

This begs the question of why the directors seem so keen to roll over. Why were they prepared to sell out so cheaply, when it was obvious higher bids were in the offing? What does that say about their understanding of the value of the company they run? If shareholders send the bidders packing, Morrisons' board will be left in a deeply uncomfortable position.

Silchester, the biggest shareholder, has already castigated the directors for not allowing more time for competing offers. How right it was. Neither bidder looks particularly fabulous as an owner for such an important business. Fortress, with an eye to the concerns advanced over jobs, food security and the supply chain, has put forth a string of warm words about how seriously it would take its wider social responsibilities.

Read carefully, though, and there is plenty of wriggle room in the flannel about preserving Sir Ken Morrison's legacy. And Fortress is an offshoot of SoftBank, which has form in the UK, having bought tech firm Arm in 2016. Now it is attempting to flog Arm to Nvidia of the US, having already sold off a Chinese subsidiary to Beijing.

CD&R can argue it has operational expertise in the form of Sir Terry Leahy, the former Tesco boss, who is an adviser and would probably be made chairman.

It has done well with discounter B&M, where Leahy was also chairman, and is a rare private equity success story.

The Competition and Markets Authority could intervene on a CD&R bid, since it owns petrol stations which could overlap with Morrisons' forecourts. However, it has no powers to step in on Fortress.

Shareholders hold the fate of the company in their hands. Morrisons' future should not be framed as a choice between competing undesirable owners. The supermarket group has a viable independent future. The swoop by private equity should act as a spur to work harder to achieve it. One does have to question whether the current top team are the right people to do so.

Independent directors should have looked at the M&S playbook at the time of the 2004 Philip Green bid, parachuting in Stuart Rose and Paul Myners for a fightback.

The suspicion is that what the dissenting shareholders are really concerned about is price. That would be a shame. Morrisons need not be an inglorious surrender.
A British miner has teamed up with a company backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos to hunt down a mega-deposit of metals used in electric cars.

London-listed Bluejay Mining is set to receive 11m of funding over three years to explore an area of southern Greenland  which is undergoing a rush for metals used in the green transport revolution.

The cash will help fund work on a huge potential mine as part of the Disko-Nuussuaq project. The mine, which Bluejay bought licences for in 2017, is thought to contain nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum-group metals.

The right stuff: Greenland's stable government and vast amounts of geological data have made it a good bet for KoBold, which seeks ethical sources for metals

The investment will come from KoBold Metals, which is funded by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, an investment fund backed by billionaires Gates, Bezos, and Michael Bloomberg.

Companies are racing to find new sources of cobalt  which is often mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is linked to human rights abuses.

Greenland's stable government and vast amounts of geological data have made it a good bet for KoBold, which seeks ethical sources for metals. It will be the first time KoBold, which uses artificial intelligence to scour for sites, has teamed up with a company listed on a junior market.

Bluejay is worth 91m  a tiny player compared with other companies with licences in Greenland such as Anglo American. Bluejay's executive chairman Rod McIllree said: 'The key thing KoBold see with us is that, while they bring technical and financial capacity, we bring the project itself.

'Also, because we've been operating in Greenland for so long, we have very good relations.' He added that Greenland was key to American investors, who are trying to fend off Chinese interest.
The takeover battle for Vectura became a full-scale bidding war yesterday as Philip Morris International outbid its private equity rival for a second time.

The maker of Marlboro cigarettes raised its 150p per share bid to 165p, equivalent to just over 1billion. The offer is a 10p, or 6.5 per cent, premium on the 155p bid, or 958m, made by US buyout firm Carlyle on Friday.

Philip Morris International (PMI) also challenged its bidding rival by claiming it was a better long-term investor than a private equity firm, which typically sells a company after three or five years.

Raising the stakes: The maker of Marlboro cigarettes increased its 150p per share bid for Vectura to 165p, equivalent to just over 1billion

It said: 'PMI's business model and strategy is driven by a long-term commitment to the transformation of its business, not a search for short-term gains and efficiency.' The bidding war threatens to further embarrass the board of the Wiltshire-based respiratory drug company, which has switched its allegiance twice.

It initially backed Carlyle's first offer of 136p per share in May. It then flipped to Philip Morris in July when the tobacco titan offered 150p, before returning to support Carlyle's 155p bid on Friday.

Carlyle, it said, was 'well aligned with Vectura's wider stakeholder objectives', adding the firm may be 'better positioned' under its ownership.

The fresh bid may force the board, led by chairman Bruno Angelici, to reconsider its support once again.

Vectura's share price was expected to rise this morning beyond last week's closing price of 163.9p as Carlyle was forced to weigh a higher bid. The US investment company has sought to play up its '30 years' of experience in the healthcare sector, and has also received backing from 11.2 per cent of Vectura's investors.

PMI said it will invest heavily in research and development, and use Vectura to develop technologies for non-smoking cigarettes as it rebranded as a 'wellness company'.

Its interest has sparked outrage from MPs and charities, who said they were 'horrified'. They pointed out that, if its bid is successful, a company whose products cause lung diseases could profit from development therapies to treat them.

Chippenham-based Vectura, makes revenues from royalties from drug patents which are licensed to other companies.
It has been Hillsong's darkest secret for five decades and now the global megachurch itself is on trial - both in court and in the eyes of the world.

Australian police sensationally charged co-founder Brian Houston, 67, in his home state of New South Wales on Thursday.

Houston was accused of concealing his dead father Frank's sexual abuse of seven-year-old boy, after learning of the allegations against his dad in 1999.

Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Frank had confessed to having abusing the young boy during trips to Sydney in 1969 and 1970.

But when the claims eventually came to light Brian didn't report the crimes to NSW Police.

Hillsong's 'global senior pastor' said he will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. But if found guilty, he faces up to five years' jail.

However the fallout from the legal bombshell won't just be confined to intense scrutiny of wealthy and well-connected Houston and the possibility he serves jail time.

The global reputation of the church, known its glamour, gospel rock music and celebrity following, is on the line.

Much is on the line for Brian Houston (right), who with wife Bobbie is the co-founder of the Hillsong church. The megachurch grew out of an evangelical parish in the north-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia

Sins of the father: Frank Houston (above with wife Hazel) died in 2004 aged 82. He had confessed to having a sexual interest in young boys prior to his death, including abusing a boy, seven, in 1969 and 1970

Star power: Two of the church's most famous parishioners were pop star Justin Bieber (who no longer follows Hillsong) and its celebrity pastor Carl Lentz (who was ousted in a sex scandal)

Hillsong under siege, at home and abroad

Hillsong, which grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west, has a massive global following.

The church has outposts in 28 countries and a popular record label - all of which could be put at risk if its co-founder was found guilty of a crime.

The Christian empire's name has already been tarnished by recent scandals, particularly that of former New York pastor and tabloid favourite Carl Lentz.

Lentz left the church last year after admitting cheating on his wife and ever since been the subject of a series of sordid revelations and tell-all interviews.

Just in April, the Daily Mail revealed a married New Jersey pastor resigned in April for sending another woman selfies of himself in a revealing pair of gym tights.

But the perception that Hillsong turned a blind eye to sexual abuse - as has been the case with many religions - could be even more damaging.

'Hillsong Completes Transformation Into Mainstream Religion, After Leader Charged With Concealing Sex Offences,' was the headline of the satirical website The Shovel this week.

Critics of the church and the Australian government have also latched onto the criminal proceedings to bash Hillsong and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Brian Houston - who has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' to the PM

Brian and Bobbie Houston have been travelling in Mexico and the United States despite Australia's closed border and 'Fortress Australia' restrictions

Above is the church in Norwest, Sydney, from which Brian and Bobbie Houston started a global phenomenon

Houston has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' of Mr Morrison, the country's first evangelical PM.

Houston sparked controversy only recently when he and wife Bobbie travelled to the United States and Mexico - despite 'Fortress Australia's' closed borders.

The connection between the PM and Houston was this week seized upon by Opposition figures and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame this week.

'This is Morrison's mentor and mate,' tweeted the former Labor Senator Doug Cameron.

Mr Cameron pointed out that Mr Morrison has admitted trying, and failing, to score Houston an invitation to a White House state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump in 2019.

Ms Tame said the Federal government had a problem with sexual abuse, both alleged and not. 'Houston, we have a problem,' she quipped.

What Houston's court fight will come down to

Brian Houston after giving evidence to the royal commission against child sexual abuse in 2014

Both Brian Houston and his victim have spoken at length about their matter in the past.

And the influential pastor is expected to argue that he has a legal defence to the charge.

Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Frank Houston had confessed to his son that he had abusing the victim during a trip to Sydney from his native New Zealand, in 1969 and 1970.

Frank Houston stepped down as a pastor afterwards and died in 2004, aged 82, after arranging for the victim to be paid $10,000 at a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant.

Brian Houston didn't report the matter to the police claiming he didn't think it was appropriate because the victim was 35 or 36 years old at the time.

Houston has also claimed the victim told him in a phone conversation that he didn't want the matter pursued by authorities.

The victim has denied that happened.

The law Houston has been charged under states that a person has a 'reasonable excuse' not to notify police of a serious indictable crime if three criteria are met.

The crime has to be a sexual or domestic violence offence, the victim has to have been an adult at the time the crime was learned of, and the accused must believe the alleged victim doesn't want the information reported to police.

Whether Houston is guilty or not will be up to a court to decide. He will face Sydney's Downing Centre Court on October 25.
The University of Wisconsin removed a large boulder from its Madison campus on Friday at the request of woke activists who claimed it was a symbol of racism.

Chamberlin Rock, on the top of Observatory Hill, is named after Thomas Crowder Chamberlin, a geologist and former university president.

Students of color on campus say the rock represents a history of discrimination. The boulder was described using the n-word in a Wisconsin State Journal story in 1925.

The derogatory term was commonly used in the 1920s to describe any large dark rock. University historians have not found any other time that the term was used, but they said the Ku Klux Klan was active on campus at that time, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

University Chancellor Rebecca Blank approved removing Chamberlin Rock in January but the Wisconsin Historical Society needed to sign off because the boulder was located within 15 feet of a Native American burial site.

University of Wisconsin black students called on school officials to remove Chamberlain Rock (pictured) and Lincoln statue

Crews work to remove Chamberlin Rock from Observatory Hill on UW-Madison campus in Madison, Wis. on Friday

The rock will be placed on university-owned land southeast of Madison near Lake Kegonsa.

The university plans to erect a plaque in Chamberlin Hall to honor the former university president, school spokeswoman Meredith McGlone said.

The boulder is a rare, large example of a pre-Cambrian era glacial erratic that experts say is likely over two billion years old. It was carried by glaciers from as far north as Canada and dumped on Observatory Hill along with billions of tons of other debris when ice receded from the state about 12,000 years ago.

It was previously estimated to have weighed up to 70 tons, but an updated measurement shows it weighs 42 tons. It will continue to be used for educational purposes at its new site.

Wisconsin State Journal's original article on Chamberlin Rock (1925), which included a description of the boulder as a derogatory name for black people

The university removed the boulder dedicated to renowned geologist after woke activists protested over 1920's description that featured the n-word

A crane operator slowly maneuvers Chamberlin Rock onto a flatbed trailer at the top of Observatory Hill on the UW-Madison campus in Madison

The Black Student Union led the call to remove the rock last summer. Crews began removing it just before 7am Friday, securing it with straps and lifting it with a crane before moving it to a flatbed truck. It cost an estimated $50,000, covered by private donations, to remove.

Juliana Bennett, a senior and a campus representative on the Madison City Council, said removing the rock signaled a small step toward a more inclusive campus.

'This moment is about the students, past and present, that relentlessly advocated for the removal of this racist monument,' she said.

'Now is a moment for all of us BIPOC students to breathe a sigh of relief, to be proud of our endurance, and to begin healing.'

Kenneth Owens, a Madison resident, said he was glad to see the rock go,

'It's not the rock's fault that it got that terrible and unfortunate nickname,' he said.

'But the fact that it's ... being moved shows that the world is getting a little better today.'
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The Black Hills of South Dakota roared with motorcycles and crowds this weekend as the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicked off, with mostly mask-less rallygoers packed shoulder-to-shoulder at bars despite a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Organizers expect at least 700,000 people will be attending the 10-day rendezvous for motorcycle lovers, which kicked off on Friday.

For some, it's a once-in-a-lifetime goal to make it to Sturgis while others faithfully make the pilgrimage year after year.

'It's just a great big family atmosphere, everybodys out here for the same purpose - we all love motorcycles,' said Aaron Harper. 'If you're a motorcyclist, you have to see it at least once in your life.'

As noted by the Rapid City Journal, rallygoers are often seen walking with minimal clothing and body paint.

One woman was seen walking downtown with a goat on a leash while a man sat on a bench with a rifle, the outlet reported.

Public health experts - and some locals - worried that the rally would again play host to coronavirus infections, after hundreds of rallygoers were infected last year.

The Black Hills of South Dakota roared with motorcycles and crowds this weekend as the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicked off

A group of men are seen posing with a woman wearing little clothing during the Sturgis motorcycle rally this weekend

Rallygoers are often seen walking with minimal clothing and body paint

Only about 46% of adults who live in the county that hosts Sturgis are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with 60.6% nationwide.

Virus infections are on the rise in South Dakota after a steady decline through the spring and early summer - though the state has the fewest new virus cases per capita in the United States.

The Department of Health reported a 68% jump in virus infections last week, with the highly contagious delta variant spurring a larger share of those infections.

Last year's rally transformed Sturgis, usually a quiet community of under 7,000 residents, into a travel hub comparable to a major U.S. city.

One analysis of anonymous cellphone data found that well over half of counties in the country were visited by someone who attended Sturgis.

Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen, second from right, is pictured during the rally this weekend

A bison is seen in South Dakota as Sturgis prepared for the 10-day motorcycle rally this weekend

A man is seen dressed like Captain America as he prepared for the rally in Sturgis this weekend

Captain America is seen waving at people on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle in South Dakota

A horse-drawn Budweiser buggy is pictured clopping down a road in Sturgis for the opening ceremony of the rally

A group of bikers attending the Sturgis motorcycle rally are pictured posing in front of Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota

A couple holds up the peace signh while riding on a Harley Davidson motorcycle ahead of the Sturgis rally

A couple is seen riding on an Indian motorcycle with three large American flags ahead of the Sturgis rally

A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control concluded that last year's rally ended up looking like a 'superspreader event.'

This year, the rally is expected to be even bigger. The city held an opening ceremony Friday for the 81st iteration of the event - something it skipped in 2020 in an attempt to tamp down the crowds.

Concerns over the event have pitted local health workers against each other - with some nurses claiming those concerned about the event should move and others blasting the rally as irresponsible.

Rikki Plaggemeyer, 46, works as an emergency-room nurse manager in Sturgis and told the Daily Beast that she hears of people that live in town and don't love the rally.

'If you don't like to live in Sturgis, and you don't like the Sturgis Rally, you shouldn't live here,' she said.

'It gives us great experiences in the ER and in the hospital, and I spend most of my time during the rally here.'

Registered nurse Jamie Lascelles, 30, agreed with Plaggemeyer but added that the rally raises other health concerns as well, like the use of drugs and alcohol.

'We do see our fair share of drug use and alcohol use,' Lascelles said.

Dr. Shankar Kurra, vice president of medical affairs at Monument Health in Rapid City, worried that the rally raises a 'very high risk' of infecting people with COVID-19.

'My concern would be with the Delta variant, which as we know is highly transmissible,'Kurra said.

He added: 'The fact is, it's a mass gathering event. It puts people at risk. That's the nature of this virus.'

The Department of Health in Minnesota, which neighbors South Dakota, said last year it had at least 50 residents contract COVID-19 after last year's rally and released a warning that this year could be worse, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

'The risk increases with larger groups and longer durations of exposure, especially in settings where there may be many unvaccinated people and social distancing and wearing masks aren't routinely practiced,' officials said in a statement.

The statement added: 'Any event or setting that is conducive to spreading the virus will continue to allow more variants to develop, undermining the gains we have already made with this virus.'

Motorcycles fill the streets of Sturgis, S.D on Friday as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began

The annual rally returns just as coronavirus cases in the state are rising with the more contagious delta variant

Rallygoers dance at a rock show in Sturgis on Thursday ahead of the 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Motorcycles cruised through downtown Sturgis on Thursday ahead of the rally, which health officials worry will be another 'super-spreader' event

People sing and dance at a rock concert on Thursday ahead of the Sturgis motorcycle rally that started on Friday

Motorcycles fill the streets of Sturgis, S.D on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began. The annual rally returns just as coronavirus cases in the state are rising with the more contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/Stephen Groves)

Bobby McCrary, right, shares a laugh during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Friday. McCary rode his motorcycle from Texas for the gathering

Jody Perewitz, the rally's ceremonial grand marshal, said she was 'ecstatic' to see how many people came for the opening ceremony. Motorcycles stretched for blocks as crowds strolled Main Street, the heart of the rally.

The biggest step city officials took this year to mitigate the risk of infections was allowing rallygoers to drink on public property, with the goal of spreading the crowds into the open air.

Bars and food stalls that stretch for blocks also offer open-air seating.

Dan Ainslie, Sturgis's city manager, told The New York Times that Sturgis was also 'encouraging people who are in a high-risk category, whether it be age or because of comorbidities, that they come next year.'

Other local residents expressed some concern about the event in comments to The New York Times.

Toni Fisher, 63, said she and her husband are both vaccinated - but she has fibromyalgia and was worried about contracting a breakthrough infection ahead of the rally.

Fisher, who owns a local business that was 'ravaged' by the pandemic, said that precautions have been thrown to the wind this year by attendees fatigued with coronavirus restrictions.

'This year it's hog-wild. Nobody cares,' she said.

Hundreds of motorcycles are pictured in downtown Sturgis as Crossfit champion Matthew Frasier rides through the Sturgis Motorcycle Festival

A man is pictured leading four horses down a road in Sturgis ahead of the raly while a number of RVs are parked in the bakground

A man is seen on his motorcycle in front of the Sturgis Bar & Grill in South Dakota ahead of the rally this weekend

The South Dakota Department of Tourism has estimated that rally brings in about $800 million in revenue for the state, The New York Times reported.

'We're out in the wide open,' said Pam Williamson, a rallygoer from Kansas who also attended last year's gathering. 'If you want to wear a mask, that's your business. If you don't, that's your business.'

Last year's rally was marked by defiance of coronavirus precautions, with T-shirts on sale that read, 'Screw COVID. I went to Sturgis.'

This year, the pandemic appeared to hardly be an afterthought amid a crowd that embraces the risks and lifestyle of the open road.

'A lot of that, I don't worry too much about,' said J.J. Vilella, who said he has not received a COVID-19 vaccine. 'If it happens, it happens.'

The rally is known as a place where people let loose, strolling the streets in minimal attire and body painting. On Thursday, one woman walked through downtown with a goat on a leash. A man sat on a bench with a rifle as passersby smiled and nodded.

Health experts say big gatherings provide fertile ground to start a wave of infections. That didn't seem to slow the Sturgis crowds.

'It's in the back of your mind, you think about it a little bit,' said Harper. The Nebraska resident has not received a vaccine yet, but said he intends to. 'But you've got to live your life and enjoy it and have fun still.'
The Government has advised all UK nationals in Afghanistan to leave the country immediately due to the 'worsening security situation'.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's website was updated on Friday, advising against all travel to Afghanistan.

The change in advice comes in the face of growing turmoil in Afghanistan, as Taliban forces sweep across the country.

The advice on the website states: 'All British nationals in Afghanistan are advised to leave now by commercial means.

Government has advised UK nationals in Afghanistan to leave due to the 'worsening security situation'. Pictured: Afghan militia support Afghanistan security forces against the Taliban

'If you are still in Afghanistan, you are advised to leave now by commercial means because of the worsening security situation.

'The level of consular assistance the British Embassy can provide in Afghanistan is extremely limited, including in a crisis. Do not rely on the FCDO being able to evacuate you from Afghanistan in an emergency.

'In arranging your departure from Afghanistan, ensure your travel documents are up to date and that you have the necessary visas for onward travel.'

It added: 'Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. Specific methods of attack are evolving and increasing in sophistication.

'You should note an overall increased threat to Western interests in Kabul. Follow the instructions of local authorities. There is a high threat of kidnapping throughout the country.'

Afghanistan was already on the Government's travel red list amid of the country's coronavirus situation, but fighting has also intensified in recent days.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's website (pictured) was updated on Friday, advising against all travel to Afghanistan

The change in advice comes in the face of growing turmoil in Afghanistan, as Taliban forces sweep across the country. Pictured: Afghan security forces as site of car bomb blast in Kabul

On Friday, the Taliban assassinated a senior Afghan government official inside his car in the capital Kabul as it steps up its bloody drive to recapture the country.

Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the government's media information centre, was shot dead near a mosque in the city on Friday, just a day after defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi escaped a bomb and gun attack.

Menapal's assassination is the most high-profile killing the Taliban has carried out during the most-recent campaign, and shows it is able to operate within Kabul - one of the few cities that is not yet under direct attack.

'He (Menapal) was a young man who stood like a mountain in the face of enemy propaganda, and who was always a major supporter of the (Afghan) regime,' said Mirwais Stanikzai, a spokesperson of the interior ministry.

Late on Tuesday, the attack on Mohammadi in a heavily guarded upmarket Kabul neighbourhood killed at least eight people and wounded 20. The minister was unharmed.

Meanwhile, the group's Islamist fighters captured their first regional capital - Zaranj, in Nimroz province near Iran - marking their most-significant battlefield victory against government forces to date.

Residents in Helmand's contested provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, said airstrikes destroyed a market in the centre of the city  an area controlled by the Taliban. Afghan officials say the Taliban now control nine out of the 10 districts of the city.

Social media was also filled with videos of the devastating toll the fighting has taken in the southern city of Lashkar Gah, with posts showing a major market area in flames.

Dawa Khan Menapal was shot dead on Friday, after minister Bismillah Mohammadi escaped a bomb attack. Pictured: Afghan security at scene of bomb explosion in Kabul on August 4

The Taliban also captured its first regional capital - the city of Zaranj, in Nimroz province near the border with Iran, as it pushed to retake control of the country

Aid group Action Against Hunger said its offices had been hit by an 'aerial bomb' in the city earlier this week, according to a statement released by the organisation on Friday.

'The building was marked from the street and roof as a non-governmental (NGO) organisation, and the office location has been communicated often to the parties involved in the conflict,' said the group, adding that no staff had been harmed.

In the western city of Herat, a steady stream of people were leaving their homes in anticipation of a government assault on positions held by the Taliban.

'We completely evacuated,' said Ahmad Zia, who lived in the western part of the city.

'We have nothing left and we do not know where to go,' he told AFP.

American forces are now sending B-52 bombers, AC-130 gunships and Reaper drones to try and push the jihadists back from other capitals such as Lashkar Gah, Herat and Kandahar, which have come under heavy attack in recent days.

It appears America's hand has been forced after the Afghan airforce all-but collapsed after Joe Biden ordered US forces out of the country earlier this year.

The troops took with them an army of contractors that were being used to maintain the helicopters and jets Afghan pilots were hoping to use to defend against the Taliban assault.

American forces are now sending B-52 bombers, AC-130 gunships and Reaper drones to try and push the jihadists back from Herat. Pictured Afghan government forces in Herat

Residents in Helmand's contested provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, said airstrikes destroyed a market in the centre of the city - an area controlled by the Taliban

Afghan government forces in Herat, one of the few regional capitals holding out well against the Islamists who are attacking in force across the country

More than a third of the force's 162 aircraft are thought to be out of action due to a repair blacklog and lack of spare parts.

Pilots - who have also been targeted for execution by the Taliban - are said to be exhausted and demoralised due to non-stop missions, while munitions are also running low.

The Taliban have quickly recaptured much of Afghanistan behind the backs of withdrawing US and NATO forces, who began departing the country earlier this year after two decades of fighting.

Due to be complete by the end of August, in fact sources on the ground say the withdrawal is in-effect complete already.

President Ashraf Ghani has put the Taliban's rapid advance down to pulling his forces back into cities which are easier to defend and crucial for control of the country.

The Taliban already control large portions of the countryside, and are now challenging government forces in several provincial capitals.
Two cops have been fired from the Seattle Police Department after it was revealed they lied to investigators about their participation in the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz announced the firings of married officers Caitlin and Alexander Everett on Friday.

He said the belated decision came after the department was recently made aware that the Everetts had trespassed on Capitol grounds and were standing past the barriers set up by Capitol Police on the day of the riot.

'It is beyond absurd to suggest that they did not know they were in an area where they should not be, amidst what was already a violent, criminal riot,' Diaz said in a statement.

Diaz also called the officers' presence at the Capitol that day as 'an attack on our profession and on every officer across the country.'

Department investigators also say the Everetts lied to them about the extent of their involvement in the insurrection.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz (pictured) announced Friday that married officers Caitlin and Alexander Everett were fired after it was found that they had trespassed on capitol grounds during the January 6 riot in Washington DC, and that they had lied to investigators

The officers, in a disciplinary report released by Seattle's Office of Police Accountability, said that they arrived on the grounds at around 2.30pm, and that they stayed on the grass 30 to 50 yards away from the Capitol building.

The Everetts also told investigators that they had no idea the incident had turned violent.

It had been declared a riot shortly before 2pm, and FBI photographs provided to the department showed them 'directly next to' the Capitol building.

'Nearby, and within your line of vision, numerous people were scaling a stone wall to the Capital steps, climbing the scaffolding, and crowds were surrounding the building,' the report said.

'It defies belief that you could think this situation was "peaceful" or that you were not on notice that you were trespassing,' the investigators added.

It's not known if the officers are under criminal investigation by federal authorities for their actions.

The Everetts said they had stayed 30 to 50 yards away from the capitol building on January 6, and had not noticed any violence, but images provided to the department by the FBI showed them much closer to the building than they had told investigators

The Everetts were among six Seattle officers in the nation's capital for President Donald Trump's 'Stop the Steal' rally.

The couple's trip became public after Caitlin Everett posted a photo on Facebook of her and Alexander Everett at the demonstration.

Four other officers later admitted they were also there but said they were not involved in the riot.

They have not faced disciplinary action.

Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said that the case against the officers was political.

'I believe that the case file in and of itself has glaring holes in it,' he told Fox News, noting the officers said they had left the area near the riot without witnessing any wrongdoing.

Mike Solan, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said that the case against the officers was political, and that the union would support them should they appeal their firing

'I believe just after 2pm, that's when a lot of the criminality was occurring inside the Capitol. There was really nothing occurring outside in terms of criminality or law enforcement officers being assaulted.'

Solan said his union would defend the couple should they appeal the ruling.

Friday marked the first time that the Everetts have been named. The police department has not named the other four officers.

The Washington Supreme Court announced Thursday that it would hear a lawsuit filed by the officers against people who filed public records requests seeking to disclose their identities.

Last month's investigation by Seattle's Office of Police Accountability found that the Everetts violated the law by trespassing at the U.S. Capitol while rioters stormed the building.

According to a disciplinary Seattle's Office of Police Accountability, investigators said they had a hard time believing the couple did not know they were trespassing or that the incident had turned violent

Diaz said the Everetts' presence there was unacceptable: 'More than a hundred officers sustained serious injuries - some career-ending - through outright assault,'

He added: 'Hundreds more, across all agencies called to respond, bear the physical and emotional scars of that day. The participation of these two officers in that crowd is a stain on our department, and on the men and women who work every day to protect our community, serve those in need, and do so with compassion and dignity.'

Both officers came to Seattle after working with police departments in Texas.

The officers worked together at the Dallas Police Department as patrol officers before they were married, according to police reports released through a public records request.

Alexander Everett graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor's Degree in criminal justice in 2008 and worked in Dallas for four years before taking a job as an officer in Round Rock, Texas.

He also worked for the U.S. Air Marshals for more than 22 years, the records said.

Caitlin Everett worked for the Dallas police for four years under her maiden name Caitlin Rochelle, the records said.

It was not immediately know if the Everetts have a lawyer.

The attorneys representing them and the four other Seattle officers in the public records case withdrew from the case after the accountability office investigation was completed last month.0
A crime historian hoping to crack the infamous D.B. Cooper skyjacking cold case has conducted a dig for new evidence on the banks of the Columbia River in Washington state.

Eric Ulis, 55, and four volunteers launched their excavation efforts on Friday, 50 years after D.B. Cooper vanished out the back of a Boeing 727 into freezing rain wearing a business suit, a parachute and carrying a pack with $200,000 in cash.

They suspended the search without any significant developments on Saturday afternoon, but Ulis told DailyMail.com he's planning to go back to the site later this month.

Eric Ulis, 55, and a team of four volunteers used hand shovels and other small-scale tools

The search took place along the banks of the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington

FBI composite sketches of D.B. Cooper, who hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines plane in November 1974 and jumped out over the southwestern portion of Washington with $200K

Ulis, a self-described expert on the infamous D.B. Cooper case, said he and his team exposed eight or nine square feet along the shoreline by digging two feet deep using hand shovels and iron bars.

'It'll probably have to be within the month that Ill be up here again,' he said. 'To really uncover what is about 300 sq ft of beach that is essentially locked in time.

'All this debris, all this rock, its almost like concrete to a certain degree.'

They were searching for evidence about 10 to 15 yards away from where a boy found $6,000 of Cooper's ransom money in 1980.

'Its one area the the FBI never searched,' Ulis said.

Ulis says he expects to return to the site later this month after clearing just eight to nine sq ft in his search for Cooper's belongings or money, some of which was found nearby in 1980

On November 24, 1971, the night before Thanksgiving, a man described as being in his mid-40s with dark sunglasses and an olive complexion boarded a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

He bought his $20 ticket under the name 'Dan Cooper,' but an early wire-service report misidentified him as 'D.B. Cooper,' and the name stuck.

Sitting in the rear of the plane, he handed a note to a flight attendant after takeoff.

'Miss, I have a bomb and would like you to sit by me,' it said.

The man demanded $200,000 in cash plus four parachutes.

He received them at Sea-Tac, where he released the 36 passengers and two of the flight attendants.

The plane took off again at his direction, heading slowly to Reno, Nevada, at the low height of 10,000 feet. Somewhere, apparently over southwestern Washington, Cooper lowered the aircraft's rear stairs and jumped.

He was never found, but a boy digging on a Columbia River beach in 1980 discovered three bundles of weathered $20 bills - nearly $6,000 in all. It was Cooper's cash, according to the serial numbers.

The Northwest Airlines jetliner sat on a runway for refueling at the Seattle airport. Cooper released the passengers there, took the $200K he demanded, and headed for Reno, Nevada

Ulis said his theory is that Cooper buried the parachutes, an attache case and the money at the same time, but dug smaller holes instead of one large one.

His search is taking place in private property with permission from the owner. He says he's using a small team and handheld tools in the largely agricultural area so as to not run afoul of state environmental regulations..

The case of Cooper has become infamous, not only in the Pacific Northwest but also in the country.

The FBI Seattle field office called the investigation one of the longest and most exhaustive in the agency's history.

It's the only unsolved skyjacking case in US history.

Over the years, the FBI and amateur sleuths have examined innumerable theories about Cooper's identity and fate, from accounts of unexplained wealth to purported discoveries of his parachute to potential matches of the agency's composite sketch of the suspect.

Sheridan Paterson, a man long suspected by the FBI to be the real 'Cooper,' died in January

Sheridan Paterson, a man suspected by the FBI to be the real 'Cooper,' died in January in Northern California, possibly taking the truth about the case to his grave.

Paterson was a risk-taker who loved skydiving. He spent time in the Marines and working for aerospace giant Boeing.

FBI agents showed up to interview Peterson's ex-wife at her high school counseling office in Bakersfield, California just weeks after the November 1974 hijacking.

Asked if her ex-husband could be DB Cooper, she replied: 'Yes, that sounded like something he'd do.'

But Paterson maintained he was living in a mud hut in Nepal working on a 'protest novel' about his experiences in Vietnam at the time of the incident.

In July 2016, the FBI announced it was no longer investigating the case.
The Taliban is kidnapping and forcibly marrying young girls and women to its fighters as it recaptures huge areas of Afghanistan, it was claimed last night.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that whenever the extremists capture a new town or district, they issue orders through the speakers of local mosques for the names of wives and widows of all local government and police personnel to be handed over.

The group has rounded up hundreds of young women to be married off to their militants as a war booty, local residents and officials told this newspaper.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that whenever the extremists capture a new town or district, they issue orders for the names of wives and widows of all local government and police personnel to be handed over

The shocking revelations came as the British and American governments warned their citizens to flee Afghanistan last night.

There has been intense fighting between Taliban and Afghan government forces amid the withdrawal of Western troops following 21 years of war.

US President Joe Biden remains committed to pulling out all American soldiers by the end of this month, but the Taliban has already re-taken more than half of Afghanistans 421 districts in recent weeks.

The Foreign Office said in a warning to British citizens: If you are still in Afghanistan, you are advised to leave now by commercial means because of the worsening security situation.

The US embassy in Kabul has urged all Americans to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options.

Families fearing the Talibans advance have been sending women and girls to safer areas, including the Afghan capital Kabul, to prevent them being taken away.

There have been local reports of women being forcibly married off in at least two northern Afghan regions called Takhar and Badakhshan, while a similar attempt was made in the province of Bamyan, where the insurgent group was driven out by Afghan security forces after four days of fierce fighting.

The Taliban have re-taken most of Helmand, the troubled province that British troops defended from the group between 2002 and 2014 and where most of the 456 UK soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan were killed.

The US has lost 2,312 soldiers in the country since the invasion in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks in New York.

Last night, the Taliban seized control of Sheberghan, capital of the northern province of Jowzjan.

It is the second provincial capital to fall to the Islamist terror group in two days after it took control of Zaranj in the south-western province of Nimroz on Friday.

The fundamentalist organisation has been closing down girls schools in towns it takes over. Women are ordered that they can only leave their homes if they wear a burka, and are chaperoned by a male adult.

Witnesses told of the groups sexual slavery after it took control of the remote district of Saighan, in the central highlands of Bamyan province.

According to local residents, Taliban fighters demanded to know the names and ages of girls and women they said would be rounded up to be married to their militants.

The militants even beat some men who resisted, and demanded residents open their wardrobes so they could work out the ages of women by looking at the clothes inside.

The group also demanded to know the names and ages of widows of men who died fighting the Taliban, as well as those of the wives of any serving government or security personnel.

Terrified villagers sent their wives and daughters out of the area. Some fled in hired cars, others using goods carts, while some walked.

Baes Sakhizada, 28, a maths teacher in Saighan, sent his wife, Basira, 30, sister, Nafisa, 27, and cousin, Tamanna, 19, out of Saighan by car.

In full burka, the women were driven 150 miles away, sometimes going through Taliban checkpoints, but managed to escape.

Mr Sakhizada said: Everyone got their women out of Saighan, especially young girls. They were the first to be evacuated.

Nafisa said she, Basira and Tamanna first stayed in a nearby village overnight, then took a car to a neighbouring province to escape. She described huge traffic jams as thousands fled advancing Taliban troops.

Nafisa said: We got out of the car and put our luggage in wheelbarrows, and pushed them. It was really crowded and there was a lot of dust and so many people. It was terrible.

Mohammad Tahir Zuhair, the provincial governor of Bamyan, said the plan to abduct and marry women was a dangerous and cruel revenge on the wives and widows of the security forces who have fought the Taliban. (Pictured, a young Afghan Girl in a red Panjabb stands outside a compound in helmand Province)

The three women returned to their homes after local militia forces managed to drive the Taliban out after four days of fighting. They live in fear knowing the group will soon return.

Mohammad Tahir Zuhair, the provincial governor of Bamyan, said the plan to abduct and marry women was a dangerous and cruel revenge on the wives and widows of the security forces who have fought the Taliban.

Omar Sadr, a professor at the American University of Afghanistan, said: Once jihadists capture territory, whatever property there is, their ideology allows them to claim it. This includes women  they dont even have to marry them. It is a form of sex slavery.

General Nick Carter, head of the British Armed Forces, yesterday warned that grisly images of war crimes being committed against Afghan special forces, government buildings being wilfully destroyed, civilians being brutalised and women forced into marriages undermine any claim the Taliban might have to political, moral or ethical legitimacy.

TOBIAS ELLWOOD: This shabby and perilous retreat from Afghanistan could prove to be the West's worst own goal this century

Wars are not won by evacuations, said Winston Churchill after Dunkirk. He was right. Eighty years on, another evacuation  our abrupt retreat from Afghanistan  could prove the biggest own goal the West has scored this century.

The perilous consequences grow more obvious day by day.

This shabby withdrawal is not how we envisaged success when, in 2001, we jointly led the most powerful multinational military alliance the world has ever seen.

Armed supporters of former Mujahideen commander Ismail Khan, stand guard at a check point in the Pul-e Malan area of Guzara district in Herat, Afghanistan, 30 July 2021

Yet here we are abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there in the first place.

Unless we wake up to the reality of what is taking place, Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This, remember, is the country that brought us 9/11.

Moreover, by leaving, we are giving up a strategically crucial space to an expansionist China bent on taking our place.

We would lose not just the achievements of the past, but our hold on the future as well.

In our eagerness to retreat, we have abandoned our original objectives.

Sure, we went in to clear out the Taliban, who had done so much to help Al Qaeda mount its deadly assault on America in September 2001.

But we also promised the Afghan people we would rebuild their war-torn state so they could live in peace.

District after district has returned to a Taliban now poised at the gates of the regional capital, Lashkar Gar

The mission was never going to be simple. Afghanistan is a deeply corrupt country paralysed by decades of conflict, proxy interference and internal tribal strife.

Britain played its part. We helped stabilise Helmand Province in the south, a key region in the Pashtun Belt from where the Taliban gets most of its recruits.

More than 150,000 British troops would eventually spend time in the province. Incredibly, the airstrip at Camp Bastion handled more flights a day than Gatwick.

At one point, we were manning more than 130 military outposts.

It is heartbreaking to see that valiant effort wasted and the sacrifice of so many British men and women cast aside.

The campaign cost 475 British lives, with many more wounded, often terribly.

Countless others have had their lives blighted by the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress.

District after district has returned to a Taliban now poised at the gates of the regional capital, Lashkar Gar. Two regional capitals have fallen since Friday. If Lashkar Gar falls  and other regional hubs follow, including Kandahar and Herat  only the besieged capital Kabul will remain free. And if Kabul falls, its game over.

Why did it go so wrong? Our own Government is refusing to conduct a review, but the answers are as plain as day.

As I saw on my frequent visits to the country as Defence Minister, too little was done to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. As we learned in Northern Ireland, you cannot defeat an insurgency by military means alone.

In fact, we made schoolboy errors. First, we failed to invite the Taliban to the table. They had requested a seat at the 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan held in Bonn, but Donald Rumsfeld, then US Defence Secretary, said no.

How different Afghanistan might look today if he had said yes, allowing the full range of Afghan voices to come together and build a new nation.

Second, we failed to train local security and police forces until 2005, by which time the Taliban had regrouped, rearmed and retrained on the other side of the border in Pakistan.

Finally, we imposed a Western model of centralised governance on a country where it is tribal power that truly holds sway.

While there have been strong overall leaders in Afghanistan in the past, the situation has been more like that in medieval England where, for example, King John shared power with regional barons.

When Britain and America rebuilt Germany after the war, the blueprint was clear: Keep it local. But that was a blueprint we chose to ignore in Afghanistan.

AS A result of these and other failings, we found ourselves in a forever war, one which both candidates in the last US Presidential election promised to end.

I have spoken privately to numerous serving and retired generals on both sides of the Atlantic. Not one believes withdrawing is a good idea.

A watching  and increasingly hostile  world has seen that a US-led alliance is unable to defend international standards and values.

Had we abandoned Germany in the same way after the war, the Iron Curtain would have probably brushed up against the French border. But we stayed the course for decades, helping Germany mature into a democratic powerhouse.

Allowing Afghanistan to fail will see mass migration for those who can afford to flee to Europe and a humanitarian disaster for those who have no choice but to remain.

The country will once again offer a haven for terrorism to flourish and it will soon become a battleground for neighbouring giants to exert their proxy influence.

It is not too late to prevent a full-scale civil war. But it would require a complete rethink of our present strategy.

Without immediate assistance, the Taliban will soon begin seizing Afghanistans cities.

We must retain a 5,000-strong coalition assistance force with sufficient ground, air and intelligence support to give the Afghan army enough fighting edge to contain the insurgency (as theyve succeeded in doing over the past couple of years). Such a commitment would also give the Afghan people faith in their own government. In sum, we need an overhaul of Western strategy, with  for example  a more federal, less Kabul-centred model of administration.

We must secure the backing of Pakistan and end its support for the Taliban cause. We need to bring transparency and accountability to Afghanistans state finances.

The peace has not been lost yet in Afghanistan. But if we simply give up, then the fight is over

This is a turning point in history.

Do we stand up for our principles and do the right thing? Or do we allow an international catastrophe with long-term consequences to unfold?

The outlook was bleak for Britain following Dunkirk, but Churchill knew he had to carry on, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

The peace has not been lost yet in Afghanistan. But if we simply give up, then the fight is over.

If the phrase Global Britain means anything, it must mean stopping international terrorism  and preventing an immoral Chinese state from exploiting growing world divisions.

Churchills Britain stepped forward when others hesitated. We must do so again  for the sake those who have died and those yet to suffer.
All I wanted was to hug her on her birthday, look into her blue eyes and tell her that nothing in my life has been as precious as being her mum. But when our daughter turned 21 on Friday, none of us could be with her  not me, not her sister, not her dad.

More than 20 months since Covid-19 first reached us here in Australia, we are more restricted than ever. Nearly two thirds of the country is in lockdown, our lives and livelihoods in jeopardy and our tempers fraying.

So we watched our daughter  at university three hours away in Canberra  open her presents via Zoom. Technology may be helpful but it's no way to mark a milestone birthday. She cried as she read a letter from her Nana in New Zealand. 'When will I see you?' she said quietly to herself. Sadly, none of us can say.

When our daughter turned 21 on Friday, none of us could be with her  not me, not her sister, not her dad. (Pictured, Angela Mollard and her daughter on her daughters 19th birthday)

While the rest of the world is opening up, we are shackled by stay-at-home orders and shut off from the world with no end in sight.

Australia, remember, closed its borders in a bid to remain entirely free from the disease. At first it worked.

For many, life went on pretty much as normal thanks to our strict Zero Covid response  and how pleased with ourselves we were.

But that was then. Now, businesses are going to the wall, police are patrolling the beaches in helicopters and on horses, and frustrated citizens are protesting, snitching on each other and tutting if someone gets too close in the supermarket.

The virus is spreading fast, almost no one is immune and just 17 per cent of the population has been fully jabbed. You can only leave your house to do essential work, shop for groceries, exercise or seek medical attention  we're like the UK was in spring last year.

ADF soldiers have been sent in to Sydney (pictured) to enforce lockdown in the city's poor suburbs that are at the centre of Australias growing Covid outbreak

Sydney has struggled to encourage poorer areas to get the Covid vaccine, with only 13 per cent vaccinated compared to 25 per cent in wealthier parts. Pictured: Police and soliders enforce lockdown in Sydney

The military has been brought in to help the police enforce orders. Fines for breaches are hefty. Failure to wear a compulsory mask is to invite public scorn.

We're as trapped as a koala in a bush fire.

The only way out, we're told, is vaccination, but Australia's so-called 'strollout' is mired in supply issues and poor messaging  not to mention apathy and outright resistance.

I'm counting the months since I last saw my daughter, but it might be years before I get to see my parents in New Zealand, my brother in Japan and my nieces in Wales.

Even one of Australia's most popular breakfast television hosts, whose job description requires him to be the cheery face of the nation, gave up the pretence on Friday.

Australia, remember, closed its borders in a bid to remain entirely free from the disease. At first it worked. (Pictured, Angela Mollard and her daughter aged 5 on Manly Beach)

Karl Stefanovic summed up the thoughts of the nation, saying he was 'over it' and just wanted to go to the footy where he wanted to 'have three meat pies and 45 schooners' of beer. He'll have to wait a while.

It's a year since the A-level grades debacle in Britain. Now we're embarking upon an exam fiasco of our own. Two weeks ago, my younger daughter, in her last year of school, was due to sit her first exams. She somehow completed her group drama performance while masked. The rest of her exams were postponed until next Monday...

Yet as I write, the government has changed its mind again. She will not be returning to school, after all, and will continue learning from home.

No one can say how she will be tested, ranked or certificated for university. What she does know for certain is that she's abandoned her plan of moving to the UK to work as a teaching assistant  a rite of passage for so many Aussie kids.

We may have saved lives in Australia so far  deaths from Covid stand at 938  but livelihoods are hanging in the balance. One in five hospitality, arts and recreation employees in New South Wales were stood down in the first half of July.

My income has dropped by 45 per cent and I've had to tighten my belt, but an accountant friend told me half her small business clients are going under because of lockdown  although some have not yet realised it.

In Melbourne, where residents have just entered their sixth lockdown, rows of shops are boarded up, the sad, hard evidence of a disease which strikes in more ways than one.

While you can protect yourself from Covid by shutting yourself behind your front door, it's harder to maintain your mental health as the rest of the world resumes.

Film and literature have taught us that conventional stories move from 'challenge' through 'adversity' to 'redemption'  a Covid narrative now reaching its conclusion in Britain and America.

Here it's a different tale: the early victories have made our subsequent failures all the harder to bear. There's no story 'arc', just a woeful plummet from success and self-satisfaction to complacency and misery. Even the brief respite offered by the Olympics comes to a close this weekend. 'Let us all rejoice, for we are one and free,' our national anthem has urged at medal ceremonies. But we are neither 'one' nor 'free'.

We've swapped our easy-going attitudes for fear, banned from travelling no further than six miles from our homes. Forget the wide-open landscapes that we used to love so much.

And just what sort of Australia will we be left?

Police check IDs to ensure visitors to the beach meet the exercise radius stipulated in lockdown directives

Covid is hardening us, dividing a nation of laid-back larrikins who used to sort out conflict over a beer at a barbecue.

Anger is rising everywhere. Eight districts north of Sydney are now locked down because one infected city dweller ignored restrictions to attend a beach party in the area. No wonder there's fury.

Others are bewildered to learn that you can travel miles to see a long-distance lover you've known for less than a month, yet are banned from visiting a child or a dying parent.

It was the overwhelming space and freedom that convinced us to move to Australia all those years ago. And when our first daughter was born in a blue-skied, happy-go-lucky country in the first year of this new millennium, we felt she'd won life's lottery.

Today it doesn't feel that way. It seems the nation we chose for her is not a gift, but a prison.
Sarah Ferguson has said she is convinced that her former husband Prince Andrew is telling the truth about his part in the scandal surrounding convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duchess of York said she was 100 per cent certain that her ex-husband was being honest when he denied seeing anything untoward during the time he spent with the financier.

She told the Financial Times: I want him [Andrew] to come through this. I want him to win.

The Duchess of York said she was 100 per cent certain that her ex-husband was being honest when he denied seeing anything untoward during the time he spent with Jeffrey Epstein

When asked why she was sure of his probity, she replied: No question. I know everything about him. I think he is an extraordinary person.

The Duchess said she and Andrew, who split in 1997, were the happiest divorced couple in the world, living under the same roof at Royal Lodge, Windsor, but with their own rooms.

We support each other like pillars of strengths, she added.

Now Virginia Roberts could sue Prince Andrew in a New York court over her claims that Jeffrey Epstein forced her to have sex with the Duke aged 17

ByDaniel Batesand Caroline Graham for The Mail on Sunday

Prince Andrew could be sued in an American court by his accuser Virginia Roberts, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Ms Roberts, who claims she was forced to have sex with the Prince by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when she was just 17, could file a multi-million-pound civil action in New York as early as this week.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, her lawyer David Boies said the bombshell lawsuit 'would be based on her being lent out to Prince Andrew for sex by Jeffrey Epstein and [her] being under 18'.

The Duke of York has always vehemently denied all charges made by Virginia Roberts

He added the suit would include claims of 'improper sexual violations, physical and emotional distress' and would include a claim for damages.

Mr Boies said: 'To use a common phrase here in the United States, 'Time's up.' '

The Duke of York has always vehemently denied all charges made by Ms Roberts.

Buckingham Palace previously issued a statement saying: 'It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.'

The filing of a civil action against the Duke in America is certain to cause huge embarrassment for the Royal family as lawyers will seek to question him under oath about his sex life. He could also be forced to hand over texts, emails and private letters.

The filing of a civil action against the Duke in America is certain to cause huge embarrassment for the Royal family

A defamation suit, filed by Ms Roberts in 2015 against Ghislaine Maxwell, ended in a settlement  but deeply embarrassing depositions in which Ms Maxwell discussed her sex life were made public last year.

A source said: 'This could be devastating for Andrew. If he chooses to fight it and is deposed [forced to give evidence], then those depositions could end up being made public.

'If he ignores it, he could be found guilty in absentia which would be a public relations disaster.'

Under the New York Child Victims Act, Ms Roberts has until next Saturday to file the civil action which will include her claims that she and Prince Andrew had sex three times in 2001.

Although Ms Roberts was then above the UK legal age of consent, in New York a child is considered to be anyone under 18.

She alleges the first encounter took place at the London home of Epstein's alleged 'madam' Ms Maxwell, the second at Epstein's 77 million New York mansion and the third during an 'orgy' on his private island in the Caribbean. Saturday's deadline was created by the New York Child Victims Act which came into law in 2019.

Previously, victims had up to five years after turning 18 to file a claim against an alleged abuser.

But the new law gave victims a one-off window to make a legal claim, regardless of how old their claim is. The timeline to file those claims expires next Saturday.

The final decision about whether to proceed rests with Ms Roberts, now a 37-year-old mother-of-three who lives in Australia.

Should the Duke ignore the lawsuit, Mr Boies warned it could go to trial without him and the court could enter a default judgment.

The amount of damages would then be set and 'that judgment could be enforced any place in the world', Mr Boies said.

Weeks ago Mr Boies sent a second formal letter to the Duke's lawyers offering to sign an agreement, known as a tolling agreement, that extended the statute of limitations so that both sides could negotiate.

The letter said that Ms Robets needed to file a claim 'now' or she risks not being able to file a lawsuit.

So far it has been ignored, according to Mr Boies.

Epstein hanged himself in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

Ms Maxwell, 59, was arrested last July and is due to go on trial in November for allegedly recruiting underage girls for Epstein.

She has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Last night Ms Roberts declined to comment.

A spokesman for Prince Andrew declined to comment.
Dominic Raab has been criticised for dodging Covid quarantine after a diplomatic trip to France - meeting mask-less with Princess Anne just two days later

The Foreign Secretary was in Paris for a meeting with French counterpart Yves Le-Drian on July 27, when France was still on the amber-plus list - meaning mandatory quarantine for any Brits returning from the country.

But Raab used an exemption for Cabinet ministers to dodge the isolation period, and just a day later was meeting with Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta in London.

Then, on the evening of July 28, he met mask-less with Princess Anne and dozens of foreign dignitaries during a reception event for the global education summit.

It comes after climate minister Alok Sharma came under fire for his quarantine-free trips to 30 destinations including five red list countries since January.

July 26: Dominic Raab meets with French foreign minister Yves Le-Drian in Paris, before exempting himself from quarantine on return to the UK using rule for Cabinet ministers

July 28: Raab is pictured meeting mask-less with Princess Anne and other foreign dignitaries at a reception for the Global Education Summit in London

Raab's busy post-Paris schedule also included mask-less meetings and elbow-bumps with leaders of Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Niger on July 29 during the education summit - which helped raise $4billion for global school initiatives.

He also visited a UK vaccine factory, located in Oxford.

Anneliese Dodds, the Labour Party chair, told the Sunday Mirror that the government is applying 'one rule for them and another for everyone else.

'No wonder the Tories dont understand the chaos theyve created when ministers dont apply the rules to themselves,' she added.

But the Foreign and Commonwealth Office defended Mr Raab's actions, saying he has obeyed the rules for senior ministers on overseas trips.

'Hes the Foreign Secretary. Its his job to represent the UK abroad,' a spokesman for the department said.

France was first placed on the 'amber plus' list on July 19, meaning that all returning travellers had to self-isolate even if they are double vaccinated.

July 27: Just a day after returning from France, Mr Raab met with Kenya's president in London

July 28: Mr Raab also toured a vaccine-making laboratory in Oxford to see where British jabs destined to help overseas countries are being produced

July 29: A mask-less Raab bumps elbow with world leaders including Sierra Leone's president (pictured) at an education summit in London

Isolation lasts for 10 days, though people can be released early on day five provided they have twice tested negative for Covid using PCR tests.

The move caused fury among travellers and French diplomats who accused the UK of playing politics with travel restrictions, as France was the only country in Europe to be included on the list.

Raab tried to justify the move on July 29 - just days after his return from France - saying the decision was taken because of the spread of the spread of the potentially vaccine-busting Beta variant on La Renuion.

The French territory is an island located 6,000 miles from Paris near Madagascar, but Raab insisted the distance was irrelevant - saying it was the ease of travel between the island and mainland France that counts.

After widespread ridicule and indignation, transport secretary Grant Shapps clarified that this was not the main factor in the government's reasoning.

France has since moved off the amber plus list, with double-jabbed arrivals no longer having to isolate from 8am today.

At the time of Mr Raab's trip, France was on the UK's 'amber plus' list - meaning that even double-jabbed Brits returning from holidays had to isolate for 10 days

France has since been removed from the amber plus list along with other changes to the UK's traffic light system which came into effect today

Mr Sharma has also defended his extensive travel itinerary and use of the quarantine exemption rule, saying face-to-face meetings with foreign leaders are 'incredibly vital and actually impactful'.

The climate secretary's round-the-world ventures come as he tries to get foreign nations to commit to cutting carbon emissions ahead of Cop26 - a UN climate summit that will take place in Glasgow this year, of which Sharma is president.

Green groups have refused to condemn Mr Sharma and the Government was robust in his defence.

Mr Sharma told the Guardian: 'I have every week a large number of virtual meetings, but I can tell you that having in-person meetings with individual ministers is incredibly vital and actually impactful.

'It makes a vital difference, to build those personal relationships which are going to be incredibly important as we look to build consensus.'

He added he was 'throwing the kitchen sink' at the negotiations.
The poorest people in Britain are almost three times more likely not to have had their Covid jab than the richest, startling figures show.

Data compiled by Oxford University, based on tens of millions of GP records, shows 11.5 per cent of adults in the wealthiest fifth of society have not been vaccinated.

But among the poorest fifth, 30 per cent remain unvaccinated.

Last night, a leading expert said it was highly probable lower vaccination rates in ethnic groups had resulted in Covid deaths that could have been prevented

These figures are averages across adults of all ages, with the rich-poor divide even starker among young people.

In adults under 30s from the wealthiest homes, 27 per cent have not had their first dose.

But among the poorest under-30s, half have not had it.

Last night, experts said they feared the low vaccine take-up would dog the countrys poorest communities for years to come.

Overall, the proportion of Covid-related deaths among Englands Asian communities, who make up 7.5 per cent of the population, has risen from 7.2 per cent in the winter wave to 10.4 per cent in this wave

Jo Bibby, of the Health Foundation think-tank, said: Throughout the pandemic, its been poorer people who have had poorer [health] outcomes, largely because they have continued to have to work, and also because they have poorer underlying health.

'Sadly, this is going to lead to more of the same, because its the same groups who havent been vaccinated.

She believed some poor people struggled to find the time to get jabbed or found getting to a vaccine centre difficult, while many did not trust the Government.

Ethnic minorities now make up a higher proportion of Covid deaths than ever before, as experts warn jab hesitancy is starting to have a tragic impact



People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up a higher proportion of Covid deaths than ever before, as vaccination hesitancy in black and Asian communities starts to have a tragic impact. Analysis of weekly NHS statistics by The Mail on Sunday shows that the share of Covid deaths among those of ethnic or mixed descent has risen by more than half since the winter wave ended in late March. Over winter, about 12 per cent of Covid-related deaths in England were in non-whites. But since the start of June, the figure has been 19 per cent. Last night, a leading expert said it was highly probable lower vaccination rates in ethnic groups had resulted in Covid deaths that could have been prevented Meanwhile, the proportion of Covid-related deaths accounted for by Englands white majority, who make up 86 per cent of the population, has fallen from 80 per cent over the winter to 72 per cent now. The figures are likely to underestimate the number of Covid deaths in minority communities, since in almost one in ten cases ethnicity is not recorded. Last night, a leading expert said it was highly probable lower vaccination rates in ethnic groups had resulted in Covid deaths that could have been prevented. Professor Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia, said: You dont have to be an epidemiologist to predict that the proportion of Covid deaths would increase in ethnic minorities, where vaccination rates have been lower. Its a grave reminder that if you havent been vaccinated, you should, as you will get Covid at some point in the future. When you do, if you havent had your vaccine yet, or been naturally infected with the virus before, your risk of dying of Covid is just as great as it was last year. Numerous reports have found that people from South Asian and black backgrounds are less likely to have been vaccinated than their white counterparts. New figures from Oxford Universitys Open Safely data project, based on GP records, show that 94 per cent of white over-50s have had one dose. But only 86 per of South Asians over 50 have been jabbed, while the figure for black Britons over 50 is 70 per cent. Only 34 per cent of black British adults under 30 have been vaccinated, compared to 62 per cent of 18-to-29-year-olds as a whole. Numerous reports have found that people from South Asian and black backgrounds are less likely to have been vaccinated than their white counterparts Reasons include concerns among Muslims  dismissed by religious leaders  that the vaccines are not halal (meaning allowed under Islamic law); lack of trust among black communities in health authorities; and reliance on social media which can be skewed towards anti-vaxxer content. Among those hit hardest so far in this summers wave are Englands Pakistani communities, who have some of the lowest vaccination rates. They make up two per cent of the population. During the winter wave they accounted for 2.2 per cent of Covid-related deaths. That proportion has doubled to 4.5 per cent in the current wave. Overall, the proportion of Covid-related deaths among Englands Asian communities, who make up 7.5 per cent of the population, has risen from 7.2 per cent in the winter wave to 10.4 per cent in this wave. Black Britons (of Caribbean, African or other heritage, who together comprise 3.3 per cent of the population) also account for a growing share of Covid-related deaths, rising from 2.4 per cent in the winter wave to 5.0 per cent this summer. The figures chime with assessments by hospital bosses about their sickest patients in this wave. Recent board papers from University College Hospital London state: Patients in ICU [the Intensive Care Unit] are mostly unvaccinated.

By Stephen Adams Medical Editor For The Mail On Sunday
Gladys Berejiklian has warned residents who break lockdown could risk extending restrictions in their areas in a swipe against western Sydney.

The premier made the warning as the vast majority of the 262 new cases recorded on Sunday were in west and southwest Sydney.

Eighty-eight of the new cases are linked to the region with the next biggest cluster being 31 cases in the Sydney local health district.

Ms Berejiklian said residents were still breaking lockdown restrictions despite the high number of cases, harsher stay-at-home orders than the rest of Sydney, and an increased military and police presence in the area.

Gladys Berejiklian has warned that residents who break lockdown could risk extending restrictions in their areas in a swipe against western Sydney suburbs

The premier made the warning after it was revealed that the majority of the 262 new cases announced on Sunday were recorded in southwest Sydney

'A handful of people are wilfully not doing the right thing,' she said. 'So police have been given all the resources and experts in the operational matters, to make sure we really clamp down on compliance.'

Ms Berejiklian was asked by a reporter whether she still intended to rollback restrictions across the city by August 28.

The premier has previously said that the key to slowly reopening the state was distributing six million doses of the vaccine by the end of August.

She replied with the implication that higher case number and apparently lack of compliance with lockdown meant western Sydney could stay in its harsh lockdown while the rest of the city had more freedom.

'Well, the other thing that health experts will look at is where the concentration of cases are occurring,' she said.

'At this stage the concentration of cases, whilst we've had outbreaks or clusters exist outside those areas, the concentration of cases is not in dispute at the moment. We know where the extra concentration is.'

Ms Berejiklian said residents were still breaking lockdown restrictions despite the high number of cases, tough stay-at-home orders and an increased military and police presence in the area

Ms Berejiklian admitted that she would also need to look at lockdown compliance across the city before making her final decision

Ms Berejiklian admitted that she would also need to look at lockdown compliance across the city before making her final decision.

'Freedom relies on vaccination, and there is no doubt about that, but it also means having to suppress,' she said.

'The lockdown is an opportunity for us to suppress and get those numbers down, but we know that life with the Delta variant mean some level of restriction until we get those vaccination rates as high as possible.'

Ms Berejiklian said the new cases announced on Sunday gave a strong indication of which suburbs were still struggling to curb the spread of the virus.

Cases continued to rise in southwest Sydney despite the state government deploying 300 defence personnel and more police officers to monitor lockdown compliance in eight local government areas.

NSW Deputy police commissioner Gary Worboys said too many residents were still not following lockdown orders

'We know where the extra concentration is. That's why police have, in large force, and I don't apologise for that, have really clamped down on those communities,' she said.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Warboys said too many residents were still not following lockdown orders.

'We have had a shift in terms of our focus, but as the Premier said, that shift clearly correlates to people in a specific area where there is high transmission who simply do not want to do the right thing,' he said.

'We don't make any apologies for that. NSW Police will continue to be in those locations where we see there is a need to enforce the public health orders.'
A truck driver has put his body on the line to break up a road rage fight between two drivers by getting in the middle and forcing them back into their cars.

The pair traded punches after stopping their vehicles and blocking traffic on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, on Sunday.

A truck pulled up behind the pair and the front seat passenger took out his phone to film the driver as he stepped out and intervened.

Cars unable to pass honked their horns as one of the drivers, dressed in a jumper, placed his opponent into a headlock and punched him in the head several times.

The truck driver, dressed in an orange hi-vis, jumped between the pair to break up the fight.

The pair traded punches after stopping their cars and blocking traffic along the West Gate Bridge, in Melbourne

He grabbed one of the drivers by the collar and held him up against the back of a parked Mazda ute.

He then shouted at the other driver to get back into their car and drive away.

'Get in your car,' he yelled.

'Get in your car!'

The truckie then loosened his grip on the pinned driver and pushed him back towards his blue Subaru parked nearby.

'In your car,' he ordered.

Cars unable to pass honk their horns as one of the drivers, dressed in a jumper, places his opponent into a headlock and laid several punches into his head

The truck driver, dressed in an orange hi-vis, jumps between the pair to break up the fight

The driver went to pick up his hat, which he dropped during the brawl, before getting back in his car.

The truckie wrestled the other man away and prevented him from reigniting the fight, before releasing him.

Footage of the fight was uploaded to social media where praise was heaped on the truck driver for intervening.

'Orange hi-vis is a legend,' one person wrote.

Another added: 'Nice work fella.'
Former President Donald Trump claimed the world could have seen 100 million deaths from COVID-19 if his administration hadn't developed the vaccine.

'I think if we didn't come up during the Trump administration with the vaccine, you could have 100 million people dead just like you had in 1917,' Trump said Saturday night during an interview with Fox News' Dan Bongino.

Trump, who was discussing the reopening of schools, says he is very proud of the vaccine and that it 'has been great for the world'.

He claims without it America would've seen fatalities similar to those from the Spanish flu - which is believed to have killed 40million to 100million worldwide. Around 675,000 were killed in the United States.

The former president also said he hopes that educators will get the vaccine so that schools can reopen.

Former President Donald Trump (pictured) claims America may have seen 100 million deaths from COVID-19 if his administration hadn't developed the vaccine

Trump argued that school closures are leaving a 'psychological scar' on children, citing the impact of students' lack of social interaction.

During an interview with Fox News' Dan Bongino (pictured) Saturday night, Trump said he is very proud of the vaccine and that it 'has been great for the world'

'The schools have to open,' he said. 'These young people are losing a big part of their life and they're not going to recover from it.'

Trump argued that school closures are leaving a 'psychological scar' on children, citing the impact of students' lack of social interaction.

'We have to open our schools. I say, let the teachers get the vaccine  they should get the vaccine, I hope they do,' Trump continued, saying that some teachers don't 'ever want to go back to work' due to virus concerns.

While Trump said he supports the vaccine, he also reiterated that he is against pandemic mandates.

'I have to be a big vaccine fan because I'm the one that got it done so quickly. Got it done in less than nine months, it was supposed to take five years. They would've never even gotten it done, so I'm a big fan,' Trump said.

'But at the same time I'm a big fan of our freedoms and people have to make that choice for themselves and people have to make that choice for themselves.

'I would recommend that they get it and they get it done, and they're being protected.

'The vaccines turned out to be a tremendous thing. But I also feel strongly that there are some people that do not want to do it and I really believe in somebody's choice, somebody's freedom. The mandates are crazy.'

The former president continued, saying he thinks COVID mandates are negatively impacting the American education system.

'What they're doing with schools now  they don't know if they're going to keep them closed. What are they doing? The teachers union now is in flux. All of the things that are happening ... people have to get back, the kids have to get back to school,' Trump argued.

Trump's comments come as many families are preparing for the new school year.

Some districts, like Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, have already returned to the classroom and are seeing the impacts of COVID-19.

The district, which is the largest in the state, confirmed 253 cases of coronavirus on Friday, just three days into the new school year, CNN reported.

A district spokesperson argued that the cases are from 'communal spread' and not school transmission because those sickened 'haven't been in our buildings yet to have contracted' the virus.

'Now that we're back in school, we know we're going to get cases,' Bernard Watson, director of community and media relations for Gwinnett County Public Schools, told the news outlet.

Similarly, Arizona's second-largest school district also battling active cases of COVID-19.

Since the school year began on July 21, Chandler Unified School District has reported more than 140 coronavirus cases. The district is continuing to 'monitor confirmed cases' and will 'make adjustments to our mitigation plan as necessary'.

The former president also urged all Americans, specifically teachers, to get the vaccine (pictured: nurse administering the vaccine) so that the country can begin to return to normal and reopen schools

Indianapolis Public Schools also saw a COVID-19 outbreak upon the return to the classroom.

On Tuesday, officials notified parents that 61 fourth-grade students were required to 'quarantine for 14 days after coming in close contact with a school staff member who tested positive for COVID-19'.

Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the schools that experienced outbreaks are not following COVID-19 mitigation measures like wearing masks.

'If you're masked and you're doing all of the prevention mitigation strategies, it won't be transmitted in the school. It will be contained,' CDC Director Rochelle Walensky told CNN.

She also encouraged everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine, saying: 'Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country.'

According to the CDC, 166,203,176 Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday. The White House said this accounts for more than half of the U.S. population.

194,346,486 individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The seven-day average of newly vaccinated people is up 11 percent from last week, and up 44 percent over the past two weeks.

According to the CDC, 166,203,176 Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday. The White House said this accounts for more than half of the U.S. population

President Joe Biden has been pressing hard for Americans to get vaccinated ever since he took office in January.

His aggressive vaccination program had raised hopes of a return to some semblance of normal life this summer, but the plan was hindered by the Delta variant.

In an increasingly assertive approach, the Biden administration recently asked all federal employees to get vaccinated or face COVID testing twice a week.

The president hinted Friday there would be further measures, saying, 'There will be more to come in the days ahead.'

One possibility mentioned in press reports is pressuring nursing homes  a hotbed of deaths early in the pandemic  to force vaccinations among staff or risk losing public funding.

Daily new cases, deaths and hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks. Last week, there was an average of 90,000 new coronavirus cases per day, with Florida and Texas accounting for a third of them, the White House said

The United States is back up to around 380 COVID-19 deaths a day, with hospitalizations averaging 7,300 a day over a week

Cities including New York and Los Angeles have imposed new restrictions, such as demanding proof of vaccination for entering indoor venues including restaurants and gyms.

Daily new cases, deaths and hospitalizations have risen sharply in recent weeks. Last week, there was an average of 90,000 new coronavirus cases per day, with Florida and Texas accounting for a third of them, the White House said.

The United States is back up to around 380 COVID-19 deaths a day, with hospitalizations averaging 7,300 a day over a week.

The level of community transmission of the virus is 'high' or 'substantial' in 85 percent of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

The United States is the nation hardest-hit by the pandemic, with 615,000 deaths.
State Trooper #1

Cuomo is accused of sexually harassed a state trooper, referred to in the report as Trooper #1, who he hired onto his protective detail in 2017 - bending the three-year experience requirement.

Although she had only completed two years on the force, the governor reportedly wanted the unnamed trooper in his inner circle.

He is said to have asked a senior member of his security detail to add her to the team even though she did not meet the standard requirement.

'Ha ha, they changed the minimum from 3 years to 2 just for you,' the senior security member told the trooper in an email, which was included in the AG's report.

Once she was on his team, he allegedly harassed her on a number of occasions, including one where he ran his hand across her stomach from her belly button to her right hip while she was holding the door open for him at an event.

'I felt...completely violated because to me...that's between my chest and my privates,' the trooper said, according to Business Insider.

'But, you know, I'm here to do a job.'

He also ran is accused 'running his finger down her back' while they were in an elevator together and saying 'hey you', and kissing her on the cheek in front of another trooper.

'I remember just freezing, being - in the back of my head, I'm like, oh, how do I say no politely because in my head if I said no, he's going to take it out on the detail. And now I'm on the bad list,' the trooper said.

Cuomo also allegedly asked her to help him find a girlfriend and said he wanted someone who 'liked pain', and asked her why she wanted to get married, saying 'your sex drive goes down'.

'Trooper #1 found these interactions with the Governor not only offensive and uncomfortable, but markedly different from the way the Governor interacted with members of the PSU who were men, and she conveyed these incidents contemporaneously to colleagues,' the report reads.

The trooper said she was afraid of being retaliated against if she were to speak out against the behavior.

The State Troopers Police Benevolent Association said in a statement on Tuesday that it was 'dismayed and disturbed' by the findings.

Tom Mungeer, president of the association, said: 'I'm outraged and disgusted that one of my members, who was tasked with guarding the governor and ensuring his safety, could not enjoy the same sense of security in her work environment that he was provided.'

State Entity Employee #2

A doctor says she was sexually harassed while administering a televised COVID-19 test to Cuomo.

The doctor who administered a COVID-19 test to Cuomo she was sexually harassed during the incident.

On May 17, 2020 Cuomo told the medic, in front of cameras 'nice to see you doctor, you make that gown look good'.

The doctor, who appeared in full PPE gear, did not respond to his comment.

Cuomo is accused of sexually harassing the medic while she administered him a COVID-19 test in front of cameras

Cuomo allegedly made comments towards the medic that were sexual in nature. He said: 'Nice to see you doctor, you make that gown look good'

The report also claims that before the test, Cuomo asked her not to swab him so hard that it 'hit his brain'.

She replied that she'd be 'gentle but accurate' and he said 'I've heard that before,' which the doctor said was 'implied in a sexual nature'.

The medic considered the interaction to be sexual harassment and investigators agreed.

Another unnamed 'state entity employee'

The unidentified employee, identified in the report as 'State Entity Employee #1,' said she attended an event with Cuomo in September 2019.

After giving a speech, Cuomo is said to have posed for pictures with her. While the picture was being taken, he 'grabbed her butt'.

'The employee was shocked and discussed it with a number of friends, family and co-workers,' the report says.

She also 'memorialized the Governor's inappropriate touching' contemporaneously, but the report doesn't say how.

'Executive Assistant One'

Cuomo is accused of groping an executive assistant, whose identity remains anonymous, at an event last November after routinely engaging in a pattern of impropriate conduct that began in late 2019.

The report includes photos of Cuomo with a woman described as 'executive assistant one'

The report says Cuomo repeatedly sexually harassed 'Executive Assistant One' when she worked for him by subjecting her to 'close and intimate hugs', 'kisses on the cheeks and forehead', 'at least one kiss on the lips' and 'touching her butt'.

He allegedly referred to her and one other assistant as 'mingle mamas' and asked her repeatedly if she would ever cheat on her husband.

On December 31, 2019, Cuomo asked her to take a selfies of them as they worked together inside his office at the Executive Mansion.

As she held up the camera, Cuomo 'moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and began to rub it' for at least five seconds, the report alleges.

The assistant 'was shaking so much during this interaction' that the photos came out blurry  and Cuomo suggested the two sit down to take one more, the document says.

That photo, showing Cuomo smirking while he sits back on a couch with the aide, is included in the report.

The governor then allegedly told her to send the snap to another aide, Alyssa McGrath - who has also accused Cuomo of sexual harassment - and said 'not to share the photograph with anyone else.'

The woman said she didn't report what happened because she was terrified.

'[T]he way he was so firm with [me] that I couldn't show anyone else that photo, I was just terrified that if I shared what was going on that it would somehow get around,' she told investigators.

Cuomo admitted that he and the staffer took a photo together, but said it was her idea, because 'he does not like to take selfies.'

In November 2020, he allegedly groped her breast at the Executive Mansion in Albany.

'For over three months, Executive Assistant #1 kept this groping incident to herself and planned to take it 'to the grave,' but found herself becoming emotional (in a way that was visible to her colleagues in the Executive Chamber) while watching the Governor state, at a press conference on March 3, 2021, that he had never 'touched anyone inappropriately.'

She then confided in certain of her colleagues, who in turn reported her allegations to senior staff in the Executive Chamber, the report says.

Cuomo, in a defiant address after the report was published, presented a montage of photos of him being tactile with people such as Bill Clinton, his mother and Robert De Niro. He used the photo show to claim he was never abusive, but merely someone who frequently hugged and touched people

Cuomo, who served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton administration, is seen above planting a kiss on the cheek of former Vice President Al Gore

Cuomo's montage included another image of him planting a kiss on his mother's forehead

Cuomo included a photo above showing the governor grabbing a young boy's face

The assistant was summoned to the mansion under the pretext of having to assist Cuomo with a technical issue involving his phone, the Times Union reported in March.

The two were alone together on the second floor of the residence when Cuomo allegedly closed the door, reached under the woman's blouse and began to fondle her.

'You're going to get us in trouble,' the woman said she told Cuomo, who replied, 'I don't care,' according to the report.

His demeanor 'wasn't like 'ha ha,' it was like, 'I don't care.' . . . It was like in this - at that moment he was sexually driven. I could tell and the way he said it, I could tell,' the woman testified.

The governor then 'slid his hand up her blouse, and grabbed her breast, cupping her breast over her bra,' the report alleges.

A source familiar with the incident told the newspaper that the victim had asked Cuomo to stop.

This was allegedly the only time he touched her; all other instances involved flirtatious behavior.

Lindsey Boylan

Boylan, who was the first accuser to speak out publicly, said that Cuomo made inappropriate remarks to her when she worked as chief of staff to the CEO of the Empire State Development Corporation.

Boylan is seen in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on March 20 at a rally demanding Cuomo resign

Cuomo said that he found her attractive and that he wanted to play strip poker.

She also said that he physically touched her on various parts of her body, including her waist, legs, and back.

She claimed that once she reported her allegations, she was victimized by his team who ran a smear campaign against her while she ran for office.

The alleged harassment took place between 2015 and 2018.

Reports released earlier this year revealed that Cuomo's top aide tried to discredit Boylan and allegedly called at least six former employees looking for dirt on her.

Lindsey Boylan was the first accuser to speak out publicly against Cuomo. She says he made inappropriate comments towards her and physically touched her on various parts of her body

Charlotte Bennett

Bennett worked briefly for Cuomo as an aide. She was a health policy adviser in the New York governor's administration, hired in the spring of 2019 and swiftly promoted to senior briefer and executive assistant only a few months later.

AG Letitia James says her allegations that Cuomo harassed her with a series of comments are corroborated.

Among his alleged remarks are questions about if she'd date older men, asking her help to find a girlfriend, and apparently quizzing her on a sexual assault she had endured.

Charlotte Bennett, who worked for Cuomo last year, told CBS News she felt 'vindicated' by the report

EXCLUSIVE: I feel vindicated, former Gov. Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett tells @NorahODonnell after New Yorks attorney general said she believed the women who came forward saying they had been sexually harassed by the governor. pic.twitter.com/O6Iwjndwo8  CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) August 3, 2021

Charlotte Bennett worked briefly as a an aide for Cuomo. He allegedly asked her questions about if she'd date older men, asking her help to find a girlfriend, and apparently quizzing her on a sexual assault she had endured

One of the other comments that he made was that he wanted to ride into the mountains with women.

Bennett had a friendly relationship with Cuomo due to their mutual ties to Westchester County, and saw him as a mentor.

Charlotte Bennett made notes about her experience working with Cuomo which she gave to investigators

In an interview earlier this year, Bennett said her first awkward conversation with Cuomo occurred on May 15, 2020.

The report included text messages between Charlotte Bennett and another aide, and conversations she had with her parents where she had she had a 'great conversation' with the 'Governor', and others where she says he made her feel uncomfortable.

'The governor invited me to lift weights with him,' she wrote in one message. 'He challenged me to a push-up competition'.

She had told her parents how he was surprised to learn that she lifted weights and boxed, and that he had asked her to do push-ups in the office.

In another text chain she said Cuomo 'talked about age difference in relationships,' calling his comments 'explicit'.

Charlotte Bennett saw Cuomo as a mentor, but she says he was clear he wanted more

The report also included messages in which Bennett tells a confidant that she was incredibly uncomfortable following an interaction in the office. Bennett said she was 'shaking' and 'so upset and so confused'.

In texts to another aide, Bennett said Cuomo repeated to her 'over and over' that she had been 'raped'.

Cuomo was also recorded singing the popular 1960s love song Do You Love Me?, by the Contours, to Bennett during a phone call in 2019.

According to the New York Post, Bennett initiated the phone call saying, 'Hi, governor. This is Charlotte'.

Cuomo allegedly answered the call with 'Are you ready? Doo, doo, doo,' and proceeded to ask her if she was familiar with the song.

Bennett told him the song was 'before her time'.

Cuomo allegedly continued singing, 'Do you love me? Do you really love me? Do you love me? Do you care?'

Virginia Limmiatis

Virginia Limmiatis worked for National Grid and was wearing a t-shirt with the company's name written across her chest when she says she met Cuomo.

Virginia Limmiatis worked for the National Grid when Cuomo allegedly groped her

He ran his 'two fingers across her chest, pressing down on each of the letters as he did so and reading out the name of the company as he went'.

The report says he then 'leaned in, with his face close to her cheek, and said 'I'm going to say I see a spider on your shoulder' before brushing the area between her shoulder and her breasts'.

'Ms. Limmiatis came forward in this investigation after she heard the governor state, during the March 3, 2021 press conference, that he had never touched anyone inappropriately.

'As Ms. Limmiatis testified to us, 'He is lying again. He touched me inappropriately. I am compelled to come forward to tell the truth... I didn't know how to report what he did to me at the time and was burdened by shame, but not coming forward now would make me complicit in his lie, and I won't do it.''

Alyssa McGrath

McGrath, 35, was the first current employee to accuse Cuomo, and works as an executive assistant.

'In his interactions with another executive assistant, Alyssa McGrath, the Governor made inappropriate comments and engaged in harassing conduct, including: regularly asking about her personal life, including her marital status and divorce; asking whether Ms. McGrath would tell on Executive Assistant #1 if she were to cheat on her husband - and whether Ms. McGrath herself planned to 'mingle' with men'.

She also claimed he looked down her shirt to compliment her on her necklace, told her that she's beautiful in Italian and kissed her on the forehead during an office Christmas party in 2019.

Alyssa McGrath was quizzed by Cuomo about her marital status and divorce and kissed on the forehead by Cuomo at an office Christmas party

Her attorney, Mariann Wang, said on Tuesday that McGrath and another accuser she represents, Virginia Limmiatis, were relieved.

The two women 'feel profoundly grateful to the AG's team for taking this seriously and examining their reports thoroughly and carefully.'

Wang continued: 'Cuomo's misogyny and abuse cannot be denied. He has been doing this for years, without any repercussions.

'He should not be in charge of our government and should not be in any position of power over anyone else.'

'Kaitlin'

Kaitlin - whose second name is not public - met the governor in 2016 at a fundraising event where they were photographed together in a dance pose.

Afterwards, she was hired by him in a junior position but given a salary of $120,000 - a figure so high she says it was laughed at in her interview.

Ana Liss

Liss, 35, worked in the Executive Chamber between 2013 and 2015, during which time she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being called 'sweetheart' and 'darling', and placing his hand around her lower waist.

Ana Liss (pictured) worked in the Executive Chamber between 2013 and 2015, during which time she says the governor subjected her to sexual harassment that included being called 'sweetheart' and 'darling', and placing his hand around her lower waist

He also kissed her hands and cheek, she said.

Despite feeling uncomfortable, she says she did not report them because 'for whatever reason, in his office the rules were different.'

She added: 'It was just, you should view it as a compliment if the Governor finds you aesthetically pleasing enough, if he finds you interesting enough to ask questions like that.

'And so even though it was strange and uncomfortable and technically not permissible in a typical workplace environment, I was in this mindset that it was the twilight zone and...the typical rules did not apply.'

Anna Ruch

Ruch was a guest at a wedding, as was the governor, in 2019 when she says he put his hands on a section of her back that was exposed by a cut-out in her dress.

She grabbed his wrist to move it away and he responded by saying 'wow, you're aggressive,' according to the report.

Cuomo then grabbed her face with both of his hands and said 'can I kiss you?'

He was pictured kissing her cheek.

Anna Ruch was a guest at a wedding, as was Cuomo, in 2019. She says he put his hands on a section of her back that was exposed by a cut-out in her dress

Karen Hinton

Karen Hinton, 62, spoke to the Washington Post about an incident in which Cuomo summoned her to his 'dimly lit' hotel room and embraced her after a work event in 2000.

She was not among the 11 women on who the attorney general based her report.

Hinton said that she tried to pull away from Cuomo, but that he pulled her back and held her before she backed away and escaped the room.

Peter Ajemian, Cuomo's director of communications, told the Post that Hinton is a 'known antagonist of the Governor's who is attempting to take advantage of this moment to score cheap points with made up allegations from 21 years ago'.

'All women have the right to come forward and tell their story  however, it's also the responsibility of the press to consider self-motivation. This is reckless,' he added.

Karen Hinton, 62, (pictured above) claims the governor summoned her to his 'dimly lit' hotel room and embraced her after a work event in 2000 before she managed to escape

In response, Hinton told the Post that 'attacking the accuser is the classic playbook of powerful men trying to protect themselves' as she said that watching Cuomo's apologetic press conference 'drove me crazy'.

'I really thought the flirt wasn't about having sex,' Hinton said. 'It was about controlling the relationship.'

At the time of the alleged encounter in the hotel room, Cuomo would have been leading the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Hinton was a consultant after moving to California.

The Post reports that Hinton and Cuomo have a contentious past and that they had a major blow up before she left the agency in 1999, remaining on as a consultant.

She had joined Cuomo in Los Angeles to promote a HUD program and later had dinner in his hotel before allegedly receiving a phone call from him stating: 'Why don't you come to my room and let's catch up?'

Hinton said that she began to think it was unusual when Cuomo asked her to avoid being seen by Clarence Day, his longtime head of security, but that she continued to his room anyway.

'I paused for a second,' she told the Post about noticing the low lights in the room. 'Why are the lights so low? He never keeps the lights this low.'

Hinton said they sat on opposite couches and talked about their work at HUD and that Cuomo asked her personal questions about her life and marriage - including if she would leave her husband.

She claims that she grew self-conscious after speaking so much about herself and went to leave.

'I stand up and say, 'It's getting late, I need to go,' ' she said, describing the embrace Cuomo gave her as 'very long, too long, too tight, too intimate'.

'He pulls me back for another intimate embrace,' she said. 'I thought at that moment it could lead to a kiss, it could lead to other things, so I just pull away again, and I leave.'

Hinton told the Post that she viewed the move as a 'power play' for 'manipulation and control' and that the pair never discussed the incident again, although they have remained in touch.

She has both publicly praised Cuomo and been critical of him, especially when working as press secretary in 2015 and 2016 for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, with whom the governor has an intense rivalry.

The Post spoke to two people who confirmed that Hinton had told them about the hotel incident after it happened.
Hillsong founder Brian Houston has been described as 'an ungrateful twat' by the NSW Police Minister days after he was charged with concealing child sex allegations against his father.

The 67-year-old 'global senior pastor' was on Thursday accused of failing to report his dead father Frank's historic sexual abuse of a seven-year-old boy.

But the pastor was not in the state to face the allegations after he was already given an exemption to escape 'Fortress Australia' to travel to Mexico earlier this year.

Police Minister David Elliott claims it isn't the first time Houston has received what he describes as 'preferential treatment'.

The pastor was not in the state to face the allegations after he was already given an exemption to escape 'Fortress Australia' to travel to Mexico with his wife (pictured together) earlier this year

Police Minister David Elliott claims it isn't the first time Houston has received 'preferential treatment'

'Last year he had to go overseas and he wanted preferential treatment to go into a five-star suite. We arranged it,' Mr Elliott told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'[This is] despite the fact that the Pope, President Biden and Foreign Minister Marise Payne can do most of their work remotely... and he's just a suburban preacher. Then he criticised our Covid policy. He's an ungrateful twat.'

Mr Elliott said he was appalled to learn Houston travelled to Mexico during the pandemic, appearing to leave his parishioners high-and-dry during one of the most difficult times imaginable.

Houston's church is within Mr Elliott's electorate, and he recently spent time with a man whose 12-year-old niece took her own life, partially due to the strain of lockdown.

Mr Elliott claims the man turned to his local MP after realising his pastor, Houston, was out of town and not returning any time soon.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Brian Houston - who has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' to the PM

Brian and Bobbie Houston have been travelling in Mexico and the United States despite Australia's closed border and 'Fortress Australia' restrictions

'Houston was nowhere to be seen, he was in Mexico,' Mr Elliott said. '

And at that time, I didn't know that the local constabulary were putting a brief together to charge him with allegedly concealing child abuse.'

Australian citizens have been struggling to enter and exit Australia since the international borders were slammed shut in mid-March 2020 in response to the global threat of Covid-19.

Some 35,000 Australians are stranded overseas, desperately awaiting a flight home, where they will be required to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense.

The Australian Border Force has granted just 43 per cent of the travel exemption applications that were lodged in the first half of this year.

Frank Houston (pictured with wife Hazel) died in 2004 aged 82. He had confessed to having a sexual interest in young boys prior to his death, including abusing a seven-year-old boy in 1969 and 1970

Houston and his wife Bobbie, who is also a global senior pastor, were both granted exemptions this year and in 2020.

Houston has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the country's first evangelical PM.

In 2019, Mr Morrison put Houston's name forward to be formally invited to a White House state dinner with former US president Donald Trump, but the request was declined.

'He is setting a shocking example to the millions of Australians forced into lockdown and I can't think of a more hypocritical set of values for a so-called Christian leader,' Mr Elliott said.

'My phone has gone crazy given the challenges facing the very people he claims to offer pastoral care to.'

Houston and his wife Bobbie, who is also a global senior pastor, were both granted exemptions this year and in 2020

Mr Elliott has vowed to 'never step foot in it again as long as [Mr Houston] is leader.'

Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Frank had confessed to having abusing the young boy during trips to Sydney in 1969 and 1970.

It determined Houston was made aware of the allegations in 1999.

But when the claims eventually came to light, detectives will allege Brian didn't report the crimes to NSW Police.

The Hillsong co-founder will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. If found guilty, he faces up to five years' jail.

Houston is expected to return to Australia to defend himself.

The Hillsong co-founder will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. If found guilty, he faces up to five years' jail

Hours after charges were laid, Hillsong released a statement to all parishioners, urging them to 'afford Houston the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right'.

'These charges relate to many years ago when Pastor Brian found out about his father's actions. We have always been open and transparent with the church about his father Frank, and Pastor Brian has shared his pain with you many times over the past twenty years.'

In a previous statement, the board of Hillsong church in Australia said: 'Upon being told of his father's actions, Brian Houston confronted his father, reported the matter to the National Executive Assemblies of God in Australia, relayed the matter to the governing board of Sydney Christian Life Centre, and subsequently made a public announcement to the church.'

Hillsong grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west and has enjoyed an enormous global following, including A-list stars like former members Justin and Hailey Bieber.

The church has outposts in 28 countries and a popular record label - all of which could be put at risk if its co-founder was found guilty of a crime.

Hillsong grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west and has enjoyed an enormous global following, including A-list stars like former members Justin and Hailey Bieber

Frank Houston stepped down as a pastor and died in 2004, aged 82, after arranging for the victim to be paid $10,000 at a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant.

Brian Houston didn't report the matter to the police claiming he didn't think it was appropriate because the victim was 35 or 36 years old at the time.

Houston has also claimed the victim told him in a phone conversation that he didn't want the matter pursued by authorities.

The victim denied this conversation ever took place.

Houston must prove that he had a 'reasonable excuse' not to notify police by way of meeting three criteria.

The accused must believe the victim did not want the information reported to police, must have learned of the crime only after the victim became and adult and the offences must be of a sexual or domestic nature.

He will face Sydney's Downing Centre Court on October 25.
Hundreds of coal miners in regional NSW and 1,000 students at a country town school have been quarantined after separate Covid outbreaks.

Boggabri Coal Mine, 120km north-west of Tamworth and 500km from Sydney, has been shut down after a miner tested Covid positive on Saturday night.

The man in his 40s from Newcastle has been put into isolation and is working with NSW Health to track down recent close contacts.

Boggabri Coal Mine (pictured), 120km north-west of Tamworth and 500km from Sydney, has been shut down temporarily after a miner tested Covid positive on Saturday night

Officials were running a second test on the man on Sunday to confirm the infection.

The mine is expected to be closed for at least three days while testing, tracing and cleaning work is completed, and 600 miners are in isolation.

Armidale Secondary College is closed for a week from Monday after a pupil returned a positive test on Saturday, putting all staff and students into isolation.

It's the third case this week for the town, 300km from the Queensland border, with the latest student a household contact of the previous two cases.

The two cases plunged the country town - home to 29,704 residents and almost six hours drive away from Sydney CBD - into a snap week-long lockdown on Saturday.

Armidale Secondary College (oictured) is being closed for a week from Monday after a pupil returned a positive test on Saturday, putting all staff and students into isolation

'The NSW Department of Education has been advised by NSW Health that a student at our school has tested positive for Covid-19,' principal Bree Harvey-Bice wrote on the college website.

'Our school site will be non-operational Monday 9 August, 2021 for the on-site attendance of staff and students to allow time for contact tracing and cleaning.

'All staff and students are asked to self-isolate until you receive further advice.'

NSW health authorities are desperate to prevent Sydney's Covid outbreak from spreading to regional areas, which have far greater freedoms.
Top doctors and experts admit they failed to stamp out harmful, divisive, and inaccurate rhetoric surrounding Covid-19 and vaccines.

Former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth, who served as one of Australia's top advisors at the start of the pandemic, said the silence was deafening.

He said officials, including himself, underestimated just how quickly misinformation could spread, particularly through social media.

A small minority of authoritative voices also repeatedly went against the official public health advice to either advocate for an indefinite Covid-zero strategy, or spread alarmist claims about the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth, who served as one of Australia's top advisors at the start of the pandemic, said the silence was deafening

Despite public unrest, anti-lockdown and vaccine protests or substantial false claims online, officials in power failed to definitively rubbish the comments, Dr Coatsworth said.

'We always took the view in government, myself included, that this was a small group of people who didn't have that much influence,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

There was a mentality that addressing the 'conspiracy theorists' publicly and therefore giving them a mainstream platform would do nothing more than 'create more problems for ourselves'.

Now, he thinks government officials and their trusted medical teams made the wrong choice.

Poll Should government officials address conspiracy theories and misinformation about Covid? YES NO Should government officials address conspiracy theories and misinformation about Covid? YES 330 votes

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'We should have been a lot firmer. We needed stronger voices out there. If I had my time again I think I would have been as forthright as I have in the last couple of weeks, [but] six months earlier,' he said.

Dr Coatsworth said he and others should also have tried harder to counter unrealistic 'zero-Coivd' zealots who have a 'very strong network in Australian academia', particularly in Melbourne.

'Extreme zero-Covid views look good, but they can have a fair few negative consequences that are difficult to count,' he said.

Zero-Covid mantra has to a large degree caught on in Australia with state premiers fanatically trying to eradicate the virus with snap lockdowns and harsh border closures.

However, the academics Dr Coatsworth speaks of often demand even tougher measures with less tolerance for risk.

Dr Coatsworth instead believes Australians should being preparing for the virus to circulate as borders open.

He is calling on the government to begin reopening at a vaccination rate of 50 per cent, with a focus to reach the 70 to 80 per cent targets as soon as possible.

Independent fact checkers do try to screen out misinformation on social media apps, but plenty slips through the cracks

Dr Jane Halton, who long worked as the secretary at the Health Department agreed there had been a failure to nip false information about vaccinations in the bud.

She said the damning rhetoric - particularly with the AstraZeneca vaccine - is potentially too far gone to reverse.

'Nobody understood how really problematic information that's been circulating on social media  unchecked and unchallenged  has been for confidence in vaccines generally, and in AstraZeneca in particular,' she told the SMH.

'We've all been out advocating vaccination. But I don't think we've said enough about why people shouldn't believe a lot of what they read. We shouldn't assume that people understand all of these issues.'

Dr Halton explained it would be 'very hard' to counter the flailing confidence many in the community now had in AstraZeneca as a result of that unchecked information.

The federal health department argued the messaging had always been the same and not changed, which was to only gather information from credible sources.

Despite public unrest, anti-lockdown and vaccine protests or substantial false claims online, officials in power have failed to definitively rubbish the comments, Dr Coatsworth said

But for Dr Coatsworth, he understands where some of the confusion has come from.

He explained that medical professionals who mightn't necessarily specialise in epidemiology or public health have been known to promote or encourage this discourse - giving anti-vaxxers an 'authoritative' voice to quote.

To those individuals, Dr Coatsworth again initially thought it would do more harm than good 'if we started questioning academic freedom or asking people to stay in their swim lane'.

But now Dr Coatsworth, who is working as the executive director of medical services at Canberra Health Services, is doing everything in his power to drown out the misleading voices.
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The last British tourists out of Cancun have been spotted landing at Gatwick with just an hour to spare before the Mexico is placed on the UK's red list forcing them to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.

Holidaymakers were seen at the airport after booking one of the few remaining airline seats to the UK before this morning's deadline.

And romantic husband Luke McGovern went the extra mile as he picked up his wife Lupita from the airport with a large bouquet of roses at 3am.

The returning passengers spoke of their anger at having to spend thousands of pounds to flee the country in a 'panic'.

Romantic husband Luke McGovern went the extra mile as he picked up his wife Lupita from the airport with a large bouquet of roses at 3am

Mr McGovern came to Gatwick to pick up his wife Lupita after she managed to make it back to the UK from Cancun before Mexico was placed on the red list

Holidaymakers were seen at the airport after booking one of the few remaining airline seats to the UK before this morning's deadline

One holidaymaker embraces a loved one as she arrived back at Gatwick from Cancun

The returning passengers spoke of their anger at having to spend thousands of pounds to flee the country in a 'panic'

Clutching a Sombero hat as a memento of her visit Zoe Evans said she was 'absolutely gutted' at having to end her holiday to make sure she would not have to spend ten days at an airport hotel in self isolation.

With her son Daniel, 28, and his girlfriend, they had paid 2,100 to make sure they were on one of the last British Airways flights back to Gatwick Airport.

'When we tried to book the flight home the price was an extra 500 and then suddenly it went up to more than a 1,000 each, said Zoe, 50.

'We were able to get three tickets for 700 each. We only lost one day of our holiday but I could not afford to spend 10 days in an hotel in quarantine as I have business to run.

Zoe Evans holiday with son Daniel and his girlfriend Elena Alberghini was cut short by one day (pictured wearing sombreros in Gatwick airport)

'It was a real panic to get on the flight as I knew I could not afford to miss another ten days of work.'

Elena Aberghini, 26, said she had been sad to end her holiday early and said there had been an anxious wait to see if they could get on the British Airways flight.

'It was touch and go if we could get a ticket. The price kept on going up all the time.'

Advertising executive Peter Howlett, 53, cut short his planned five week stay in Mexico to spend time with his wife Ivonne's family.

He said:' We had intended to spend five weeks in Mexico, but had only been there two weeks when we heard the announcement that it was on the red list

'Like many others I had to re-book the tickets. It just seems incredible that people have been given three days notice to get out of the country. I had to get back as I have to work and could not afford to spend my time in a hotel in quarantine.'

Peter, from Herne Hill, south London, said many others of BA2022 from Cancun had similar tales of a mad rush to make sure they could secure a flight home.

Peter Howlett, 53, cut short his planned five week stay in Mexico to spend time with his wife Ivonne's family. Pictured: Peter, wife Ivonne and their daughter

Many had cut short dream trips to the popular tourist destination of Cancun and spoke of the 'panic' to try and book one of the few remaining airline seats to the UK before Sunday's 4am deadline. Pictured: People arrive back to the UK at Gatwick airport from Mexico

Students William Coatman and his girlfriend Demee Elliott paid 2,000 to guarantee a ticket on the BA flight.

'I think everyone who has had to come home is angry, It just seems so unnecessary and there did not need to be the panic that was caused.

'We had been travelling around Mexico for six weeks, We were due to fly back on Thursday, but cannot afford to pay over 2,000 for a stay in a hotel here in the UK.

'Luckily we had managed to get most of our trip completed, but I'm not happy at having to pay out all that money to come home early.'

Other passengers were scathing of the Government's decision to put Mexico on the red list over fears of the spread of the virus.

'It just makes me so angry,' said a holidaymaker in her 50s.

Holidaymakers embraced other as they arrived back in the UK from their trip to Mexico and spoke of their anger at having to spend thousands of pounds to flee the country

Students William Coatman and his girlfriend Demee Elliott (pictured) paid 2,000 to guarantee a ticket on the BA flight

'I just don't get it why Mexico has been singled out. Everyone we spoke to, all the taxi drivers, have been vaccinated. I felt very safe.

'There just does not seem to be any reason why Mexico had suddenly gone on the red list. It is a bit like the decision to stop people travelling to France by making them isolate when they came back.

'Why did they have to give just a few days' notice. If they had said there is a week to return it would have made it much simpler.'

An estimated 5,000 British holidaymakers are thought to be in Mexico, with the resort of Cancun a favoured destination.

British Airways has scheduled extra flights to bring home holidaymakers before the 4am deadline on Sunday.

There are two remaining flights out of Mexico - one at 2.25am from Mexico City and another at 3.05am from Cancun.

One flight that was due to land past the 4am deadline has had it landing time brought forward so it touches down at Gatwick 55 minutes before travellers have to comply with the red list rules.

An estimated 5,000 British holidaymakers are thought to be in Mexico, with the resort of Cancun a favoured destination. Pictured: Holidaymakers enter Gatwick Airport after landing from Mexico

One flight that was due to land past the 4am deadline has had it landing time brought forward so it touches down at Gatwick 55 minutes before travellers have to comply with the red list rules. Pictured: Arrivals from Mexico in Gatwick today

The BA flight arriving at Gatwick was a scheduled service and was packed with every seat taken, according to passengers.

One said:' There were many on the flight who had already been booked to leave, but there were others just relived to be getting out.

'People were swapping stories and I was told there was one couple who had only been in Mexico about two days when they decided to leave.

'It is crazy, and I don't know how the Government get away with messing people around so much. They really do not want anyone to go on holiday.

A businessman who gave his name as Foud said he had paid 1,000 to leave Cancun and return to his home in London.

A businessman who gave his name as Foud (pictured) said he had paid 1,000 to leave Cancun and return to his home in London

The BA flight arriving at Gatwick was a scheduled service and was packed with every seat taken, according to passengers. Pictured: Arrivals from Mexico in Gatwick Airport today

'I had originally planned to fly back through Canada, but then a seat came up on the BA flight so I decided to pay the 1,000 for the ticket.

'I cannot afford to be off work for 10 days and the thought of staying in a hotel with the rubbish food did not appeal to me.'

Foud, who works in investment, said he had cut his holiday short by two days.

'I just don't get it. I'm double jabbed and so were most people I met in Mexico, What is the problem,? Are we ever going to get back to normal and just live with the virus or keep on running away all the time.'

Mother of two Alice Langmead said she was relieved to have left Cancun as the thought of spending two weeks in an airport hotel with her two children filled her with dread.

'I have seen the stories and seen pictures of the food, and I could just not stand that. I think it us cruel to be forced to stay in a hotel room for 10 days when they could easily just get people to stay at home and get tested every day,

Mother of two Alice Langmead said she was relieved to have left Cancun as the thought of spending two weeks in an airport hotel with her two children filled her with dread. Pictured: Arrivals from Mexico in Gatwick Airport today

'It makes me so angry that people are still having their lives disrupted so much.

British Airways has slashed ticket prices from Mexico to London to just 257 as thousands of Britons are scrambling to get home before 4am on Sunday to avoid a ten-day stay in a UK quarantine hotel costing 1,750 per person.

The airline has cut the prices of two flights landing at London Gatwick at 12.35am and 3.05am on Sunday, just hours before the 4am deadline, to a mere 257 'rescue fare' amid the rush for Britons to return home.

Around 6,000 panicked British holidaymakers scrambling to get home before 4am on Sunday, when Mexico will be placed on the red list, to avoid a ten-day stay in a UK quarantine hotel costing 1,750 per person.

To make matters worse, the cost of hotel quarantine will increase from August 12, with the price for single adult travellers rising from 1,750 to 2,285 and a second adult paying 1,430  more than double the current rate of 650.

British Airways slashed the prices of their tickets from Mexico to London to just 257 as thousands of Britons are scrambling to get home before 4am on Sunday. The flights are advertised at 95 ($140), totalling 257 with tax added at checkout

As well as slashing the costs of the flights arriving in on Sunday morning, British Airways raised the costs of other available flights from 800 to around 1,000 while rebooking existing customers. Pictured: Passengers arrive at Heathrow on Friday

The decision to place Mexico on the red list also reflects worries about a new variant which originated in Colombia and which has concerned British scientists.

On the British Airways website, the two last Saturday night flights are advertised at just 95, with this cost rising to a total of 257 after tax is added, a considerable discount from the usual 800 fares.

A source told MailOnline: 'We want to help other people who are stranded so rolled out a rescue fare.'

As well as slashing the costs of the flights arriving in the early hours of Sunday morning, British Airways also raised the costs of other available flights from 800 to around 1,000 while rebooking existing customers.

Before cutting the costs, the airline raised the flight prices to make sure the customer service teams could rebook existing passengers free of charge, without the seats being snatched up by other eager travellers looking for a bargain trip.

The British Airways flight from Cancun arriving in Gatwick at 3.05am was originally due to land at 9am on Sunday, after the 4am deadline, but the airline altered the arrival time in a bid to get customers home before the cut-off time.

Around 6,000 UK holidaymakers are scrambling to get home before 4am on Sunday, when Mexico will be placed on the red list, to avoid a ten-day stay in a quarantine hotel costing 1,750 per person. Pictured: Passengers arrive at Heathrow on Friday

A spokesperson for British Airways said: 'We have kept our prices on rescue flights from Cancun to London higher than usual over the last day or two, to allow our customer service teams time to prioritise and re-book as many of our existing British Airways and BA Holidays customers free of charge, as possible.

'We still have two flights scheduled to land into Gatwick tomorrow which are timed to arrive before the Government's 4am deadline and there are some seats available.

'We would like to now help as many Britons as possible to get home to the UK, so we have introduced an emergency 'rescue fare' dropped to the lowest possible price to cover our costs.

'Our remaining seats are now selling on our website for $358 (equivalent to 257 approximately).'

Meanwhile, a nurse today revealed how her dream 8,000 holiday to Cancun turned to disaster as she landed in Mexico after other panicked passengers told her the Government had decided to turn the country red as they crossed the Atlantic.

Speaking from Cancun, where she is with her family, Mrs Dean told Good Morning Britain: 'There was nothing to suggest that Mexico would be going on the red list and we found out after a really long flight from other passengers. It was complete devastation'.

The airline has cut the prices of two flights landing at London Gatwick at 12.35am and 3.05am on Sunday, just hours before the 4am deadline, to a mere 257 'rescue fare' amid the rush for Britons to return home (stock image)

When asked if she had taken the risk to go abroad on holiday she said: 'I understand, but we've had this holiday booked for over a year and have been keeping an eye on the situation daily in terms of cases. Yes we could have gone closer to home but this was our dream holiday and there was nothing to suggest this would happen'. Her young son Jack said: 'I was in complete shock. Before that I was really excited'.

Aaron Stewart, from Glasgow, is in Mexico City with his wife and newborn baby until August 20 - but says the rule change means he is stuck. Mr Stewart, a self-employed networking engineer, told the i newspaper: 'It's time that I can't take off work because it's going to cost me much more than that figure. I might have to pay clients back, and I'm talking about 10,000 here. Or I just hang out in Mexico and hope that the restrictions might be lifted.'

He added: 'The whole thing's absolutely ridiculous and I am so bitterly angry because there's no logic in this whatsoever'.

British Airways said its teams had been 'working through the night to arrange as many additional seats out of Mexico as possible to help get Britons home'. But there is unlikely to be enough seats for all those desperate to return as is the case of trust officer Claudia Rattray.

Mrs Rattray, 44, told of 'shock and devastation' after landing in Mexico to discover the country had been placed on the red list while she was flying.

She and her daughters Ivanna, 15, and Summer, 14, had travelled from their home in Jersey in order to visit family. She said: 'My husband spoke to British Airways to see if we were able to get flights for tonight or tomorrow... and there's no seats available, nothing.'

Rebecca Dean and her family are among the thousands of British holidaymakers now scrambling to get home before 4am on Sunday to avoid a ten-day stay in a UK quarantine hotel

Pictured: Claudia Rattray talks to BBC via video alongside her daughters. Claudia and her two daughters arrived in Mexico city today to learn the country had been upgraded to the red list

Ayo Faley (left), a call handler of NHS Test and Trace in London, arrived in Cancun, Mexico, on Thursday morning for her holiday, and plans to continue her trip as planned and pay for quarantine when she returns to the UK. Aaron (right) is relocating his family to Edinburgh in late August and will now have to pay for them all to quarantine on arrival

Covid test centers are seen around the Mexican resorts of Tulum and Cancun as the UK is set to place the country on its red list from Sunday.

Welcome home: Families reunited at Heathrow today as thousands race home to the UK to beat Sunday's 4am deadline after which they would be forced to stay for 10 days in a quarantine hotel at a cost of up to 2,285

Thousands of British holidaymakers in Mexico are scrambling to get home after travel restrictions changed at short notice.

From 4am on Sunday, those returning home from Mexico will have to quarantine in a designated hotel for ten days.

UK delayed asking EU to accept NHS vaccine passport app By DAILY MAIL REPORTER UK tourists may face further travel issues in Europe this summer after officials waited until last week to ask the EU to accept the NHS vaccine passport app. UK diplomats in Brussels have been briefing for weeks that both sides were edging closer to a deal. But senior European Commission sources said that Britain only formally applied for the app to be recognised across the 27-member bloc on July 28. 'It should take a few weeks for the process to be completed, but I have no crystal ball,' said one EU official. A British government spokesman refused to deny the July 28 date. EU certificates are not automatically available to UK nationals due to Brexit. A deal with the EU executive would legally oblige all 27 EU countries to recognise the NHS Covid app, with Britain accepting the EU's digital Covid certificate in return. The UK Government said there were 'constructive technical talks between our experts and the EU' before the application. Advertisement

The cost of a flight back to Britain was being sold for between 2,000 and 4,000 yesterday as many tried to beat the deadline. There are between 5,000 and 6,000 British holidaymakers in Mexico currently.

In a further blow, the cost of hotel quarantine will increase from August 12, with the price for single adult travellers rising from 1,750 to 2,285 and a second adult paying 1,430  more than double the current rate of 650.

One couple have been forced to cut their honeymoon from two weeks to two days.

Student Joe Coward, 29, said: 'We feel... incredibly sad and frustrated that the time that should've been spent enjoying being newlyweds has been ruined.'

NHS worker Ayo Faley, 24, also only discovered she had just three days left to return home to avoid quarantine after landing in Cancun yesterday.

She said she was 'absolutely distraught' but plans to complete her holiday. She asked: 'How are [the Government] planning to help individuals who have found themselves in a situation like this?'

Claire, 30, from south London, said: 'I had access to the Wifi so I found out in mid air.

'I just wanted to grab the tannoy and tell everyone because I could see all these families looking forward to their holiday and it was obvious they didn't know.

'It's crazy the lack of notice. I had no inkling Mexico was about to go on the red list.'

Another tweeted: 'Landing in Mexico to find out it's been added to the red list whilst I was up in the air, has got to be one of the worst things I've ever experienced.'

Father-of-two David Hing, 40, arrived in Mexico with his wife and children aged four and seven on July 31. They were supposed to stay until August 21 - five days before the travel list is looked at again.

Mr Hing told MailOnline: 'We knew the risks and while at the moment it seems like a bad dream and is very stressful and I've been up all night looking at alternative options, we are just going to try to enjoy the holiday.

'It broke my heart when my two little ones said they wanted to stay on holiday and would lend us money if we needed it.

'The notice period doesn't really give long enough to make changes especially when it's hard to get through and talk to anyone at the airlines.

The slog back home: Grant Shapps said up to 6,000 Britons are currently in Mexico, after ministers warned they would place the country onto its travel red-list at 4am on Sunday.

Those who have received both doses have unrestricted entry - meaning they do not have to quarantine or provide a negative test result - when travelling to Germany, France, Spain, Latvia, Romania and Georgia. But those who are not double-jabbed are still subject to some regulations upon arrival and, in the cases of Germany and Slovakia, can be denied entry

The price of the only direct flight from Mexico City to London before Mexico moves to the red list has soared to a staggering 6,878





'The images of the food and hotels do not seem like they are worth the cost so that's why we are going to try and fly back somewhere else first. I feel sorry for the people who were already on the flight from the UK and hope they can make alternative arrangements.'

A young couple cut short their honeymoon in Mexico from two weeks to two days, after they discovered the new restrictions upon landing in Mexico early on Thursday morning.

Joe Coward, 29, said: 'Basically we touched down to find that our two-week honeymoon, which had already been rearranged several times, was going to be a two-day visit. We've arranged a flight for tomorrow and will be spending today getting ready to turn right around and go home.'

Mexico is in the grip of a third wave of Covid and on Wednesday another 611 deaths were reported  taking the total number of deaths due to the virus to 242,547.

Another 611 deaths were also reported and the country has recorded a total of 2,901,094 infections and 242,547 deaths.

The government has said the real number of cases is likely significantly higher, and separate data published recently suggested the actual death toll is at least 60% above the confirmed figure.

Seven European countries: Austria, Germany , Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia will turn green from Sunday 4am.

India , Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will switch from red to amber, meaning arrivals from those countries will no longer have to spend 11 nights at pricey quarantine hotels;

But Mexico, Georgia and the French overseas territories of La Reunion and Mayotte are joining the red list. Up to 6,000 Brits are on holiday in Mexico and now scrambling to get back this weekend to avoid quarantine hotels - with not enough seats to get them home;

Hotel quarantine costs are to soar to more than 200 a night from a week today. From next Thursday, the price will jump to 2,285 for a single person. Additional adults and teenagers will be charged 1,430  more than double the current 650 rate;

The decision to place Mexico on the red list also reflects worries about a new variant which originated in Colombia and which has concerned British scientists.

Passengers arriving from Mexico City at Heathrow Terminal 5 today slammed the new rules.

Leidy Corrales, 35, a dental assistant, who was travelling back to Switzerland from Playa de Carmen in Mexico, said: 'I'm travelling back to Geneva with my two children Joshua and Carla and my husband.

'Putting Mexico on the red list is not logical because when you go there, everything is normal, they are taking all the same protections - masks, hand sanitisation and social distancing.

'The quarantine costs are just unreasonable - I think when people go on holiday, they should just have to do two tests and only quarantine if it's positive.

'Mexico is a tourist hotspot and people here like going to hot places, but the government doesn't want people to go on holiday, they want to control them.

'It's like a dictatorship of security in a democracy, because they keep changing the rules and no-one can afford that.'

Her husband Denys added: 'We're so happy to have been able to enjoy our holiday without having to pay for a hotel on the way back, thank God.'

Changing travel rules: What you need to know There have been more changes to the rules for international travel, with some popular destinations climbing the ladder to the green list and others sliding down on to the red. The Government has also hiked the price of hotel quarantine, meaning a trip to a red list country is a pricey affair. Here is the state of play for your summer holidays. Is there any good news? Seven countries will be added to England's green travel list from 4am on Sunday, the Government announced on Wednesday. Anyone returning from Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway will no longer need to quarantine on arrival. France has also lost its confusing 'amber plus' status, which meant all travellers and not just those who are not fully vaccinated had to self-isolate for 10 days upon return. Our nearest neighbour had been in a category all by itself because of concerning levels of the beta variant of Covid-19 there. Is that it? Sadly yes, but it just got slightly easier to visit India, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as they have been downgraded from the red to the amber list, meaning arrivals will no longer have to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel. There are currently 24 countries on the green list, including the popular holiday destinations of Barbados, Croatia and Malta - unfortunately 16 of these are on the 'green watch list' meaning they could be suddenly be shunted up to amber. Australia and New Zealand are both unambiguously green - unfortunately neither are welcoming British travellers at the moment. Has anyone joined the red list? Yes - Mexico, Georgia and the French overseas territories of La Reunion and Mayotte are joining the red list. If you have a holiday to one of those destinations already booked and want to press ahead, bear in mind the cost for solo travellers in a quarantine hotel in England will be ramped up from 1,750 to 2,285 from August 12. The charge for an additional adult sharing a room will more than double from 650 to 1,430 to 'better reflect the increased costs involved', the Government said. Is my trip to Spain safe? There were fears in the travel industry that Spain - the most popular overseas destination for UK holidaymakers - could be added to England's red list. The Government announced it would keep its amber status, but urged travellers arriving in the UK from Spain to take a PCR test for the mandatory pre-departure test 'as a precaution against the increased prevalence of the virus and variants in the country'. Many travellers have been relying on the cheaper lateral flow test kits which are less reliable than PCRs. Things keep changing - what do I have to do when I get home again? There are different rules for countries on the red, amber and green lists that also differ according to a traveller's vaccination status. Passengers to England returning from a red list country must have proof of a negative Covid-19 test before departure and must book a hotel quarantine package including two Covid-19 tests even if they have had both jabs. They must also complete a passenger locator form. If you have come from an amber list country, you need proof of a negative test before travel and those who are not fully vaccinated must self-isolate 10 days upon arrival and take a PCR test on day two and day eight. You might be able to get out of quarantine early if you pay for a private PCR test to be taken on day five under the Test to Release scheme. Those with two vaccines only need to take a PCR test on day two of their arrival and can skip self-isolation - the same rules apply to those who are under the age of 18 regardless of their vaccination status. Anyone returning from a green list country need only have proof of a negative Covid-19 test before travel, fill in a passenger locator form and take a test on day two after arrival. Do these changes apply elsewhere in the UK? The devolved nations have control over their own amber, red and green lists of countries as well as the rules around quarantine upon return, and the recent changes have attracted criticism from some quarters. The Welsh Government is still advising against 'all but essential' travel abroad, and those who have been to a red list country cannot even enter until they have completed 10 days of quarantine in England or Scotland first. In a statement, a spokesman for the Welsh Government said: 'We have long called for a clearer system of rules regarding international travel. 'The ad-hoc nature of the decisions made by the UK Government on the issue does little to instil confidence or provide clarity for travellers. 'We continue to advise against all but essential travel abroad because of the continuing risk of infection, including with new variants of coronavirus which may not respond to our vaccines. 'We will consider the latest changes announced by the UK Government.' Advertisement

Amy Perez, 39, a marketing director from Putney, south west London, who has been travelling around Mexico with her family, said: 'It's inconvenient and expensive and there seems to be an entire industry surrounding Covid testing.

'We were on holiday for two weeks and are really chuffed that we don't have to quarantine for 10 days.

'We would have been locked up in a hotel with these two little monsters - Maxi, 18 months, and Emilia, who just turned four yesterday.'

Her husband Jorge said: 'The government wants people to get vaccinated, but then people don't see the benefits.

'It would have made more sense for us to take the fine rather than shell out thousands of pounds, not be able to work and be locked up with our children.'

Alejandro Seama, 42, a filmmaker from London, said: 'I think it's terrible and stupid, because it seems they just want rich people to be able travel.

'Look at my dad, he's 72, he's been double vaccinated, he's absolutely fine, but for some reason they don't accept his vaccines here.

'I had to spend 600 on mandatory Covid tests just to get my parents here.

'If the rules had already changed, they would not have been able to visit and I would have never left.

'I had no clue that Mexico was going on the red list, but thank God we came back today.'

Returning from Mexico after the deadline will see Britons face a steep hotel quarantine bill after the government raised the price to 'reflect increased costs involved'.

A single person will have to stump up 2,285 from next Thursday during their isolation - while additional adults and teenagers will be charged 1,430  more than double the current 650 rate.

The price for children aged five to 12 will remain at 325, while under-fives will continue to stay for free.

It means that, for a family of four with two teenage children, the cost will jump from 3,700 to a staggering 6,575  a rise of 78 per cent.

Mr Coward said if the couple do not receive a refund from British Airways for their holiday, based near Cancun, they will be 'several thousand pounds out of pocket'.

He said staying is not an option due to the cost of quarantine hotels - which from August 12 will rise to 2,285 for a solo traveller, plus an extra 1,430 for additional adults sharing a room.

Ayo Faley, a call handler for NHS Test and Trace in London, also landed in Cancun on Thursday morning but she plans to stay for her holiday as planned and pay for quarantine.

She is returning on August 11 so will pay the lower rate of 1,750, but said she is 'absolutely distraught'.

The 24-year-old said: 'I only found out (travel restrictions had changed) the minute I was able to connect to wifi at the airport... I went into a state of panic.

'(I tried) to locate other Brits and see whether they knew and what their next plan of action was... you could see the look of confusion, fear and regret all in their faces.

'I am absolutely distraught... I've decided to just stay and enjoy the time here... I'll just have to face the consequences when I arrive.'

Ms Faley works from home and had planned to do so on her return from Cancun, but said she will not be able to access her equipment in quarantine.

She added: 'How are (the Government) planning to help individuals who have found themselves in a situation like this?

'Leaving the UK thinking their country of destination was safe to then land and find out they better return ASAP or risk being stuck in a hotel for 11 days.'

Aaron, who did not wish to share his second name, is relocating his family to Edinburgh in late August and will now have to pay for them all to quarantine on arrival.

The 43-year-old arrived in Mexico in early July to witness the birth of his son, Aviv, and his wife, who is from Sinaloa, had her UK visa approved on July 28.

'(Aviv) was due to be born July by C-section, but they brought the date forward, so I arrived in the airport at 3am and just made it to the hospital before my wife went to surgery,' Aaron told PA.

Aaron is a self-employed data and audiovisual engineer and said he 'can't quantify' how much quarantining will cost his business.

'I have previously taken out a bounce-back loan to keep my business afloat,' he added.

'I have no idea why I should have to pay to isolate in a hotel when I've had both (Astrazeneca) vaccinations in Edinburgh, proof of vaccination, took a test on my way here and will take one on arrival in Scotland.'

James Dean, 38, from Bournemouth had already spent 8,000 on a fortnight in Cancun with wife Rebecca and their four children Lilly, 16, Jack, 13, Isabella, nine, and Fred, six.

The office manager told the Mirror: 'That has just shocked me. I'm gutted to be honest.

'I'm going have to pay for us all to go in to quarantine as well. I'm still digesting it. I'm just gobsmacked.'

John Soones, 62, from south west London, was travelling to Mexico with his wife and their 18 year old daughter.

He said: 'It's just incredible. It's terrible to get no notice that this is likely to happen and no time to change plans.'

In more positive news, it was announced that double-jabbed tourists returning from France will be spared quarantine from Sunday and seven European countries including Germany and Norway were added to the green list of destinations.

Spain has also been spared being given red status - potentially forcing thousands into 2,285-a-stay quarantine hotels - but the Government is urging travellers to take a PCR test before they fly home from the Iberian country.

Grant Shapps said today that people can travel without 'looking over their shoulders' for the next three weeks as countries will not move lists 'unless something exceptional and unexpected happens'. But the Transport Secretary added that full vaccination for travel will be a feature for Britons 'forever more' and admitted that countries could turn red again by the end of the month.

Tens of thousands more Britons are now expected to head to France for August - although tourism chiefs have warned millions more Frenchmen are staying in the country this summer so there is serious a lack of accommodation if the traveller is without a second home.

There is a particular shortage of gites, camp sites and hotel rooms in the south of the country, especially near beach resorts such as Biarritz, Narbonne, Ile de Re and Saint-Tropez, while experts have said there are much larger numbers of tourists from Holland, Belgium and Germany in the country this year.

Austria, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia will all move to the quarantine-free tier at the end of the weekend, in a huge boost for those looking to book a late summer getaway on the continent.

But while there is no quarantine people will still have to take a negative test before returning and a PCR test on day two back in the UK.

Meanwhile, the status of India, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will switch from red to amber, meaning arrivals from those countries will no longer have to spend 11 nights at pricey quarantine hotels.

While Spain avoided joining them, those flying back will soon face higher testing costs after ministers urged holidaymakers to take a PCR for the mandatory pre-departure test, rather than the cheaper lateral flow alternatives, 'as a precaution against the increased prevalence of the virus and variants in the country'.

Queues at St Pancras International this morning as France was opened up both ways for British tourists and people jumped on the Eurostar

Not wearing a face mask on the Tube should be a CRIMINAL offence says Sadiq Khan Sadiq Khan has said that failing to wear a face mask on the Tube should become a criminal offence. The London Mayor has been pushing the the government to allow Transport for London (TfL) to impose a by-law requiring face coverings on the capital's transport network. Since the easing of restrictions on July 19 'Freedom Day', passengers have only been required to wear a covering as a 'condition of carriage' rather than a legal requirement. This means TfL staff can tell non-compliant customers to leave a bus or train but are powerless to impose fines. But Mr Khan now wants a bye-law put in place to effectively bring back the rule that was dropped on July 19. The rule change would also mean British Transport Police officers could be used to enforce it. Speaking to the BBC's Newscast podcast Mr Khan said: 'We are trying to lobby the Government to allow us to bring in a bye-law, so it will be the law again, so we can issue fixed penalty notices and we can use the police service and BTP to enforce this.' Advertisement

With the guidance being advice, rather than law, many travellers may feel entitled to refuse to take the gold-standard test, which can cost as much as 175 per person.

French tourism chiefs have welcomed the news that Britons can more freely come and go from Sunday - especially because Britons are by far the biggest spenders in the country but only around ten per cent of the usual number of UK tourists are in the country this summer.

But in the past month Mr Macron has enforced a 'high alert' covid-19 level hit in 37 departments in France because of rising cases of the Delta variant and increasingly busy hospitals.

In Occitanie, in south-west France, a 'white' alert has been imposed meaning medics on holiday can be forced to return to work because of increasingly packed covid wards.

Changes to the traffic light system are a 'positive step forward' but the Government needs to make faster progress in opening up international travel, industry experts have warned.

Four countries are being removed from England's red list as part of the latest update to the international travel system, while seven more, including Germany are being added to the green list.

It has also been confirmed that arrivals from France will no longer need to self-isolate, aligning the nation with other countries on the amber list, from which arrivals only need to quarantine at home if they are not fully vaccinated.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have followed England in introducing the same travel relaxations.

However, the changes have attracted criticism from the Welsh Government which has continued to advise against 'all but essential' travel.

Confirmation that France is joining the amber list is 'positive' especially during the 'critical' school holiday period, said Mark Tanzer, head of Abta, the travel association.

But he warned the Government is 'failing to capitalise fully on the success of the vaccine rollout' with a 'very cautious' approach to the green list and 'failure to relax restrictions on travel, including requirements for multiple tests even when visiting low risk destinations.'

Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said the extension of the green list is 'a positive step forward' but warned that the UK remains 'a long way off a full and meaningful restart of international travel'.

Tim Alderslade, boss of Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, described the announcement as 'another missed opportunity'.

Covid cases in the UK and France look set to pass each other in the coming days as a wave of delta cases in Britain drops while it is on the rise across the Channel

He added that the travel industry has not had 'anything like the reopening it was hoping for'.

Meanwhile, Rory Boland, travel editor at Which?, welcomed the addition of more green list countries, but warned that the constant chopping and changing would cause further disruption for many.

'The cost for travellers can be significant,' he said. 'Some holidaymakers whose countries have now been placed in the red category will find that their airline or tour operator is unwilling to give them a refund. Other providers won't refund or even facilitate rebooking if a country is moved from green to amber.'

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'While there's some welcome progress, the Government is still being too cautious at a time when they should be opening up travel faster to help the sector's recovery.'

Johan Lundgren, chief executive of easyJet, said: 'Now summer is fully under way, this provides some reassurance to consumers by keeping the status quo for key holiday destinations, as well as adding some Green list destinations for last-minute bookers where there are still great flight and holiday deals available.

'But we remain disappointed at the double standards applied to travel versus the domestic economy. With infection rates remaining lower in much of Europe and the high vaccination levels in the UK, if not now, it is hard to know when the time is for much of Europe to genuinely turn Green.

'And Government urgently needs to tackle this expensive testing regime which is adding unnecessary cost, especially for the fully vaccinated. No one wants to see flying become a preserve of the rich again - particularly when so many need to get away or reunite after such a long time.'
Pawel Klosowski, 46, (pictured) will appeal the life sentence he was handed for killing his son and the teenager's girlfriend

A father who shot his own son before turning the gun on the teenager's beloved girlfriend will have the opportunity to argue for an earlier release from prison.

Pawel Klosowski was handed a 34-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Lukasz Klosowski and Chelsea Ireland, both 19, on his property at Mount McIntyre, south-east South Australia, in August last year.

The 46-year-old faced the Supreme Court in April this year and was ordered to serve 34 years without parole by Justice Anne Bampton.

He will be 80 years old by the time he is eligible for parole.

In documents viewed by The Advertiser and filed by Klosowski's lawyer Nick Vadasz, it was revealed the killer will argue the non-parole period is 'manifestly excessive'.

Klosowki will also dispute the starting point in all circumstances was too high and the reduction of 15 per cent for a guilty plea was too low.

Pictured: Lukasz Klosowski and Chelsea Ireland, both 19, before they were shot dead at a family home

Commissioner for Victims' Rights Bronwyn Killmier said the decision to contest the double murder charge came as a slap in the face to the victims' families.

'It will just exacerbate their trauma that they would already feel,' Ms Killmier said, adding Klosowski should take responsibility by accepting the sentence.

In previous submissions, Klosowski admitted he could not explain his actions amid an alcohol-fuelled argument over the dinner table, during which time he drank a carton of beer and reduced his teenage son to tears.

In a medical report at the time of his sentencing neuropsychologist Dr Emma Fitzgerald said the convicted killer had a history of angry outbursts.

Dr Fitzgerald also said the 46-year-old had trouble recalling what happened during the fiery flare-ups.

Before she was gunned down in a double murder at a rural farm in southeast South Australia, Chelsea Ireland lived her life putting others before herself

'It is respectfully submitted that the reduction, taking into account the timing and circumstances together with the genuine remorse and in all the circumstances, going to mitigation, was manifestly inadequate,' the defendant wrote.

'Further, the cumulative effect of a too high starting point and a too low reduction has caused the sentencing process to miscarry and has resulted in a manifestly excessive non-parole period.'

A medical report stated Pawel Klosowski (pictured) had a history of angry outbursts

The Department of Public Prosecutions has countered the submission and said neither aspect of their argument was plausible.

'A non parole period of 34 years imprisonment (reduced from 40 years) and a generous discount of 15 per cent appropriately reflects the nature of the applicant's offending,' they wrote.

The department said Klososki's offending 'rightly calls for strong community condemnation' adding the brutal slaying of the young couple continues to have a profound impact on their family and friends.

The court previously heard that Ms Ireland did not want to go to the family barbecue at Klosowski's home on the ill-fated evening, but went to support her boyfriend.

She messaged friends at one stage to say the evening had 'gone to s**t and that her boyfriend had been crying, according to news.com.au.

Klosowski's wife Magda Pearce told the teenage girl that her husband was 'pi**ed as f**k', which was a weekly occurrence.

Pictured: Magda Pearce, mother of Lukasz Klosowski, leaves the Adelaide Supreme Court in Adelaide on April 1

Pictured: Friends of the victims arrive at the Adelaide Supreme Court in Adelaide on April 1

After the father and son got into an argument, Klosowski asked for his gun.

Lukasz was shot first in a bedroom, before Klosowski reloaded his gun and fired at the locked bathroom door where Ms Ireland had hidden and called triple zero.

A second shot, delivered at close range, killed her with her body found in the bath.

In a short apology read to the court, Klosowski said he thought about what he had done every day.

'I acted like a monster. The world would be a better place if I had shot myself instead,' he said.

'They were two wonderful people who were clearly destined to live happy  I destroyed the lives of their family and many other people.'

But prosecutor Kos Lesses said the apology was 'too little, too late'.

Mr Lesses said the shootings followed a row between Klosowski and his son after the teenager had indicated his intention to move out of his mother's house.

Pictured: Chelsea Ireland's sister Maddie (left) and Lukasz Klosowski's mother Magda Pearce outside the Adelaide Supreme Court in Adelaide on April 1

Pictured: Lukasz was farewelled at an intimate funeral as flowers and a photograph of him was laid on his coffin

The Ireland family previously described Chelsea and Lukasz (pictured) as great mates who had 'just bonded'

'The offending came about due to the insulting of the defendant's pride,' the prosecutor said.

'And it was fuelled by the combination of two fatal causes, anger and alcohol.'

Justice Brampton detailed how the argument had escalated with the killer berating his son at one stage for crying like a 'little baby'.

She said affronted by perceived disrespect from his son and Ms Ireland, Klosowski's behaviour escalated becoming irrational, reactive and ultimately violent.

'Your conduct was deliberate and purposeful,' she told him.

Pictured: Lukasz Klosowski, Maddie Ireland and Chelsea Ireland. Maddie posted the image on Facebook with the caption 'my guardian angels'

Because of his early guilty pleas, Klosowski was entitled to up to a 40 per cent discount on his non-parole period but Mr Lesses asked for any reduction to be significantly curtailed.

In September, Ms Ireland's family revealed she was passionate about the environment and determined to 'change the world' after learning of her death.

They remembered the mechanical engineering student as someone who left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

'Chelsea was compassionate, strong, selfless and fearless and continues to make us proud every day,' her father Greg Ireland said.

Greg and Debra Ireland, who treated Lukasz like a member of the family, recalled the final moment they shared with their daughter - the morning before the tragedy

Pictured front, left to right: Chelsea Ireland's sister Maddie, Lukasz Klosowski's mother Magda Pearce and her partner, Chelsea Ireland's father Greg and mother Debra

'We haven't just lost a daughter, we've lost a best friend. Our hearts will forever remain broken.'

The family said Chelsea and Lukasz were great mates and had 'just bonded'.

Her devastated parents previously recalled the final moment they shared with their daughter - the morning before the tragedy.

'I went in and kissed her goodbye and said''be careful on that road'' and she said ''what do you think Lukasz is going to do? He's not stupid'',' Mrs Ireland previously told The Advertiser.

Mr Ireland also gave his daughter a hug and said he loved her.

When she was just 15 years old, Chelsea watched a YouTube video that inspired her to donate her waist-length brown locks to cancer patients

Mrs Ireland said her daughter had only met the accused killer four times - twice when he took the couple for dinner in Adelaide, and twice in Mount Gambier, near his property.

'I just keep wishing I could have said to her don't go but she was 19, she had travelled Europe on her own. She was street-smart, independent, strong-willed  there was no way I could have held her home, but I just wish I could have,' the mother-of-two said.

Kosowski had barely seen his son since his relationship with Lukasz's mother Magdalena broke down in 2005.

Family friends said Magdalena limited contact between her ex-husband and her son, and later started dating a woman she is still in a relationship with.

Lukasz was studying journalism at the University of South Australia while working at KFC

Chelsea and Lukasz dated for several years and had travelled the world together, exploring his Polish heritage

Kosowski and Lukasz only occasionally crossed paths until recent years when he tried to mend fences after marrying his wife Monica.

However, Kosowski noted his son's absence from numerous family photos with his three stepchildren and called him 'stubborn'.

The Ireland family told the publication they never thought 'tragedies you see in the paper' would happen to them.

Chelsea and Lukasz dated for several years and had travelled the world together, exploring his Polish heritage.

They attended different Adelaide high schools - Lukasz at Christian Brothers College and Chelsea at St Mary's College.

The house on the expansive property off Mount McIntyre Road in Mount McIntyre where Kosowski and his wife live and the shooting took place

Lukasz was studying journalism at the University of South Australia while working at KFC.

His girlfriend was enrolled in mechanical engineering at Adelaide University and working at Baker's Delight.

Defence counsel Nick Vadasz told the court that while Klosowski could not explain his actions on the night he accepted that his intention was to kill.

'The prisoner accepts the horror of his behaviour,' Mr Vadasz said.

Klosowski will front the Court of Appeal via videolink on Tuesday August 10.
A military conflict is 'likely' to erupt over the disputed island of Taiwan in the next five to 10 years as China's military becomes increasingly confident it can fend off a response from western powers like Australia and the US, a panel of Asian foreign policy experts has warned.

President Xi Jinping and other Communist party loyalists have already voiced their ambitions of annexing the democratic US and Japan-backed island, stating there is 'no room for any form of Taiwan independence'.

But a Stanford Professor says such an aggressive play from the belligerent state would '100 per cent' see the US get involved, prompting Australian armed forces to also heed the call of war.

A military conflict is 'likely' to erupt over the disputed island of Taiwan in the next five to 10 years, experts fear. Pictured: Australian Army soldiers conduct urban close combat clearances during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (pictured) has remained staunch in the face of Chinese aggression - with many nations now at loggerheads with the communist superpower

Is Taiwan a country or a part of China? Taiwanese soldiers hoist the flag of Taiwan in Taipei on May 10. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, but many Taiwanese people want the island to be independent China and Taiwan have a long-standing dispute over the island's sovereignty. China considers Taiwan as a part of its territory, more precisely a province, but many Taiwanese want the island to be independent. From 1683 to 1895, Taiwan was ruled by China's Qing dynasty. After Japan claimed its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government forced to cede Taiwan to Japan. The island was under the Republic of China's ruling after World War II, with the consent of its allies the US and UK. The leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 and established his government after losing the Civil War to the Communist Party and its leader Mao Zedong. Chiang's son continued to rule Taiwan after his father and began democratising Taiwan. In 1980, China put forward a formula called 'one country, two systems', under which Taiwan would be given significant autonomy if it accepted Chinese reunification. Taiwan rejected the offer. Taiwan today, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders, is widely accepted in the West as an independent state. But its political status remains unclear. Advertisement

'There is a lot of discussion about what Chinese use of force would look like,' Dr Oriana Skylar Mastro of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University in the US told a panel of Australian experts from La Trobe University.

'A lot of people have argued that the Chinese prefer grey zone, coercion, political warfare, all that type of stuff. And I completely agree  except with Taiwan' said Dr Mastro.

'You're not going to get full political control of Taiwan through those methods.

'The people of Taiwan are not going to voluntarily unify with the Chinese mainland without Chinese boots on the ground on the island.'

That's why Dr Mastro believes a 'full-scale amphibious landing' is imminent in the next six years.

'Some people in Australia have questioned what the US would do - the US is 100 per cent going to fight this war,' she said.

'But the big issue is the balance of power has shifted and the reason they might go for this landing is because they think they could win... even if the US intervenes.'

Shocking disparities between Australia and China's military power shows we would struggle in a war, amid fears that tensions both nations are nearing tipping point

President Xi Jinping and other Communist party loyalists have already voiced their ambitions of annexing the democratic US and Japan-backed island. Pictured: People's Liberation Army tanks are seen in Beijing's Tiananmen Square during a National Day parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China

Pictured: The USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) is seen firing the 5-inch gun for Naval Surface Fire Support during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 in Queensland

Dr Mastro explained that while the US military is 'far superior' it is possible that the People's Liberation Army could move across the 130km strait before the US has time to respond.

Dr Nick Bisley, the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at La Trobe University in Australia said the argument that a conflict could break out in five to 10 years is 'alarmingly compelling'.

'Xi Jinping has made a very public and very clear signal that says Taiwan is not a problem that will be passed down to the next generation,' Professor Bisley said.

'Now, of course, he doesn't have term limits. He'll be there for a long while. We don't know what the exact time frame is. But there does seem to be one.

'So we're not on the precipice of great-power conflict in the way that we were in 1914. But we're a lot closer to that than we were.'

Fellow China watcher Guy Boekenstein, who is a Fellow at the Northern Australia Asia Society, said such a conflict may not be a full-scale traditional war, but tension could quickly boil over with a 'strategic miscalculation' that would almost certainly see Australia get dragged into the conflict to support the US.

Dr Nick Bisley, the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at La Trobe University in Australia said the argument that a conflict could break out in five to 10 years is 'alarmingly compelling'. Pictured: Soldiers perform military exercises at the Academy of Armored Forces Engineering of the PLA on July 22, 2014 in Beijing

China experts believe that if Xi Jinping (left) moves to annex Taiwan, Scott Morrison (right) will back the US and respond with military action

Pictured: Chinese soldiers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) 196th Infantry Brigade hold up targets used for shooting practice during a performance to demonstrate their military skills at their barracks on July 30, 2007 in Yangcun, 100 km east of Beijing, China

The rest of the region is already on edge as China attempts to assert its totalitarian power by ramping up tensions with its neighbours.

It the past few years Beijing has eroding political independence in nearby Hong Kong, carried out a bloody border scuffle against India and continued to terrorise its oppressed Muslim population in Xinjiang by detaining up to a million Uighurs in 're-education camps'.

China also continues to encroach on Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei in the South China Sea as it builds up military islands in contravention of international law.

'If we look realistically at the Australian Defence Force and our ability to project power or defend Australia independently, you know, we shouldn't be kidding ourselves,' Mr Boekenstein said.

'We've got a very small but very capable military. But alliances and partnerships will always fundamentally underpin our defence and security.'

Pictured: A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft takes off from the airstrip at Lake Cargelligo in central west NSW

Taiwan, backed by the US and Japan, has endured a longstanding conflict with Beijing since a separate government was established on the island following the Chinese Civil War in 1949.

Taiwan's residents are more on edge than ever after watching the brutal repression of the independence movement in nearby Hong Kong.

Taiwan has democratically-elected leaders and fiercely opposes reunification and the totalitarian rule of Beijing.

But Communist Party rhetoric is growing more aggressive when it comes to annexing the island.

The island nation remains an important ally of western democratic countries for its close proximity to China and because it produces a significant supply of semiconductor microchips at a time when there is a major global shortage.

Pictured: Royal Australian Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, conduct reconnaissance during Exercise Talisman Sabre 19 at Stanage Bay, Queensland

Pressure is mounting on Australia and fellow 'Quad' members - Japan, India and the US - to keep Beijing's forces at bay as tensions escalate.

Meanwhile Australia's relationship with its biggest trading partner began to drastically deteriorate in April last year when Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of coronavirus, which first appeared in Wuhan at the end of 2019.

The plea for transparency over Covid-19 infuriated the Communist Party who retaliated by imposing arbitrary bans and tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Australian goods including barley, wine, cotton, seafood, beef, copper, and coal.
Brussels has been accused of playing politics with the EU's migrant crisis by refusing to enter talks with the UK on sending back asylum seekers who cross the Channel.

It is believed that EU officials said that the right to arrange asylum lies with the bloc rather than individual member states so will not help Britain send migrants back to France.

A spokesman told the Sunday Telegraph that the post-Brexit agreement with the UK doesn't include 'provisions on asylum and return' and they are not 'considering pursuing further negotiations to complement the agreement'.

And a Conservative source has accused the EU of 'turning a blind eye to people dying' for refusing to negotiate with the UK.

However last month Home Secretary Priti Patel and her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin signed an agreement that both countries support a UK-EU readmission agreement.

As the total number of boat migrants passed 10,500 this year  2,000 more than the 8,417 who arrived in the whole of 2020  sources said that Ministers had held urgent discussions between departments over the 'tracking' systems in place to monitor their movements after they arrive.

A further 1,500 migrants are massing around Calais and Dunkirk waiting for an improvement in the weather before they try to reach Britain.

Hundreds of migrants who arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel on small boats have gone missing after absconding from their hotels, The Mail on Sunday has been told. Pictured: A group of migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent by Border Force, August 5, 2021

A Government source said: 'There is growing consternation across Government about how many are coming here  and where they all are going. Nerves are fraying on this.'

After they arrive here, the migrants are put into hotels, where they are supposed to quarantine for ten days before being processed. Up to 10,000 hotel beds around the country are now taken up by the arrivals, with hotels block-booked by the Home Office until January to house them.

This newspaper revealed last week how dozens of asylum seekers are being housed in a hotel in one of London's most upmarket postcodes where they are allowed to come and go as they please.

Pictured: Migrants who launched from the coast of northern France to cross the English Channel prepare to disembark after being rescued by Britain's Border Force, in Dover, Britain, August 4, 2021. Picture taken August 4, 2021

The Best Western Kensington Olympia, a short walk from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's residence, Kensington Palace, has been closed to paying customers and is putting up 55 migrants  in some cases for up to nine months.

Residents are given key cards to access the building, where the rooms are equipped with wi-fi, air conditioning and flatscreen televisions.

The French government is under growing pressure to set up a joint maritime brigade to turn back the migrants.

As the total number of boat migrants passed 10,500 this year  2,000 more than the 8,417 who arrived in the whole of 2020. Pictured: A line of migrants walk up a beach after coming ashore at Dungeness earlier this week

French President Emmanuel Macron has so far refused British offers of joint sea forces to stop and return migrant boats to France, with his officials claiming that maritime law dictates their vessels can stop the migrants' boats only if they seek help or need rescuing.

The British dispute this, saying the rules of the sea allow the interception of 'illegal' attempts to enter UK waters.

Britain has given France an extra 54 million to double the number of police on beaches to 200 officers and boost surveillance.
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Revellers were given the long-awaited green light to party last night as clubs across Wales threw open their doors for the first time in 16 months.

Eager party-goers across Wales came out in their droves and piled onto dance floors for the first time since March 16 last year.

From Saturday all restrictions on meeting others were removed in Wales and all businesses, including nightclubs, were given the freedom to welcome customers once again.

Revellers were given the long-awaited green light to party last night as clubs across Wales threw open their doors for the first time in nearly 17 months. Pictured: Nightclub-goes gather outside a takeaway after their night out

Long queues for the night club Peppermint in Swansea were seen as hundreds of people were eager to make the most of nightclubs reopening for the first time

From Saturday all restrictions on meeting others were removed in Wales and all businesses, including nightclubs. Pictured: Four young men take their tops off in Swansea

To mark the easing of most restrictions, hundreds of people flocked to the streets in Swansea last night for the opening of nightclubs.

Long queues were forming along Wind Street as people eagerly waited for the doors to open for the first time in over a year.

Some women were seen enjoying a hen do, while others were spotted tucking into a kebab at the end of their night.

The country moved to alert level zero from 6am on Saturday, with First Minister Mark Drakeford welcoming the decision - describing it as a 'big step closer to life'.

Although, while many of the Covid-19 rules have been lifted, Mr Drakeford warned it was not an 'end of restrictions and a free for all' and warned restrictions may be necessary in the autumn or winter.

Face masks will still be mandatory on public transport, health and social care settings as well as in shops.

Some women were seen enjoying a hen do, while others were spotted tucking into a kebab at the end of their night (pictured)

In among all the fun and bustle of nightclubs reopening, one woman was taken away in a wheelchair in Wind Street, Swansea

The country moved to alert level zero from 6am on Saturday, with First Minister Mark Drakeford welcoming the decision - describing it as a 'big step closer to life'. Pictured: Revellers in Swansea on Saturday night

The Welsh government insists individual venues will have to make their own Covid-19 risk assessments which will oblige them to keep in place measures such as ventilation and even social distancing if required to keep staff and customers safe.

As part of the new rules, fully vaccinated people and those under the age of 18 will not be required to socially distance if they have had close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19.

Mr Drakeford announced the relaxing of rules at a press conference on Friday where he revealed 82 per cent of adults in Wales have been double vaccinated while the Covid-19 rate has fallen to 130 cases per 100,000 people.

He said: 'Our high vaccination rates, some of the best in the whole of the world, have helped to weaken the link between coronavirus infection, serious illness and hospitalisation.

'Having reached this important milestone, we now need to carefully monitor the impact of lifting so many restrictions and we therefore do not expect to make any further changes at the next review.'

He warned people: 'Alert level 0 does not mean the end of coronavirus and it very certainly does not mean a free-for-all here in Wales.

Face masks will still be mandatory on public transport, health and social care settings as well as in shops. Pictured: Couples enjoy a night out together in Swansea

Women put on their best outfits to hit the town in Swansea (pictured) for the first time in 16 months as Mark Drakeford gave people the green light to head back to night clubs

Despite all the fun, another woman was seen being taken away from the fun in Swansea in a wheelchair

'We still have people who are clinically vulnerable in our communities and most people in Wales want to go on acting carefully to protect their health and the health of others.'

The changes which come into affect over the weekend will remain in place for six weeks, he said.

Asked if he was concerned about a re-emergence of the virus during the autumn and winter months ahead, Mr Drakeford said people can be confident that Wales is on the 'final lap of emerging from the pandemic', provided further 'unexpected turns' do not happen.

However, he refused to rule out another lockdown, saying: 'Were a new variant to emerge, or the virus take a turn in which vaccination were less effective than we have it today, then inevitably we would have to face the consequences of that and take measures to address it.

'While things remain as they are, while we all go on making the contribution we can, I think we can have some confidence that today's latest steps out of coronavirus put us on that path beyond this and into the future.'

The Welsh government insists individual venues will have to make their own Covid-19 risk assessments which will oblige them to keep in place measures such as ventilation and even social distancing if required. Pictured: Woman checks her phone outside Popworld in Swansea

Groups of young people made the most of their six week window to head out to the clubs in Swansea (pictured) before the easing of restrictions is reviewed

'This is a big step closer to life,' he added.

Pubs and restaurants will now have to decide which measures to keep in place based on their 'individual circumstances', he said.

And the First Minister added: 'They understand they have to give people confidence that if they come to that venue their health and welfare has been thought about in advance.'

The Government will not consider making vaccine passports mandatory for specific venues for some weeks, Mr Drakeford confirmed, saying the Government would continue to 'weigh up' whether it would be 'practical and proportionate'.

Repeating the Welsh health minister's warning about high flu rates this winter, Mr Drakeford said: 'It's going to be a challenging winter for the NHS.

'Mask wearing and other measures still in place will make a contribution on the wider winter front rather than just specifically coronavirus.'

Mr Drakeford said the UK Government's changes to international travel restrictions this week were 'shambolic', but he repeated Number 10's advice: 'This is the year to stay at home.'
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Melburnians have swarmed to parks and cafes to enjoy the unseasonably sunny weather despite the city being thrusted into its sixth lockdown as it battles a new Covid outbreak.

Crowds in Sydney had been criticised for seemingly ignoring stay-at-home orders to head to the city's beaches and parks, but it seems things are not much different over the border.

Victoria recorded 11 new Covid cases on Sunday, with all linked to previously reported cases although they were not in quarantine while infectious.

There are now more than 100 active exposure sites in the state as its situation begins to resemble the early days of Sydney's still uncontrolled outbreak, which exploded from 11 daily cases on June 24 to 116 just over two weeks later on July 11.

Despite the public health crisis, hundreds of unperturbed residents packed into public spaces on Sunday to soak up the sunshine, with some appearing to disregard Covid-safety regulations.

Only two hours of exercise are permitted per day in Victoria, with masks mandatory both indoors and outdoors unless eating or drinking.

Luckily for the heavily mask-less crowds, there is little evidence of coronavirus being transmitted in large numbers when outside, with indoor venues remaining the most at-risk place.

Melburnians packed into cafes and restaurants around the Tan in Melbourne on Sunday during day three of the city's sixth lockdown

Large crowds piled into public spaces despite the residents only being permitted to leave home for essential reasons (pictured, Melburnians exercise around the Tan on Sunday)

Melbournians were spotted sitting around in parks eating food and chatting with friends (pictured on Sunday) despite Covid rules stipulating residents are only permitted outside for essential activities

Under the latest restrictions, Victorians are only permitted to leave home for five reasons - essential shopping, medical care, work or school, to get vaccinated, or exercise.

Scores of residents packed outside cafes waiting for takeaway orders on Sunday, with some mask-less while others had their face coverings pulled down around their chins.

Others flocked to parks to laze around on the grass in groups, while dozens strolled shoulder to shoulder down streets with beverages in hand.

Meanwhile, Queen Victoria Market was bustling with shoppers eager to pick up supplies despite the area overflowing with people.

People mingle outside restaurants and cafes on Sunday (pictured) as Melbourne endured its sixth lockdown since the pandemic began

A woman wearing active wear rests her head on a man's lap as they sat with coffees in the Tan, in Melbourne, on Sunday

Large queues snaked out the front of food vendor stalls at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market on Sunday

The bustling scenes come just days after thousands of Sydneysiders photographed gathering at the beach despite pleas from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to stay at home.

Despite the blatant rule breaking, the crowds will be very unlikely to cause a spike in cases as there is little evidence of Covid spreading outdoors, as NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant has repeatedly said.

Although Victoria's latest cases are a cause for concern, a localised outbreak in a Melbourne public housing tower appears to have already been contained, with residents tested overnight returning negative results.

Premier Daniel Andrews said families isolating on the 17th floor of the tower at 130 Racecourse Road in Flemington have all been tested.

Shoppers flocked to the Queen Victoria Market to pick up supplies, with the area quickly overflowing with people

A woman looked happy as she ate with a friend in Melbourne on Sunday as the state recorded 11 new cases of Covid-19

A group of men and women gather in a park to sit around talking, with Melbourne now in its sixth lockdown since the pandemic began

Despite the bustling scenes, health authorities have previously said outdoor gatherings are not as high risk as indoor settings (pictured, Melbourne on Sunday)

Two women exercise at the Tan Track in Melbourne on Sunday after picking up coffees (pictured on Sunday) with people allowed out to exercise for two hours per day

'All returned a negative test result so that's very pleasing,' he told reporters on Sunday.

'It doesn't mean we are out of the woods there, doesn't mean we can change the settings, but better to have negative results than positive.'

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 17 immediate family members had been cleared as well as an additional 200 residents throughout the complex.

The tower was identified as a tier two location between August 3 and 6 and was previously placed under strict lockdown in early July.

Eight cases were found in a single family within the building on Friday and immediately placed in quarantine.

Meanwhile, Australia's first drive-through Covid-19 vaccination hub will open at a former Bunnings warehouse in Melbourne, while Victorians under 40 will be offered AstraZeneca jabs at state-run clinics.

The vaccination site, operated by Western Health, will open in suburban Melton on Monday.

It is expected batches of 10 cars will be processed at a time and the site will initially have capacity to administer 10,000 jabs a week.

In addition, nine of Victoria's 50 state vaccination clinics will offer AstraZeneca to 18- to 39-year-olds while children aged 12-15 with underlying health conditions or of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent will also be allowed to receive Pfizer doses.

Two women and a couple of men enjoy beverages as they exercise at the Tan Track in Melbourne's inner southeast

Crowds gathered outside hospitality venues to pick up food on Sunday as Melbourne enjoyed unseasonably warm weather

A woman and man laze about in the grass in their active wear on Sunday. It comes as fears grow Victoria's outbreak could soon escalated into the spiralling health crisis afflicting Sydney

'There are many appointments available, go online,' Mr Andrews urged of anyone considering the AstraZeneca offer.

With the best part of 200,000 vaccinations on hand, anyone within the age group willing to provide informed consent would be able to receive a first AZ dose and a second 12 weeks later, he said.

Echoing the premier encouragement, Professor Sutton said: 'I'm a 52-year-old bloke. If I were 25 and AstraZeneca was the only vaccine available to me today, I would get it.'

Victoria administered 17,360 vaccine doses in the 24 hours to Saturday evening and conducted 38,179 tests.

The state will be delivered the first of an additional 150,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine promised by the federal government as soon as Thursday.

With 29 cases recorded on Saturday, there was concern Victoria would be forced to extend its current week-long lockdown beyond Thursday.

Hordes of Melbourne residents gather by the curb outside cafes and restaurants as the city battles a highly infectious Delta outbreak

A man is seen skateboarding down steps in Melbourne as his friend films with the pair seemingly enjoying their lockdown weekend

A woman wearing a selects fruit and vegetables at a stall at the busy Queen Victoria Markets on Sunday

Mounted police patrol the Tan in Melbourne as the city's seven-day lockdown is due to end Thursday - but could yet be extended

However Mr Andrews said on Sunday no decision had been made and he would immediately announce it when one was.

Before then, he said he remained concerned by the two mystery cases behind the latest outbreaks.

'We've just got to monitor this every single day,' he said.

'We'll be in lockdown no longer than we need to be and we just have to take this one day at a time.'

Prof Sutton said Victoria's latest cases were all linked to Melbourne's Hobsons Bay cluster seeded by a teacher at the Al-Taqwa College.

He said cases at Flemington's Mount Alexander College and the Kiewa Secondary Boys Campus of Ilim College in Dallas were undergoing the same successful testing program conducted at Al-Taqwa College.
There are fears a Covid-positive mother who was desperate to see her critically-ill son may have infected dozens of patients in the emergency room of a Sydney hospital.

The worrying breach reportedly occurred on Saturday night at the Northern Beaches Hospital when the women tried to visit her son, aged in his 30s, who was also suffering from coronavirus.

He had been rushed from his home in Belrose to the emergency department and put on a ventilator after his condition rapidly deteriorated, 9News reported.

There are fears a Covid-positive mother who was desperate to see her critically-ill son may have infected dozens of patients in the emergency room of the Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured)

Despite cases dropping from the peak on Saturday, Ms Berejiklian warned Sydneysiders not to get their hopes up that they have seen the worst of the outbreak. Pictured: A heath worker is seen at a pop up Covid clinic at Roselands shopping centre on Friday

'He was immediately treated in the emergency department (ED) in a negative pressure room by staff in full personal protective equipment,' The Northern Beaches Hospital said.

'The man was intubated in the ED and transferred to a negative pressure room in the intensive care unit.'

Later that night his mother arrived at the hospital where she 'waited for five minutes' among patients and health staff.

She 'did not declare' that she was infected with Covid and supposed to be in isolation.

'(There are) Mandatory Service NSW QR code check-ins for all people entering all entrances to the hospital,' the hospital said.

'Screeners also ask a list of questions to determine COVID-19 risks. Visitors are restricted unless in exceptional circumstances.

The worrying breach reportedly occurred on Saturday night at the Northern Beaches Hospital (pictured) when the women tried to visit her son, aged in his 30s, who was also suffering from coronavirus

'Once staff became aware of the risk, they were immediately taken to an isolation area.'

Anyone who was in the emergency room waiting area during that time are now considered close contacts and must immediately get tested and self isolate for 14 days regardless of the result.

Contact tracers for the Northern Sydney Local Health District's Public Health Unit are now scrambling to contact those who were in attendance.

'I want to assure you that our staff adhered strictly to protocols,' Northern Beaches Hospital CEO Andrew Newton told the Daily Telegraph.

'While the family member did not declare their risk, staff acted quickly and the risk to people in the waiting area was minimised.'

It comes as New South Wales recorded a further 262 new Covid cases on Sunday with at least 72 infectious while out in the community.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian also announced 12 more Sydney suburbs will be put under hard lockdown as cases of the highly infectious Delta variant explode in the city's west.

Sadly, an unvaccinated woman in her 80s died in hospital overnight after being admitted on August 1, the day she was diagnosed with the virus.

The tragedy brings the total number of death from the current outbreak, which first appeared in June, to 28.

While cases dropped from Saturday's peak of 319 but there are still concerns about the amount of new daily infections as Sydney enters its seventh week of lockdown.

Pictured: A woman was seen picking up her click and collect order from Bunnings in Alexandria on Sunday morning as police patrolled nearby

The 12 suburbs that will be plunged into an even tougher lockdown from 5pm on Sunday are all within the Penrith local council in western Sydney.

Ms Berejiklian noted during her press conference on Sunday that there was a sudden spike in new cases in the area, which border suburbs in the southwest or west that are already the subject of tougher restrictions.

The suburbs are: Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair, St Marys and Caddens.

Residents must get food or goods and services, and exercise, within 5km from their home and only travel to other areas for work if they're an exempt employee.

Women are seen exercising among large crowds at Bondi Beach on Saturday afternoon, as Sydney enters its seventh week of lockdown

12 NEW SUBURBS IN LOCKDOWN The suburbs in the Penrith LGA subject to stricter restrictions from 5pm Sunday: Claremont Meadows Colyton Erskine Park Kemps Creek Kingswood Mount Vernon North St Marys Orchard Hills Oxley Park St Clair St Marys Caddens Advertisement

Three new exposure sites were added to the growing list on Sunday, including a Nextra Newsagency in Charlestown in the Lake Macquarie region.

Anybody who visited the store on Thursday July 29 between 3.15pm and 3.22pm and 4.18pm and 4.24pm is considered a close contact and must get tested for Covid. They are required to isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result.

A Barber Industries in Kotara has also been identified and anybody who was there on August 5 between 1.30pm and 2pm is now a close contact.

The final new exposure site is an Ampol Service Station in Maryland on Friday August 6 between 4.30am and 10am.

Of the 262 new cases, 72 were infectious in the community, including 46 for the entire period, despite repeated pleas for Sydneysiders to limit their movements.

There are 362 cases in hospitals across the state, with 58 cases in intensive care and 24 requiring ventilation.

Of the 58 in ICU, five are in their 20s, seven in their 30s, four in their 40s and 17 in their 50s, reiterating that young people are just as at risk of developing deadly side effects as the elderly or vulnerable.

There are seven people in their 60s, 15 in their 70s and three in their 80s.

Fifty-four were not vaccinated, while three only received their first dose of AstraZeneca and one received their first dose of Pfizer vaccine.

There are no fully-vaccinated people in intensive care in NSW.

The deceased woman in her 80s was a resident at the Wyoming Residential Aged Care Facility in Summer Hill, but died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital after testing positive to the virus on August 1. She had been in hospital since that date.

Twenty-eight people have died in NSW since the outbreak began in mid-June.

Ms Berejiklian said 95,000 people turned out for testing on Saturday, while 20,612 vaccine doses were administered.

Pictured: Police were seen patrolling Sydney's inner city on Sunday morning

BREAKDOWN OF NSW CASES ON SUNDAY 88 from South Western Sydney 31 from Sydney LHD 21 from Nepean Blue Mountains LHD 17 from South Eastern Sydney LHD Three from Northern Sydney LHD 12 from the Hunter New England LHD Two from Central Coast LHD Advertisement

Of the 262 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm last night, 88 were identified in Sydney's southwest, 21 were in the Nepean Blue Mountains local health district, and 31 are from Sydney.

A further 17 cases were reported in the southeast, 12 are from Hunter New England LHD, three are from northern Sydney and two are from the Central Coast.

One of the only bright spots in the press conference was the revelation that Sydneysiders are still turning out in droves to get vaccinated.

'We're tracking well to hit our target,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'We're in the 40s, in terms of the percentage range.

'We're keen to sprint, this is a race,' she added, in reference to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's infamous speech declaring there was no race to getting Australians vaccinated.

Authorities repeatedly called on everybody over the age of 18 to get the jab, signalling it is the only way to put an end to crippling lockdowns.

The NSW Labor Opposition said on Saturday it would support harsher restrictions brought in by the government to try to reign in the virus

'Vaccination is the key,' Ms Berejiklian said. 'I can't urge people enough to come forward and get vaccinated.'

Despite cases dropping from the peak on Saturday, Ms Berejiklian warned Sydneysiders not to get their hopes up that they have seen the worst of the outbreak.

'Unfortunately a day doesn't make a trend and cases are still bouncing around,' she said.

'A trend is having successive days of a reduction in numbers and we don't have that yet.'
Prince Harry is expected to ask Princess Eugenie for help with his explosive 14million memoir that's set to drop 'truth bombs' on the Royal Family.

The book, created with Pulitzer Prize-winning ghostwriter JR Moehringer, 56, is due to be released next year.

Eugenie, 31, who knew Meghan Markle after working in New York and introduced her to Harry, is believed to be in regular contact with the Duke of Sussex, 36.

And a source told the Sun: 'I could only imagine Eugenie talking or being approached as she is someone Harry is still in regular contact with.'

Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank, 35, is also a close friend of the Duchess of Sussex and the couple were given Harry and Meghan's former UK home - Frogmore Cottage.

Prince Harry is believed to have rubbed members of the Royal Family the wrong way by asking them about their memories of his mother Princess Diana before revealing he was writing the memoir.

Prince Harry is expected to ask Princess Eugenie for help with his explosive 14million memoir that's set to drop 'truth bombs' on the Royal Family

The book, created with Pulitzer Prize-winning ghostwriter JR Moehringer, 56, is due to be released next year

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

It comes after it was revealed that the book deal consists of four books and the second will only be released once the Queen dies.

The deal will see a memoir released next year  when it is the Queen's platinum jubilee  with the second book to be held back until after her death.

Harry's wife Meghan is to pen a 'wellness' guide as part of the contract with Penguin Random House. The subject and author of the fourth title is unknown.

Two publishers flew out from London to see him and others took part in the 'auction' by video call, sources say.

'He conducted negotiations  he had a very 'take it or leave it' attitude,' said an impeccably-placed source in the publishing industry.

'His starting price was $25million (18million) and the final figure was way north of that, possibly as much as $35-40million (25-29million).

'Those involved were actually very shocked by his approach, which was to look at them coldly and state his demands  $25million.

The deal will see Prince Harry's memoir released next year  when it is the Queen's platinum jubilee  with the second book to be held back until after her death. Harry's wife Meghan is to pen a 'wellness' guide as part of the contract with Penguin Random House

'In Britain, publishing is still a rather 'gentlemanly' industry. It's high stakes, but is still conducted in very genteel terms.'

The source added: 'The final contract was actually for a four-book deal, with Harry writing one "when his granny dies". Meghan will write a wellness-type book and people are unsure what the fourth will be. But what is most shocking, frankly, is Harry's suggestion that the second book won't be published until the Queen is no longer here.

'People [will] start asking 'what has he got, who is he going to target?' The very idea of this unexploded bomb, hanging about waiting for the Queen to pass, is just extraordinary and may strike many as being in very bad taste.'

The Royal Family has been left deeply concerned by Harry's decision to secretly collaborate with Pulitzer-winning ghostwriter JR Moehringer on what his publishers described as 'the definitive account of the experiences, adventures, losses, and life lessons that have helped shape him'. The two men have been working on the book for up to a year.

It is described by Harry as a 'wholly truthful first-hand account' of his life. But royal aides are worried that it will prove to be a highly one-sided account of the prince's experiences and reignite tensions with his estranged family.

The Queen and senior royals are still dealing with the fallout from his slew of interviews, most notably with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey. The prince has made a string of highly damaging allegations about his closest relatives, including claims of institutional racism.

Penguin Random House said that the 'proceeds' from the book would be donated to charity but has not detailed whether this would include both royalties and the advance.

A spokesman for the prince also insisted that he had informed his family  including the Queen  about plans for his book 'very recently'.

Yet the Mail understands his office made attempts to contact the royal household only hours before the story was broken by a US newspaper after learning it was about to become public.

Charles is said to have been particularly surprised by the news when it was announced.
The family of a woman who disappeared in 1986 is pleading with police to question Suffolk Strangler Steve Wright over her suspected murder.

Estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, 25, worked alongside the serial killer on the QE2 luxury cruise liner and he is even said to have chatted her up.

But according to his ex-wife, when Suzy vanished and her disappearance hit the headlines, he denied ever knowing her.

Wright, 63, is currently serving life for murdering five women in Ipswich within a fortnight in 2006 and was arrested in July this year on suspicion of killing Victoria Hall, 17, whose naked body was found in a ditch in 1999.

Now Suzy's family are demanding he also be quizzed over her suspected murder.

Suzy vanished after leaving her London office to meet a 'Mr Kipper' for a viewing at a Fulham flat.

Killer Wright is coincidentally said to have used the word 'kipper' as slang for 'face'.

Estate agent Suzy Lamplugh (pictured), 25, worked alongside serial killer Steve Wright on the QE2 luxury cruise liner and he is even said to have chatted her up

Suzy's body was never found and she was declared dead presumed murdered five years later.

But Wright was jailed for the Ipswich killings in 2008 and ruled out of Suzy's case by police in 2012.

Investigators had already pointed the finger at jailed psychopath John Cannan. 67, a serial rapist who was convicted of killing two women in Bristol and Reading.

Suzy's brother Richard, 61, told the Sunday Mirror: 'I don't see any reason why police couldn't speak to Wright about Suzy's murder.

'They are trying to solve another case and are probably concentrating on that one.

'But if Wright has been linked, if the police thought it was relevant, then it would be worthwhile.

Suzy's brother Richard said 'it would be lovely to find her' and scatter her ashes (Pictured: Richard holding a framed photo of his missing sister)

'Whether it's Cannan or Wright, I don't know. What's difficult is not knowing where she is. It would be lovely to find her. To have somewhere where we could scatter her ashes.'

Wright's own father also wondered if he was behind Suzy's disappearance after finding a photo of them together from the 1980s.

Richard added: 'If Wright's dad thought he was a possibility, it would be good to know whether he was around at the time in Fulham and Putney.

'I think that would be the interesting thing, if he could be placed at the scene.'

Former truck lift driver Wright was arrested at Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire over Victoria Hall's murder.

The teenager never returned home and her body was found five days later in a water-filled ditch some 25 miles away near Stowmarket. None of her clothes or possessions have ever been found.

Scotland Yard previously investigated Wright's links to Suzy after they found out they worked together on the QE2 (Pictured: Killer wright in his QE2 uniform)

Wright was discovered to have been living in the area at the time of the murder.

Scotland Yard previously investigated his links to Suzy after they found out they worked together on the QE2.

His ex-wife Diana Cole, 65, said she witnessed him flirting with her on the luxury cruise liner when she was working as a hairdresser alongside Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker's future wife Michelle Cockayne.

But Ms Cole said he denied ever knowing her when her disappearance made the news.

She also told told of how Wright had shore leave around the time Suzy vanished and how he used the word 'kipper'.

Ms Cole, who divorced Wright in 1989, previously said: 'I really want him to tell us if he killed Suzy for my peace of mind  for her family's sake.

Investigators have pointed the finger at jailed psychopath John Cannan (pictured), 67, a serial rapist who was convicted of killing two women in Bristol and Reading

'I always felt he was capable of killing somebody. In temper, he was capable of anything.'

But police focused on Cannan, who had just been released from prison in London following a rape conviction when Suzy vanished.

However former Scotland Yard detective David Videcette said there was 'not a shred of evidence' linking the killer to the crime.

He claims Suzy invented the client 'Mr Kipper' to run a personal errand and collect the diary and cheque book she had left in a pub the night before.

Mr Videcette, who spent five years researching a book called Finding Suzy, said: 'From speaking to former officers who worked on the two previous investigations, I have found that it is widely accepted within the police that there is no evidence to support John Cannan ever knowing Suzy Lamplugh or ever even meeting her.'

Retired Det Supt Jim Dickie disagrees, adding: 'I still firmly believe he is responsible for her killing. There's a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to him. I don't believe it's Steve Wright.

'If you look at his offending profile, it's all prostitutes, it's all geographically in the same area.

'I said some years ago that Wright is not in the frame  his offending profile just does not match at all.'

The pensioner spent six years investigating the case and sat in on interviews with Cannan - who is eligible for release in 2022 after serving more than 30 years for slaying factory worker Shirley Banks in 1987.

Police officers search an area near Pershore in Worcestershire in 2019 as part of further investigations into Suzy's disappearance

A search of a wooded area by police in 2019 (pictured) is not believed to have found any significant new evidence in Suzy's case

Cannan previously accused the police of 'smearing' his name by accusing him of being behind Suzy's disappearance, saying it would 'undermine my parole prospects'.

He is believed to bear a striking resemblance to an e-fit of a suspect seen close to where Suzy was last seen alive.

Suzy's brother Richard told the Sunday Mirror: 'If it was Cannan who did it then he's coming out on parole soon. I really don't want him to kill again.

'You always worry when they are released.

'That's the worry, if he's released and then he wants to kill again.

'However, that's not going to bring my sister back.

'But it would be lovely to have somewhere where we could place her, rather than where whoever killed her has left her. It would be one of our family dreams to find her.

'We cannot change Suzy's death, we can't turn the clock back, but catching someone can stop them killing again.

'After 35 years, if it was Cannan, then he went on and killed someone.

'And if it was Wright, then he killed again as well, which is very, very sad. It's yet another life that's been lost, and if the police had found them in the first place then maybe it would have saved others.'
The owner of doomed alpaca Geronimo says she plans to film 'every moment' of his killing and upload it to social media.

A High Court judge has ruled that the animal has tuberculosis on the basis of two positive tests, but his owner Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the tests were 'misused' and has called for her beloved pet to be spared.

Veterinary nurse Ms Macdonald told the Sunday Times she wants 'the world to know the truth about what the UK government did' to the eight-year-old alpaca, who has been targeted for euthanasia since he arrived in Britain from New Zealand four years ago.

She said two police officers approached her about euthanasia arrangements, and one told her: 'We just want to have a chat about what your intentions are'.

Ms Macdonald said: 'This is about more than just Geronimo. This is about standing up to a government that thinks it can do whatever it wants.'

Ms Macdonald has been waiting on tenterhooks for DEFRA to send an executioner to destroy her alpaca Geronimo, who has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Geronimo the alpaca in Gloucestershire, August 8. A High Court judge has ruled that the animal has tuberculosis on the basis of two positive tests

Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the tests were 'misused' and has called for her beloved pet to be spared

A warrant has been issued to kill the eight-year-old alpaca stud following a 50,000 High Court battle, but she has not been given any information about when they may turn up.

HEIFER SHOT IN EARLY MORNING RAID OVER TB FEARS Anthony Brunt with the condemned heifer Geronimo's situation is not the first time a row has broken out over the slaughter of an animal due to fears over bovine TB. In May this year Farmers' Weekly reported that police and government vets swooped on a farmyard in Coybal, New Quay, with a court order for the destruction of a heifer. They slaughtered the animal, which had three inconclusive TB skin tests and five negative blood tests for the disease, as owners Anthony and Heather Brunt slept, it was revealed. Mr Brunt, who has coronary heart disease, had seen his herd drop from 120 to 45 cows over four-and-a-half years, describing the effect TB had on them as 'soul-destroying'. He said he went outside to count the number of vehicles in the yard but 'gave up because there were so many'. The heifer had been grazing in the field at the time. Mr Brunt had resisted attempts to eliminate the animal from the herd and had been told by his solicitor that he would be called to give evidence in court before a decision was taken, it was reported. He said: 'I was expecting to have my say in court, but then this morning happened.' Mr Brunt added: 'They had to look for her, I didn't want to lead them to her but I knew they would find her eventually.' Bovine TB has become a hot-button issue in rural areas of the country, with farmers calling for more government action to tackle the disease in wildlife. Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford had earlier this year said the 'single biggest reason' for a rise in TB levels in parts of the country with low risk was farmers 'buying infected cattle and bringing them into the area'. Abi Reader, who manages a dairy farm in Glamorganshire, south Wales, told Farmers' Weekly in July that she had lost 42 cows due to TB. She said: 'I was accredited TB-free for nine years, and suddenly I am down with TB and have gone into enhanced testing. I cannot quite believe how I have got here from such a low area. 'There is a big wildlife problem, especially in west Wales. The Welsh government needs to be a little bit bolder and have a go at a badger population cull like they have done in England. 'The testing is also not good enough. We are all suffering and that would include members of the government. They are not doing enough really.' Organic dairy farmers Dai, Sharon and Llyr Miles, who are based in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, said their farm had gone down with TB for the first time in three years following a positive test from a first-calving heifer. Llyr said it was 'not just cows with TB', adding: There is nothing being done to address the problem in the wildlife reservoir. 'Let's not forget that countries such as France and Germany are able to maintain bovine TB incidence levels close to zero, and the Republic of Ireland has been able to halve TB incidents through proactive badger culling.' Advertisement

She said: 'It's awful, we're just so exhausted. We don't have time to do normal things we just manage to get the animals fed and put the washing on but were not getting any kind of respite.

'We're worried about being here on our own, they can turn up at any time.

'When there's lots of people around we feel safer - it's a very strange situation where you have a Government treating you like a criminal and you haven't done anything wrong.

'My mum is 84 years old tomorrow and she asked me last night if she was going to have effectively the firing squad here on her birthday.'

It comes after Cabinet Minister George Eustice defended the decision to put down Geronimo the alpaca  despite the owner telling him he will have 'blood on his hands'.

Mr Eustice said his own farming family had suffered the 'soul destroying' slaughter of a cherished cow, Rose, due to bTB but he underlined the need to prevent the spread of the 'insidious' disease.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Eustice said: 'There has been a great deal of focus on the case of Geronimo the alpaca this week.

'However, each week on average, we have to remove more than 500 cattle from herds due to infection in England alone. Behind every one of those cases is a farmer who has suffered loss and tragedy.

'Farmers understand that infected animals are a risk to the remainder of their herd, so while the loss of individual animals is always a tragedy, the farming communities have worked with our Government vets in this arduous but necessary endeavour.'

Ms Macdonald believes that Mr Eustice has got the science wrong, as he claims that the Enferplex test Geronimo had was not to test antibodies, but for the TB protein.

She claims that Enferplex does test for antibodies, and that Geronimo had raised antibodies due to the fact he was given tuberculin prior to the test, generating a false positive.

She said: 'It's dishonest, it's not accurate.

'He's talking utter rubbish and I don't understand why he would come out and say something like that now when its completely not true.

'This smacks of somebody panicking because they don't even know the science, they can't even get the facts of which test does what.

'It just proves that Mr Eustice has never understood what my valid concerns were and has just abused me basically for raising concerns about DEFRA's behaviour.'

'How could you possibly have a suspicion of disease when you don't even know what you're trying to explain?'

The owner of doomed alpaca Geronimo says she is so confident the animal is not infected with bovine TB she has vowed to 'kill him myself' if he fails one final test.

She added: 'If it comes back positive then I would not stand in their way.

'In fact, if he was given a valid test which proved he actually had the disease then I would kill him myself.

'Geronimo has never tested positive for bTB. He had anti-bodies after taking the vaccine tuberculin which is exactly what you would expect to happen.

'The science was dodgy. The Government do not want to admit that they have to investigate why alpacas react differently to tuberculin.

'It is more convenient for them to stand by a test which only proved he had anti-bodies to the disease.'

Mr Eustice said he first looked at Geronimo's case more than three years ago and has examined it several times since.

'Geronimo tested positive twice using a test called the 'Enferplex' test. It is the test that was requested by the British Alpaca Society at the time.'

The test is 'over 99% accurate with a 'false positive' in only 0.34% of cases', he said.

While it is accurate, it is not very sensitive - so in around 30% of cases it will not detect an infection even if the animal has bTB.

'Two consecutive positive test results is a very strong indicator of the presence of the disease,' he said.

Geronimo had four skin tests before he was exported from New Zealand, all of which were negative. The animal then had two blood tests and a skin test in the UK which were all positive.

Ms Macdonald, a vet and alpaca breeder, who has a farm in south Gloucestershire, has claimed the UK tests carried out on the New Zealand-born male alpaca were inaccurate.

She told the PA news agency on Friday: 'It's a total load of lies, the testing has never been validated.'

Helen Macdonald, 50, claims the tests were 'misused' and has called for her beloved pet to be spared

The Environment Minister (pictured) admitted that it is 'soul-destroying' to have to kill animals, but insists it is the right decision to stop the spread of disease

She said if Mr Eustice is 'willing to kill a healthy animal in front of the whole world without testing him properly first, then it's a sorry state of affairs'.

'And it will be for the world to see. Because if he sends some poor person down here with a gun to shoot Geronimo then it will get filmed by the world's media,' she added.

Writing for the first time on the issue that has split Britain, Mr Eustice tells how his own farming family had to kill a beloved cow who tested positive for TB.

He says Rose was 'a cow that my father said was one of the best he had ever seen. To make matters worse, she had sadly lost her calf the previous year.

As a result, she had to be removed for slaughter having never had a living calf. It was soul-destroying.'

Mr Eustice says he has looked at Geronimo's case 'in detail' several times over the past three years.

Explaining why he has decided not to call off the death sentence, he writes that the test used on Geronimo is 'over 99 per cent accurate with a 'false positive' in only 0.34 per cent of cases.

'However, it is not a very sensitive test. That is to say, in around 30 per cent of cases it won't detect an infection even when one is present. Two consecutive positive test results is a very strong indicator of the presence of the disease.'

Police arrive at the property of Helen Macdonald to discuss the situation with Geronimo

The Minister also spoke of the dangers of bovine TB to livestock and in part blamed 'inaction' by Tony Blair's government for the situation.

He writes: 'There are no easy answers when it comes to dealing with TB in cattle' and adds that each week on average more than 500 animals have to be culled due to infection in England.

'Behind every one of those cases is a farmer who has suffered loss and tragedy,' he says.

Ms Macdonald, 50, has repeatedly appealed to Boris Johnson and Mr Eustice to halt the destruction order which means Geronimo  named after an Apache chief  must be put down within 30 days of it coming into effect last Thursday.

More than 90,000 people have signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to step in, and tomorrow hundreds of supporters are expected to attend a protest march in Whitehall.

But Downing Street has refused to grant a stay of execution.

GEORGE EUSTICE: Each week we lose 500 cattle to TB and every one means a tragedy for farmers - including Geronimo's owner

By George Eustice for the Mail On Sunday

My family have had a herd of pedigree South Devon Cattle for six generations. My ancestors were involved in the formation of the society that formally recognised the breed.

My grandfather attended agricultural shows as far afield as South Africa and Australia to judge cattle and, at the age of 26, my father was one of the youngest-ever cattle judges at the Royal Show.

While there are moments of joy and optimism in farming, every livestock farmer has to get used to their share of tragedy and loss.

A few years ago, our own herd suffered from several TB breakdowns. A shortage of grass meant that they had to take on some temporary grazing away from the farm and some of the cattle that returned tested positive for TB.

Writing in The Mail on Sunday, George Eustice (pictured) has defended the decision to put down Geronimo the alpaca and said it is the right decision to stop the spread of disease

Among them was Rose, a cow that my father said was one of the best he had ever seen. To make matters worse, she had sadly lost her calf the previous year.

As a result she had to be removed for slaughter having never had a living calf. It was soul-destroying.

Bovine TB (bTB) was a huge problem for our cattle industry during the last century and it took several decades in the post-war years to finally get it under control.

However, a combination of inaction during the Blair years, coupled with increased cattle movements in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis, led to a sharp rise in the incidence of the disease at the beginning of the millennium, and we have been wrestling with that over the past decade.

Bovine TB is an insidious disease. It is difficult to detect because it develops slowly and there are often no obvious symptoms. It can lurk in the environment for several months and it can become embedded in the badger population.

One of the lessons in the post-war years is that testing and removing infected livestock from herds is critical to eventual success.

There has been a great deal of focus on the case of Geronimo the alpaca last week. However, each week, on average, we have to remove more than 500 cattle from herds due to infection in England alone.

Behind every one of those cases is a farmer who has suffered loss and tragedy.

Farmers understand that infected animals are a risk to the remainder of their herd, so while the loss of individual animals is always a tragedy, the farming communities have worked with our Government vets in this arduous but necessary endeavour.

Ministers should always challenge and probe on the rationale for certain policy approaches and on individual cases, so I first looked in detail at the case of Geronimo over three years ago and on several occasions since.

There has been focus on Geronimo the alpaca (pictured with Helen McDonald). But each week, on average, we remove more than 500 cattle from herds due to infection in England alone

Geronimo tested positive twice using a test called the 'Enferplex' test. It is the test that was requested by the British Alpaca Society at the time. When it comes to positive test results, it is over 99 per cent accurate with a 'false positive' in only 0.34 per cent of cases.

However, it is not a very sensitive test. That is to say, in around 30 per cent of cases it won't detect an infection even when one is present. Two consecutive positive test results is a very strong indicator of the presence of the disease.

I investigated the owner's assertion that a previous 'skin test' in New Zealand combined with using a 'primer' might have led to a false result, but the Enferplex test detects the protein of bTB itself, not an immune response, so that theory was discounted.

I also explored the claim that the skin test in New Zealand should have been relied upon, but the skin test can pick up around 25 per cent of cases in alpacas at best so is far less reliable than the test used in the UK.

There are no easy answers when it comes to dealing with TB in cattle, and we will always need to pursue a range of measures. However, last year British scientists made a major breakthrough with a new test that can differentiate between the disease and a vaccine.

This opens the prospect to us being able to vaccinate cattle in future, which will reduce the levels of infection, mean that fewer cattle need to be slaughtered and give us an exit strategy from the badger cull.

Field trials started in earnest earlier this summer and we aim to be in a position to start vaccinating cattle in a few years' time.
A disabled man has lost his NHS funding for sex therapy because it is not 'an appropriate use of taxpayers' funds'.

Thomas Williams, 30, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, has autism and cerebral palsy and was given 255,000 funding for his personal healthcare budget in October 2019 for 24-hour care, including sex therapy.

As part of his package he was given 23 a week for sex therapy with his 48-year-old sex surrogate Beverlee Lewis - who he had sex for the first time with in September 2020, The Times reports.

Thomas, who says he became aware he was missing out on sex at 27, had the funding for his sex therapy sessions approved after he argued he had a right to explore his sexuality under the Human Rights act.

Thomas Williams, 30, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, (pictured) is disabled and had funding for sex therapy approved in 2019 before the NHS did a U-turn on its decision in April

Due to his disabilities and need for constant care, Thomas is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

NHS CHC is a package of care for adults aged 18 or over which is arranged and funded solely by the NHS.

In order to receive NHS CHC funding individuals have to be assessed by Clinical Commissioning Groups according to a legally prescribed decision making process to determine whether the individual has a primary health need.

He is believed to be the only person to have had this funding on the NHS.

As part of his package he was given 23 a week for sex therapy with his 48-year-old sex surrogate Beverlee Lewis (pictured) who he had sex for the first time with in September 2020

His sessions first started when he started seeing sex therapy Sue Newsome who helped him explore self pleasure and using sex toys before referring him to Beverlee.

Beverlee is a sex surrogate from London who works 'exclusively with people with disabilities, facilitating sexual expression and sexual well being'.

The pair have had sex in several position and places, including one session which involved them going to dinner, holding hands and walking through the park.

His sessions first started when he started seeing sex therapy Sue Newsome (pictured) who helped him explore self pleasure and using sex toys before referring him to Beverlee

But his local clinical commissioning group did a U-turn on the decision in April.

Explaining why he thinks his sex therapy sessions are essential, Thomas said: 'There is a lot of stigma around being sexual and being disabled.

'I didn't really see the interaction between boyfriend and girlfriend as something I could have.

'Because it was funded by the state I could basically not have the shame of it being an unsafe or outlawed practice.'
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The Army is on standby to cope with Britain's food shortages caused by a lack of qualified truck drivers which has left many supermarket shelves bare in recent weeks.

Some 2,000 HGV drivers from the Royal Logistic Corps and other corps are reported to be on a five-day notice to help distribute food and other essential supplies, including medicine.

The Government is expected to make a formal request for assistance to the military 'imminently'.

It comes after the Road Haulage Association warned in late July that there was a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK, which has been hampering deliveries of food from warehouses to supermarkets.

Thousands of prospective drivers are waiting for their HGV tests due to a backlog caused by lockdown, while many existing ones have left the UK after Brexit.

The problem has been exacerbated by Covid, with drivers having to go into self-isolation amid the so-called 'pingdemic'.

Some 2,000 HGV drivers from the Royal Logistic Corps and other corps are reported to be on a five-day notice to help distribute food and other essential supplies, including medicine (Pictured: Army delivering medicine supplies in March last year)

A source said the Government is sending messages out to all Army personnel with HGV qualifications (Pictures: Military truck delivering supplies to a London hospital during the height of the first Covid wave last year)

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Messages are being sent out to all Army personnel with HGV qualifications.

'They are being put on five-day standby notice for driving jobs at major distribution centres around the country.

'Soldiers will be put up in hotels where necessary and will be working extended hours to assist with the crisis.

'They will be involved with food distribution as well as the transportation of other essential goods and medical supplies.'

The military intervention will form part of Operation Rescript, an ongoing operation which was launched to tackle issues relating to the Covid pandemic.

It comes after the Government temporarily extended the maximum number of shift hours for drivers from nine to 10 last month, allowing them make longer journeys, however it was not enough.

James Bielby, head of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD), called for military intervention back in June.

He said: 'The situation has reached crisis point and it is likely to get worse as more hospitality venues open and demand increases.

It comes after the Road Haulage Association warned in late July that there was a shortage of 100,000 lorry drivers in the UK, which has been hampering deliveries of food from warehouses to supermarkets (file photo)

'The Government needs to act very quickly.

'We are concerned enough to suggest that the Government considers having Army trucks on standby to ensure there are enough vehicles and drivers to distribute food.'

Premier Foods, one of Britain's biggest food companies, made a similar suggestion during a meeting between industry representatives and the Department of Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).

While the Government insisted there were 'no plans to use military personnel in this scenario', a source claims the MoD has been in talks with Defra over the crisis, telling the Sun on Sunday: 'HGV drivers in the Royal Logistic Corps have been told they are on five days' notice. The call is expected by the end of September.'

Rod McKenzie, the RHA's managing director of policy and public affairs, said the lorry driver shortage was 'a very serious threat to the supply chain'.

He added: 'There is a critical shortage of lorry drivers and the Government are using short-term measures to address this.'

Empty supermarket shelves have been pictured across the country in recent weeks (pictured: Morrisons in Edinburgh)

Dairy giant Arla said in June: 'There is a real crunch this Summer because of Covid causing a backlog of new drivers passing their tests, changes to tax rules, some drivers from EU countries returning home, some others on furlough and other factors.' (Pictured: Empty shelves in Sainsbury's in Cambridgeshire this week)

Only a couple of sacks of potatoes were available while countless other vegetables were out of stock at Morrisons in Cardiff Friday

These empty shelves were pictured at a supermarket in Harrogate on Friday, with just a few packets of pasta remaining

'Brexit is really beginning to pay off now': Says one shopper online alongside pictures of empty shelves in the fruit and veg section of Morrisons in Cardiff on Friday

'Another Friday and another set of empty shelves': Twitter user complains of stock shortage in Sainsbury's in Nottingham on Friday

He branded the extending of shift hours a 'terrible move' and said it was not adopted by many firms as it was deemed dangerous - but does not think the Army is the answer either.

He said: 'The Government's next step is to bring in the Army. There are 2,000 qualified HGV drivers in the Army. We're 100,000 lorry drivers short.

'Another issue is Army drivers are used to driving Army lorries and not civilian vehicles.

'Once again, they are using a short-term fix. It is not a good idea. We need to address what to do to get another 100,000 drivers.'

Industry leaders have been warning about driver shortages for months, branding it a 'crisis of national importance.'

Empty supermarket shelves have been pictured across the country in recent weeks.

Dairy giant Arla said in June: 'There is a real crunch this Summer because of Covid causing a backlog of new drivers passing their tests, changes to tax rules, some drivers from EU countries returning home, some others on furlough and other factors.

NHS figures show 395,971 alerts in England and Wales were sent in the seven days up to July 28, down from 690,129 the week before

People pinged by the NHS app made up 42 per cent of the isolation alerts sent out during the week ending July 28. Some 38 per cent were contacts who were called by NHS Test and Trace directly, while 20 per cent were people testing positive

In total 947,868 people were asked to isolate, with 362,665 contacts reached by call handlers and 189,232 testing positive themselves

Why it's NOT illegal to ignore being 'pinged' MailOnline has looked into the legal guidance behind whether someone has to self-isolate if they are Covid positive, or told to by the app or Test and Trace. Do I have to self-isolate if I get 'pinged' by the app? App users who are 'pinged' after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive are not obliged to stay at home. They are kept anonymous through the app, meaning authorities are unable to track them down if they have been told to quarantine. Professor Lilian Edwards, a top lawyer who advised the Government on the app, said people do not have to follow notifications from the software. 'I think what's getting lost in the traffic here is that you are not breaking the law if you do not self-isolate having been pinged by the app,' she told the BBC's World at One. 'You are only breaking the law if you are rung up by a manual contact tracer. 'Therefore, there is room there for discretion both from managers in the workplace and from workers as to whether they think they are a risk.' However, the instruction becomes legally enforceable as soon as someone who is pinged attempts to apply for the Government's isolation support payments. Do I have to self-isolate if test and trace contacts me? People contacted by NHS Test and Trace workers do have to self-isolate under regulations brought in last autumn to tackle coronavirus or face hefty fines. That rule won't be dropped for fully vaccinated adults until August 16. Britons who are contacted by test and trace must self-isolate at home for ten days. They must isolate for ten days regardless of whether they have symptoms or get a negative test. People they live with will also be required to self-isolate for ten days. Do I have to self-isolate if I test positive? People who have received a positive test must isolate for ten days after displaying symptoms or their test date if they do not have symptoms, while members of their household must isolate for 14 days Britons found breaking these rules could face a fine of 1,000 for the first offence. This rises to 10,000 for people who repeatedly refuse to self-isolate after testing positive. Advertisement

'Like many others in the industry we are seeing costs go up and we're working hard to limit the effect this will have on prices.

'There has been a growing shortage of haulage drivers for many years. It is really important that we attract many new drivers into the sector.'

The managing director of Nationwide Produce, which supplies fruit and veg to major restaurant chains and retailers, Tim O'Malley, added: 'The acute shortage of HGV drivers is now the direct cause of perfectly good, graded and packed fresh produce being dumped or left rotting in cold stores, waiting for wheels to go under it.

'Supermarket shelves and restaurant plates are going empty, and this is now a crisis of national importance.'

In an attempt to fix the pingdemic chaos, ministers have already announced fully-vaccinated people who are told to self-isolate either by the NHS app or Test and Trace will no longer have to do so from August 16.

The same update has already been adopted in Wales, having come into force on Saturday.

The pingdemic has seen hundreds of train services affected or cancelled due to a lack of staff while one in ten pubs and restaurants have been forced to shut temporarily.

July saw more than 300 Transport for London staff told to self-isolate after being 'pinged' while 30 per cent of staff at the Red Funnel ferry service to the Isle of Wight were also told to stay at home.

Meanwhile, at least 3,300 schoolchildren had to self-isolate in Plymouth alone while bin or garden waste collection was suspended in Wirral, Redcar, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Norfolk, Coventry and Sandwell.

And healthcare workers in Sunderland and South Tyneside were asked to postpone holidays to pick up the slack caused by staff being pinged, while operations were cancelled at hospitals, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham - while home births had to be suspended at Swansea Bay University Hospital.

Big business also felt the pinch, with the Nissan plant in Sunderland sending home 900 workers and Rolls-Royce in Chichester warning in mid-July that it was considering halving its production due to staff shortages.

However the chaos may finally be easing, according to official data which revealed the number of alerts sent by the controversial app fell by 43 per cent last week.

NHS statistics released Thursday show 395,971 self-isolation pings were sent in England and Wales in the seven days ending July 28  down from the record-high 690,129 the week before.

But the drop was mainly fuelled by the fall in actual cases, given the tweak to make the app less disruptive did not kick in until the start of August.

In total, 950,000 quarantine alerts were dished out across the week  compared to rates of 1.5million during the most chaotic parts of the third wave. Nearly 190,000 people tested positive and 360,000 of their close contacts were tracked down.

It marks a steep turn in the direction of the self-isolation mayhem, which sentenced millions to house arrest.

Thousands of people have deleted the app in recent weeks to avoid the alerts, which tell people they have been in close contact with someone who had tested positive for coronavirus.

But its 'pings' are merely guidance and not legally enforceable, unlike instructions from Test and Trace call handlers.

Earlier this week health chiefs announced that the app was being updated so fewer contacts will be instructed to isolate.

It now only finds close contacts from up to two days before infected people tested positive. Previously, it had trawled through five days of a user's Bluetooth history.

The NHS data Thursday showed the number of venue check-ins made with the Covid app dropped from 6.6million to 2.3million in the most recent week  a drop-off of 65 per cent.

People are no longer required to use the app to check into venues since restrictions were lifted on July 19, but the trend gives an indication in the fall in usage.

Proportionally, the amount of people pinged by the app compared to how many people who are testing positive has been falling for weeks.

Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group (Spi-M) advising ministers, described the app as 'incredibly useful', despite large numbers of people being asked to isolate

There were 1.8 alerts sent for every infected app user on average in the week ending July 7. This dropped to just 1.1 in the most recent week.

In total, the amount of self-isolation alerts fell 40 per cent from 1,533,409 in the week ending July 21 to 947,868 in the most recent week.

However, the figure only refers to the amount of alerts  not people.

A single person may be identified by the app and call handlers before going on to test positive themselves  or be asked to isolate multiple times in the same month.

The number of people reached by call handlers fell from 536,338 to 362,665 (32 per cent) while the number of people testing positive fell from 307,758 to 189,232 (39 per cent).

Both falls were lower than the drop off in app alerts, suggesting fewer people using the app may be partly behind the fall in pings.

Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group (Spi-M) which advises ministers, insisted the app is still 'incredibly useful', despite the swathes of people being asked to isolate.

He told Sky News: 'I know there have been some challenges in terms of particularly at the moment the so-called 'pingdemic', but in terms of being able to detect contact, it has been extremely valuable.

'Obviously the challenge with that is that a lot of people are going into isolation and over the last few days the app has been made less sensitive.'

Dr Tildesley said there is a worry that if too many people are pinged, fewer may be willing to comply, but he added that the tweak will 'hopefully guarantee higher levels of compliance'.
Professor Robert Dingwall told MailOnline the risk-benefit for vaccinating children is 'increasingly precarious' as you move down the age groups

A scientist who questioned the 'risk-benefit ratio' of giving young teenagers the coronavirus jab has left the government's expert committee on vaccination - but insists he was not forced out.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is 'refreshing' the membership of its Covid subcommittee as Professor Robert Dingwall, a critic of giving the shots to children, leaves the body.

Several JCVI members have told the Guardian that mainstream sentiment is still extremely cautious about proposals to vaccinate 12- to 15-year-olds against Covid, despite politicians saying they want the topic to stay under review.

Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam has said it is 'more likely than less likely' that the list of children eligible for the jab would be expanded.

But Professor Dingwall told MailOnline he had not been 'sacked', there was 'no conspiracy' and his views are 'entirely mainstream within the context of the committee'.

He and other committee members said that his views were not behind the shake-up.

Professor Dingwall's departure had sparked some backlash following a report in the Spectator earlier this week, but he says the move was related to putting more work into the primary JCVI committee.

It comes as figures from yesterday revealed that coronavirus cases have increased for the second day in a row, with Department of Health bosses reporting a further 28,612 infections, a 9.6 per cent on the previous Saturday's figure of 26,144.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF VACCINATING CHILDREN? Pros Protecting adults The main argument in favour of vaccinating children is in order to prevent them keeping the virus in circulation long enough for it to transmit back to adults. Experts fear that unvaccinated children returning to classrooms in September could lead to a boom in cases among people in the age group, just as immunity from jabs dished out to older generations earlier in the year begins to wane. This could trigger another wave of the virus if left unchecked, with infection levels triggering more hospitalisations and deaths than seen during the summer. Avoiding long Covid in children While the risk of serious infection from Covid remains low in most children, scientists are still unsure of the long-term effects the virus may have on them. Concerns have been raised in particular about the incidence of long Covid  the little understood condition when symptoms persist for many more weeks than normal  in youngsters. A study released last night by King's College London showed fewer than two per cent of children who develop Covid symptoms continue to suffer with them for more than eight weeks. Just 25 of the 1,734 children studied  0.01 per cent  suffered symptoms for longer than a year. Cons Health risks Extremely rare incidences of a rare heart condition have been linked to the Pfizer vaccine in youngsters. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) in the US  where 9million 12- to 17-year-olds have already been vaccinated  shows there is around a one in 14,500 to 18,000 chance of boys in the age group developing myocarditis after having their second vaccine dose. This is vanishingly small. For comparison, the chance of finding a four-leaf clover is one in 10,000, and the chance of a woman having triplets is one in 4,478. The risk is higher than in 18- to 24-year-olds (one in 18,000 to 22,000), 25- to 29-year-olds (one in 56,000 to 67,000) and people aged 30 and above (one in 250,000 to 333,000). But, again, this is very low. Britain's drug regulator the MHRA lists the rare heart condition as a very rare side-effect of the Pfizer vaccine. They said: 'There have been very rare reports of myocarditis and pericarditis (the medical term for the condition) occuring after vaccination. These are typically mild cases and individuals tend to recover within a short time following standard treatment and rest.' More than four times as many hospitalisations were prevented as there were cases of myocarditis caused by the vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds, the health body's data show. Jabs should be given to other countries Experts have also claimed it would be better to donate jabs intended for teenagers in the UK to other countries where huge swathes of the vulnerable population remain unvaccinated. Not only would this be a moral move but it is in the UK's own interest because the virus will remain a threat to Britain as long as it is rampant anywhere in the world. Most countries across the globe are lagging significantly behind the UK in terms of their vaccine rollout, with countries in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America remaining particularly vulnerable. Jabs could be better used vaccinating older people in those countries, and thus preventing the virus from continuing to circulate globally and mutate further, than the marginal gains to transmission Britain would see if children are vaccinated, experts argue. Professor David Livermore, from the University of East Anglia, has said: 'Limited vaccine supplies would be far better used in countries and regions with large vulnerable elderly populations who presently remain unvaccinated  Australia, much of South East Asia and Latin America, as well as Africa.' Advertisement

The number of people dying with the virus increased to 103. The number of victims increased 45 per cent from 71 last Saturday.

Hospital admissions fell to 742 as of Tuesday, a 18.6 per cent decrease from the 912 people hospitalised in the previous week.

Britain's total infections have now risen up to 6,042,252, while 153,734 people who have tested positive have lost their life to the virus since the start of the pandemic.

Professor Dingwall, a sociologist at Nottingham Trent University, has previously told MailOnline the risk-benefit for vaccinating children is 'increasingly precarious' as you move down the age groups.

He cited a paper in the Lancet showing that people aged five to 17 suffer serious illness from Covid 'very rarely', adding: 'The risk-benefit ratio for vaccination compared with infection becomes increasingly precarious as we move down from 30-year-olds into younger age groups.

'As the Zoe group paper in today's Lancet shows, Covid very rarely causes a serious illness in 5- to 17-year-olds. This sets a high bar for the safety of vaccines in healthy teenagers.

'In 2009, JCVI decided not to recommend childhood vaccination against chicken pox precisely because this was such a mild illness. It is important not to overlook that precedent simply because some people think it is desirable to eliminate all possibilities of infection.'

The debate over giving children the jab has been a fierce one, with opinions divided as to the necessity of the move.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, a clinical lecturer in public heath at the University of Exeter Medical School, said the roll-out should have been extended to youngsters far earlier.

He told MailOnline that while Covid does not pose a large threat to children themselves, they can act as 'agents' of transmission, keeping levels of the virus high in wider society and infecting vulnerable adults.

Dr Pankhania added that while initial infection may not be severe in children, the threat of long Covid would be curbed by vaccines.

And he said having core immunity in both adults and children would help protect against future variants that may emerge.

He told MailOnline: 'I am so pleased [the rollout has been extended] and I feel I was right and the JCVI was wrong. I'm annoyed, as they should have started it sooner.

'The vaccine rollout should be expanded further to 12-year-olds and over. It's disappointing that the UK is doing it in smaller groups.

'If the vaccine is found to be protective in youngsters, then there is no harm whatsoever in having some vaccine protection in the population - we do that with flu jabs, where we vaccinate youngster to protect older groups.

'I hope the Government will further expand the vaccine rollout, but I have feeling we are not being told the full reasons for just vaccinating over-16s. It may be a supply issue and if it is, it's still better to honestly say that and explain when it is fixed we will have more vaccinated. But that is just speculating.'

Dr Stephen Griffin told MailOnline vaccinating children will protect them as well as vulnerable adults and the jab should be rolled out to younger groups.

The virus expert from the University of Leeds said: 'It's been approved in 12 and over and I would love to see those groups getting it as well.

'The numbers the JCVI used to reach its decision have not been released, but I can't see a big different in the risks and benefits for 15-year-olds compared to 16-year-olds. Other countries have used the wider group of those aged 12 to 17. You don't want to vaccinate arbitrary groups and I worry they have decided on over-16s to allay different groups.

'What's the point in having just half of secondary school covered? They should be thinking about preventing cases and not take the risk.

'Regardless of what proportion of children get severe disease, there have been thousands of children in hospital with the virus. A small proportion of a very large number is still a big number, so it is not just about protecting others.'

But professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline vaccinating children aged 16 and 17 against Covid will be 'pretty pointless'.

The medical microbiologist said people in the age group are at very little risk of serious illness from the virus, and school age children will have already built up a fair amount of immunity from natural infection and will continue to do so when schools reopen.

Vaccines would therefore be of better use being given to countries where rollouts have not yet reached more vulnerable age groups, he argued.

Professor Livermore said: 'Sixteen to 17-year-olds are at low risk of serious disease and, through exposure, are developing immunity anyway.

'We do not know if vaccine-induced or infection-induced immunity will prove the longer lasting, and to the better contributor to herd immunity.

'Given this I can see no good reason to prioritise vaccinating them.

'Limited vaccine supplies would be far better used in countries and regions with large vulnerable elderly populations who presently remain unvaccinated  Australia, much of South East Asia and Latin America, as well as Africa.'

Professor Anthony Brookes said the risks of heart inflammation, blood clotting and potential unknown future side effects from vaccination outweigh the harms caused by Covid to children.

The genetics expert at the University of Leicester said the risks of vaccinating young people was recognised by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) last month, so the U-turn in policy could have been caused by political pressure from the Government.

Professor Brookes told MailOnline: 'Serious future harms [of vaccinating children] cannot be ruled out.

'This compares to the almost non-existent risk of serious harm from Covid for the young.

'The JVCI recognised these truths and the responsible balance of risks just a few weeks ago.

'Therefore, many will conclude that political pressure from government to 'reconsider' is the only reason JCVI will now be changing their position.'So the obsessive ratchet effect continues, and we might well expect 12-year-olds to be the next target, and then everyone down to infants.'
The Project hosts have slammed the federal government for begging young Aussies to get the AstraZeneca jab only for them to be knocked back by infrastructure failures in the Covid vaccine program.

Tommy Little said deficiencies in the nation's troubled vaccine rollout make his 'blood boil' after speaking to a 26-year-old Melbourne man on the Channel 10 program on Sunday about his struggles trying to get the jab.

Rupert Condon said he responded to the Morrison government's call to action but faced the website crashing on him, and even when he finally got through found no available appointments for six week.

Furious co-host Little claimed the government is 'gaslighting' young Australians by asking them to come forward for vaccination despite not making appointments available, even for AstraZeneca of which the nation apparently has a surplus.

Lucky Australians who can secure a Covid vaccine appointment have been queueing up at centres like Sydney's Olympic Park (pictured on Sunday) but many can't even book in

'I see ads on TV - the government telling us to get vaccinated and it makes my blood boil because it is their fault we don't have the vaccine,' Mr Little said.

'I feel really sorry for young people at the moment. I feel like the government is basically gaslighting them.

'They keep pushing people to get vaccinated and they don't have enough to go around.'

Mr Condon said he and a friend visited the Sandown vaccine hub a few weeks ago to get the AstraZeneca jab after a mate told them the facility was usually quiet.

The Project host Tommy Little (pictured) has slammed the government for 'gaslighting' young Australians by urging them to get vaccinated despite there not being enough appointments

Despite the website stating walk-ins were acceptable, Mr Condon said on arrival staff told them they would first need to book online, only for the site to crash as they tried to make appointments on their phones.

'After multiple attempts were we were told to give the Department of Health a call, but 25 minutes on hold was enough for us,' he said.

'A senior member of the hub came out to tell us it is a minimum four to six wait.

'Our question was, you have an empty hub today, no-one is in and out, surely you can find two spots for two young guys to get the jab?

'To say the least, it was quite frustrating.'

Mr Little said he had similarly been turned away from a centre and was 'infuriated' the government was targeting vaccine messages towards young people while supplies remain low.

The frustrations come as a new poll revealed Scott Morrison's approval ratings had reached a new loll as millions struggle across three states in lockdown.

While he once commanded strong support art 85 per cent approval in April 2020, that halved to just 48 per cent in the latest Newspoll.

Mr Little said it makes his 'blood boil' that the Morrison government is directing pro-vaccine advertisements at young people while many are still struggling to book an AstraZeneca jab

As multiple states grapples with the highly infectious Indian Delta strain, the government has been urging Australians to get the well-stocked AstraZeneca jab, with high vaccination rates touted as the gateway out of lockdowns.

But despite claims there is ample supply of the onshore-made vaccine, Mr Little said young people willing to take up AstraZeneca - despite it being initially banned for under 40s due to a very rare blood clot condition - were still encountering difficulties.

'We hear that this age group of 29 is going to be the most hesitant - but this is a hypothetical. You guys [the government] don't have it and yet you are spending millions of dollars advertising for a product they don't have,' he said.

'I'm booked in, but I have had the same frustration as Rupert - I go, I try to get it, I get turned away, I sit on my couch, turn on my TV and I see an ad saying "go out and get vaccinated", I'm like, what?'

Fellow panellists, Jan Fran and Peter Van Onselen, agreed.

'It is really really frustrating. I had a slight run around as well trying to get the jab,' Ms Fran said.

Both state and federal governments have touted mass vaccination as the key to ending Covid lockdowns (pictured, people wearing face masks line up for their Covid-19 vaccination at the NSW Health walk-in AstraZeneca vaccination clinic in Glebe on Saturday)

Mr Van Onselen said the mixed messaging surrounding AstraZeneca supplies was concerning.

'It is frustrating trying to figure out what is amiss when trying to get access to the AstraZeneca,' he said.

'We know there is not enough Pfizer, [but] there is meant to be enough AstraZeneca.'

Lisa Wilkinson said it was 'crazy' the website is crashing and the government needs to 'get its act together'.

There have been 13,636,580 vaccinations administered nationwide as of Saturday, including 140,225 in the previous 24 hours.

On Sunday, it was announced Australia's first drive-through Covid vaccination hub will open at a former Bunnings warehouse in Melbourne, while Victorians under 40 will be offered AstraZeneca jabs at state-run clinics.
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Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange on Greece's second-largest island as wildfires continued to rip through forests.

More evacuation alerts were triggered this morning on Evia while residents appealed for additional firefighting help.

Footage shows the blaze raging on as evacuated locals watch in horror from inside a ship on Lake Evia.

Hordes of residents are seen standing inside the ferry as flames rage on from all sides.

The Evia evacuation came as dozens of blazes broke out across Greece in the wake of the country's most protracted heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) for days, creating bone-dry conditions.

While around 140,000 acres had been burnt by wildfires in Greece between July 29 and Saturday, according to the European Forest Fire Information System. The average area burnt over the same 10 summer days between 2008 and 2020 was 1,700 hectares.

Britain, France, Spain and other countries have answered Greece's appeal for help, and on Sunday, Serbia announced it was sending 13 vehicles with 37 firefighters and three firefighting helicopters.

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began August 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast while burning out of control for five days.

Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed, and thousands of residents and vacationers were evacuated.

Footage shows the blaze raging on as evacuated locals watch in horror from inside a ship on Lake Evia

Flames rage on near the village of Gouves on Evia island

A ferry arrives with evacuees from the burning Evia island at Arkitsa port in mainland Greece

Evacuees are seen disembarking from a ferry which rescued them from Evia island as fires tear through it

There were dramatic scenes as ferries evacuated 1,153 people from a seaside village and beaches on Evia after flames from a massive wildfire burning for days cut off all other means of escape.

Local joined firefighters to try and quell fires that sprung up across the Greek island of Evia yesterday, scorching large parts of the countryside and damaging scores of buildings

Pensioners were among those rescued from Evia by ferry as the wildfires tore through the island north of Athens yesterday

Smoke rising from the Evia fire is seen from space. Satellite images captured the plume blowing southwards across Athens

The sky above the beach on the Greek island of Evia turned an ominous shade of orange as the smoke from the wildfires blotted out the sun yesterday

A fire threatening Athens' most important national park killed one volunteer firefighter, while at least 20 people have been injured in blazes during the country's worst heat wave in 30 years.

The blaze currently is the most severe of dozens that broke out in Greece in the wake of the country's most protracted and intense heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 11F (45C) and created bone-dry conditions.

The Greek coast guard said three patrol boats, four navy vessels, one ferry, two tourist boats and numerous fishing and private boats were on standby to carry out potential evacuations from the seaside village of Pefki, on Evia's northern tip.

Hundreds of Greek firefighters fought desperately Sunday to control wildfires on the island of Evia that have charred vast areas of pine forest, destroyed homes and forced tourists and locals to flee.

'We have ahead of us another difficult evening, another difficult night,' Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias said Sunday.

'On Evia we have two major fire fronts, one in the north and one in the south. The one in the north is driven by blasts of wind to the beach settlements', he added.

A local resident stands on a hill as flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia

Local residents look at the wildfire approaching the village of Gouves

Raging fires tear through wildlife near Gouves village on the island of Evia

Large swathes of wildlife are completely submerged by flames in the village of Gouves on Evia

Smoke spreads over the sea as local residents and tourists use a ferry to evacuate Pefki village on Evia island

Local residents stand on a hill as flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia

In all, 17 firefighting aircraft - planes and helicopters - were fighting the fires on Evia, he added.

Evia lies just northeast of the capital Athens. To the southwest is the Peloponnese region where Hardalias said the situation was stable. Fires in a northern suburb of Athens have subsided, he added.

'The situation in Attica (which encompasses Athens) is better but we are afraid of the danger of flare-ups', said Hardalias.

Rescuers on Sunday dispatched a helicopter to airlift an injured firefighter from the densely forested Mount Parnitha just north of Athens where he was fighting a flare-up.

Greece and Turkey have been battling devastating fires for nearly two weeks as the region suffered its worst heatwave in decades, which experts have linked to climate change.

The shell of a car that has been gutted by wildfires is seen lying on the ash-strewn ground near Athens

A turtle makes its way in the burnt forest in Varybobi area, near Athens, Greece, after wildfires tore through the area

The inside of a fallen tree continues to burn away in a forest in the Varybobi area, near Athens

Cutlery and glassware sit on a table which had been made up at a restaurant near Athens before wildfires tore through the areas

So far, the fires have killed two people in Greece and eight in neighbouring Turkey, with dozens more hospitalised.

While rain brought some respite from the blazes in Turkey over the weekend, Greece continues to endure soaring temperatures.

The heat from the fires on Evia and elsewhere was so intense that 'the water from the hoses and the water-dropping aircraft was evaporating' before reaching the blazes, one fire service official told the Eleftheros Typos newspaper.

Local officials were critical of the efforts to control the fires, which erupted on the island on August 3.

'I have no more voice left to ask for more aircraft. I can't stand this situation', Giorgos Tsapourniotis, mayor of Mantoudi in Evia told Skai TV on Saturday.

Many villages had only been saved because young people had ignored evacuation orders and stayed on to keep the fires away from their homes, he added.

'We are in the hands of God,' 26-year-old villager Yannis Selimis from Gouves on the north of the island.

'The State is absent. If people leave, the villages will burn for sure,' he told AFP.

'For the next 40 years we will have no job and in the winter we are going to drown from the floods without the forests that were protecting us,' he added.

The Greek authorities meanwhile are on high alert to prevent more arsons.

Firefighters arrested three young men, aged between 16 and 21, Sunday morning at port city of Piraeus, near Athens, for attempted arson in nearby Perama.

In the Peloponnese, a 71-year-old man was arrested Sunday in Pylos.

And Athens police said Sunday they had arrested a foreigner at a park in Athens trying to light napkins at the root of a tree.

Hordes of residents are seen standing inside the ferry as flames rage on from all sides

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began August 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast while burning out of control for five days

A local resident walks as a wildfire rages near the village of Gouves, on Euboea island

Flames burn a forest during a wildfire near Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 115 miles north of Athens

A burned car in Kryoneri, in northern Athens, Greece,

Flames burn a forest during a wildfire in Gouves village on the island of Evia

Around 350 people already boarded the ferry, the coast guard said, while towering flames cut off possible escape routes on roads.

British experts will be sent to Athens to help British experts are being sent to Greece to help tackle the wildfires ravaging parts of the country. Teams from Merseyside, Lancashire, South Wales, London and West Midlands fire services will fly to Athens this weekend. The deployment follows a request from Home Secretary Priti Patel, who visited Greece this week. The teams sent by the National Fire Chiefs Council( NFCC) will be deployed alongside their Greek counterparts. Ms Patel said: 'I've seen first-hand this week the devastating wildfires ripping through Greece and the UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our Greek friends at this difficult time. It comes as it was revealed that British experts will be sent to Athens in Greece to help tackle the blaze. Pictured: Left, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service of Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan. Right, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service of Deputy Chief Fire Officer Nick Searle 'I've asked the National Fire Chiefs Council to send out a specialist team to provide support in responding to this emergency. I am immensely grateful to the brave firefighters for stepping forward and volunteering to help and their expertise will be invaluable in supporting the Greek emergency services.' NFCC chairman Mark Hardingham said: 'The UK Fire and Rescue Service will be offering support to our colleagues in Greece, along with their communities who need assistance during these devastating wildfires. 'NFCC's national resilience function is in place to deploy both in the UK and overseas - and the team is highly skilled at responding to extreme events such as these. 'We can offer professional and technical skills to our fire family in Greece at a time when help is needed; it is ingrained in the professional nature of FRS staff to assist.' There were dramatic scenes as ferries evacuated 1,153 people from a seaside village and beaches on Evia after flames from a massive wildfire burning for days cut off all other means of escape. Advertisement

Evacuation orders were issued for four villages, including Pefki, but some residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties.

Residents in other nearby villages and north Evia's main harbor, Aidipsos, were urged to shut windows, doors and chimneys to prevent burning embers from entering houses.

Overnight, the coast guard and ferries evacuated 83 people from beaches in northern Evia.

On Friday night, ferries evacuated more than 1,000 people from beaches and a seaside village in apocalyptic scenes as flames raged on the hillsides behind them.

Local officials and residents in north Evia called in to television news programs on Saturday, appealing for more firefighters and water-dropping planes.

The fire department said 575 firefighters with 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters sent to Greece as reinforcements.

Four helicopters and three planes, including a massive Beriev-200 plane leased from Russia, provided air support.

Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greece's southern Peloponnese region, while a massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane.

That fire burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens that still bore deep scars from a fire in 2007.

One volunteer firefighter died Friday north of Athens after suffering head injuries from a falling electricity pole, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters who were hospitalized in intensive care.

The causes of the fires are under investigation. Three people were arrested Friday - in the greater Athens area, central and southern Greece - on suspicion of starting blazes, in two cases intentionally.

Another person, a 47-year-old Greek, was arrested Saturday afternoon in the Athens suburb of Petroupoli for lighting two fires in a grove and setting four dumpsters on fire, police said.

Ten countries have already sent personnel and firefighters equipment such as aircraft to Greece, while another eight are sending further reinforcements.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the fire department's headquarters in Athens Saturday and expressed his 'deep sadness' for the volunteer firefighter's death.

He later visited the airport from which firefighting planes take off and thanked the pilots, both Greek and French.

Securing aid for everyone affected by the wildfires will be 'my first political priority,' the prime minister said, promising that all burnt areas would be reforested.

'When this nightmarish summer has passed, we will turn all our attention to repairing the damage as fast as possible, and in restoring our natural environment again,' Mitsotakis said.

Greek and European officials have blamed climate change for the large number of fires that burned through southern Europe in recent days, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

A man passes in front of a burned van, in Kryoneri, in northern Athens

A helicopter flies above burned forest in Kryoneri

The remains of a burned house are seen in Kryoneri in Athens

The causes of the fires are under investigation. Three people were arrested Friday - in the greater Athens area, central and southern Greece - on suspicion of starting blazes, in two cases intentionally
Police in Northern Ireland investigating the murder of a two-year-old girl have been extra time to question a man arrested on suspicion of her death.

The toddler, named as Ali Jayden Maguire and described by her grandfather as his 'pride and joy', died in hospital on Friday after sustaining head injuries at a house in Co Tyrone.

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) major investigation team have been given an additional 36 hours to question the 32-year-old man.

Police have been given more time to question a 32-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder after a two-year-old, named by locals as AliJayden 'AJ' McGuire, died in hospital following an incident in Park Avenue in Dungannon, Co Tyrone on Friday evening

He was arrested hours after the toddler, known as AJ, was taken to hospital from a house in Park Avenue in Dungannon.

The toddler's mother is originally from Dublin and recently to moved to the area.

Friends and family left ornaments and teddy bears alongside sympathy messages, flowers and cards outside the home where AJ was discovered seriously injured.

In a statement, the PSNI said: 'Detectives from Police Service of Northern Ireland's major investigation team investigating the circumstances of the death of a two-year-old girl on Friday August 6 have been granted a court extension for an additional 36 hours to question a 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder.'

The toddler, named as Ali Jayden Maguire and described by her grandfather as his 'pride and joy', died in hospital on Friday after sustaining head injuries at a home in Co Tyrone (pictured)

The victim's aunt Cuirnan, who did not reveal her surname, thanked the public for their messages of sympathy in recent days via a Facebook post.

Forensic officers and the PSNI remained at the scene of Sunday morning.

Former DUP leader and MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Arlene Foster tweeted: 'Another tragic death in the constituency, this time a little girl.

'Thinking of all those dealing with this awful event, and trying to make sense of it all.'
The Taliban has captured three provincial capitals in northern Afghanistan as the Islamist group tightens its grip on the country.

Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul, capitals of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul provinces, were the first to fall on Sunday, before jihadist fighters seized control of Taloqan, capital of Takhar.

It brings the total number of regional capitals which have fallen to the Taliban to five since Friday. Zaranj - in southern Nimroz province - was the first to fall, followed by Sheberghan in northern Jowzjan province.

Each city that falls to the group marks a major milestone on its battle to retake the country from the US-backed government - which came under attack after American and NATO troops withdrew from the country just a few weeks ago.

The cities of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul fell within hours of each other Sunday after government forces were unable to defeat the advancing insurgents. Pictured: Afghans inspect damaged shops after fighting between the Taliban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz city on Sunday

Afghans inspect damaged shops after fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz city

A Taliban flag could be seen raised on the main square of Kunduz following the fighting on Sunday

The insurgents have taken control of four provincial capitals since Friday in a rapid offensive that has overwhelmed government forces

President Ashraf Ghani had largely played down the threat of the Taliban as the Islamists recaptured swathes of countryside - saying he had tactically withdrawn troops to the cities because they would be easier to defend.

UK's Withdrawal from Afghanistan is strategic mistake, warns general The UK's withdrawal from Afghanistan is a strategic mistake which could spark a resurgence of terrorism, a former military commander has warned. General Sir Richard Barrons (pictured) warned the decision to pull out would send a message to countries around the world that leaders in the West 'don't have the stomach to see these things through'. It comes as Taliban forces captured five cities in three days, including much of the capital of northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province as their advance continues. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks after Joe Biden ordered the withdrawal of US forces, a move followed by allies including the UK. Gen Barrons told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: 'The withdrawal now is a strategic mistake. 'I don't believe it's in our own interest - in making that decision to leave we've not only, I think, sold the future of Afghanistan into a very difficult place, we've also sent a really unfortunate message to the West's allies in the Gulf and Africa and Asia.' It suggests that 'we don't have the stomach to see these things through and we would rather leave than ensure that a humanitarian or political crisis doesn't occur'. He added: 'We will run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere. So I think this is a very poor strategic outcome.' Advertisement

But it now appears that even Afghanistan's metropolises are offering no shelter for largely out-gunned and out-numbered government forces.

A Taliban flag could be seen raised on the main square of Kunduz following fighting there on Sunday. All but the city's airport had fallen to the Taliban.

A Kunduz resident described the city as being enveloped in 'total chaos'.

'After some fierce fighting, the mujahideen, with the grace of God, captured the capital of Kunduz,' the Taliban said in a statement.

'The mujahideen also captured Sar-e-Pul city, the government buildings and all the installations there.'

Kunduz is a strategic crossroads with good access to much of northern Afghanistan as well as the capital, Kabul, about 200 miles away, and is the most significant Taliban gain since the insurgents launched an offensive in May.

It has been a perennial target for the Taliban, who briefly overran the city in 2015 and again in 2016 but never managed to hold it for long.

Parwina Azimi, a women's rights activist in Sar-e-Pul, said that government officials and the remaining forces had retreated to a barracks about two miles from the city.

'A plane came... but could not (land),' she said.

The ministry of defence said government forces were fighting to retake key installations.

'The commando forces have launched a clearing operation. Some areas, including the national radio and TV buildings, have been cleared of the terrorist Taliban,' it said in a statement.

A Taliban surge has intensified as US and Nato troops wrap up their withdrawal from the country.

With Taliban attacks increasing, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with air strikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered the capital of Jawzjan province after sweeping through nine of 10 districts in the province. Several other of the country's 34 provincial capitals are threatened as Taliban fighters sweep through large swathes of Afghanistan at a surprising speed.

On Friday the Taliban seized their first provincial capital, Zaranj in southwestern Nimroz on the border with Iran, and followed it up a day later by taking Sheberghan in northern Jawzjan province the following day.

Fighting ensued between the two sides in Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province, but the Taliban were able to take over the governor's office and police headquarters, Ghulam Rabani, a provincial council member said on Sunday. They also have control of the main prison building, he added

Smoke rises from damaged shops after fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces in Kunduz, which has now fallen to the Islamists

Kunduz (pictured) is one of five regional capitals to have fallen to the Taliban since Friday

Fighting was also reported on the outskirts of Herat in the west, and Lashkar Gah and Kandahar in the south.

The pace of Taliban advances has caught government forces flatfooted, but they had some respite late Saturday after US warplanes bombed Taliban positions in Sheberghan.

Meanwhile, air strikes damaged a health clinic and high school in the capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a provincial council member said on Sunday.

A Defence Ministry statement confirmed that air strikes were carried out in parts of the city of Lashkar Gah. It said forces targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others, but made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed.

Majid Akhund, deputy chairman of the Helmand provincial council, said air strikes hit a health clinic and a school in the city's 7th police district late on Saturday, but he said the area is under Taliban control so any casualties could have been caused by the Taliban there.

Meanwhile, air strikes damaged a health clinic (pictured) and high school in the capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a provincial council member said on Sunday

A damaged school is seen after airstrikes in Lashkar Gah city of Helmand province, southern of Kabul, Afghanistan on Sunday

Dr Ahmad Khan Weyar, an official from the Helmand public health department, said a nurse was killed when an air strike hit a health clinic, and a guard was injured.

'American invaders bombed and destroyed another hospital and school in Helmand,' the Taliban said in a statement. It said Safyano Hospital and Muhammad Anwar Khan high school were bombed.

The clinic in Lashkar Gah was offering services mostly to nomads who were passing through the area, according to Mr Akhund, but in recent days the area was under Taliban control and Taliban may have been treated there.

Heavy fighting has taken place in and around Lashkar Gah and both US and Afghan government air forces have carried out air strikes in the city. The Taliban control nine of the city's 10 police districts.

'US forces have conducted several air strikes in defence of our Afghan partners in recent days,' Major Nicole Ferrara, a Central Command spokesperson, told AFP in Washington.

Sheberghan is the stronghold of notorious Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, whose militiamen and government forces were reported to have retreated to the airport.

Dostum has overseen one of the largest militias in the north and garnered a fearsome reputation fighting the Taliban in the 1990s - along with accusations his forces massacred thousands of insurgent prisoners of war.

Any retreat of his fighters would dent the government's recent hopes that militia groups could help bolster the country's overstretched military.

The government has said little about the fall of the provincial capitals, other than vowing they would be retaken.

That has been a familiar response to most Taliban gains of recent weeks, although government forces have largely failed to make good on promises to retake dozens of districts and border posts.

The withdrawal of foreign forces is due to be complete at the end of this month, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States that sparked the invasion which toppled the Taliban.
A busy Melbourne hospital has been exposed to Covid-19, potentially sending hundreds into isolation with busy cafes and supermarkets also on alert.

An infected case attended the Joan Kirner Women's and Children's hospital in St Albans on August 6, visiting the pathology department and a cafe.

The state recorded 11 new local cases on Sunday.

The new cases include two schools, further raising expectations that Victoria's sixth lockdown due to end on Thursday night will be extended.

All 11 cases are linked to the current outbreaks but were infectious while in the community, sparking Covid testing at a Flemington tower block on Sunday.

Joan Kirner Women's and Children's hospital in St Albans (pictured) has been listed as a Covid exposure site

A positive case visited the hospital's pathology department and a cafe (pictured) on Friday

Victoria has had 11 new cases of coronavirus , including one at another Melbourne school, further raising expectations the state's lockdown will be extended

Among the new exposure sites are the pathology department, maternity assessment centre and cafe bar at the Joan Kirner Women's and Children's hospital.

Bunnings in Maribyrnong is also on alert, as is the Jolly Miller cafe in Caroline Springs.

Among the new cases reported on Sunday was a student at Mount Alexander College in Flemington in the city's northwest which has forced hundreds of students and staff into isolation.

NEW COVID EXPOSURE ALERTS IN MELBOURNE ON SUNDAY NIGHT Tier 1: Anyone who attended the following venues is a close contact and should get tested and isolate for 14 days St Albans: Dorevitch Pathology (Ground Floor) - Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital - August 6 St Albans: Maternity Assessment Centre (Level 3) - Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital - August 6 Niddrie: Tint a Car Essendon - August 5 Caroline Springs: The Jolly Miller Cafe - CS Square - August 2, August 3 Tier 2: Anyone who attended the following venues in a casual contact and should get tested and isolate until they test negative St Albans: Cafe Bar (Main Corridor) - Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital - August 6 Maribyrnong: Bunnings Maribyrnong - August 4 Tarneit West: 7-Eleven Tarneit West - August 2 Caroline Springs: First Choice Liquor Caroline Springs - August 5 West Footscray: Pepin's Pharmacy - August 5 Caroline Springs: Coles - CS Square - August 5 Flemington: ZJWD Convenience Store - August 3, 4, 5, 6 Deer Park: United Petroleum Deer Park - August 1 Tier 3: Anyone who attended the following venues should monitor for symptoms St Albans: Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital (All other areas) - August 6 Advertisement

All of the 11 cases are linked to current outbreaks, but were out in the community while infectious. Pictured here are two women at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market on Sunday

The school is close to several high-rise public housing apartment blocks and health officials are on site testing residents of units at 130 Racecourse Road.

The family of the infected student had lived there but moved out shortly before the pupil tested positive.

Seventeen neighbours on the family's floor have been deemed close contacts but tested negative overnight.

Mr Andrews said testing was continuing on residents in the rest of the apartment block with more than 200 results already coming back negative.

Health officials are on site testing residents of units at 130 Racecourse Road in Flemington (pictured) which is close to Mount Alexander College where a student has tested positive

He stressed the family of the infected student was not living in the apartment block while he was infected.

'They are not at the tower,' he said on Sunday.

'They had moved to another house as part of a permanent relocation.

'There was a member of the family going back and forth to do the last bit of tidying up, packing up moving their furniture and things out.'

Mount Alexander College principal Dani Angelico confirmed the infection in a message to told pupils and staff: 'It is with much regret that I inform you that there is a confirmed COVID case at MAC.'

A student at Mount Alexander College (pictured) in Flemington in Melbourne's northwest has tested positive for Covid which has forced hundreds of students and staff into isolation

Victoria's Health Department told the school the student had attended while infectious on August 3 and 4.

Premier Andrews stressed that anyone who has been informed they were in contact with positive cases needs to respect the rules and stay home.

'This is why if you are asked to stay home and isolate, please follow the instructions provided to you and to the broader community, these rules are in place, as painful and as challenging as they are, they are in place to drive cases down,' he said.
A heartbroken mother has paid tribute to her 20-year-old daughter who was found dead in her bedroom, four years after she survived the Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

Eve Aston, from Wolverhampton, was discovered lifeless by her father on July 23 in her family home in Finchfield and paramedics were unable to save her.

Her mother Amanda Aston, 55, has described her as 'one of a kind' and revealed that Eve attended the Ariana Grande's concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017, when terrorist Salman Abedi killed 22 people in a suicide attack.

Amanda said the Manchester attack 'took its toll' on Eve, who had been safely rushed out of the concert by her father Andrew Aston, 43.

Eve had struggled with loud noises and suffered from PTSD after the terror attack, Amanda said, adding that the cause of death is not yet known.

Eve Aston, from Wolverhampton, was discovered lifeless by her father on July 23 in her family home in Finchfield and paramedics were unable to save her

Her mother Amanda Aston, 55, has described her as 'one of a kind' and revealed that Eve attended the Ariana Grande's concert at the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017, when terrorist Salman Abedi killed 22 people in a suicide attack. Pictured: Eve paying tribute to victims of the terrorist attack

The grieving mother told The Birmingham Mail: 'From the moment she was born she was a jolly soul, she had a very funny sense of humour and was a daddy's girl.

'She always had friends around her and was having sleepovers. She had lots of friends who she was always there for.

'She had really good banter with her brothers and sisters.'

Amanda, who has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the funeral costs, added: 'She went to the Ariana Grande concert with her father and was made up to be there, Ariana was her idol. She could sing every note.

'They were on the other side, not where the bomb went off. Since then she has been back to Manchester and has loved putting flowers down for people.'

CCTV image of Salman Abedi arriving at Manchester Arena, on May 22, 2017, where he detonated his bomb

Amanda said that Eve had suffered from PTSD and in the weeks before her death, she seemed to be 'getting back to her old self' after losing a lot of weight.

She said: 'After the concert she started suffering from PTSD. She loved cars and was looking at getting a job working with cars but her depression got worse.

'She couldn't sleep or hear bangs after the concert. She grieved for the 22.

'The last couple of weeks she seemed to be getting back to her old self, she had lost a lot of weight.

'Her dad found her in her bedroom, we're still waiting to find out what happened.

'We're heartbroken, it's like a bad dream. It's like she's going to walk back through the door and say 'got ya!'.

'She's left such a big hole, everyone's saying they can't believe it.'

She added: 'She was such a beautiful person and she should be here.

'We want to give her a good send off, you shouldn't have to bury your daughter. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.'

Eve had struggled with loud noises and suffered from PTSD after the terrorist attack, Amanda said, adding that the cause of death is not yet known

In 2017, suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, carried out the horrific terrorist attack at the Manchester arena which killed 22 concert goers.

On the night of the attack, Abedi, of Libyan descent, walked across the City Room foyer towards an exit door and detonated his shrapnel-laden device, packed into his bulging rucksack, at 10.31pm just as thousands, including many children, left the concert.

His brother Hashem Abedi, who helped his brother carry out the attack, is serving 55 years in prison.

The Abedi brothers, from Fallowfield in south Manchester, spent months ordering, stockpiling and transporting the deadly materials for the terror attack, using multiple mobile phones, addresses and runaround vehicles to make their bomb.

They joined their parents in Libya the month before the blast, but Salman returned to the UK on May 18.

He bought the final components needed for the bomb, rented a flat in the city centre in which to build it and carried out reconnaissance on the Arena before finally executing the plot as fans departed from an Ariana Grande concert.

The 22 victims of the terror attack during the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017. (top row left to right) Off-duty police officer Elaine McIver, 43, Saffie Roussos, 8, Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, Eilidh MacLeod, 14, (second row left to right) Nell Jones, 14, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, Megan Hurley, 15, Georgina Callander, 18, (third row left to right), Chloe Rutherford,17, Liam Curry, 19, Courtney Boyle, 19, and Philip Tron, 32, (fourth row left to right) John Atkinson, 26, Martyn Hett, 29, Kelly Brewster, 32, Angelika Klis, 39, (fifth row left to right) Marcin Klis, 42, Michelle Kiss, 45, Alison Howe, 45, and Lisa Lees, 43 (fifth row left to right) Wendy Fawell, 50 and Jane Tweddle, 51

Amanda, paying tribute to Eve in a statement, said: 'Eve was one of a kind. Loud, funny, beautiful and caring does not even cover a tiny percentage of the person she was.

'Everywhere she was there was light in the room, she was that light, she would make her presence known with such a warm welcoming feeling.

'Everyone that she knew would always be put before herself, she was such a selfless person everyones feelings came before her own.'

She added: '[On] May 22nd 2017 Eve attended Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester, Ariana Grande was her absolute idol, although everyone who knew her would know this.

'Sadly the Manchester attack took its toll as eve was present, however, the strength of Ariana Grande's music got her through alongside her Dad who was with her at the time and guided her out.

'This was an event so close to Eve's heart, which, anyone would know as she spoke of Ariana Grande so highly to everyone she came across.'

Amanda, paying tribute to Eve in a statement, said: 'Eve was one of a kind. Loud, funny, beautiful and caring does not even cover a tiny percentage of the person she was

Amanda then revealed that on Friday 23 July, paramedics were called as Eve was found lifeless in her room.

She said: 'The family is absolutely broken along side her boyfriend Brad who meant the absolute world to her.

'To everyone this was such a shock, heartbreak and a newfound pain to those who loved and knew her.

'This gofundme is for her heartbroken family who did not expect to arrange their daughters funeral as she was only 20 years old. She had such a positive impact on each and every one that met her, being a big statement in many people's lives.'

MailOnline have contacted the West Midlands Ambulance Service for comment.

Last month, the British Transport Police (BTP) accepted there were 'serious failings' in its response to the terrorist attack.

The force failed to share vital information with other emergency services in the immediate aftermath of the explosion at the concert, an inquiry heard.

Assistant Chief Constable Sean O'Callaghan said a declaration of a major incident was not passed on to other services and neither was an officer's communication, known as a METHANE message, which provides details of the scene.

Assistant Chief Constable Sean O'Callaghan (pictured at the inquiry Friday) said a declaration of a major incident was not passed on to other services

The scene close to Manchester Arena following the terror attack after an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017

Mr O'Callaghan, who was not on the force at the time of the bombing, also accepted that there was a failure of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (Jesip) on the night of the attack.

Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney said: 'BTP did not, at least at any relevant time, co-locate at command level, they did not communicate effectively, nor did they co-ordinate.

'In the result, they didn't jointly understand the risk with emergency service partners and they did not share situational awareness?' - to which Mr O'Callaghan agreed.

He added that the 'critical pieces of information' were 'vital' to enable other emergency services to gain situational awareness.

Asked if he recognised these were serious failures, Mr O'Callaghan said: 'Yes, that is correct and a number of changes made have been put in place to address those.'

He said improvements made since 2017 included the training given to officers and the force's emergency plans.

The inquiry heard how in the two years leading up to the attack, representatives from BTP were only present at three of nine local resilience forum meetings for the area, which were designed to train public services for emergencies.

On the occasions they were present, the meetings were only attended by BTP inspectors or chief inspectors, the hearing was told.

Asked whether that was an unacceptable level of engagement, Mr O'Callaghan said: 'It's certainly not of the standard I have now put in place.'

Earlier, a control room operator told the inquiry that she failed to record or pass on pieces of 'significant information' in the aftermath of the bombing.

Rochelle Fallon was working in the control room of North West Fire Control (NWFC) on the night of the terror attack in May 2017, and fielded numerous calls.

The public inquiry had heard that fire crews did not attend the scene for more than two hours as they awaited further details of the incident.

Firefighters with specialist equipment were instructed to gather three miles from the scene, as members of the public, police and Arena staff moved casualties from the blast scene at the City Room foyer.

Ms Fallon's boss, Sarah-Jane Wilson, told the hearing that failures from NWFC in passing key information to fire officers contributed to the lengthy delay in crews arriving.

It comes after it was revealed that bomb plotter Hashem Abedi is refusing to co-operate with a prison deradicalisation programme while serving 55 years.

Abedi is one of five inmates in a separation centre at maximum security HMP Frankland in County Durham and he along with three others have turned down the opportunity to change their ways, reported ITV News.

Abedi and four others are being held at the Separation Centre and they can be heard discussing their naps and the use of a radio in the video footage released by the broadcaster of inside the prison.

Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi is refusing to co-operate with a prison deradicalisation programme while serving 55 years for helping his brother kill 22 concertgoers

Lucy Jarvis, who was injured in the Manchester Arena attack, told ITV News: 'He doesnt deserve any right to socialise with people, especially someone who is unfortunately on the same wavelength as him with these disgusting things.'

Last October, Abedi admitted for the first time his involvement in planning the Manchester Arena bombing which killed 22 people.

He had denied 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and plotting to cause an explosion likely to endanger life but was convicted by a jury of all the offences.

Last August he was handed 24 life sentences with a minimum term of 55 years before he can be considered for parole.

Abedi did not give evidence at his trial at the Old Bailey, absented himself from much of the proceedings and sacked his legal team.

He also refused to attend his sentencing hearing.

For help call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
A Washington State inmate was sentenced to an additional 24 years for murdering his cellmate - a convicted child rapist who had abused his sister.

Shane Goldsby, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges, and was sentenced last week for beating his cellmate Robert Munger, 70, to death in June 2020.

Munger was serving a 43-year prison sentence at the Airway Heights Correctional facility on multiple child molestation and child pornography charges, when Goldsby was assigned to his cell.

Goldsby said he snapped after hearing Munger brag about his crimes, and while in a prison common area, came up from behind and attacked Munger, knocking him to the ground, before punching and kicking him in the face 14 times and then stomping on his head another four times before walking away.

Munger died three days later from his injuries.

Shane Goldsby, 26, (left) was sentenced to an additional 24 years in prison after he beat his cellmate, Robert Munger, 70, to death upon discovering he had sexually assaulted his sister. Munger was serving a 43-year prison sentence for child molestation and child porn possession

Goldsby said that he killed Munger after discovering his younger sister, who is still a minor, was one of Munger's victims, KHQ reported.

'I had so much stuff going on in my head,' he said. 'I wasn't stable at that point. I wasn't. I was getting to that point, because (Munger) kept wanting to give me details about what happened, what he did  about the photos and the videos of him doing this stuff. It was building up.'

The child's mother, Cindy Elliott, and an anonymous tipster told the station the Munger had raped the girl.

Goldsby expressed his disbelief that something like that could happen, and that when he found out who Munger was, he requested a different cellmate, but was ignored.

'I was in shock,' he said. 'I was like, 'what the f***?'... This stuff doesn't happen. You're talking the same institution, the same unit, the same pod in the same cell as this dude. That's like hitting the jackpot in the casino seven times.'

Munger had been convicted in December, 2019 for child rape, child molestation and possession of child pornography.

Meanwhile Goldsby was serving time for a 2017 incident in which he stole a police vehicle and took police on a lengthy chase before crashing it into a Washington State patrol vehicle and injuring the trooper inside.

Goldsby said he couldn't believe he had been transferred to the same cell as Munger, and had requested a transfer, which he says was ignored

He told KHQ that he had gotten into a number of fights with corrections officers during his time in prison, and had been moved to multiple facilities before being transferred to Airway Heights.

Upon his transfer Goldsby said he was a reformed man, and had found God.

'I quit gangbanging. I was doing good,' he said.

The Washington Department of Corrections said it has a policy against such prison assignments, but after a review it discovered that because of issues such as different last names, was unable to find the connection between the two, the Spokesman-Review reported.

'There was no clear indication in the documentation regularly reviewed for housing assignments that there was a potential conflict,' DoC spokeswoman Janelle Guthrie said

Goldsby was too emotional at his sentencing Wednesday (pictured) to read his apology to Munger's family

His attorney, Victoria Lynn Blumhorst, read out Goldsby's apology instead

'You put me in the same cell as this dude,' Goldsby said. 'I feel set up. I'm the victim.'

At his sentencing on Wednesday, Goldsby was too overcome with emotion to read his apology.

His attorney, Victoria Lynn Blumhorst read it for him, the Spokesman-Review reported.

'Im ashamed of my actions, I was put into a situation that I dont wish on nobody,' she said on her client's behalf. 'I got a lot of fixing to do.'

She had told the judge that Goldsby had a troubled childhood, and had been transferred to 10 different foster homes before reconnecting with his mother, who began to use drugs with him.

Goldsby had been in prison since he was 22 for his joyriding incident, and had been transferred to Airway Heights after going through an inmate reform program.

The two had been assigned to the same cell at the Airway Heights Correctional Center (pictured). The Washington Department of Corrections has policies against making such inmate assignments but after a review, found it was unable to verify the connection between the two before it was too late

The maximum sentence Goldsby could have received was 33 years, and the prosecuting attorney said the additional 24 years he received was intended so that there was no possibility of Munger's wife being alive upon Goldsby's release, according to the Spokesman-Review.

In addition to his prison sentence, Goldsby is to serve three years parole upon his released and pay Munger's family restitution, with a figure set at a later date, the outlet also reported.

'I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way,' Blumhorst said, continuing her client's apology. 'To his wife and his whole family I apologize. I am so sorry and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused.'
The remains are believed to be that of Alberta Leeman, who went missing on July 25, 1978 at the age of 63

The family of a New Hampshire woman who went missing in 1978 may finally be getting some answers, after divers discovered human remains in a submerged car on Friday.

The car, half-buried at the bottom of the Connecticut River, is a 1972 Pontiac LeMans with a license plate 'OB610' found nearby - the exact plate registered to Alberta Leeman, who vanished over 43 years ago.

It was found Friday submerged in the river, just about one mile south of the Mt. Orne Covered Bridge, which connects Lancaster, New Hampshire with Lunenburg, Vermont.

It had apparently been underwater for decades when it was found by New Hampshire Fish and Game officials using specialized equipment, New Hampshire State Police posted on Facebook Friday afternoon.

Authorities have not yet positively identified the remains as those of Leeman, who was 63 when she went missing on July 25, 1978, according to WMUR.

But police have said her disappearance is not considered suspicious and there does not appear to be any threat to the public, as the New Hampshire Fish and Game dive team continue to search the area surrounding the vehicle.

New Hampshire and Vermont state police are now investigating how the car ended up in the water, they said.

New Hampshire State Police posted on Friday afternoon that New Hampshire Fish and Game crews found a car submerged in the Connecticut River that matches the one that belonged to Leeman at the time of her disappearance

The dive teams used sonar and an underwater camera to find the vehicle

It was located just about one mile south of the Mt. Orne Covered Bridge in the Connecticut River in New Hampshire

Dive teams have been searching the area regularly for the vehicle since 2018

The discovery came just about three years after Conservation Officer Joe Canfield found out about Leeman's disappearance and made it his mission to solve the case.

He has since undertaken regular search missions in the Androscoggin and Connecticut Rivers along areas close to the roadway.

On Wednesday, the dive team was once again at the site, and they were able to confirm the submerged vehicle was Leeman's.

'He's taken time, along with other team members on the sonar team and they've taken their training days to come up here and search portions of the river,' Lt. Robert Mancini, of the New Hampshire Fish and Game department told reporters of Canfield's efforts.

'And last week they came with that sonar and underwater camera, and they were working on this, and they had a hit on the sonar.'

Mancini described the efforts as 'training with a purpose,' and added that the 'grit and resiliency that Officer Canfield and his team have shown in respect to this case is really incredible.'

Authorities now believe she was heading home from Gilman, Vermont on the day she went missing, according to WMUR.

Lt. Robert Mancini, of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, called the efforts 'training with a purpose,' and praised Conservation Officer Joe Canfield for his dedication to solving the 43-year-old case

Authorities believe Leeman was heading home from Gilman, Vermont on the Mt. Orne Covered Bridge the day she went missing

She lived in Gorham, New Hampshire, about 35 to 40 miles away

By Thursday, Leeman's family received a call that a vehicle registered to Leeman was found by a Fish and Game remote-operated vehicle with an underwater camera and sonar team during training

The family had spent 43 years looking for closure- following up on any possible sightings and reports of human remains found elsewhere, only to learn they weren't related to Leeman's disappearance.

'You never give up,' her daughter, Nancy McLain told the New Hampshire Union Leader.

She and her daughter, Roxanne McLain were living in Gilman, Vermont, just a few miles from the site of the submerged car at the time, the Union Leader reports, while Leeman was living 40 miles away in Gorham, New Hampshire.

'We never thought she was here,' said Roxanne, who was just 16 when Leeman went missing. 'They had looked in Maine, they were getting sightings in New Hampshire.

'The sightings were terrible at the time,' she said. 'They spotted her everywhere.'

They had thought her disappearance was suspicious at the time, as her purse was left at home along with a cup of coffee on the table.

'Your mind goes that way anyway,' Roxanne said, adding that authorities were also suspicious of Leeman's disappearance.

'She could have been taken,' Roxanne said, 'Everything was left at home, except for herself and her car.'

Authorities even checked Leeman's other granddaughter's home in Florida to make sure she wasn't hiding her.

'This was the hardest part for me,' the granddaughter, Stacey Carri, said.

If the remains are positively identified as that of Leeman's, Nancy said, the family will no longer have to worry about what happened to her, saying: 'She's at peace.'
The mother of a coronavirus-infected seven-year-old boy in hospital is warning parents across Australia about the frightening impact the Indian Delta variant of Covid-19 is having on children and teens.

While the original strain of the virus seemed to have little effect on children and teenagers, more and more young Australians are being hit hard by crippling symptoms - with four teens admitted to ICU last week alone.

Many young people are suffering long-term symptoms of the virus, with some left learning how to walk again and others even permanently dropping IQ points after the virus destroyed grey matter in the brain.

Young Australian Zen celebrated his latest birthday while being treated at the Gold Coast University Hospital with his mother Sandra, after he was recently struck down 'out of the blue' by the respiratory virus.

Sandra said she was in shock when she discovered that her child had become one of the 1,000 kids across Australia who have tested positive in just the past two months.

Of the 58 patients in ICU in Sydney, five are in their 20s, seven in their 30s and four in their 40s, with only of the cases having had even a single shot of a vaccine.

More and more young Australians are suffering badly with Covid-19, with five in their 20s currently in ICU in Sydney (pictured, friends in Melbourne's lockdown on Sunday)

Fears the virus is laying waste to unvaccinated young Australians comes as new figures revealed New South Wales and Victoria had a stockpile of one million unused AstraZeneca vaccines thanks to worryingly low demand.

'I never thought it was going to happen to us. We took every precaution we could,' Zen's mother told 60 Minutes.

'Queensland seemed to be one of the safest places around so when this happened it was just out of the blue for us. I thought it was a prank call from the health department.

'I know kids can get sick, I just, it just didn't feel like it was coming for us.'

Doctors held grave fears for Zen, who suffers from asthma, but so far he's been able to battle through the potentially deadly virus relatively unscathed as he remains in isolation for a period of 14 days.

The brave youngster said he felt, 'just a little bit sick with a little snotty nose'.

He revealed that he misses his dad 'very much' and didn't do much on his birthday because he was 'stuck in a tiny room but got heaps of presents'.

Sandra, who also returned a positive test despite being fully vaccinated, is now urging Australians protect their children by doing 'the right thing' and following health orders.

Irish teenager Jack Edge, 18, is learning to walk again after suffering badly with Covid-19. He had to breathe through a ventilator while battling the virus in ICU for 11 days

Young Zen celebrated his latest birthday while being treated at the Gold Coast University Hospital with his mother Sandra, after he was recently struck down 'out of the blue' by the respiratory virus (pictured together)

'This is serious and we are still not clear, even if right now we don't have any symptoms, that could turn at any point. So, we are just hoping for the best, but this could turn really bad as well,' she said.

In the early stages of the pandemic children were far less likely to become infected but now with the highly transmissible Indian Delta variant, school-aged children are directly in the firing line and particularly vulnerable, as the majority are not eligible to get vaccinated.

'Most of us have been surprised about the swing towards children and the fact that we are having these outbreaks in school right across Australia,' said Doctor John Gerrard, who has treated Zen at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

'I see the fact that this disease is an indicator that this virus is becoming more virulent across all ages.'

Young Australians were thought to be relatively unscathed by Covid, but more and more are getting seriously ill (pictured, women embrace in locked-down Melbourne on Sunday)

Zen (pictured in hospital) revealed that he misses his dad 'very much' and didn't do much on his birthday because he was 'stuck in a tiny room but we got heaps of presents'

Four teenagers in just the past week have had to be treated in intensive care in Australia, with one of them requiring a ventilator to stay alive.

It comes as worrying new research from the UK has discovered that even after someone has tested negative to the debilitating illness, many frightening effects can still linger - including a permanent drop in IQ levels.

'What we found essentially is that people who had Covid-19 were performing less well than we would expect on measures of cognitive ability or intelligence,' Dr Adam Hampshire from the Imperial College London said.

'The degree to which people who suffered at the more severe end of the illness spectrum underperformed to the equivalent of around about seven IQ points.

'It's a worrying picture that's emerging.'

Four teenagers in just the past week have had to be treated in intensive care in Australia, with one of them requiring a ventilator to stay alive (pictured, young women walk in Melbourne on Sunday)

A nurse at the Lebanese Muslim Association in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba administers a Covid jab to a young man on Sunday (pictured) amid fears the virus will have serious long-term health impacts on the young

With a further 262 locally acquired cases in New South Wales on Sunday bringing the total number of infections during the current outbreak to 10,728, the alarm bells have been sounding for young people in the Premier's office.

Gladys Berejiklian controversially moved this week to divert 40,000 Covid jabs from regional areas to vaccinate students in Sydney hotspots preparing to undergo their end of year exams incoming weeks.

While many Australians in regional areas are up in arms about having their vaccine appointments cancelled and handed over to Year 12 students instead, the government says the initiative is necessary to protect young people in high-risk areas across Sydney's west and southwest.

'When you consider there are eight million people in NSW, and we have been able to stop the spread of the virus in our regions and other parts of Sydney,' she said.

A long queue of people are seen outside Sydney's Olympic Park vaccination centre on Sunday (pictured) as authorities plead with more young people to get jabbed

'It is important for us to give those Year 12 students a chance to finish their exams and get rewarded.

'We know that we are finding younger people are getting the virus and spreading it. It is important particularly for younger people, people up to the 30s in particular, to get access to the vaccine as soon as possible.

Irish teenager Jack Edge, 18, who is still suffering from the debilitating aftermath of Covid wishes he had access to the vaccine when he contracted the virus over a year ago.

He's now re-learning how to walk and says he still carries severe physiological scars like from the virus.

'I deteriorated really, really, fast and I was put into the ICU on a ventilator which is where I was for 11 days,' he told the Channel Nine program.

Health workers are seen testing in Sydney's west (pictured) with many of the new cases being among those under 30

'I have mobility issues due to the nerve damage in my feet. I have to take medication and have a lot of mental health issues regarding traumatic experiences and PTSD.

'And there is no guarantee I will ever get my full mobility back at all, which is obviously very difficult.'

The push to vaccinate young Australians come as a report emerged that NSW and Victoria had a stockpile of more than one million unwanted AstraZeneca vaccines.

The surplus prompted the Victorian government to announce that people as young as 18 can now go to nine vaccination hubs to get one of 200,000 doses of the AstraZeneca jab.

The bungled rollout has also left Prime Minister Scott Morrison suffering a new low in the polls, with support for his handling for the Covid crisis nearly halving since last year.

While in April 2020 85 per cent approved of his pandemic leadership, this has plummeted to just 48 per cent, according to the latest Newspoll.
Ron DeSantis is facing two legal challenges over his executive order preventing schools from imposing mask mandates on students as pediatric hospitals become 'overwhelmed' due to COVID cases in children.

'The numbers of cases in our hospitals in children and our children's hospitals are completely overwhelmed,' Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University, told CNN on Friday.

'Our pediatricians, the nursing, the staff are exhausted, and the children are suffering. And it is absolutely devastating,' she continued. 'Our children are very much affected. We've never seen numbers like this before.'

Florida has the second-highest rate of new coronavirus cases per capita, following Louisiana.

While some doctors are claiming the hospital systems are becoming inundated with children cases of COVID-19, the Department of Health and Human Services shows data to the contrary.

A hospital capacity data set shows only 46 pediatric patients were admitted to Florida hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, bringing the total in the state to 135.

Florida has the second highest number of children in the hospital with COVID, falling behind Texas, which recorded a total of 142 as of Tuesday.

Children dying from COVID-19 is still extremely rare  even with the Delta variant surge.

Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando saw its first hospital death of the pandemic when a boy with pre-existing lung disease died there a few weeks ago, the hospital's Division Chief of Infectious Disease Dr. Kenneth Alexander said, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Fifty-eight per cent of Floridians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 49 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

The White House announced Friday that the U.S. has officially surpassed the 50 per cent mark of fully vaccinated adults. Last week, the Biden administration hit its July 4 goal one month late in getting 70 per cent of adults at least one dose.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing two lawsuits related to his executive order barring Florida schools from imposing mask mandates on students  instead giving the power to parents to decide

The lawsuits comes as children's hospitals in Florida have become 'overwhelmed' with COVID cases. The Florida Hospital Association reported 22,783 new cases Friday - another record high from 21,683 reported on June 30

In Florida, 58% of adults have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. On Sunday, the CDC announced the U.S. surpassed the 50% mark for the number of adults fully vaccinated

DeSantis signed an order last month directing the Florida Departments of Health and Education to impose rules preventing implementation of mask mandates in schools.

The Republican governor said he wants to 'protect parents' freedom to choose whether their children wear masks.'

In response, DeSantis is now facing two separate lawsuits over his executive order, which were filed on Friday.

The first lawsuit, according to CNN, comes from a father of three and the second comes from a group of parents of school-aged children from counties all over Florida.

Florida officials vowed on Friday to pay for parents to move their children to private schools if they are 'bullied' for not wearing face masks in schools.

The Florida Department of Education approved an emergency rule to hand out private school vouchers to any parent wanting to take their children out of public schools that are enforcing mask mandates on students.

Such vouchers, offered through the Hope Scholarship, are usually used to move children from schools where they are the victims of bullying.

Under the emergency measure, however, the vouchers can now be used to move students out of school if they are subjected to so-called 'COVID-19 harassment' - where parents say a school's mask mandate or other COVID-19 restrictions amount to harassment and discrimination of their children.

This new order comes in conjunction to DeSantis taking power away from schools to impose mask mandates through his executive order.

A lawsuit was filed Friday combatting the governor's order.

Attorney Barry Silver claims DeSantis' order is unconstitutional. Silver's client is a father of three children, one who is ineligible to receive the vaccine and has a history of asthma.

'Florida is among the states with the highest number of Covid-19 victims in the country, and the number of afflicted people is growing rapidly,' the lawsuit says. 'The danger to Plaintiff and his children and all others they come into contact with is severe, unreasonable, and growing by the day.'

It continues that the Florida Constitution states: '[A]dequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools.'

The second lawsuit has some of the same arguments regarding the constitutionality of DeSantis' order.

Florida set an all-time record for COVID hospitalizations on Friday, with 12,864 hospitalized in a single day

The plaintiffs include parents of school-aged children from counties all over Florida, including Miami-Dade, Orange, Hillsborough, Palm Beach and Alachua.

'They are framing this as a parent choice issue when this is really a public health issue,' Charles Gallagher, an attorney working on that lawsuit, told CNN.

Gallagher said the Florida Constitution guarantees a safe school environment.

He also argued that it gives counties the power to govern themselves, while DeSantis' executive action strips the power away from school districts.

'The Constitution is equal justice under law and therefore we think that we are on the right side of these facts,' Gallagher said.

Children under the age of 12 are still not authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to receive any of the three COVID-19 vaccines that have emergency use authorization in the U.S.

Neither the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines have full FDA approval yet.

The fight between DeSantis and local school boards in Florida has been rising as cases surge with the emergence of the Delta variant and the increase in breakthrough cases in vaccinated people.

Last Friday, when DeSantis issued his executive order banning schools from issuing mask mandates when students return to class next month, he also promised that Florida will not introduce any new COVID-19 restrictions.

He threatened to withhold state funding from school districts if they did not comply.

COVID-19 cases are surging across the Sunshine State with officials recording the highest tally of new infections Friday since the start of the pandemic and children accounting for around a fifth of all new cases.

The Florida Department of Education approved an emergency rule Friday to hand out private school vouchers to any parent wanting to take their children out of public schools that have enforced mask mandates  arguing it amounts to 'bullying' or 'harassment'

Florida's Education Board unanimously approved the emergency measure in a meeting Friday allowing parents to request the vouchers if they feel COVID-19 protocols 'pose a health or educational danger to their child,' reported WSVN.

'Unnecessarily isolating, quarantining, or subjecting children to physical COVID-19 constraints in schools poses a threat to developmental upbringing and should not occur absent a heightened showing of actual illness or serious risk of illness to other students,' the board said.

Parents will be able to transfer their child to a private school or to another public school in another school district.

The rule defines COVID-19 harassment as 'any threatening, discriminatory, insulting, or dehumanizing verbal, written or physical conduct an individual student suffers in relation to, or as a result of, school district protocols for COVID-19, including masking requirements, the separation or isolation of students, or COVID-19 testing requirements, that have the effect of substantially interfering with a student's educational performance.'

The average cost of private school tuition in Florida is $9,157 a year, according to Private School Review.

The decision to use a scheme designed to protect bullied children and taxpayer money for parents unhappy with mask rules was slammed by Florida Rep. Omari Hardy.

'Florida's Board of Education just agreed to use taxpayer dollars to pay private school tuition for kids who want to attend schools that don't require masks,' he tweeted.

'Governor DeSantis & his minions are using their emergency powers to make the emergency worse.'

DeSantis has gone to war with school districts over COVID-19 protocols, banning mask mandates last Friday.

The governor said in a press conference that parents have the right to decide whether or not their children wear masks in the classroom.

'Why would we have the government force masks on our kids when many of these kids are already immune through prior infection, they're at virtually zero risk of significant illness and when virtually every school personnel had access to vaccines for months and months?' DeSantis said.

At least four school districts have defied the order and imposed mask mandates in schools however others bowed to the state's rules.

Both Gadsden and Broward County school districts announced they would not require students to wear masks - a walk-back on their previous plans.

Broward County School Board however then changed its mind again saying it will wait for 'further guidance' before making a final decision and that - in the meantime - students are required to wear masks.

Duval County Public Schools said parents can opt out if they don't want their children wearing masks in its schools.

Protesters in favor of a mask mandate hold signs Tuesday outside the Duval County School Board building

Anti-mask protesters rally outside the Hillsborough County Schools Board meeting at the district office on July 27

Meanwhile, Alachua County Public Schools said it will have a mask mandate but only for the first two weeks of class.

DeSantis' ability to enforce the executive order has been called into question with legal experts saying it is not an outright ban on mask mandates.

'It is a loosely written riff on the governor's political views on masking and parental rights chock-full of entirely unenforceable 'Whereas' clauses designed to garnish newspaper, television and Twitter soundbites, rather than judicial support in the event of inevitable lawsuits,' legal analyst Paul Callan told CNN.

The CDC has recommended all teachers, staff, students and visitors wear face masks in schools regardless of vaccination status as the Delta variant continues to spread across America and most children are yet to get the shot.

DeSantis' refusal to allow Florida education institutions to comply with the order has drawn the ire of Joe Biden this week.

The president hit out at DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott Wednesday blaming their refusal to embrace mask requirements for the surge in COVID-19 cases in the two Republican states.

'They should free people to do the right thing, such as allowing teachers to ask students to wear masks,' he continued.

'I say to these governors, please help. But if you're not going to help at least get out of the way of the people who are trying to do the right thing. Use your power to save lives.'

Abbott has also said there will be no face mask requirements for Texas school children.

DeSantis fired back, accusing Biden of trying to 'single out Florida' and trying to shift attention to the increase in migrants crossing the southern border.

'Why don't you do your job? Why don't you get this border secure?' DeSantis said of Biden Wednesday.

'And until you do that I don't want to hear a blip about COVID from you.'

He added: 'And I can tell you, Florida, we're a free state. People are going to be free to choose.'

Tensions ramped up Thursday with Biden responding 'Governor who?' when asked about DeSantis.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona also joined in the spat, telling the two governors not to be the reason schools are interrupted.

'Don't be the reason why schools are interrupted. Our students have suffered enough,' Cardona said.

'Politics doesn't have a role in this. Educators know what to do,' he added.

On Friday Press Secretary Jen Psaki hit out at DeSantis in her press briefing accusing him of 'fundraising' off the back of it.

'Parents in Florida, parents across the country, should have the ability and the knowledge that their kids are going to school and they're in safe environments that shouldn't be too much to ask,' she added.

DeSantis, who is running for a second term in the gubernatorial mansion in next year's election and is seen as a possible 2014 presidential candidate, has blasted out at least two fundraising emails this week, touting his COVID stance.

White House response coordinator Jeff Zients has said that Florida and Texas make up around one third of all new cases in the US over the last week.

The states are also responsible for more than one-third of new hospitalizations.

Florida set an all-time record for COVID hospitalizations on Friday, with 12,864 hospitalized in a single day.

The state has been reaching all-time highs since Tuesday when there were 10,389 patients - soaring past the previous peak of 10,170 hospitalizations on July 23 2020.

The Florida Hospital Association reported 22,783 new cases Friday - another record high from 21,683 reported on June 30.

The state releases its data just once a week on a Friday and is expected to show an increase in cases for the seventh week in a row.
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Coronavirus cases have increased for the third day in a row with Department of Health bosses today declaring a further 27,429 infections, a increase of 12 per cent on last Sunday's figure of 24,470.

The number of people dying with the virus has decreased to 39 - a decrease of 40 per cent from 65 last Sunday.

Hospital admissions fell to 742 as of Tuesday, a 18.6 per cent decrease from the 912 people hospitalised in the previous week.

Britain's total infections have now risen up to 6,069,362, while 130,320 people who have tested positive have lost their life to the virus since the start of the pandemic.

It comes after scientists claimed Britain will not need another lockdown to stop another Covid wave overwhelming the NHS this winter after official data showed the outbreak is shrinking.

SAGE estimates the R rate  which shows how quickly the virus is spreading  is between 0.8 and 1.1. It means that, on average, every 10 people infected will infect between 8 and 11 other people

The rate is lowest in the North East and Yorkshire, as well as the North West, with both areas having a rate of around 0.7 to 1

The Office for National Statistics claimed 722,300 people were infected on any given day in the seven-day spell ending July 31  the equivalent of one in 75 people. This marked a 15 per cent drop on the week before, when the toll was upwards of 850,000.

And SAGE member 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson  who's grim modelling led to the first lockdown  said he now believes the pandemic is something the UK will be able to manage with vaccines rather than 'crisis measures'.

He told The Times: 'I think its unlikely we will need a new lockdown or even social distancing measures of the type weve had so far.'

Fellow Government scientific advisor Professor John Edmunds, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, agreed, saying he believes the national health service will most likely be able to cope with the numbers of cases expected in the winter.

He said: 'I suspect we wont have to [impose any more]. The pinch point has always been pressure on the NHS and though it will be awkward for the NHS, so there will be pressure, I very much doubt they wont be able to cope.'

But Boris Johnson has pressed ahead with plans to reintroduce restrictions by authorising contingency plans for 'firebreak lockdowns' should the NHS be overwhelmed cases by the end of the year.

SAGE member 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson (right)  who's grim modelling led to the first lockdown  said he now believes the pandemic is something the UK will be able to manage with vaccines rather than 'crisis measures'. Fellow Government scientific advisor Professor John Edmunds (left), an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, agreed, saying he believes the national health service will most likely be able to cope with the numbers of cases expected in the winter

Boris Johnson (above) has authorised contingency plans for 'firebreak lockdowns' if the NHS is again overwhelmed with Covid cases during the winter months

Nearly 30 areas in England have not fully vaccinated their over-50 populations against Covid, official statistics have revealed as experts warn there are huge pockets of the population still vulnerable to the virus. Graph shows

Harehills South in Leeds has reached the fewest over-50s, with just 813 of the 1,562 living in the area receiving their second dose  52 per cent of the population. Map shows: The proportion of adults who have had both Covid vaccine doses

Overall, 2.5million over-50s (11 per cent) have not yet got their second jab and 2million haven't had their first (nine per cent)

Sources within Whitehall yesterday confirmed the government is prepared for 'local, regional or national' lockdowns in order to protect the health service from being swamped and reaching breaking point with cases.

Britain's daily Covid cases RISE again by 7% in a week to 31,808 Britain's Covid outbreak is still flattening off, according to official statistics that yesterday dismissed hopes that the worst of the third wave was over. Department of Health bosses posted another 31,808 cases on Friday, up seven per cent on the 29,622 recorded last Friday. The number of victims dying with the virus  a measure which lags weeks behind infections  also increased by 35.3 per cent, jumping from 71 last week to 92. But hospital admissions, which always turn before fatalities, continue to fall. There were 778 people hospitalised with Covid on Monday, down 16.2 per cent on the previous week. The figures come as leading scientists warn achieving herd immunity against Covid is looking ever-increasingly impossible, with neither vaccines nor natural infections triggering 'perfect' protection. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said immunity against SARS-CoV-2  the virus that causes Covid  is likely to be short-lived. Friday's infection figures take the average number of new cases daily to 26,513. This up slightly on Friday's seven-day average (26,201), but down on the week before. Advertisement

The i reports the Prime Minister has given the green light to plans for 'firebreak lockdowns' should Covid cases cripple the NHS later this year.

Although scientists remain confident of the efficacy of Britain's vaccines, Whitehall sources say fears persist over surging flu infections, a potential NHS staffing crisis and a rise in positive infections.

The senior Downing Street source said: 'The Government believes it has got to grips with the pandemic following the vaccine rollout

'Barring a new vaccine-beating strain, fears over a rise in infections similar to that seen last autumn are actually outweighed by other issues like an NHS staffing crisis and the likely resurgence in flu infections, and other respiratory diseases.

'On top of Covid infections, these factors could tip the NHS back to the brink and force more lockdowns.'

It is understood that any subsequent lockdown would resemble the nation's four-week 'firebreak' lockdown during November 2020.

The return of draconian restrictions would likely be short and during 'school holidays and over Christmas', the source adds.

Britain's Covid outbreak is still flattening off, according to official statistics that dismissed hopes that the worst of the third wave was over.

Department of Health bosses posted another 31,808 cases on Friday, up seven per cent on the 29,622 recorded last week.

The number of victims dying with the virus - a measure which lags weeks behind infections - also increased by 35.3 per cent, jumping from 71 last week to 92.

But hospital admissions, which always turn before fatalities, continue to fall. There were 778 people hospitalised with Covid on Monday, down 16.2 per cent on the previous week.

The figures come as leading scientists warn achieving herd immunity against Covid is looking ever-increasingly impossible, with neither vaccines nor natural infections triggering 'perfect' protection.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, said immunity against SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes Covid - is likely to be short-lived.

But separate official data offered a glimmer of hope, revealing England's shrinking Covid outbreak towards the end of July was real and marked the first time cases had genuinely fallen since the third wave took off.

Covid cases are rising among adults in their early twenties and the oldest teenagers in England, and are static among adults in their late twenties. Experts said this could be due to Freedom Day easings and the long daylight hours encouraging more socialising. Younger age groups tend to do more socialising than older age groups

Covid cases are still dropping week-on-week in all age groups, but the rate of decrease has slowed considerably among adults in their early twenties. It could switch to a rise in cases in the coming days

The Covid Symptom Study estimated cases fell by almost a quarter last week, after saying they had plateaued. It estimated 46,905 people are now catching Covid every day, down from almost 60,000 previously

No10's top scientists claimed the R rate  which shows how quickly the coronavirus is spreading  has dipped below one for the first time in 12 weeks. The UK Health Security Agency said the reproduction rate is between 0.8 and 1.1. For comparison, last week's figure stood at between 1.1 and 1.4.

Meanwhile, random swab-testing data  used by ministers to keep tabs on the size of the outbreak  estimated the number of infected people has also dropped for the first time since May.

Britain's total infections have now risen up to 6,014,023, while 130,178 people who have tested positive have lost their life to the virus since the start of the pandemic.

Just under 47million adults in Britain (88.8 per cent) have now had a jab after another 35,500 first doses were dished out on Friday.

And 39million (73.8 per cent) are fully protected after NHS staff and volunteers put 172,692 second doses into people's arms.
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Jon Lindbergh, a pioneering aquanaut and the son of legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh, has died aged 88.

He passed away on July 29 after a battle with metastatic renal cancer, his daughter told the New York Times.

While his father took to the skies, Jon took to the ocean - carving out a name for himself scavenging the depths of the seas as one of the world's earliest aquanauts.

He pioneered cave diving and participated in dangerous underwater rescues - including one to find a hydrogen bomb that was lost in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain in 1966, and became an acclaimed deep-sea diver and underwater demolition expert.

Jon spent most of his life in the public eye, initially because of his impressive parents. His father Charles was the first person to pilot a solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, and his mother Anne Morrow Lindbergh was the first woman in the United States to earn a glider pilot's license.

It was tragedy, however, that cemented the couple as a household name after their first child, Charles Jr, was abducted and murdered in 1932 in what was branded 'the crime of the century'.

Jon Lindbergh, the son of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who charted his own path as a deep-sea diver and aquanaut died on July 29 at the age of 88. Jon is pictured in 1966

Jon grew up very protected, after the kidnapping and death of his older brother Charles Jr. He is pictured with his parents Charles and Anne in 1936

Charles and Anne arguably became America's first celebrity couple as they flew around the world drumming up interest in the fledgling career of aviation.

On March 1, 1932, their 20-month-old son, Charles Jr., was kidnapped from their home in New Jersey and was killed in what the press at the time called the 'crime of the century'.

A lengthy FBI investigation then followed, until finally, Bruno Richard Hauptman, a carpenter, was arrested in September with the murder.

He was convicted after a sensational trial in 1935, and was electrocuted the following year, still maintaining his innocence.

In between Charles Jr.'s kidnapping and the trial, Jon Morrow Lindbergh was born in Manhattan on August 16, 1932.

For security purposes, the Times reports, Jon was born in his maternal grandparents' house on the Upper East Side, and spent much of his childhood sheltered, as his parents feared history may repeat itself with him.

And it almost did.

Just six months after his birth, in 1933, two men were charged with once again trying to extort $50,000 from the family by threatening to kidnap Jon.

Kristina Lindbergh, Jon's daughter, told the Times Anne admitted to Jon many yeas later that she had been so afraid something would happen to him that she did not allow herself to love him as much as she thinks she should have.

'They now say that trauma experienced by the other carrying the child does affect the baby,' Kristina said.

Eventually Lindbergh's parents started leaving him with his grandmother as they flew to various cities around the world on test flights and promotional tours. He is pictured here with Anne Morrow Lindbergh leaving their Englewood, New Jersey home on their way to Jon's kindergarten

Jon grew up with constant security protection, initially with his parents at the heavily-guarded estate of his maternal grandmother in Englewood, New Jersey.

Eventually, though, his parents started leaving him with his grandmother as they flew to various cities around the world on test flights and promotional tours, but when he was 3, a car carrying him home from school was run off the road by paparazzi, convincing the Lindberghs to move to Europe in 1935.

They lived for a time in England, where press still pursued them, and eventually bought a small French island off the coast of Brittany.

Jon went to school in Paris, and was bilingual by the age of 5.

But as the Nazis started to gain power and tensions were rising throughout Europe, his parents decided to return to the United States in 1939.

They moved around often, according to the Times, first living in Westport, Connecticut, then to Martha's Vineyard and Detroit, Michigan, where Charles worked in the aviation industry.

He test-flew bombers for the war, even though then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt prevented him from fighting in World War II due to his isolationist views, but sought to demonstrate his patriotism by flying combat missions in the South Pacific while commanding officers 'looked the other way.'

The family ultimately settled in Darien, Connecticut, the Times reports, where Jon went to high school and spent as much as he could on the Long Island Sound, thus beginning his interest in the sea.

The family ultimately settled in Darien, Connecticut, where Jon spent much of his time on the Long Island Sound - thus beginning his interest in the seas. He is pictured as a Stanford University graduate student in 1952

He joined the Naval Reserve in college and gained fame as a deep-sea diver. He is pictured here with Robert Stenuit, re-enacting their exit from a compression chamber where they spent more than two days 425 feet below the water's surface

He earned his pilot's license before he went off to college, but his father reportedly tried to steer him away from aviation as a career, believing the fame of being Charles Lindbergh's son would consume him.

'Our grandfather was always worried about too much exposure,' Kristina told the Times. 'When my mother was pregnant with me, he told my parents that if I was a boy, not to name me Charles.'

Jon went to Stanford for college, where he studied marine biology, started mountain climbing, skydiving and cave diving and joined the Naval Reserve.

After a brief time living on campus, Jon decided to set up a tent a few miles away to avoid dorm life.

He graduated in 1954, and married co-ed Barbara Robbins that year.

They had six kids together, before they divorced in the early 1980s, when Jon married Karen Pryor, a renowned animal trainer.

He divorced her in the mid-1990s, and he married Mara Jansen, a veterinarian in West Virginia, where he moved and with whom he had twin daughters.

Lindbergh, right, helped set up the Seattle water treatment system

After college, Jon did postgraduate work at the University of California San Diego, and spent three years as a Navy frogman, working with the underwater demolition team.

Over the years, he appeared as an extra in the television series 'Sea Hunt' and had larger roles in a few movies, including 'Underwater Warrior.'

He worked as a commercial deep sea diver and participated in several diving experiments, including one in 1964 in the Bahamas known as 'Man in Sea,' in which he tested out a submersible decompression chamber developed by Edwin Link to allow divers to stay underwater for longer periods of time.

He and Robert Stenuit, a Belgian engineer, set a record in the study by staying in a submersible dwelling for more than two days at a depth of 432 feet, breathing a mixture of helium and oxygen.

They wee able to swim outside the dwelling as a result, despite the water pressure.

Jon was also involved in the development and testing of the Navy's Alvin deep-ocean submersible, which he used during the recovery of the hydrogen bomb, which went missing when an American bomber hit a refueling tank in midair and dropped the bombs.

Two of them released plutonium in the air, though no warheads were detonated.

And Jon later helped install Seattle's water treatment system in icy water as deep as 600-feet, ultimately realizing he liked the area and buying his family a secluded Georgian-style home on Bainbridge Island in the mid-1960s.

He also farmed salmon in the Puget Sound and in parts of Chile as part of an emerging aquaculture industry and sold fish to airlines and restaurants.

His father lived long enough to see Jon's success and was reportedly proud of him.

'He removed any burden on his son's shoulders' by telling Jon that much of what first attracted him to aviation in the 1920s no longer existed, according to a biography on Charles Lindbergh, saying: 'Thirty years ago, piloting an airplane was an art.

'I think I would follow your footprints to the ocean, with confidence that chance and imagination would combine to justify the course I set.

Lindbergh is pictured, center, aboard the USS Boston, which he would use to find a sunken hydrogen bomb

Lindbergh is survived by Kristina; his wife, Maura Jansen; his twins, Anne and Alena Lindbergh; and five other children from his first marriage: a daughter, Wendy Lindbergh and four sons: Lars, Leif, Erik and Morgan.

He is also survived by two brothers, Land and Scott; a sister, Reeve Lindbergh Tripp; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

His father died in 1974 at the age of 72, and his mother died in 2001 at the age of 94.
The whistleblower who first sounded the alarm over 'dirty tricks' that Martin Bashir used to get his infamous interview with Princess Diana is set to get a six-figure payout from the BBC.

Matt Wiessler, a graphic artist who said back in 1996 that Bashir had asked him to forge bank documents to help earn Diana's trust, said his career was ruined after he spoke out and was blacklisted by the broadcaster.

The BBC has already accepted full liability for Mr Wiessler losses, and lawyers are now said to be close to signing off on a 750,000 payout to the designer.

The whistleblower who first sounded the alarm over how Martin Bashir was able to secure his 1995 interview with princess Diana is in-line for a six-figure payout from the broadcaster

Matt Wiessler, a graphic artist who said Bashir had asked him to forge bank statements, said his career was ruined after he revealed the existence of the documents to the public

Mr Wiessler had been demanding 1million for loss of earnings, according to a source who spoke to The Telegraph.

BBC bosses have accepted that compensation is due and will not take the case to court, but are haggling over the final price tag.

'The BBC is expecting to pay out in the region of 750,000,' the source said.

A BBC spokesperson said 'We wouldn't comment on an ongoing legal process'.

Bashir's interview with Diana, which aired in November 1995, was a sensation - marking the first time a senior royal had sat down for such a candid one-on-one.

During the conversation, Diana talked about there being 'three of us' in her marriage to Charles - referring to Camilla - admitted to having an affair of her own and confessed to self-harming.

The fallout from the interview was hugely damaging for the Royal Family, and shortly afterwards the Queen wrote to Charles and Diana asking them to divorce.

But questions were soon raised over how Bashir had become so close to the Princess, with the Mail on Sunday first exposing the forged bank documents in 1996.

Mr Wiessler told the newspaper that Bashir had asked him to forge documents showing payments from a newspaper group to senior staff employed by Earl Spencer, Diana's brother.

Earl Spencer said the forged accounts were part of an effort to 'groom me' by revealing media 'spies' within his household.

He subsequently introduce Bashir to his sister, saying years later that - had it not been for the forged documents - he would never have done so.

Earl Spencer, Diana's brother, said the documents were part of a 'grooming' effort by Mr Bashir to win his trust and get him to introduce the journalist to his sister

Bashir admitted at the time to having the documents forged, but denied ever showing them to anybody.

Around two months after the BBC interview aired, Mr Wiessler said his house was broken into and CDs containing the forged documents stolen.

He also said that work had dried up after the BBC blacklisted him, with documents released under freedom of information request backing his account up.

Bosses had issued an edict never to work with him, in part because he had spoken to the media about the documents.

Despite the fallout, it took until November 2020 for an inquiry to be established based on the Mail on Sunday's reporting - culminating in the Dyson report.

The report slammed BBC bosses, including former director-general Tony Hall, for covering up information on how Bashir was able to secure the interview.

A 1996 internal inquiry into the interview was also slammed as 'woefully ineffective', forcing Tim Suter - another BBC boss who was part of the inquiry - to step down as chair of Ofcom.

Tony Hall also left his job as head of the National Gallery, saying that continuing in the role would be a 'distraction'.

Martin Bashir, who was still working as the BBC's religion editor, also quit the corporation in May this year, citing health issues.
The flood of coronavirus developments across Australia continued over the weekend with 12 Sydney suburbs plunged into an even tougher lockdown, Bunnings transformed into a vaccine hub in Melbourne and the tropical city of Cairns given stay at home orders.

There were nine new locally-acquired cases in Queensland on Sunday with of them a taxi driver in North Queensland who remains a mystery case and is believed to have worked for several days while infectious.

But Cairns wasn't the only area forced to live with stricter measures.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a dozen suburbs in the Penrith local council in western Sydney would be hit with harsher stay-at-home orders after a sudden spike in new cases

These suburbs are: Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair, St Marys and Caddens.

It comes as locked-down Victoria began a Australia's first pilot trial of a drive-thru vaccine clinic at a Melbourne Bunnings.

Here's everything you need to know.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has repeatedly called on Sydneysiders to stay at home during lockdown

LATEST COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS:

* A dozen suburbs in Sydney's outer west have been deemed 'areas of concern' for transmission as NSW's daily infections remain high.

* The state recorded 262 new local cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, at least 72 of them in the community while infectious.

* An unvaccinated Sydney nursing home resident in her 80s has become the state's 84th COVID fatality.

* There are 58 patients in NSW in intensive care - all unvaccinated - 24 of them ventilated.

* Australia's first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination hub will open at a former Bunnings warehouse in Melbourne, while Victorians under 40 will be offered AstraZeneca jabs at state-run clinics.

Locked-down Victoria began a pilot trial of a drive through vaccine at Bunnings in Melbourne

* Victoria added 11 locally-acquired infections to its caseload on Sunday, all linked to previously reported cases although they were not in quarantine while infectious.

* Victorian children aged 12-15 with underlying health conditions or of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent will also be allowed to receive Pfizer doses.

* A localised outbreak in a Melbourne public housing tower appears to have been contained, with residents tested overnight returning negative results.

* Queensland has recorded nine new local virus cases with the greater southeast to come out of lockdown, but an unlinked case will send Cairns into lockdown.

* Seven of the nine cases were not infectious in the community and are linked to the Indooroopilly cluster in western Brisbane, which reached 111 cases on Sunday.

There were nine new locally-acquired cases in Queensland on Sunday with one of them a taxi driver in Cairns who remains a mystery case and is believed to have worked for several days while infectious (pictured, Cairns Esplanade Lagoon)

Cairns residents are pictured getting swabbed for Covid-19 test at a testing station is set up on the Cairns Esplanade in front of Cairns Base Hospital on Sunday as the town entered a three-day lockdown

* The federal government has secured a new antibody treatment called Sotrvimab, 7700 doses of which are being assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

* Health Minister Greg Hunt says drug has been shown to dramatically reduce hospitalisation and risk of death in adults with mild to moderate cases of the virus, who are at risk of developing a severe case.

* The Northern Territory has hardened its border to people coming from a growing list of declared hotspots, with all non-approved travel to the Territory banned as of midnight on Sunday.

Friends are seen embracing in Melbourne on day three of Victoria's sixth lockdown (pictured on Sunday)

AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NUMBERS:

* There have been 13,636,580 doses administered in the national COVID-19 vaccination rollout up to Saturday, including 140,225 in the previous 24 hours.

* Of the total, 7,778,699 have been administered by the Commonwealth (an increase of 79,194 in the previous 24 hours).

* 7,220,049 have been issued in primary care (+69,953) and 558,650 in aged and disability facilities (+9241).

* 5,857,881 have been administered by the states and territories, including 61,031 in the previous 24 hours.

* 1,778,109 have been administered in Victoria (+17,499), 1,657,342 in NSW (+20,612), 1,001,930 in Queensland (+8652), 563,583 in Western Australia (+6771), 429,261 in South Australia (+4460), 175,449 in Tasmania (+0), 154,138 in the ACT (+2168) and 98,069 in the NT (+869).

Melburnians packed into cafes and restaurants around the Tan in Melbourne on Sunday during day three of the city's sixth lockdown

AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Australia reported 282 local cases: 262 in NSW, 11 in Victoria and nine in Queensland.

* There were eight new overseas-acquired cases: six in NSW and two in Victoria.

* The national death toll is 938: Victoria 820, NSW 84, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 7, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).

Women are seen exercising among large crowds at Bondi Beach on Saturday afternoon, as Sydney enters its seventh week of lockdown

GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:

* Cases: at least 202,211,438

* Deaths: at least 4,285,595

* Vaccine doses administered: at least 4,380,000,000.

Data current as at 1730 AEST on August 8, taking in federal and state/territory government updates and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
Dick Durbin revealed Sunday that Trump's acting Justice Department head said the former president used his final months in office to pressure the office to overturn his election defeat.

'It was real. Very real. And it was very specific,' Senator Durbin told CNN's State of the Union regarding the duress. 'The former president is not subtle when he wants something.'

Former Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen provided the new information to lawmakers during a seven-hour closed-door Judiciary Committee hearing on Saturday.

Durbin, who chairs the committee, said Rosen provided 'invaluable' testimony.

According to the Democratic senator, Rosen testified that Trump directly pressured him to falsely assert that continuing election fraud investigations cast doubt on President Joe Biden's victory.

Durbin praised Rosen, a conservative lawyer, for his voluntary cooperation with the committee's ongoing investigation into Trump's actions after the election.

'He told us a lot in seven hours of testimony, and I might quickly add, this was done on a bipartisan basis.'

'Mr. Rosen appeared voluntarily, which says a lot  and cooperated with us,' Durbin lauded.

'I thought he was very open and there's a lot there, an awful lot there,' he added.

'What was going on in the Department of Justice was frightening from a constitutional point of view,' Durbin said, adding that was evident by the fact that former Attorney General Bill Barr prematurely vacated his office after concluding there were no irregularities in the 2020 election.

Trump-era Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said Donald Trump mounted a massive pressure campaign for the DOJ to overturn his election loss

Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin revealed the new information in a Sunday interview with CNN (pictured), claiming it came out during Rosen's seven hours of closed-door testimony on Saturday

According to the Democratic Illinois senator, Rosen testified that Trump directly pressured him to falsely assert that continuing election fraud investigations cast doubt on President Joe Biden's victory.

'I have to say history is going to very kind to Mr. Rosen when this is all over. When he was initially appointed, I didn't think that was the case. I was wrong,' Durbin said, adding: 'It's a good thing for America we had someone like Rosen in that position.'

Rosen's testimony came a week after a House of Representatives committee released Justice Department documents showing Trump had urged top officials last year to falsely claim his election defeat was 'corrupt.'

'Just say that the election was corrupt + leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen,' Trump told Rosen, referring to Republicans, in a Dec. 27 phone call, according to handwritten notes taken by a Rosen aide.

The notes showed Rosen told Trump the department could not and would not 'change the outcome of the election.'

Durbin said in the CNN interview that his committee also wants testimony from former Attorney General Bill Barr, who Rosen replaced during the final weeks of Trump's presidency.

Barr stepped down in December, shortly after the Electoral College confirmed Trump's loss to Biden.

Trump's ex-Attorney General Bill Barr stepped down shortly before the end of the former president's term after his Justice Department probe found no irregularities in the 2020 election

Barr had angered Trump by not supporting his false claims that the Nov. 3 election result had been tainted by widespread fraud. Multiple courts, state election officials and members of Trump's administration rejected those claims as unfounded.

Durbin said he also wants to hear from former Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, who reportedly plotted with Trump to try to oust Rosen so he could take over the Justice Department.

'I would like to bring in Jeffrey Clark, for example,' Durbin said. 'He was the heir apparent in Trump's mind if Rosen was not going to do his bidding. And Rosen stood fast and didn't.'

When asked if Trump engaged in an attempted coup, Durbin said: 'It was leading up to that process.'

Durbin declined to say whether Trump should face criminal charges for his efforts to subvert the election, saying it was too early in the investigation to answer that question.
The sister of a slain British millionaire who was shot dead by his jealous ex-girlfriend says she wants her executed.

Rachel Bush says she will never forgive Mayka Kukucova for murdering her wealthy jeweller brother Andy Bush, 48, at his luxury Costa del Sol home in Spain in 2014- especially as she left her niece without a father.

Rachel said her brother's daughter Ellie is constantly reminded of the fact that her father will never walk her down the aisle and for that Kukucova 'does not deserve to live.'

Kukucova, 26 at the time, waited in Mr Bush's bed with a .38 revolver before murdering the once-dubbed Mr Bling of Marbella in cold blood - shooting him three times, twice in the head.

Now Rachel wishes the crime had taken place in a country where the Slovakian native could be put to death.

She said: 'I've lost my brother, who was my best friend.

Andy Bush (pictured) aka Mr Bling of Marbella, was shot and killed in his Costa del Sol home by his jealous ex-girlfriend in 2014

Rachel Bush (left), 49, says her slain brother's daughter Ellie (right) says 'I'll never have my dad to walk me down the aisle'

Andy Bush and his daughter Ellie pose with a red Ferrari along the Costa del Sol - before he was killed in cold blood by a jealous ex-girlfriend

'She didn't just destroy her own life and her family's life, she's changed our lives forever.

'It's a shame it wasn't in America in a state where if you take a life then your life gets taken, because that's what would make me feel that's proper justice.

'In my eyes, she doesn't deserve to live.'

Kukucova fled to Slovakia before being extradited back to Spain to face trial, where she was convicted of murder in May 2016 and handeda 15 year sentence, which was reduced a year later to 13 years and nine months.

Rachel added: 'I could never forgive her. For my own soul and spirit, that's what you should do, but I don't know how anybody could forgive that.

'So she can still live her life. Where is Ellie's dad and her relationship with her dad gone? Ellie always says, "I'll never have my Dad to walk me down the aisle".'

Rachel said Kukucova was obsessed with her brother's fortune.

She told the Sun: 'I could tell their relationship was a bit rocky. I said to him, 'If you are splitting up, you need to watch your back, because she is not right'.'

Mayka Kukucova (pictured), 26 at the time, waited in the bed of Mr Bush's home with a .38 revolver before murdering the once-dubbed Mr Bling of Marbella in cold blood - shooting him three times, twice in the head.

Mr Bush's fiancee Maria Korotaeva, told how she hid in the car terrified as he was shot three times inside the property

The Bristol businessman had jetted out to Malaga with a new lover - who found his ex-girlfriend Kukucova, then 26, waiting in his bed armed with a .38 revolver (pictured: Mr Bush's Costa del Sol property)

'And I'll never forget I said that to him.

'She's a pretty girl, but to me she's ugly, couldn't get no uglier, because she's got the ugliest personality on this earth. All she was interested in was money.'

The killing took place six months after Mr Bush and Kukucova split, in April 2014.

Prosecutors said the Slovakian flew into a jealous rage upon seeing him with his new girlfriend - who he had proposed to on the night of his murder.

During the trial, the court heard how an 'obsessed' Kukucova began stalking Mr Bush and that in the three days running up to his death she had been in his house without his consent.

Mr Bush's fiancee Maria Korotaeva, 27, told of how she hid in the car terrified as he was shot three times inside the property.

The Russian has claimed in a new tell-all book that she believes Kukucova was actually instructed to carry out the killing over Mr Bush's plans to establish a jewellery business in London.

She claims he received death threats in the weeks before his murder but that they did not report them as they did not take them seriously.

The pair had dinner on the night of the murder, which is when Mr Bush proposed, before driving his 60,000 gold-plated Humvee 4x4 home, not knowing that Kukucova was lying in wait with a gun.

Ms Korotaeva said: 'Im now worried she may come find me when she gets out. God knows what she is thinking. What is in her head?'

The case featured on a new true crime series called Murder in Paradise last week.
Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that he expects the Senate to pass the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill within hours as the upper chamber convened for another weekend session to advance the package.

'Well, the state of play looks good,' the Transportation secretary told Fox News Sunday guest host Bret Baier. 'The Senate is working through this amendment process.'

'There's still a lot of procedure to be gotten through, but we are within days possibly, within hours of seeing this historic legislation that's going to get us better roads and bridges, better ports and airports, a better future for our economy and creating millions of jobs,' Buttigieg said.

Despite the optimism from the administration, the Senate is preparing for a debate over the bill to drag out for days.

The Senate voted Saturday to advance the bill over a procedural hurdle.

Senators, however, are increasingly pessimistic about the chances of a quick agreement.

They are expected to reconvene on Sunday to try and vote on ending the amendment process.

While many Republican have oppositions regarding how the infrastructure deal will be paid for, progressive Democratsare also creating an obstacle by claiming they will not vote to pass the bill in the House if the Senate won't pass a $3.5 trillion social spending and welfare package.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday that he thinks the bipartisan infrastructure bill could pass 'within hours'

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Baier pressed Buttigieg on if he thinks the infrastructure bill could stand on its own.

'Again, these are two separate packages but they're definitely both part of the president's vision and at risk of sounding simplistic, I would encourage legislators to vote for policies they think are good and vote against the policies that they disagree with,' Buttigieg responded.

Republican Senator Bill Hagerty has vowed to delay passage until legislators can have a complete and 'robust' debate on the package.

Senate Democrats are pushing to fast-track the more than 2,700-page legislation, which includes federal spending on high-speed internet and new roads, bridges and highways, so lawmakers can begin their month-long recess.

On Saturday, senators voted 67-27 to advance the bill, with 18 Republicans joining the 49 Democrats in favor of moving it forward for further negotiations.

But Tennessee senator Hagerty said he refuses to sign off on a deal that expedites the passage of the bill.

'I wasn't elected by the people of Tennessee to be the most popular person in the Senate. I was elected to stand up to their interests,' Hagerty told the Washington Times.

Sen. Bill Hagerty is refusing to vote to accelerate the passage of the $1.2trillion infrastructure bill citing concerns of debt and the fact that lawmakers 'haven't had an opportunity to dig in and understand its substance or economic ramifications'

'I can't in good conscience vote to accelerate a flawed bill that puts us another quarter of a trillion-plus in debt, especially when we haven't had an opportunity to dig in and understand its substance or economic ramifications.'

In order for the bill to be fast-tracked, all 100 Senators must accept the the legislation without protest. According to the newspaper, Hagerty is the only one refusing to do so.

He believes by removing the Senate's tradition of unlimited debate, lawmakers are deprived of shaping the final legislative product.

'It's certainly not the way a business person like me would approach anything,' Hagerty explained. 'It's not moved through normal order, we have a series of committees  and that type of structure should have been used to properly vet and do the due diligence so you don't have unintended consequences.'

Hagerty's resistance to accelerate the voting process could push passage of the bill to Tuesday, Business Insider reported.

He asserts that he is not 'slowing the bill down' but instead encouraging it to go through the 'normal process'.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been putting pressure on legislators to pass the bill. He said: 'We very much want to finish this important bill. We can get this done the easy way or the hard way'

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who has previously said he would delay the summer recess until the bipartisan infrastructure bill was passed, asked lawmakers to consider two-dozen amendments before a final vote is conducted.

'There are a lot of amendments that people want to get past. I'm not objecting to those amendments whatsoever,' Hagerty said. 'A lot of them are good amendments that would make the legislation better, were they to pass  I'm also not trying to get any of my amendments included.'

Schumer has reportedly been putting pressure on lawmakers to finalize and pass the bill.

'We very much want to finish this important bill,' he said. 'We can get this done the easy way or the hard way.'

Hagerty argues that Schumer is using the acceleration process as a way to move forward with his plan to pass a $3.5trillion social welfare bill which features new climate-change regulations and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Hagerty argues that Schumer 'doesn't care about good infrastructure' and is using the acceleration process as a way to move forward with his plan to pass a $3.5trillion social welfare bill which features new climate-change regulations and amnesty for illegal immigrants

Republicans who voted to progress infrastructure bill Roy Blunt (Missouri) Shelley Capito (West Virginia) Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) Susan Collins (Maine) John Cornyn (Texas) Kevin Cramer (North Dakota) Mike Crapo (Idaho) Deb Fischer (Nebraska) Chuck Grassley (Iowa) John Hoeven (North Dakota) Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) Rob Portman (Ohio) James Risch (Idaho) Mitt Romney (Utah) Mike Rounds (South Dakota) Thom Tillis (North Carolina) Todd Young (Indiana) Advertisement

'It's obvious that Senator Schumer is staging this in a way to put additional pressure on people. He doesn't care about good infrastructure. Clearly, if he did, he'd allow the amendment process to go forward,' Hagerty argued.

'He's the one controlling the schedule. It's not the infrastructure bill he cares about. He's just trying to get to the $3.5trillion  it's my right to as a matter of conscience, not proceed with a process that puts us even faster at the doorstep of this $3.5trillion package.'

Hagerty's opposition to the infrastructure package comes as several lawmakers have expressed concern over how the bill would be funded.

Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office deemed the package as being improperly funded, arguing that more than half of the $550billion the bill proposes in new spending is unfunded.

'That debt is going to be parked on the backs of our children and grandchildren,' said Hagerty. 'And I haven't heard anybody propose how to fix it. They just want to accelerate the passage of the whole thing.'

His concerns were resounded by several Republican colleagues.

'The infrastructure bill wants to tax you on the miles you drive. We already pay tolls, a gas tax and now a tax on mileage driven? This is a tax on rural America, imposed by DC beltway liberals who will never be affected by it,' said Sen. Lauren Boebert (R-CO).

'This $1.2trillion infrastructure bill is a trap!,' echoed Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 'It's just another avenue for the Democrats to raise taxes and raise spending.'

Hagerty took to Twitter Saturday, expressing his concerns over the bill

'On top of spending $1.2 trillion & adding to our debt, the 'infrastructure' bill also redefines sex. Congress has no business changing clear sciencelet alone doing it in an infrastructure bill,' argued Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).

Meanwhile, Democrats are urging for the passage of the bill and say they are willing to stay in session for 'as long as it takes'.

'The Senate is hard at work today, putting the finishing touches on what will be the largest long-term investment in American infrastructure in nearly a century,' said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). 'Senate Dems are ready to stay in Washington as long as we have to in order to finish this deal.'



'The Senate is in session right now to clear the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The plan is to get this bill passed,' Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) wrote on Twitter Saturday evening, noting that legislators will 'focus on the reconciliation package next'.

'That's where the big climate provisions will be,' he added.

Several other lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, shared their opinions about the package on social media as well

Schumer said the Senate would convene at noon on Sunday to resume consideration of the infrastructure bill.

'Hopefully we can come to some agreement tomorrow,' he said on the Senate floor.

Without that agreement, the Senate will hold a next procedural vote on Sunday evening, a Senate Democratic aide reportedly said.

Passage would be a major victory for Schumer, Biden and a bipartisan group of senators who spent months crafting the package, and would send the bill on to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Biden tweeted his support ahead of Saturday's vote, saying the 'once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure' would create good-paying jobs refurbishing America's roads, bridges, water systems and electrical grid.

'We can't afford not to do it,' the president said. 'We can't just build back to the way things were before COVID-19, we have to build back better.'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also signaled his support before voting for the bill.

'Republicans and Democrats have radically different visions these days, but both those visions include physical infrastructure that works for all of our citizens,' McConnell said in a speech. 'The investments this bill will make are not just necessary, in many cases, they are overdue. Our country has real needs in this area.'

As he left the Capitol, McConnell said, 'We'll be back at it tomorrow.'

Trump says he will refuse to endorse Republicans who vote for 'disgraceful' infrastructure bill and lashes out at 'RINO' Mitch McConnell for voting with Democrats

Donald Trump trashed President Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill after it passed a key procedural hurdle in the Senate with considerable support from Republican lawmakers.

On Saturday, senators voted 67-27 to advance the bill, with 18 Republicans joining the 49 Democrats in favor of moving it forward for further negotiations.

The vote was a rare instance of bipartisanship in deeply divided Washington DC, with the bill designed to fund upgrades to US roads, highways, bridges and high-speed internet.

A recent AP/ NORC poll also found infrastructure spending is supported by a majority of American voters of both parties. However, Trump has now released a statement claiming the costly package is a ''disgrace'.

'Joe Biden's infrastructure bill will be used against the Republican Party in the upcoming elections in 2022 and 2024. It will be very hard for me to endorse anyone foolish enough to vote in favor of this deal,' the ex-President wrote on his personal website Saturday.

Donald Trump has trashed President Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill after it passed a key procedural hurdle in the Senate with considerable support from Republican lawmakers. Mitch McConnell was one of the 18 Republican senators who voted to advance the bill. He is pictured at right on Saturday

He then lashed out at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, stating: 'If Mitch McConnell was smart, which we've seen no evidence of, he would use the debt ceiling card to negotiate a good infrastructure package.'

McConnell was one of the 18 Republicans who voted in favor of advancing the bill. He said in a recent speech: 'Republicans and Democrats have radically different visions these days, but both those visions include physical infrastructure that works for all of our citizens.

'The investments this bill will make are not just necessary, in many cases, they are overdue. Our country has real needs in this area.'

Trump however, claimed in his statement that the 2,700 page bill 'was a gift to the Democrat Party, compliments of Mitch McConnell and some RINOs, who have no idea what they are doing.'

The former Commander-in-chief went on to allege that the bill was a way for 'Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats understand to get the horrendous $3.5 trillion, actually $5 trillion, Green New Deal bill done in the House'

'Mitch is playing right into Nancy's hands', Trump warned, adding that 'Chuck Schumer is already going around saying this is a big victory for the Democrats.'
Lawyers for the man accused of killing Kristin Smart are calling for convicted murderer Scott Peterson to testify that he may have known Smart while they were in college.

Peterson was convicted in 2005 for the murder of his wife Laci and their unborn child, and sentenced to death. Although his death sentence was overturned last year, his conviction remains.

Lawyers for Paul and Ruben Flores, who are accused in Smart's 1996 disappearance, announced during preliminary hearings Thursday that they had made arrangements to have Peterson transported from San Quentin State Prison to San Luis Obispo, where the trial is being held, so he can testify.

Their team says Peterson knew each other while they were in college at Cal Poly University, where Smart went missing after a party in May of that year, although they have not provided any evidence the two were acquainted.

The surprise announcement came as attorneys for the Flores family questioned former Cal Poly campus police investigator Lawrence Kennedy on why he did not pursue any other suspects in the initial investigation other than Paul Flores, KEYT reported.

Lawyers for the man accused of killing Kristin Smart (right) are calling for convicted murderer Scott Peterson (left) to testify that he may have known Smart while they were in college

Preliminary hearing is currently underway in the criminal case against Paul Flores, 44, (pictured) and his father Ruben Flores, 80, which is expected to last 12 days

Peterson was convicted of murdering his wife Laci (pictured) and their unborn child in 2005. He was sentenced to death. Although the sentence was overturned, his conviction still stands. Attorneys for Flores and his family have not provided evidence as to whether Smart and Peterson actually knew each other

Returning to the witness stand after testifying the previous day Kennedy responded that investigators had pursued a number of leads in Smart's disappearance, including tips and reports of additional Smart sightings both locally and across the state.

Paul, who was 19 at the time of Kristin's disappearance, was the last individual to see her alive before she vanished while walking home from a campus party 25 years ago.

He and his father were arrested in connection with Smarts disappearance on April 13 in San Pedro and Arroyo Grande, and have pleaded not guilty to their charges.

Flores is accused of raping or attempting to rape Smart in his dorm room before killing her, while his father, Ruben Flores, 80, was charged as an accessory and is alleged to have helped conceal the body.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Paul could face 25 years to life, while Ruben could face up to three years.

Smart's body has never been discovered, but investigators believe she was buried at the residence of Ruben Flores in Arroyo Grande, and 'recently moved.'

On Wednesday Kennedy testified that Flores, now 44, had a black eye when he came in for questioning - three days after Smart vanished.

Ruben Flores (left) is pictured in court on July 14. A former tenant claimed Ruben would refer to Smart as a 'dirty slut'

Paul Flores, 44, is charged with murder in the commission of a rape or attempted rape. His father, Ruben Flores, 80, is charged with accessory after the fact

A photo depicting Flores' black eye had been kept aside for evidence, but the quality is poor and could not be enhanced to highlight Flores black eye.

Initially, Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen would not admit the photo as evidence because it could not be verified as authentic.

He changed his mind and allowed the photo into evidence after the prosecution provided witnesses to confirm Flores' black eye on May 27, 1996.

Prosecutors will later play audio from Kennedy's interview with Flores, following cross-examination from defense attorneys.

The hearings began on Monday with testimony from Smart's father Stan Smart, who recounted his desperate search for his daughter after she disappeared on May 24, 1996.

When called to the stand Monday, Stan Smart (left) said he had a 'close, nurturing and wholesome,' relationship with his 19-year-old daughter, (right) and that he physically searched for Kristin following her disappearance on May 24, 1996.

The father told the court about his 'close, nurturing and wholesome' relationship with his then-19-year-old daughter and described his own efforts to find her.

'I crawled through a lot of culverts. I looked through a lot of dumpsters' during that time, Stan Smart told Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle.

Smart's body has never been found

He said believed Cal Poly police were 'ill equipped' to handle his daughter's disappearance and that he 'wasn't very satisfied' with their attempts in finding her.

'They didn't seem to have the expertise in the field with somebody who's disappeared,' Stan Smart added.

In addition to Smart's father testifying, Paul's mother, Susan Flores, also took the stand Monday.

However, when Van Rooyen swore Mrs. Flores in, she said she intended to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights if called to testify.

The judge then ruled that she could not be called to the stand.

The hearing continued Tuesday with Matthew Toomey, Cheryl Manzer, and Detective Clinton Cole taking the stand.

Toomey and Mazner both resided in the Sierra Madre dorms and attended the party on May 24, 1996.

Toomey said he arrived at the party with his friend, Ross, whom Kristin supposedly kissed that night. He said Paul Flores approached him and began inquiring about Kristin and whether or not she was dating Ross.

Stan Smart (right) said believed Cal Poly police were 'ill equipped' to handle his daughter's disappearance and that he 'wasn't very satisfied' with their attempts in finding her.

'I crawled through a lot of culverts. I looked through a lot of dumpsters' during that time, Stan Smart (second from left) told Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle during Monday's preliminary hearing

Based off the way Flores was asking questions about Kristin, Toomey said it appeared as if he were interested in her.

Toomey also described Flores as 'being socially awkward.'

When Toomey and Ross left the party around midnight, he told the court he noticed Kristin lying on a nearby lawn intoxicated. When he offered to help her, Toomey said Kristin told him to 'leave me alone.'

When Mazner took the stand, she told Peuvrelle she left the party at around 1 a.m. with a friend and noticed another friend assisting Kristin Smart off the ground.

Mazner said the four of them walked back to the dorms together, with Flores later joining the group, placing his arm around her waist.

When Mazner got to the corner of the street, she split off from Smart and Flores, before asking Flores if he would escort Smart back to her dorm.

'Yes,' Flores replied, according to Mazner.

Mazner testified that the last thing she saw before leaving was Paul with his arm around Kristin's waist.

'I didn't think anything bad would happen to her,' she said.

Kristin's friends told detectives Paul had been 'lurking' around her dorm and seemed to be 'hunting her' in the weeks before she vanished.

It's unclear if her friends told cops that he'd been following her back in 1996, when she first vanished, or if they made the claim more recently.

Paul Flores, 44, was arrested in April for Smart's murder. He has denied any wrongdoing

In February 2020, police executed a search warrant at Paul's San Pedro, California, home, and seized electronic devices containing homemade videos and rape porn, prosecutors say

Two searches were carried out in February and March 2020 as part of the investigation into Smart's death

The case was unsolved for 25 years until earlier this year when a popular Spotify podcast titled Your Own Backyard prompted detectives to revive their investigation and ultimately arrest Flores and his father.

'In 2019, we interviewed several witnesses that had not been previously interviewed and some of that information came to light through the podcast that many of you are familiar with,' San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson told FOX 40 in Sacramento in April.

The witness led investigators back to Paul Flores, the prime person of interest in her disappearance.

Documents obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune describe how police found videos that showed Flores raping a drunk woman when they searched his home earlier this year.

Police also found a pornographic film titled 'Real Drunken Girls Drugged and Raped While Passed Out.' According to the prosecutor, the videos were stored in a computer file labeled 'Practice.'

The search further yielded 'fetishized rape fantasy porn' and prescription drug medications that could be used as date rape drugs, especially when taken with alcohol.

Meanwhile, a separate search at the home of Ruben Flores earlier this year turned up likely traces of human blood and a patch of dug-up dirt beneath a deck, where authorities believe Smart's body was once buried.
A mechanic was killed after crashing into a lorry while hurtling 70pmh the wrong way down a dual carriageway during a police chase, a coroner's court has heard.

Kayne Gardner, 30, crashed into the HGV while behind the wheel of a stolen Audi Q5 while attempting to flee from pursuing officers near Ilford, London, on October 21, 2018.

Dramatic video footage recorded by a police helicopter during the chase showed Kayne driving erratically as he sped the wrong way around a roundabout on the North Circular Road.

Kayne Gardner, 30, was killed after crashing into a lorry while hurtling 70pmh the wrong way down a dual carriageway during a police chase, Walthamstow Coroner's Court has heard. Pictured: The moment Kayne's vehicle is hit by the HGV

Police cars could be seen initially giving chase before Kayne drove down the wrong side of the dual carriageway into the path of oncoming traffic.

After passing beneath a bridge, Kayne appeared to lose control of the vehicle as it skidded sideways, before being hit by the lorry.

Shortly before 4am, Kayne crashed into the lorry and died shortly afterwards.

During an inquest at Walthamstow Coroner's Court into Kayne's death, it was revealed he had entered the vehicle after police officers arrested another man outside of Faces nightclub in Gats Hill.

The Mirror reports that the arrested man allegedly told Kayne to 'get rid of it', though there is no evidence suggesting he had been the one to steal it.

After passing beneath a bridge, Kayne appeared to lose control of the vehicle as it skidded sideways, before being hit by the lorry

Speaking during the inquest, PC Graham Brooks, who had been one of the officers in pursuit of Kayne, said he pulled back after assessing how much of an impact on other drivers a 'tactical contact' would have had.

He said: 'I'm also now coming to terms with having to let that vehicle go and watching it drive now towards oncoming vehicles.

'If you are honestly in that situation where you are about to watch someone potentially die it's a horrendous situation to be in.'

The coroner's court heard that Kayne had been driving the vehicle while almost three-times the drink-drive limit of 80mg per 100ml of blood, with 228mg found in his system.

Dramatic video footage recorded by a police helicopter during the chase showed Kayne driving erratically as he sped the wrong way down a dual carriageway

A toxicologist also reported finding traces of the psychoactive substance THC, found in cannabis, in Kayne's system at the time of his death.

Pathologist Dr Hiam Ali noted Kayne's cause of death as a head injury that was 'incompatible with life', which was consistent with a road traffic collision - and both alcohol and cannabis were also listed as contributory factors.

Kayne was killed only a few days before he had been expecting to move in with his girlfriend Bonnie Exley and this daughter.

Speaking about her boyfriend's death, Bonnie said that their happy ending had been taken from them.

Describing the pain of losing Kayne as 'unbearable', she added: 'Our lives have been shattered. Its been three years now and Kaynes family still feels the pain of his death like it was yesterday.'
A suspect has been charged with attempted murder over the brutal stabbing of a 61-year-old social worker in north London.

Sulai Bukhari, 33, was also charged with two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm on Sunday following the incident in Haringey, which saw two police officers assaulted.

Metropolitan Police said in a statement that Mr Bukhari will appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Monday.

Two other men arrested in connection with the incident have been released under investigation.

The older victim was stabbed while trying to check on the welfare of vulnerable children, police previously said.

Sulai Bukhari, 33, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault and has now been charged, while two other people who were arrested have been released under investigation Pictured: Scene on Noel Park Road

The social worker was accompanied by the two police officers who also sustained injuries in the Friday evening attack.

Police were called just before 8pm to an address in Noel Park Road, Wood Green, to assist the social worker who had been refused entry by the residents.

After forcing the door and entering a communal area of the building, the social worker - who is employed by Haringey Council - was approached by an attacker who stabbed him several times.

The Met said on Saturday that a 33-year-old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm remained in custody. He was charged Sunday.

The social worker was still in hospital Saturday but his injuries are non life-threatening, while the two police officers were discharged in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Chief Superintendent Treena Fleming, policing commander for Haringey and Enfield, said: 'Social workers play a vital role in ensuring that vulnerable people in our community, including children, are safe and protected.

'We have a very close working relationship with our local authority partners and their social services teams and I am appalled at this shocking attack.

Police were called just before 8pm to an address in Noel Park Road, Wood Green, to assist the social worker who had been refused entry by the residents (Pictured: Scene following stabbing)

The social worker was still in hospital Saturday but his injuries are non life-threatening, while the two police officers were discharged in the early hours of Saturday morning (Pictured: Police approaching the scene Friday)

'We will do all we can to ensure the person responsible is brought to justice. Our thoughts here at North Area are with the injured social worker and his family and we wish him a speedy recovery.'

She added: 'I would also like to pay tribute to the two officers who came to the aid of the victim in this incident, sustaining knife wounds themselves as they did so.'

Ms Fleming added: 'This incident shows just how much of a threat knives pose to everyone in Haringey and across London.

'Tackling violent crime is the Met's number one priority and the events of Friday evening only serve to strengthen our determination as we continue to take weapons off the streets and bring offenders to justice.'

The Met said that steps have been taken to protect the children who were the subject of the initial welfare visit.

The leader of Haringey Council, councillor Peray Ahmet, and the local authority's chief executive, Zina Etheridge, described the attack as 'a shocking incident'.

In a joint statement, they said: 'Social workers do an incredibly important job. Their safety is of uppermost importance to us.

'This type of incident, while rare, is an important reminder that frontline staff across the public sector put themselves in harm's way to do their jobs and we should all express our thanks and support for them as they do so.

'We also want to express our admiration and respect for the two police officers, who we understand sustained their injuries while protecting the social worker.'

They said Haringey Council would 'provide all the necessary support' to help the social worker as he makes his recovery.
A former assistant who accused Andrew Cuomo of groping her in the Executive Mansion has said he committed a crime and 'needs to be held accountable'.

Brittany Commisso is one of 11 women Cuomo is accused of sexually harassing, according to an investigative report released by the state attorney general's office last week.

Cuomo has thus far resisted widespread calls for his resignation, including from fellow Democrats such as President Joe Biden, but he could soon face impeachment and removal from office by state lawmakers.

Commisso, identified only as 'executive assistant #1' in the report, told state investigators that Cuomo fondled her breast on one occasion, the most serious allegation the governor faces.

She also said he rubbed her backside while taking a photo.

Brittany Commisso has spoken publicly for the first time about her allegations against Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York

CBS THIS MORNING EXCLUSIVE: The aide who accused NY Gov. Cuomo of groping her speaks publicly for the first time: "What he did to me was a crime," Brittany Commisso tells @CBSThisMorning & @timesunion. "He broke the law." Watch Monday at 7a, only on CBS. https://t.co/W9SGPNSf1S pic.twitter.com/kRulD0ViUD  CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) August 8, 2021

Governor Cuomo has not been seen in public since the attorney general's report was published on Tuesday. He is pictured on a walk around the grounds of the Executive Mansion on Saturday

The report included photos of Cuomo with women - some whose faces were muzzed, some whose weren't - as proof of how tactile he is. The above image shows Cuomo with Commisso

Last week, she filed a criminal complaint with the Albany sheriff's office.

The sheriff, Craig Apple, told reporters on Saturday his agency and the county district attorney's office would conduct a thorough investigation before determining whether a criminal charge is supported.

In an interview with CBS News and the Albany Times-Union that is scheduled to air on Monday morning, Commisso said she filed the report to hold Cuomo responsible for his actions.

Cuomo has not been seen since Monday. On Tuesday, he released a pre-taped response to the report (above)

'What he did to me was a crime,' she said in an excerpt released by CBS on Sunday.

'He broke the law.'

Cuomo has denied any wrongdoing, though he has acknowledged that his efforts to be affectionate with people he encounters may have made some people uncomfortable.

His lawyer, Rita Glavin, told reporters on Friday that Commisso's account was fabricated, citing emails and other documentary evidence she said undermines her story.

Cuomo is accused of groping Commisso an event last November after routinely engaging in a pattern of impropriate conduct that began in late 2019.

The report says Cuomo repeatedly sexually harassed Commisso when she worked for him by subjecting her to 'close and intimate hugs', 'kisses on the cheeks and forehead', 'at least one kiss on the lips' and 'touching her butt'.

Commisso first experienced harassment from Cuomo in late 2019, which escalated to him allegedly groping her in November 2020 - the most serious allegation from all 11 women

Commisso is seen with Cuomo at an event. She appeared on CBS's show for an interview that will air on Monday

Brittany Commisso is pictured with her husband Frank, who ran for mayor of Albany in 2017

He allegedly referred to her and one other assistant as 'mingle mamas' and asked her repeatedly if she would ever cheat on her husband.

On December 31, 2019, Cuomo asked her to take a selfies of them as they worked together inside his office at the Executive Mansion.

As she held up the camera, Cuomo 'moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and began to rub it' for at least five seconds, the report alleges.

Brittany Commisso spoke out for the first time in an interview which will air on Monday

Commisso 'was shaking so much during this interaction' that the photos came out blurry  and Cuomo suggested the two sit down to take one more, the document says.

That photo, showing Cuomo smirking while he sits back on a couch with Commisso, is included in the report.

The governor then allegedly told her to send the snap to another aide, Alyssa McGrath - who has also accused Cuomo of sexual harassment - and said 'not to share the photograph with anyone else.'

Commisso said she didn't report what happened because she was terrified.

'[T]he way he was so firm with [me] that I couldn't show anyone else that photo, I was just terrified that if I shared what was going on that it would somehow get around,' she told investigators.

Cuomo admitted that he and Commisso took a photo together, but said it was her idea, because 'he does not like to take selfies.'

In November 2020, he allegedly groped her breast at the Executive Mansion in Albany.

'For over three months, Executive Assistant #1 kept this groping incident to herself and planned to take it 'to the grave,' but found herself becoming emotional (in a way that was visible to her colleagues in the Executive Chamber) while watching the Governor state, at a press conference on March 3, 2021, that he had never 'touched anyone inappropriately.'

She then confided in certain of her colleagues, who in turn reported her allegations to senior staff in the Executive Chamber, the report says.

Cuomo, in a defiant address after the report was published, presented a montage of photos of him being tactile with people such as Bill Clinton, his mother and Robert De Niro. He used the photo show to claim he was never abusive, but merely someone who frequently hugged and touched people

Cuomo, who served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton administration, is seen above planting a kiss on the cheek of former Vice President Al Gore

Cuomo's montage included another image of him planting a kiss on his mother's forehead

Cuomo included a photo above showing the governor grabbing a young boy's face

Commisso was summoned to the mansion under the pretext of having to assist Cuomo with a technical issue involving his phone, the Times Union reported in March.

The two were alone together on the second floor of the residence when Cuomo allegedly closed the door, reached under her blouse and began to fondle her.

'You're going to get us in trouble,' the woman said she told Cuomo, who replied, 'I don't care,' according to the report.

His demeanor 'wasn't like 'ha ha,' it was like, 'I don't care.' . . . It was like in this - at that moment he was sexually driven. I could tell and the way he said it, I could tell,' the woman testified.

The governor then 'slid his hand up her blouse, and grabbed her breast, cupping her breast over her bra,' the report alleges.

A source familiar with the incident told the newspaper that Commisso had asked Cuomo to stop.

This was allegedly the only time he touched her; all other instances involved flirtatious behavior.

On Thursday actress Rose McGowan attacked Time's Up CEO Tina Tchen for helping Cuomo draft a letter dismissing claims of one of his former staff members who accused him of sexual harassment.

The 47-year-old actress and activist called out Tchen in a statement posted to Twitter

Tchen denied her alleged involvement on Twitter, saying 'I have never given advice to the Governor or his team'

The 47-year-old actress and advocate for sexual harassment and abuse victims criticized Tchen after James' report claimed she allegedly provided guidance drafting a letter released by the governor's advisors.

The letter denied the legitimacy of former aide Lindsey Boylan's accusation against Cuomo.

The report said that Roberta Kaplan, who co-founded Time's Up, conferred with Tchen at the request of Cuomo's senior aide, Melissa DeRosa, about the appropriateness of the letter Cuomos aides were preparing to release.

'According to Ms. DeRosa, Ms. Kaplan read the letter to the head of the advocacy group Times Up (Tchen), and both of them allegedly suggested that, without the statements about Ms. Boylan's interactions with male colleagues, the letter was fine,' James said in her report.

But Tchen denied her involvement on Twitter, saying: 'I have never given advice to the Governor or his team.'

She said: 'I had a phone call with Robbie Kaplan about a letter she said was being sent by his staffers during which I gave the same advice I give to everyone else: No survivor should be attacked and the truth should be told.

'I'm furious that the Governor's office used me and TIME'S UP as a justification for their defense.

'TIME'S UP is an organization that has always centered survivors while holding those committing harm accountable.

'Any characterization of us to the contrary is simply not true,' Tchen added.
Airlines are slashing their prices to popular holiday destinations in a boost for lockdown-weary Brits hoping to snap up last-minute getaways.

Countries that have moved up the Government's traffic light system have seen their fares drop in a bid to encourage holiday-seekers to head abroad this summer.

Seven new destinations were added to the UK's green list as of 4am this morning - Germany, Austria, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania - and all have seen a drop in price for flights.

However, it should be noted that Austria requires tourists to quarantine for 10 days while Norway is not currently permitting tourists to enter the country.

According to price comparison site Skyscanner, tickets direct to Frankfurt, in Germany, can be bought for as little as 21 from next Monday while you can head to Cologne from 33.

Holidaymakers can fly to the Austrian capital Vienna from 27 or head to Riga, in Latvia, from 26.

Meanwhile, Cluj-Napoca, in Romania, which is considered the unofficial capital of the Transylvanian region, will only set you back 18 for a flight there from mid August.

Brits can fly to German from as little as 21 from mid August as airlines slash their fares in a bid to encourage more passengers to head abroad this summer. Pictured: Frankfurt in Germany

Seven countries were added to the Government's green list as of 4am this morning including Germany, Romania, Latvia, Austria and Norway. Pictured: The city of Cluj Napoca in Romania

But it's not just the new arrivals to the green list that have seen a drop in price. Popular tourist destinations including Croatia and Malta, which were both already green listed, have also seen fares slashed.

Skyscanner is showing flights from 93 for a one-way ticket to Split or 143 to Dubrovnik while flights to Malta are going from as little as 55.

Destinations on the amber list - where unvaccinated travellers must self-isolate while double jabbed Brits must provide a negative test - have also seen fares drop as airlines try and boost passenger numbers.

This was especially true of countries that had been rumoured to move to the amber plus list but have remained amber including Portugal and Greece.

Passengers can pick up flights to Faro in Portugal from 9 from mid August or to Porto from 24.

You can also find fares from as little as 22 to Greece's Santorini or 13 to Santander in Spain.

And those looking to take advantage of the relaxed rules regarding travel to amber-listed France could head to popular spots from as little as 9.

From 4am this morning, arrivals from France who are fully vaccinated with a jab authorised and administered in the UK, US or Europe do not need to quarantine.

Fares to the port city of Brest on the west coast will only set you back 9 while tickets to more popular destinations such as Marseille or Nice are going at 24 and 115 respectively.

You can also fly to the amber listed Czech Republic from as little as 9 from mid August while popular destinations to the Canary or Balearic islands such as Tenerife or Ibiza will cost you around 24.

From mid August, holidaymakers can pick up fares from 27 and head to Latvian capital Riga

Pictured: View of Bratislava's historic downtown with St. Martin's Cathedral in Slovakia

Gavin Harris of Skyscanner told the Telegraph travel firms were using low prices to help build confidence as people started to travel again and said prices were forecast to remain low.

He added: 'This extremely competitive marketplace is fantastic news for travellers looking for good value trips.'

According to the Telegraph, return tickets to popular Spanish resorts of Alicante, Tenerife and Malaga are all currently selling at more than a 10 per cent discount compared with before the pandemic.

Rory Boland of consumer group Which?, said airlines had a lot of spare capacity as the number of flights remained dramatically reduced which means they can react quickly to any government announcements.

He said: 'They add flights, making more seats available, and that pushes prices down.

Countries already on the green list have seen fares drop including Croatia. Pictured: Dubrovnik

Passengers can fly to Malta from 55 in mid August. Pictured: St Paul's Cathedral in Valletta

'Immediately when changes are announced you can see price increases because capacity has not had time to shift, but they tend to fall within a couple of days.

'Anyone booking a holiday to a green-list country should wait for a few days after travel restrictions have changed to get the cheapest flights.'

It comes as bookings for foreign holidays soared by up to 250 per cent after the Government revealed rules on travelling to France would be relaxed while the green list was expanded.

From 4am this morning, arrivals from France who are fully vaccinated with a jab authorised and administered in the UK, US or Europe do not need to quarantine.

Meanwhile, Austria, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia all moved to the green list, and Bahrain, India, Qatar and United Arab Emirates are now listed as Amber.

The updates caused a surge in holiday searches, with Hays Travel, the UK's largest independent agent, reporting a 193 per cent surge in bookings between Thursday and Friday.

British Airways reported a 260 per cent week-on-week increase in searches for holidays to the south of France as changes to restrictions were made (Pictured: Cote d'Azur, south of France)

One of the biggest winners from the travel list updates was Jet2, which saw a 250 per cent spike in bookings to amber and green list destinations yesterday compared to the day before.

According to Skyscanner, searches for holidays to Dubai were up 213 per cent, making it the second-most popular search on the comparison website after Spain - which saw a 42% rise in bookings compared with a week ago.

The company said its top destinations are currently Malaga, Palma, Alicante, Tenerife, all in Spain, and then Dubai.

Meanwhile British Airways reported a 260 per cent week-on-week increase in searches for holidays to the south of France.

And Brittany Ferries said it took 1,400 bookings to France on Thursday, up from 568 a day earlier, while Eurostar said bookings from London to Paris doubled over the same period.

It follows a spat between the UK and its neighbour to the south after the British Government made it the only amber list destination from which fully jabbed travellers had to quarantine upon return.

While travel companies have praised the latest updates, some industry sources said it was 'too little too late.'
Cori Bush said in a rambling interview Sunday morning that the Democratic Party needs to 'work on comms' as she defended her calls to 'defund police' despite criticism for spending $70,000 on personal security.

The Missouri congresswoman was asked by CNN State of the Union guest host Dana Bash why she had a security detail but believes police should be defunded.

'I think what we have to look at is the fact that I made it to Congress in 2020, I was elected to Congress, and we are still fighting this same fight. We're still fighting to save black lives. That was not  that work was not done before I got here,' she said while avoiding answering the question.

'This is the reason why I ran, was to save lives, to save my son's life,' she dodged.

The incoherent and confusing response saw the congresswoman defending her previous comments, blaming the Democrat party for a messaging issue and claiming congressional inaction has cost black people their lives.

She did not, however, answer the question related to criticism over her spending thousands in campaign funds for a security detail and then calling to defund the police.

Representative Cori Bush gave a rambling and confusing response on Sunday when asked how she justifies spending thousands on personal security but calling to defund police

Bush told Bash the Democratic Party has a 'messaging problem' and claimed they are trying to blame her for issues that existed before she was elected to Congress

Dana Bash asks Rep. Cori Bush to explain comments she made endorsing defunding the police while also talking about having private security for herself pic.twitter.com/OQqbnAAUCG  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 8, 2021

Bush, 45, appeared to insinuate that the issue among Democrats regarding the 'defund police' movement is the messaging.

'So, I don't believe  as far as my  as far as my colleagues, I absolutely empathize. I empathize,' she said.

'But you know what? The same thing that the Republicans will do, which is figure out how to work with this on the comms spaces, that's what we have to do,' she suggested.

When asked if the Democrtic Party has a 'messaging issue', Bush said 'no', but her answer appeared to claim otherwise.

'No, I'm saying that we can also  that that's another way that you can tackle this,' she said.

'You have to tackle it from more than one place. We have to work on what we want to say, what is our message, but then we also have to understand that we have to save lives too.'

Bush insisted: 'I'm here to stand up for my community.'

She also doubled-down during her interview on her calls to strip law enforcement of their funding.

'My job is to save lives, the lives of my community, because, when we're  when we're talking about every single year increasing the budget for police, and then the budget for, like, Health and Human Services continuing to shrink, and St. Louis being number one for police violence year after year after year, number one, number two for homicides year and year, after year,' she confusingly stated.

'So, when we're adding more money to the police, but we're still dying,' Bush added in an incomplete thought.

Bush said the Democratic Party and those within it are trying to blame her for issues that existed before she was elected to Congress in 2020.

'That was not fixed before I got here, to then come at me and say you're the reason why we have these problems, no, the reason why we have these problems is because those that were in power and could have fixed this problem before now didn't and cost  it cost lives,' she said.

She continued to deflect in her response, explaining she decided to run for Congress because she felt inaction regarding police brutality toward black communities was costing lives.

'And so now that I'm here, I  we just introduced the People's Response Act to make sure that we are looking at the money that should be going to social safety nets to make sure that our community members who are living with mental health issues are able to function and live in society...the way that anyone would ask to,' she said in another confusing addition to her rambling response.

Bush said Thursday that she would be willing to spend $200,000 on private security to protect her life while she still called for police departments to be defunded. She spent nearly $70,000 between April and June on personal security

Bush said Thursday that she is willing to spend another $200,000 in personal security because she has feared for her life.

'I'm going to make sure I have security because, I know, I have had attempts on my life,' Bush told CBS News in an interview outside the Capitol . 'And I have too much work to do, there are too many people that need help right now, for me to allow that.'

'So if I end up spending $200,000, if I spend $10 more on it  you know what, I get to be here to do the work,' she added.

Federal Election Commission filings this month show that Bush spent $69,120 in 'security services' from April 15 to June 28  the span of about two-and-a-half months.

She questioned when asked about criticism over her spending on Thursday: 'They would rather I die? You would rather me die?'

'Is that what you want to see?' Bush continued in awe. 'You know, because that could be the alternative.'

The security payments were made to New York-based RS&T Security Consulting LLC and a Nathaniel Davis of St. Louis, Missouri.

Bush added in her Thursday interview: 'So suck it up, defunding the police has to happen.'

'We need to defund police and put that money into social safety nets,' the freshman congresswoman from Missouri said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended Bush's comments at Thursday's press briefing, but reiterated that President Joe Biden does not support defunding the police.

'There may be some in the Democratic Party, including Congresswoman Bush, who disagree with him  that's OK,' Psaki said.

'I would say the majority of Democrats, we've seen this in polling, and the majority of members also agree that we should not defund the police.'
Violent clashes broke out Saturday afternoon in downtown Portland between right and left wing activists over a Christian prayer event.

Members of right-wing group Proud Boys and left wing Antifa demonstrators converged at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park for an event scheduled for noon in downtown Portland by Canadian Protestant Christian preacher Artur Pawlowski.

Pawlowski is known for his public opposition to abortions, homosexuality and most recently mask rules, calling police who enforce them 'Nazis' in a YouTube video posted ahead of Easter this year.

Around 50 people attended the event, and video shows the black-clad Antifa demonstrators armed with shields and umbrellas, disrupting it with smoke bombs and what appeared to be pepper spray, and knocking over the event's speaker system.

One of the demonstrators commandeering a microphone and can be heard saying, 'All Cops are B*******, in the name of Jesus,' over the speakers.

Violent Antifa protestors can be seen disrupting a prayer event at a park in Portland Saturday afternoon

Clad in black, they are seen shouting at attendees and aggressively walking up to them

The Antifa demonstrators periodically spray members at the prayer group with a yellowish/brown liquid

The demonstrators can be seen knocking over the prayer group's soundsystem

The Antifa members throw smoke bombs in the middle of the event as well

'Antifa had threatened to beat people up and do what they do  and then they showed up and did it,' an attendee at the event told the Portland Tribune.

'The police were not even far from there and they were laughing in their vehicles and doing their thing. It's probably hard to care as an officer in a place where they take away all your funding.'

Another woman on the scene told a videographer filming the event that the Antifa activists had been throwing flash bombs, sometimes in close proximity to children.

'We were about to have a worship event, and Antifa just rolled in like an angry mob, started throwing flash bombs at everybody, macing everybody, rotten eggs at everybody, black paint,' she said.

One Antifa member said on social media that the group had thrown some of the prayer group's speaker equipment in the nearby river.

After crashing the prayer group the Antifa (left) then clashed with Proud Boys members in the streets of downtown Portland

Armed with paintball guns the Proud Boy demonstrators continued their standoff with the Antifa members

The Proud Boys members then appear to move off, a local outlet said some of the group piled into a pickup truck and drove off

Police were nearby but did not intervene. There were no reported arrests from the incident

The member, Melissa Lewis, had announced on social media that her group would be there to disrupt the prayer event, 'Welcome to Portland,' she tweeted. 'You won't like it here, Pastor.'

Another said they had stolen the prayer group's food and water.

'Today anarchists in Portland expropriated sandwiches and water from the fascist hate preachers and gave them to the houseless,' the member wrote.

Despite the disruptions, the event lasted for about 90 minutes, the Portland Tribune reported, and after, members of Proud Boys gathered nearby in the park.

The two groups appear on video to have a standoff that turns into a shouting match, which then moves in the streets outside of the park, the Tribune reported.

Left wing activist bragged about disrupting the event on social media

The clashes surrounded a prayer event organized by Canadian firebrand pastor Artur Pawlowski

Further video of the confrontation shows the group of Proud Boys members moving down a nearby street armed with paintball guns, as one of the Antifa members sprays them with a brown/yellowish liquid.

Portland police can be seen sitting in their car nearby the confrontation, but do not intervene.

The Portland Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

Eventually, the Tribune reported, the two sides separated, as the Proud boys members hopped into a pickup truck and drove away.

Commentators from different ends of the political spectrum online framed the event differently

There were no arrests on the scene, according to the outlet.

Conservative commentator Andy Ngo tweeted that Antifa had sought to, 'shut down a family Christian prayer & worship event on the waterfront.' Noting that police did not intervene.

Meanwhile Portland-based pastor Rev. Chuck Currie from the United Church of Christ, framed the prayer event as political.

'This was no "family Christian prayer event," he tweeted. 'It was a far-right political rally.'
South Asian American food bloggers have called on people to cancel the word curry because of its ties to British colonialism.

In the latest fallout since the increased scrutiny over the country's imperial history, critics say the word curry is too often used to lump very distinct foods from different regions together.

Chaheti Bansal, 27, who lives in California and shares her home-cooking online, shared a video recipe where she called on people to 'cancel the word curry'.

In the video, which has since been viewed more than 3.6million times after it was shared by Buzzfeed Tasty, Bansal added: 'Not in all cultures but specifically in Indian cuisine because I don't understand what that word means.

'There's a saying that the food in India changes every 100km and yet we're still using this umbrella term popularised by white people who couldn't be bothered to learn the actual names of our dishes. But we can still unlearn.'

Food bloggers are calling for the word curry to be cancelled because of it's British colonial origins and the way it is used by westerners as an umbrella term for very different cuisines

The 27-year-old has since told NBC Asian America it's not about 'fully cancelling the word' and said it's just about 'ending its use by people who don't know what it means'.

The outlet reports that South Asian American cooks say they've spent their lives confronting 'misconceptions' about their foods, and now, they just want to celebrate it.

Ms Bansal told NBC: 'Curry shouldnt be all that you think about when you think about South Asian food.

Pictured: Chaheti Bansal as featured on her various social media channels

'You can travel like 100km, and you can get a completely different type of cuisine.

'And it's a completely different language and a different culture. And it just goes to show that there's so much diversity in our food that doesn't get recognized.'

But she also said that the word is used regularly in South Asian countries.

She added: 'My partner is Sri Lankan, I have friends that are Malayali, friends that are Tamil, and yes they use the word curry.

'I enjoy their curry. Even their curry names have very specific traditional names paired with it, or it's referring to something very specific. But you shouldn't just lump all of our foods together under this term.'

While there are many different explanations for where the word curry came from, the most popular is that it was invented by the British who misheard the Tamil word 'kari' which means 'sauce'.

It's first use dates back to the mid-eighteenth century when members of the British East India Trading Company were trading with Tamil merchants in south east India.

Critics believe the word curry is too often used to lump a wide range of Asian food together

Historically, food offered in British curry houses is Indian food cooked to British taste however, there has been an increasing demand for authentic Indian food.

Some of the most popular dishes in the UK, including chicken tikka masala, were inspired by Indian cuisine but adapted for western tastes, and as a result rarely reflect the traditional dishes made in India.

Instagram food blogger Nisha Vedi Pawar, 36, echoed Bansal's sentiment and told NBC: 'It's just like for American food. You wouldn't want everything dipped in like Old Bay right?

'You wouldn't want to put everything with good old American French's mustard. The same way, we dont put everything in tikka sauce.'

Earlier this year, food delivery giant Just Eat revealed Indian was the third takeaway of choice for Brits during 2020, beaten only by Chinese and Pizza.
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Dr Anthony Fauci was blasted for saying he was worried about the Sturgis Motortcycle Rally as a potential superspreader event but not mentioning Barack Obama's controversial 60th birthday party.

As day three was winding down Sunday, President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser said during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press that he understood why people want to attend, but said he remains 'concerned' about the potential to be a super-spreader event.

Fauci said: 'Well I'm very concerned that we're going to see another surge related to that rally

'I mean, to me it's understandable that people want to do the kinds of things they want to do. They want their freedom to do that,' Fauci said.

'But there comes a time when you're dealing with a public health crisis that could involve you, your family and everyone else, that something supersedes that need to do exactly what you want to do.'

This riled up Fauci critics and rally participants who tore into the polarizing health expert on Twitter for not saying the same thing about former Obama's Great Gatsby-like soiree at his $12million Martha's Vineyard mansion, where guests celebrated the former president's 60th birthday.

Obama had planned to host more than 500 people for his birthday last week, but claimed to have dramatically scaled back the gathering amid condemnation and claims he was setting a bad example.

Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed concerned that the Sturgi bike rally would be a potential 'super-spreader' event, but didn't say anything about the hundreds gathered at Obama's Martha's Vineyard mansion for his 60th birthday party

The 10-day rally is expected to draw 700,000 from Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 15

Motorcycle enthusiasts gather for a group photo during the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 8, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 8, 2021 - the third day of the rally

Pictured: People walk down the streets of Sturgis, South Dakota during the rally, which is expected to draw more than 500,000 people during its 10-day run

The 81st annual rally has already been linked to three motorcycle deaths and 207 open container violations

A sign outside a temporary shop advertising piercings and tattoos near the rally reads, ' F*** COVID Tour'

'Yeah, no,' Twitter user 'RedState's Becca Lower' said. 'We should not have unelected bureaucrats telling us what our rights are, period!'

'I have come to loathe Fauci. I cannot believe I fell for this fraud for even a minute. Lollapalooza: Nothing. Obama birthday party: Nothing. Riding a motorcycle in the free air: SATAN'S DEVIL VIRUS WILL GET YA!' Melissa McKenzie tweeted.

'Kenny F.' tweeted, 'Lollapalooza, Obama's birthday, Bowser's wedding, etc etc etc Those telling us to worry aren't themselves worried, so why should we be?'

'No comment from St. Fauci on Obamas soiree last night with a few hundred of his closest friends - or how about Lollapalooza last week in Chicago. Or, I guess its SELECTIVE festivities, because the virus knows, and only attacks those who fit the Dems narrative,' Sarah Johnson tweeted.

Pictured: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and what appears to be close friends and family have brunch at Beach Road in Vineyard Haven, MA, which is on Martha's Vineyard

A boat is moored outside the Beach Road restaurant, where on Sunday a marquee housed guests enjoying brunch on the third day of Barack Obama's celebrations

The vast main tent stands out over surrounding mansions on Martha's Vineyard

These were just a few of the Twitter users who ripped Fauci for not saying Obama's birthday party could be a potential super-spreader event

Mask-less rallygoers filled the streets and packed nearby establishments as local health care workers worry about COVID

At least three people died in motorcycle accidents in the area Friday, including one man who was struck by a pickup truck that switched lanes trying to avoid other motorcycles

A team of researchers from the CDC concluded that last year's rally ended up looking like a 'superspreader event'

Pictured: Motorcycle enthusiasts attend the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 08, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota

Mike Geyer stands on the porch of his home where he rents spaces in his front and back yard to campers attending the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 08, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota

Motorcycle enthusiasts attend the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 8, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota

A stunt rider with the Unknown Industries Stunt Show performs at the Harley-Davidson exhibit at the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 8, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota

People look over new motorcycles at the Harley-Davidson exhibit at the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on August 8, 2021 in Sturgis, South Dakota

The rally - which is the largest motorcycle gathering in the world - is expected to attract at least 700,000 people during the 10-day rendezvous for bike lovers at a time when the highly contagious COVID-19 'Delta' variant is decimating parts of the US.

Last year - with significantly less people - researchers linked about 266,000 COVID-19 cases and at least one death to the event, which for some is a once-in-a-lifetime goal to make it to Sturgis while others faithfully make the pilgrimage year after year.

'It's just a great big family atmosphere, everybody's out here for the same purpose - we all love motorcycles,' said Aaron Harper. 'If you're a motorcyclist, you have to see it at least once in your life.'

At least three people died in motorcycle accidents in the area Friday, when the rally began.

When a pickup truck moved into the northbound lane of Vanocker Canyon Road to pass a group of motorcycles, it struck and killed a 60-year-old man driving a 2018 Harley-Davidson FLHX, according to the Rapid City Journal.

A 58-year-old man died in the hospital after he was thrown from his 2007 Harley-Davidson FLHTCU when it hit a ditch southeast of Hill City, about an hour south of Sturgis.

In Kadoka, about 120 miles east of Sturgis, a 58-year-old woman died after her 2012 Harley Davidson FLSTC entered a median and struck a road sign.

Additionally, officers have issued 207 open container violations since the rally began Friday, Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater told the Rapid City Journal.

The City of Sturgis is allowing open containers of beer and wine, but rally-goers must buy a souvenir cup in order to drink legally.

As noted by the Rapid City Journal, rallygoers are often seen walking with minimal clothing and body paint.

One woman was seen walking downtown with a goat on a leash while a man sat on a bench with a rifle, the outlet reported.

Public health experts - and some locals - worried that the rally would again play host to coronavirus infections, after hundreds of rallygoers were infected last year.

As of Thursday, one day before the rally, there were 10 COVID patients at the largest nearby hospital

Researchers at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics linked one death and 266,000 COVID-19 cases to last year's rally

Dr. Fauci said current concerns about coronavirus and the Delta variant should 'supersede' people's need to go

Sturgis Police say they have received an uptick of calls related to this year's rally compared to previous years' events

The Black Hills of South Dakota roared with motorcycles and crowds this weekend as the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicked off

A group of men are seen posing with a woman wearing little clothing during the Sturgis motorcycle rally this weekend

Rallygoers are often seen walking with minimal clothing and body paint

Only about 46% of adults who live in the county that hosts Sturgis are fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with 60.6% nationwide.

Virus infections are on the rise in South Dakota after a steady decline through the spring and early summer - though the state has the fewest new virus cases per capita in the United States.

There were 30 cases confirmed in the state on August 2, down from 72 on July 29, according to state public data.

The Department of Health reported a 68% jump in virus infections last week, with the highly contagious delta variant spurring a larger share of those infections.

Last year's rally transformed Sturgis, usually a quiet community of under 7,000 residents, into a travel hub comparable to a major U.S. city.

One analysis of anonymous cellphone data found that well over half of counties in the country were visited by someone who attended Sturgis.

Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen, second from right, is pictured during the rally this weekend

A bison is seen in South Dakota as Sturgis prepared for the 10-day motorcycle rally this weekend

A man is seen dressed like Captain America as he prepared for the rally in Sturgis this weekend

Captain America is seen waving at people on the back of a Harley Davidson motorcycle in South Dakota

A horse-drawn Budweiser buggy is pictured clopping down a road in Sturgis for the opening ceremony of the rally

A group of bikers attending the Sturgis motorcycle rally are pictured posing in front of Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota

A couple holds up the peace signh while riding on a Harley Davidson motorcycle ahead of the Sturgis rally

A couple is seen riding on an Indian motorcycle with three large American flags ahead of the Sturgis rally

A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control concluded that last year's rally ended up looking like a 'superspreader event.'

An analysis by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics last year found that the rally was a superspreader event that resulted in around $12.2 billion in public health costs, according to The Hill.

Researchers linked about 266,000 COVID-19 cases and at least one death to the event.

This year, the rally is expected to be even bigger. The city held an opening ceremony Friday for the 81st iteration of the event - something it skipped in 2020 in an attempt to tamp down the crowds.

Concerns over the event have pitted local health workers against each other - with some nurses claiming those concerned about the event should move and others blasting the rally as irresponsible.

Rikki Plaggemeyer, 46, works as an emergency-room nurse manager in Sturgis and told the Daily Beast that she hears of people that live in town and don't love the rally.

'If you don't like to live in Sturgis, and you don't like the Sturgis Rally, you shouldn't live here,' she said.

'It gives us great experiences in the ER and in the hospital, and I spend most of my time during the rally here.'

Registered nurse Jamie Lascelles, 30, agreed with Plaggemeyer but added that the rally raises other health concerns as well, like the use of drugs and alcohol.

'We do see our fair share of drug use and alcohol use,' Lascelles said.

Dr. Shankar Kurra, vice president of medical affairs at Monument Health in Rapid City, worried that the rally raises a 'very high risk' of infecting people with COVID-19.

'My concern would be with the Delta variant, which as we know is highly transmissible,'Kurra said.

He added: 'The fact is, it's a mass gathering event. It puts people at risk. That's the nature of this virus.'

There were about 10 COVID patients in the hospital as of Thursday, with a handful of them in the ICU, according to local station KEVN. All were unvaccinated.

The Department of Health in Minnesota, which neighbors South Dakota, said last year it had at least 50 residents contract COVID-19 after last year's rally and released a warning that this year could be worse, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

'The risk increases with larger groups and longer durations of exposure, especially in settings where there may be many unvaccinated people and social distancing and wearing masks aren't routinely practiced,' officials said in a statement.

The statement added: 'Any event or setting that is conducive to spreading the virus will continue to allow more variants to develop, undermining the gains we have already made with this virus.'

Motorcycles fill the streets of Sturgis, S.D on Friday as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began

The annual rally returns just as coronavirus cases in the state are rising with the more contagious delta variant

Rallygoers dance at a rock show in Sturgis on Thursday ahead of the 10-day Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Motorcycles cruised through downtown Sturgis on Thursday ahead of the rally, which health officials worry will be another 'super-spreader' event

People sing and dance at a rock concert on Thursday ahead of the Sturgis motorcycle rally that started on Friday

Motorcycles fill the streets of Sturgis, S.D on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally began. The annual rally returns just as coronavirus cases in the state are rising with the more contagious delta variant. (AP Photo/Stephen Groves)

Bobby McCrary, right, shares a laugh during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Friday. McCary rode his motorcycle from Texas for the gathering

Jody Perewitz, the rally's ceremonial grand marshal, said she was 'ecstatic' to see how many people came for the opening ceremony. Motorcycles stretched for blocks as crowds strolled Main Street, the heart of the rally.

The biggest step city officials took this year to mitigate the risk of infections was allowing rallygoers to drink on public property, with the goal of spreading the crowds into the open air.

Bars and food stalls that stretch for blocks also offer open-air seating.

Dan Ainslie, Sturgis's city manager, told The New York Times that Sturgis was also 'encouraging people who are in a high-risk category, whether it be age or because of comorbidities, that they come next year.'

Other local residents expressed some concern about the event in comments to The New York Times.

Toni Fisher, 63, said she and her husband are both vaccinated - but she has fibromyalgia and was worried about contracting a breakthrough infection ahead of the rally.

Fisher, who owns a local business that was 'ravaged' by the pandemic, said that precautions have been thrown to the wind this year by attendees fatigued with coronavirus restrictions.

'This year it's hog-wild. Nobody cares,' she said.

Hundreds of motorcycles are pictured in downtown Sturgis as Crossfit champion Matthew Frasier rides through the Sturgis Motorcycle Festival

A man is pictured leading four horses down a road in Sturgis ahead of the raly while a number of RVs are parked in the bakground

A man is seen on his motorcycle in front of the Sturgis Bar & Grill in South Dakota ahead of the rally this weekend

The South Dakota Department of Tourism has estimated that rally brings in about $800 million in revenue for the state, The New York Times reported.

'We're out in the wide open,' said Pam Williamson, a rallygoer from Kansas who also attended last year's gathering. 'If you want to wear a mask, that's your business. If you don't, that's your business.'

Last year's rally was marked by defiance of coronavirus precautions, with T-shirts on sale that read, 'Screw COVID. I went to Sturgis.'

This year, the pandemic appeared to hardly be an afterthought amid a crowd that embraces the risks and lifestyle of the open road.

'A lot of that, I don't worry too much about,' said J.J. Vilella, who said he has not received a COVID-19 vaccine. 'If it happens, it happens.'

The rally is known as a place where people let loose, strolling the streets in minimal attire and body painting. On Thursday, one woman walked through downtown with a goat on a leash. A man sat on a bench with a rifle as passersby smiled and nodded.

Health experts say big gatherings provide fertile ground to start a wave of infections. That didn't seem to slow the Sturgis crowds.

'It's in the back of your mind, you think about it a little bit,' said Harper. The Nebraska resident has not received a vaccine yet, but said he intends to. 'But you've got to live your life and enjoy it and have fun still.'
hould be paid less than those in the office

Civil servants who refuse to return to the office should be paid less than those back at their desks, a Cabinet minister suggested last night.

The Government has recommended employees make a 'gradual return' to offices over the summer after many have spent well over a year working from home because of the pandemic.

But a senior minister told the Mail it was unfair that those still at home should get the same benefits as those commuting in.

'People who have been working from home aren't paying their commuting costs so they have had a de facto pay rise, so that is unfair on those who are going into work,' they said.

'If people aren't going into work, they don't deserve the terms and conditions they get if they are going into work.'

A Cabinet minister suggested that civil servants who refuse to return to the office should be paid less than those back at their desks. (Stock image)

The minister said people should be 'keen to get back to normal', adding that it was difficult to know whether someone at home was working or watching television.

'I think people who want to get on in life will go into the office because that's how people are going to succeed,' they said.

Whitehall departments are being allowed to decide individually how quickly they want their staff to come back to the office.

The Department of Health and Social Care has reportedly abandoned plans for its civil servants to be back at their desks between four and eight days a month from September.

According to The Times, only a quarter of desks at the Department for Education were filled on a typical day and the Whitehall Treasury building was 'like a ghost town'.

A source in another department, who asked not to be named to avoid a revolt, told the paper they would be mandating a return to the office from September after struggling to persuade civil servants to return just one day a week.

Meanwhile, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is encouraging its staff to return, something sources said had so far not proven difficult because many are young and keen to be back.

Other departments have accepted flexible working will become 'the norm'.

It is understood that in discussions about returning to the office, some Whitehall managers have pointed out to civil servants that they receive 'London weighting'  a salary boost to cover the additional costs of working in the capital.

Tory grandee Sir Iain Duncan Smith said last night: 'Civil servants need to get off their backsides and into the office and they need to do it pretty quickly.'

Tory grandee Sir Iain Duncan Smith (left) said 'civil servants need to get off their backsides and into the office' while skills minister Gillian Keegan (right) admitted just 20 to 25 per cent of staff at the Department for Education were in on any given day

He said there should be an end to home working as a 'default' as the office is more creative and 'fosters better mental health'.

He added: 'Managers can't manage properly, companies aren't as effective, income goes down  go back to the office.'

Sir Iain, a former party leader, also suggested London weighting should be scrapped for home workers. 'If you're not travelling anywhere you don't carry any extra cost,' he said.

In other developments:

The UK recorded another 27,429 Covid cases, slightly up on a week earlier, along with 39 more deaths;

Britons holidaying in France face chaos over rules starting today which require Covid vaccination passports to visit everything from bars to the Eiffel Tower;

The ex-head of Harrow School said boys will suffer most from A-level exams being cancelled this year because many are 'idle' unless they have the pressure of a test;

Climate tsar Alok Sharma defended his globetrotting amid anger he escaped hotel quarantine for visiting 'red list' countries, saying it was 'certainly no holiday'.

Many bosses are keen to get their employees back in the office now Covid cases are levelling off and the majority of adults have been double-jabbed.

They believe companies benefit from staff being able to swap ideas face to face, and new recruits are missing out on advice from experienced colleagues. Working from home has had a disastrous effect on town centres, where cafes and shops are hugely reliant on office workers.

Skills minister Gillian Keegan admitted just 20 to 25 per cent of staff at the Department for Education were in on any given day, but added: 'Quite frankly they are all excited to come back.'

But Dave Penman, of the FDA union which represents senior civil servants, said: 'Ministers don't need to create a fake conflict with the civil service over the return to workplaces, where there is none.

'The vast majority want hybrid working, with a balance between time in the office and time working from home.'

The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents middle and lower-ranking civil servants, warned that any mass return to offices must not happen 'until it is demonstrably safe'.

A Government spokesman said last night: 'The civil service continues to follow the latest Government guidance, and is gradually and cautiously increasing the number of staff working in the office.'
Rishi Sunak 'will not take a demotion' despite claims of a rift between him and Boris Johnson , a source has said.





Allies of the Chancellor warned that sacking Mr Sunak would see the Prime Minister 'lose direction completely' as they hit back at claims Mr Johnson threatened to demote him to Health Secretary.

It comes after Mr Johnson reportedly 'went tonto' in front of staff at a Downing Street meeting last week about the leak of a letter from the Chancellor calling for the easing of travel restrictions ahead of the relaxations announced last Wednesday.

The Prime Minister reportedly told allies that Mr Sunak was guilty of 'a failure of political judgment' in writing the letter.

He suggested demoting the Chancellor to Health Secretary  seen as one of the least desirable jobs in Government  at a meeting last Monday, it was reported.

However an ally of Mr Sunak has said the chancellor he would never agree to such a move and would opt for the back benches over a demotion.

The source told The Times: 'If he loses Rishi, he loses direction completely.

'He would have the most likely contender to re- place him on the back benches. He's not going to take a demotion. That would be ridiculous.'

Last night, treasury insiders were forced to hit back at claims of a rift between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak.

Treasury insiders were forced to hit back at claims of a rift between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak last night after reports the Prime Minister (pictured) threatened to demote the Chancellor

Sources said there were 'no tensions' between the Downing Street neighbours despite the PM allegedly going 'tonto' in front of staff at a meeting last week.

It was claimed the PM had not seen the letter from his Chancellor until it appeared in a newspaper.

But last night sources close to Mr Sunak insisted the pair have a good working relationship compared to former chancellors and prime ministers.

A Treasury insider said there is 'always a tension around how money is spent and the accountability for it' and suggested the PM was just 'a bit tired and a bit fed up' about the leak.

'The Prime Minister is known for speaking in a half-joking, half-serious way and I think he was probably irritated and it has spilled over into what he has said,' they said.

'I don't think he is seriously contemplating [replacing Sajid Javid as Health Secretary].

'It's ridiculous and virtually everyone in Parliament thinks that the Chancellor is doing a fantastic job and has got a grip on a very complex equation.'

They suggested demoting Mr Sunak would backfire on Mr Johnson, saying that the Chancellor 'wouldn't be the one who would be damaged' by the move  and pointed to his popularity in the polls.

Mr Johnson was said to be furious about the leak of a letter from the Chancellor (pictured) calling for the easing of travel restrictions ahead of the relaxations announced last Wednesday

The suggestion that the Prime Minister went 'tonto' during last Monday's meeting had been reported in The Sunday Times.

It was also said yesterday that Mr Johnson had told allies that by writing the letter, which was copied to the Department for Transport, it was 'bound' to be leaked. But sources said it was commonplace for chancellors to write to prime ministers to keep a paper record of decisions.

Another insisted the pair were 'aligned' in the need to provide 'a credible way' of funding key policies  such as social care.

And a Government source said the reports 'couldn't be further from the truth', adding: 'There is absolutely nothing in terms of a rift.'

Yet Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak have found themselves at odds over the Prime Minister's expensive agenda  including infrastructure projects and a new royal yacht. Rumours of rifts between chancellors are as old as the offices they hold.

Lord Palmerston and William Gladstone clashed over duties on paper  seen as a tax on knowledge  in the 1860s. In more recent years, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair sparred over how tight a grip they should hold on the public purse.

George Osborne (left) and David Cameron (right) were one of the few Downing Street duos whose friendship survived their time at the top

Philip Hammond considered quitting as chancellor in the final weeks of Theresa May's premiership over her plans to spend billions on projects to shore up her legacy.

George Osborne and David Cameron were one of the few Downing Street duos whose friendship survived their time at the top.

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Bridget Phillipson yesterday accused Mr Johnson of being 'busy picking fights' with ministers despite the major difficulties he faces. She said: 'The Prime Minister urgently needs to get a grip on the real challenges facing this country.

'The Covid pandemic continues, tens of thousands of livelihoods are still at risk, the climate crisis threatens our planet, but he's busy picking fights with his own Government and threatening to sack the Chancellor. It's completely disgraceful.'

A Treasury source said: 'The Chancellor is solely focused on securing the country's economic recovery and continuing to protect and create jobs.'

Be wise, Boris, and don't repeat Maggie's mistake

By Simon Walters for the Daily Mail

Personal and political tensions with their Downing Street neighbours played a large part in the demise of the two most powerful Prime Ministers of the past 50 years.

Tony Blair was undermined from his first day in office by a bitter Gordon Brown, who never even let Blair see his Budget speeches in advance.

The downfall of Mrs Thatcher, meanwhile, was triggered by her former Chancellor Geoffrey Howe, who avenged years of being treated with contempt by the Iron Lady with a devastating Commons attack on her.

By contrast, Boris Johnson's relations with Rishi Sunak since he promoted him from nowhere to be Chancellor last year have been surprisingly friendly... until now.

The downfall of Mrs Thatcher, meanwhile, was triggered by her former Chancellor Geoffrey Howe, who avenged years of being treated with contempt by the Iron Lady with a devastating Commons attack on her

The Prime Minister is said to have been so enraged by a leaked letter from Sunak  in which the Chancellor demanded Covid travel curbs be eased to save the economy and summer holidays  that he threatened to demote him to Health Secretary.

Boris, it is also claimed, is attracted by the idea of appointing Liz Truss, currently the International Trade Secretary and a rising star in the Tory Party, as Britain's first woman Chancellor.

Boris's fury is taking place in the context of a poll that shows an astounding 36-point drop in his once rock-solid ratings among Tory voters.

Meanwhile, Sunak's popularity in the same survey by the influential ConservativeHome website remains sky-high.

Nobody seriously believes that Sunak is out to topple Johnson. And the Chancellor is well aware that when he sends out tax bills to pay for the generous economic policies deployed during the pandemic  he could go quickly from hero to villain.

By contrast, Boris Johnson's relations with Rishi Sunak since he promoted him from nowhere to be Chancellor last year have been surprisingly friendly... until now

Having said that, it is impossible not to be impressed by the rise of Sunak, who was a political unknown before he took over the Treasury last February.

His performance as Chancellor has been as sharp as his ankle-skimming suits, and he has yet to put a foot wrong.

Johnson, however, committed another gaffe only last week when he made an off-colour joke about Mrs Thatcher's ruthless closure of the coal mines during the 1980s: comments said to have offended voters in the Tories' 'Red Wall' of northern seats.

Though Johnson and Sunak initially formed a rock-solid alliance to deal with the pandemic, fault lines have emerged between them in recent weeks  from divisions over Boris's new 'Royal Yacht' plan to his 'levelling-up' agenda.

It all costs money, and Sunak  who did book-keeping for his mother's pharmacy as a teenager  has his hands firmly on the purse strings. The disagreements have highlighted the stark differences between the two in both style and substance.

The Prime Minister is said to have been so enraged by a leaked letter from Sunak  in which the Chancellor demanded Covid travel curbs be eased to save the economy and summer holidays  that he threatened to demote him to Health Secretary

'Boris announces grand projects out of the blue without thinking how to pay for them,' said one Conservative adviser.

'He wouldn't have a clue how to read a balance sheet. Rishi doesn't have Boris's common touch but he can spot a few missing pence.'

Their relationship is so closely watched that even the Sunaks's acquisition last month of a labrador puppy, Nova, was seen by cynics as an attempt to upstage Mr Johnson and wife Carrie's beloved Jack Russell-cross, Dilyn.

Let's be clear: having won a landslide election victory less than two years ago and following the success of the Covid vaccine roll-out  all helped by a weak and divided opposition Labour party  it is surely too early to be writing Mr Johnson's political obituary. However, for all his unique talents, the Prime Minister's friends say he has never been interested, as Thatcher and Blair were, in spending a decade at No10.

He intends to return to his main, highly-lucrative passion: writing.

And unlike Thatcher and Blair at the same stage of their Prime Ministerial careers, having brought about and delivered Brexit, Johnson's place in the history books is guaranteed.

Tony Blair was undermined from his first day in office by a bitter Gordon Brown, who never even let Blair see his Budget speeches in advance

The all-encompassing nature of the pandemic has made it difficult for him to add a second chapter to his tenure after 'getting Brexit done'.

But in my view, he is more likely to achieve that by working together with the loyal and even-tempered Sunak, rather than by fulminating wildly in private about him.

If Mr Johnson is seriously considering carrying out his reported threat to demote Sunak to Health Secretary, he might care to reflect on Mrs Thatcher's fate after she dished out a similar unmerited punishment to Howe, who had been her first Chancellor.

Irked chiefly by his opposition to her anti-European views, and emboldened by a landslide election victory two years earlier, she humiliatingly gave Howe, then the Foreign Secretary, the Cabinet dogsbody job of Commons Leader in 1989.

But if Thatcher thought she had put him in his place, just 16 months later, the mild-mannered Howe moved against her. She was gone in three weeks.
Just last week Ricky and his family were terrified, hiding from the Taliban in a Kabul suburb listening to bursts of gunfire and intermittent bomb blasts.

But last night the interpreter and his wife, three sons and two daughters were able to start planning for a new life from the safety of a Manchester quarantine hotel.

The 38-year-old said: We have gone from many dark years of being frightened, wondering if the next attack would be aimed at us or if we would return when we went outside to being, and feeling, safe.

It is a wonderful feeling but it is still hard to believe it is really true.

Ricky is the longest-serving translator working for British forces  a veteran of 18 years. Three years ago he was ambushed by two suspected Taliban gunmen as he returned home and his vehicle was hit by four bullets.

Just last week Ricky and his family were terrified, hiding from the Taliban in a Kabul suburb listening to bursts of gunfire and intermittent bomb blasts

He first applied for relocation to the UK in 2017 only to be turned down  the first of several rejections before finally being accepted in December last year.

And now he has joined dozens of interpreters and their families in coming to Britain  among 1,400 Afghans to have arrived since the third week of June.

Nine Freedom Flights  chartered planes bringing Afghans to safety in the UK  have so far arrived, with a further 14 planned.

Rickys arrival is a significant victory for the Mail which began calling for his rescue four years ago. They are pictured above at their quarantine hotel during exercise

On Saturday the Daily Mail reported a triple victory on translators with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirming interpreters in third countries as well as those who worked with Special Forces have now been approved for sanctuary, while translators with contentious applications will have their cases re-assessed.

Rickys arrival is a significant victory for the Mail which began calling for his rescue four years ago.

He said: I would like to thank you [the Mail] because you told the British people what was happening with the interpreters who risked their lives.

A Government spokesman said Britains Afghan relocation policy was one of the most generous in the world, adding: Nobodys life should be put at risk because they supported the UK Government in Afghanistan.

Ricky is the longest-serving translator working for British forces  a veteran of 18 years. He is pictured left

UK betrayed by allies Afghanistan retreat

By Mark Nicol, Defence Editor for the Daily Mail

Britain tried desperately to form a military coalition to support Afghan forces after America pulled out  but Nato allies refused to take part, the Defence Secretary has revealed.

Ben Wallace told the Mail the UK had urged like-minded nations to stay on after US troops withdrew.

But after they declined he decided that Britain could not go it alone.

Consequently, Nato states all brought their soldiers home together and the Taliban began an offensive. It controls more than half the country, having taken five provincial capitals since Friday.

It now threatens to take the city of Lashkar Gah in Helmand, where more than 450 British troops were killed.

Ben Wallace told the Mail the UK had urged like-minded nations to stay on after US troops withdrew. But after they declined he decided that Britain could not go it alone

Schools have been burned and there have been reports of the Taliban reimposing the ban on girls receiving an education and women working that it introduced when it ruled Afghanistan.

It is also said to be kidnapping girls and forcing them to marry its fighters.

On Friday, the Foreign Office advised all British nationals to leave now due to the worsening security situation.

Speaking to the Mail, Mr Wallace condemned the United Statess rotten deal with the Taliban, signed last year, which was supposed to end more than 18 years of conflict in Afghanistan.

He said it could lead to the Taliban taking over again  and Britain having to return for another military campaign.

Asked if the UK could do more to help besieged Afghan forces, he said: Well, I did try talking to Nato nations, but they were not interested, nearly all of them.

We tried a number of like-minded nations. Some said they were keen, but their parliaments werent. It became apparent pretty quickly that without the United States as the framework nation it had been, these options were closed off.

All of us were saddened, from the Prime Minister down, about all the blood and treasure that had been spent, that this was how it was ending.

He said the option of a unilateral UK presence was considered, adding: We could have put a force there but we would have had to take ourselves out of a lot of other places around the world. The possibility... was not viable.

The Defence Secretary said Donald Trumps deal with the Taliban early last year convinced the militants they had been victorious.

Under the deal signed by Mr Trump and continued by President Joe Biden, the US and Nato pledged to withdraw within 14 months.

The Taliban agreed not to target Western troops and to keep Al Qaeda and other extremists out. The militants upheld their side of the bargain  but have waged war against Afghan forces.

Mr Wallace said: The deal was a rotten deal, it is flawed.

It saddens me that the deal picked apart a lot of what had been achieved in Afghanistan over 20 years. Well probably be back in ten or 20 years. But acting now is not possible. The damage was done with the deal.

He said the departure of Nato was an indictment of the short-term strategies of Western states, adding: Again the West has been exposed as thinking you fix problems, not manage problems.

General Sir Nick Carter, head of the Armed Forces, has urged the UK to stand shoulder to shoulder with Afghan security forces.

Yesterday, Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence committee, condemned the shabby withdrawal, abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there.

He wrote in The Mail on Sunday: Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This is the country that brought us 9/11.

Former Army commander General Sir Richard Barrons told BBC Radio 4s The World This Weekend yesterday: We run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere.
The fugitive American driver who killed teenage biker Harry Dunn may have been on her phone at the time of the fatal crash, lawyers claimed last night.

Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a CIA officer, has made evasive and inconsistent answers about her phone and its data, US court papers allege.

Lawyers for Mr Dunns family state that documents Mrs Sacoolas has handed over raise the possibility that [she] was distracted by her mobile telephone.

They say she told them she lost its SIM card, then found it hours after they sent a letter asking about it.

Lawyers for Harry Dunns family state that documents Anne Sacoolas (pictured) has handed over raise the possibility that [she] was distracted by her mobile telephone

Sacollas was driving on the wrong side of the road when she crashed head-on into Mr Dunn, 19, near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019

Floral tributes by the road near RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire, where he was killed in a head-on collision

The claims were made in a lawsuit for damages filed in Virginia as Mrs Sacoolas, 43, has refused to return to the UK to face justice.

She was driving on the wrong side of the road when she crashed head-on into Mr Dunn, 19, near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019.

Her husband Jonathan was reportedly working for US intelligence. She claimed diplomatic immunity and fled the country.

According to documents filed in the federal court by lawyers Levy Firestone Muse, Mrs Sacoolass statements raise concerns that relevant data has been deleted.

They say that they have tried to clarify whether Mrs Sacoolas was on her phone but her answers only raise more questions about not only her conduct prior to the collision, but also the whereabouts of her phone data.

The documents state that Mrs Sacoolas first claimed she had disposed of the SIM card and that she had no data on the phone from August 2019.

Her husband Jonathan said he had discarded his phone as well. Three weeks later, however, both Mr and Mrs Sacoolas told the Dunn familys lawyers that they had found the SIM cards. Neither offered any explanation.

The filing claims that Mr and Mrs Sacoolas hired an analyst to inspect their phones. He located only one text  which has not been handed to the Dunn family  from the day of the crash.

But the lawyers are suspicious of his findings because Mr Sacoolas has admitted calling his wife shortly before the accident, a call the analyst found no record of.

Without a settlement, the case could go to trial, where it is likely Mr and Mrs Sacoolas would be called to give evidence

The document says the analyst did find call records on the phone from both the day before the accident and the day after the accident.

It asks: What happened to the missing data and is other data missing from the day of the accident?

Mrs Sacoolas has not denied deleting data from her phone and has not explained how the data was deleted.

She took her phone with her when she fled to the US, depriving investigators of the opportunity to see if she was checking the weather, reading a text, on a call or otherwise distracted while driving, the Dunn familys lawyers say.

Without a settlement, the case could go to trial, where it is likely Mr and Mrs Sacoolas would be called to give evidence  including on whether, as some reports claim, Mrs Sacoolas works for US intelligence.

Mrs Sacoolass lawyer, John McGavin, did not respond to a request for comment.
Ben Wallace told the Mail the UK had urged like-minded nations to stay on after US troops withdrew

Britain tried desperately to form a military coalition to support Afghan forces after America pulled out  but Nato allies refused to take part, the Defence Secretary has revealed.

Ben Wallace told the Mail the UK had urged like-minded nations to stay on after US troops withdrew.

But after they declined he decided that Britain could not go it alone.

Consequently, Nato states all brought their soldiers home together and the Taliban began an offensive. It now controls more than half the country, having taken five provincial capitals since Friday, and is rapidly tipping the balance of power in its favour.

Speaking to the Mail, Mr Wallace condemned the United Statess rotten deal with the Taliban, signed last year, which was supposed to end more than 18 years of conflict in Afghanistan.

He said it could lead to the Taliban taking over again  and Britain having to return for another military campaign.

Asked if the UK could do more to help besieged Afghan forces, he said: Well, I did try talking to Nato nations, but they were not interested, nearly all of them.

We tried a number of like-minded nations. Some said they were keen, but their parliaments werent. It became apparent pretty quickly that without the United States as the framework nation it had been, these options were closed off.

All of us were saddened, from the Prime Minister down, about all the blood and treasure that had been spent, that this was how it was ending.

Afghans survey the damage caused by fighting between the Taliban and government forces in Kunduz, the capital of Kunduz province which has now fallen to the Islamists

Smoke rises from the remains of shops that were destroyed in fighting between Taliban and government forces in the city of Kunduz

The Taliban now controls more than half of Afghanistan's territory and is fighting for control of dozens of other provinces, including the cities of Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar

He said the option of a unilateral UK presence was considered, adding: We could have put a force there but we would have had to take ourselves out of a lot of other places around the world. The possibility... was not viable.

The Defence Secretary said Donald Trumps deal with the Taliban early last year convinced the militants they had been victorious.

Under the deal signed by Mr Trump and continued by President Joe Biden, the US and Nato pledged to withdraw within 14 months.

The Taliban agreed not to target Western troops and to keep Al Qaeda and other extremists out. The militants upheld their side of the bargain  but have waged war against Afghan forces.

Mr Wallace said: The deal was a rotten deal, it is flawed.

It saddens me that the deal picked apart a lot of what had been achieved in Afghanistan over 20 years. Well probably be back in ten or 20 years. But acting now is not possible. The damage was done with the deal.

He said the departure of Nato was an indictment of the short-term strategies of Western states, adding: Again the West has been exposed as thinking you fix problems, not manage problems.

The US began withdrawing its forces in April this year after Biden re-committed himself to Trump's pledge to end America's 'forever war'.

Initially due to be complete by the symbolic date of September 11, sources on the ground say the withdrawal is already all-but over.

The white flag of the Taliban is pictured flying over the main square of Kunduz after it was captured by Islamist fighters on Sunday

Afghan government forces have reported being outgunned, outnumbered and under-supplied by leaders in Kabul - leading to a string of battlefield defeats

NATO's own withdrawal is also thought to be effectively at an end, leaving Afghan security forces under the command of President Ashraf Ghani to defend the country.

The Taliban struck hard and fast as western forces withdrew, rapidly capturing swathes of Afghan countryside and overrunning government outposts.

Some were conquered in fierce gun battles, but in other locations government troops either surrendered or were paid-off to leave their posts.

Ghani played down the Taliban's initial successes, claiming the retreat was tactical and that he was withdrawing forces into cities which would be easier to defend.

But worrying early signs emerged when the Taliban starting eating up territory not just in its traditional southern hinterlands of Kandahar and Helmand, but also in the north along the borders with Tajikistan and Iran.

Then came the assault on the cities, and so-far Ghani's forces have not fared well.

Since Friday, they have lost control of no fewer than five provincial capitals: Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul, capitals of Kunduz and Sar-e-Pul provinces, and Taloqan, the capital of Takhar province.

Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand, has also been left on the verge of falling into Taliban hands with jihadist fighters only held back by American bombing raids - with aircraft flown in from Oman to keep them at bay.

Kandahar, capital of Kandahar province, has also come under sustained attack with troops there struggling to hold on.

Only in Herat, in the north west, has the government met with any degree of success as its troops drove back a Taliban offensive last week - though fighting has resumed and intensified since then.

Ghani's only hope is that the Taliban can be fought to a stalemate, forcing the Islamists to return to the negotiating table and strike a power-sharing deal.

The ruins of shops are seen in the city of Kunduz, Afghanistan, after it was captured by the Taliban following intense fighting on Sunday

But if major regional capitals such as Lashkar Gah, Kandahar and Herat fall, then it will likely spur the militants on to attack Kabul.

If they can take the capital it will return them to full control of the country and undo two decades of western intervention in just a few months.

But analysts have also warned of another, worst-case scenario: That neither side is able to strike the killing blow while peace talks prove inconclusive.

In that case, the conflict could draw out into a long a bloody civil war of the kind seen in the 1990s and from which the Taliban first emerged.

If that happens, Afghanistan would likely become a haven for terror groups such as al Qaeda and ISIS.

General Sir Nick Carter, head of the Armed Forces, has urged the UK to stand shoulder to shoulder with Afghan security forces.

Yesterday, Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence committee, condemned the shabby withdrawal, abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there.

He wrote in The Mail on Sunday: Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This is the country that brought us 9/11.

Former Army commander General Sir Richard Barrons told BBC Radio 4s The World This Weekend yesterday: We run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere.
Jason Kenny became the first Briton to win seven Olympic gold medals as he took a stunning victory in the men's keirin final in Izu.

Kenny had complained of being out of form during the men's sprint earlier this week but you would not have known it from the way in which he rode away from the field to win by a yawning gap of 0.763 seconds from Azizulhasni Awang of Malaysia.

It also makes Kenny the first Briton to win nine Olympic medals as he adds it to the team sprint silver he took on Tuesday alongside Jack Carlin and Ryan Owens.

Jason Kenny won a record seventh Olympic gold medal by winning the men's keirin on Sunday

Kenny overcame complaints of tiredness during the week to win with a gap of 0.763 seconds

Victory sees Kenny win his ninth Olympic medal to become Britain's greatest Games athlete

'Seven gold medals is really special, when you look back on the ones you have already got it seems pretty easy,' Kenny said. 'Then when you try and get more, you remember how hard it is.

'It is easy to forget the hard work that goes into it. I have been disappointed this week, I haven't been as competitive as I wanted to be. But in the keirins you can race hard and ride your luck a little bit...

'Before today I had all but given up, I was counting my career in days and races as opposed to years, but maybe I have bought myself more time now.'

Perhaps Kenny's rivals had been guilty of listening too closely to the downbeat assessment of his physical condition after he finished eighth in the individual sprint competition.

Australia's Matthew Glaetzer let go of his wheel before the derny had even pulled off, with the others too busy looking at one another to realise that Kenny had already gone.

'It's easy to forget the hard work that goes into it,' said Kenny after earning a ninth medal

Jason and wife Laura Kenny pose with their medals on the final day of the Olympic Games

The 33-year-old checked over his shoulder and saw the advantage he had, charging away and building what proved to be an unassailable lead.

'I couldn't believe no-one came past, I felt like I was standing still at the end,' he added. 'I was hacking away into the final corner, but just kept telling myself it is a medal. I couldn't believe it when I crossed the line.'

His team-mate Jack Carlin, who missed out on a place in the final and had just earned eighth place overall, watched on open-mouthed from the track centre as Kenny simply rode alone, in a different race to the other five men on track.

Kenny had needed to go through the repechage to survive on Saturday after sitting up to finish fourth in his first-round heat, and it was Carlin, winner of individual bronze, who had looked the better bet for Britain at that point.

But it was Kenny who turned it on come Sunday, second in his quarter-final before winning the semi in which Carlin dropped out of medal contention.

Though he had already handed over his team sprint and individual sprint crowns this week, it means Kenny successfully defended the keirin title he took in Rio - and he did so at the home of the discipline in Izu, where Japan's elite keirin school is based.

Laura Kenny (top left) missed out on a medal in the women's omnium after a crash

Kenny has now won gold at four consecutive Games, taking his first title in the team sprint in Beijing, before winning team and individual sprint at both London and Rio in addition to the keirin crown five years ago.

Holland's Harrie Lavreysen - arguably the favourite after being crowned individual sprint champion on Friday - took bronze and joined Awang in holding Kenny aloft on the podium.

Kenny could have been forgiven for taking his eye off the ball in this event, with his warm-ups for the quarter-finals earlier on Sunday morning interrupted when his wife Laura crashed heavily in the opening scratch race of the women's omnium and was slow to get up.

Though Laura recovered to win the following tempo race, her medal hopes suffered a major blow with an early exit from the elimination race and she eventually finished outside the podium places in sixth, never able to truly get back into the mix after that opening crash.

Laura Kenny recovered from the crash to win the following tempo race but came sixth overall

'It was a mountain to climb from that point and to be honest the tempo race I just rode off adrenaline,' Laura Kenny said.

'I didn't even get on the rollers, I literally just restarted a bike race. By the time the elimination race came round I was done. I was sat in the chair and I was thinking: "I feel sick, my back is killing me".

'I just went for the easy line because everything didn't feel right and whenever you're in that place it is the worst place to be.

'It didn't matter how much my head was saying: "You need to get out of here", there was just nothing I could do about it. I was just too tired.'
Jack Fincham's ex Casey Ranger has accused the former Love Islander of not seeing their 18-month-old daughter Blossom Fincham since April.

The NHS worker released a statement on Instagram on Friday about her former co-parent, saying that 'he isn't worthy of being a father'.

Casey's words come as Jack, 30, jetted off to Portugal alone, following his recent appearance in court where he denied driving while high on cocaine and Valium.

Accusations: Jack Fincham's (pictured) ex Casey Ranger has accused the former Love Islander of not seeing their 18-month-old daughter Blossom since April

The single mother, 30, took to the social media platform to pen the lengthy post: 'I have forgiven things that should never have been forgiven - but I did, for the sake of my daughter & him being a part of her life. Sadly, he has let her down each time & proved on MANY occasions that he isnt worthy of being a father.'

Jack was 'over the moon' to become a first-time father in January last year when his long-time friend Casey gave birth to a baby girl.

He said that the pair shared a 'whirlwind romance' weeks after his split from Dani Dyer and although things 'didn't work out romantically' they planned to co-parent their child.

Taking to Instagram: The single mother, 30, took to the social media platform to say that Jack 'isnt worthy of being a father"'

Jack was 'over the moon' to become a first-time father in January last year when his long-time friend Casey gave birth to a baby girl. Pictured in July 2021 at 18 months old

'It was a whirlwind romance and shortly after had the amazing news that she was expecting which we were both over the moon about,' he told The Sun.

Now, Casey has spoken up, claiming a lack of relationship that Jack and their daughter Blossom now face.

She started off her statement by saying: 'As I write this post with an open heart I cant help but feel a lot of anxiety & discomfort surrounding my choice to speak up on such a private matter. '

Speaking up: The lone parent started off her statement by saying: 'As I write this post with an open heart I cant help but feel a lot of anxiety & discomfort surrounding my choice to speak up on such a private matter'

'Having a part of my life played out so publicly is beyond difficult to deal with - I keep my personal life private & I never acknowledge any rumours/speculation surrounding private matters.'

She adds: 'However, its been testing at times & there have been a couple of occasions where Ive had no choice but to address the lies being told that have involved my daughter.'

The health compliance officer sought legal advice before speaking up about what happened with Jack, reassuring her supporters: 'Before posting this, I have spoken with my solicitor so Im fully aware of what can and cant be said.'

Statement: Casey has now spoken up, claiming a lack of relationship that Jack and their daughter Blossom now face

'Due to legal reasons, Im very restricted. My intention right now is to set the record straight due to the truth of this matter...'

'The truth is, I have given Blossoms biological father repeated chances to build a relationship with her', she wrote.

'Due to his own behaviour, choices & actions - he has no relationship with Blossom & hasnt seen her since the start of April. Previous to that, he hadnt seen her since June 2020 (again, this was down to his own actions) his reality is a reflection of his own choices'.

'repeated chances': 'The truth is, I have given Blossoms biological father repeated chances to build a relationship with her', she wrote. Pictured: Jack and Blossom in June 2020

Casey insisted that she will not be 'labelled as the "bitter mother"' for speaking up about what she claims is a horrendous parenthood experience with her old friend.

'I will not be blamed & labelled as the bitter mother because thats the easiest & most convenient card...'

'I am not to blame - if anything, I tried with my whole heart to support a relationship between Blossom - him & his family and Ive made peace with the fact I did everything I could.'

Yet somehow, Casey has managed to remain positive throughout all this and wished 'love, light & healing' to Jack and his family.

Parenthood: Casey insisted that she will not be 'labelled as the "bitter mother"' for speaking up about what she claims is a horrendous parenthood experience with her old friend. Pictured: Casey and Blossom in November 2020

'Sending love, light & healing': Somehow Casey has managed to remain positive throughout all this and wishes Jack and his family well regardless. Pictured in June 2020

Their daughter recently came out of hospital after a meningitis and septicaemia scare.

Casey took to Instagram last week to share a photo of her toddler being treated for the 'severe infection'.

'What started as a perfectly normal Thursday ended with us spending hours in hospital & Blossom being treated for a severe infection.'

Scary: Their daughter recently came out of hospital after a meningitis and septicaemia scare

Jack is now holidaying in the Algarve following his split with another ex, Frankie Sims.

Jack was spotted shopping in designer outlets and admitted he was receiving stares seemingly for being on his own as he drank a daiquiri in a local restaurant.

The star, who recently had a brush with police, told fans on his Instagram story: 'I've come on holiday on my own and that alone I think is quite brave, walking into a restaurant full of couples and families, sitting down.'

Hitting out: Jack Fincham has jetted to Portugal alone, following his split with Frankie Sims - and the reality star says he'd rather be on his own than in a dead end relationship

'People are looking at me like I'm a nutter, but I have seen so many couples sitting here where I'm sitting and they're not even talking. I'm having more fun in my own than they are having.'

Jack then said he'd rather be single than in a relationship where there is no communication.

He explained: 'I'm looking at a couple now over there and they are not even talking to each other. What is the point?...

'Just end the relationship, go home and meet someone else. Why sit opposite each other not even talking. I watched this couple for about half an hour.'

Do not judge: Jack who recently appeared in court to deny driving while high on cocaine and Valium also told his followers online: 'Never judge someone without knowing the whole story. You may think you understand but you don't'

He added: 'I'm having a whale of a time on my own with my daiquiri and they are sitting and not talking. It's cr*p so if that's your relationship mate, it's got to end.'

Jack, who has recently faced time in court, said: 'Never judge someone without knowing the whole story. You may think you understand but you don't.'

On Friday afternoon, he then shared a video from inside a swanky spa.

Jack's holiday comes just weeks after he was pictured speaking with four police officers in a car park at 5am last week following his recent split with Frankie.

Sad: It was claimed shortly before Jack and Frankie, who started dating in April, were said to have parted ways after fighting

According to reports from The Mirror, Jack spoke with officers after they got a call claiming he was acting suspiciously.

In the image, Jack can be seen speaking with four men in uniform in a car park in south east London, five miles from his family home in Bexleyheath.

It was claimed shortly before that Jack and Frankie, who started dating in April, were said to have parted ways after fighting.

Insiders told OK!: 'Jack and Frankie have split. They've had a couple of rows and have unfollowed each other on Instagram.'

MailOnline has contacted Jack Fincham's rep for a comment.
She made plenty of waves as Baywatch blonde Pamela Anderson  but Lily James is now back to her brunette self

She made plenty of waves as Baywatch blonde Pamela Anderson  but Lily James is now back to her brunette self.

The British actress had been spending up to five hours a day in hair and make-up to transform herself into the peroxide pin-up for a new biographical series about former Playboy star Pamela.

But when Lily went for an outing with her musician boyfriend Michael Shuman and his parents last week, she was finally able to ditch the blonde wig to be herself.

The 32-year-old wore a simple white T-shirt with fashionable high-waisted jeans and a chunky Gucci belt for the lunch in Los Angeles with Michael, 35, and his parents Ira and Janet.

Lily was first linked to the Queens Of The Stone Age bassist in February, when they were seen together near the Suffolk set of her last movie, Whats Love Got To Do With It? Ironically, he has dyed his normally brown locks blond.

An onlooker said: The couple looked happy and relaxed. Lily seemed to be enjoying some downtime after what appeared to have been an intense filming schedule.

Ms James takes the lead role in Pam & Tommy, a new eight-part mini-series for Americas Hulu streaming network, based on the Baywatch stars whirlwind wedding and turbulent three-year-marriage to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, who is played by Sebastian Stan.

Lily is soon expected to start filming The Paris Trap, a thriller about a young American woman who becomes the victim of mistaken identity during a visit to the French capital.

The British actress had been spending up to five hours a day in hair and make-up to transform herself into the peroxide pin-up for a new biographical series about former Playboy star Pamela
Lisa Vanderpump posed up a storm with her pregnant daughter Pandora at her star-studded World Dog Day event in Los Angeles this weekend.

Pandora exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com at the event that she has her firstborn child on the way and is due sometime in the winter.

The mother-to-be glowed as she stood beside her 60-year-old reality star mother, who also got to mingle with such celebrity guests as Lance Bass.

Family time: Lisa Vanderpump posed up a storm with her pregnant daughter Pandora at her star-studded World Dog Day event in Los Angeles this weekend

Lisa was glowing in a summery fluttering dress that featured a pink and green floral print on a white background.

She warded off the California rays with a wide-brimmed straw hat that featured a wide pink ribbon to bring the look together.

Lisa, who runs a nonprofit dog rescue called Vanderpump Dogs, could be seen dropping to a squat to pose affectionately with one of the pooches at the event.

Pandora did a bit of hobnobbing at the fete as well, cradling her baby bump whilst posing with Lance and his husband Michael Turchin.

Aglow: The mother-to-be glowed as she stood beside her 60-year-old reality star mother, who also got to mingle with such celebrity guests as Lance Bass

Looking fab: Lisa was glowing in a summery fluttering dress that featured a pink and green floral print on a white background

Baby mine: Lisa, who runs a nonprofit dog rescue called Vanderpump Dogs, could be seen dropping to a squat to pose affectionately with one of the pooches at the event

Trio: Pandora did a bit of hobnobbing at the fete as well, cradling her baby bump whilst posing with Lance (left) and his husband Michael Turchin

The star-studded guest list at Lisa's party included Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, aka Amethyst Kelly, who stood for a picture with Lance and their hostess.

Iggy emphasized her hourglass figure by slipping into a skintight bright orange cocktail dress and heightened the effect with stilettos.

She swept her signature blonde hair into a high ponytail and accentuated her unmistakable features with makeup for her latest outing.

Lisa and Iggy could be seen chitchatting as they strolled around the party, where some of Lisa's Vanderpump Rules co-stars could also be spotted.

Stars all around: The star-studded guest list at Lisa's party included Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, aka Amethyst Kelly, who stood for a picture with Lance and their hostess

When you got it: Iggy emphasized her hourglass figure by slipping into a skintight bright orange cocktail dress and heightened the effect with stilettos

Glamour: She swept her signature blonde hair into a high ponytail and accentuated her unmistakable features with makeup for her latest outing

What a day: Lisa and Iggy could be seen chitchatting as they strolled around the party, where some of Lisa's Vanderpump Rules co-stars could also be spotted

Tom Schwartz, who went into business with Lisa and a co-star called Tom Sandoval to open a West Hollywood nightspot called TomTom, was among the attendees.

Lala Kent, 30, arrived at the bash cradling her five-month-old daughter Ocean whom she shares with her producer fiance Randall Emmett, 50.

DJ James Kennedy, a frequent fixture on Vanderpump Rules, posed up with his longtime girlfriend Raquel Leviss and a dog.

While at the event Pandora dished to DailyMail.com that she and her husband Jason Sabo had their first child on the way.

Dashing: Tom Schwartz, who went into business with Lisa and a co-star called Tom Sandoval to open a West Hollywood nightspot called TomTom, was among the attendees

Mother and child: Lala Kent, 30, arrived at the bash cradling her five-month-old daughter Ocean whom she shares with her producer fiance Randall Emmett, 50

Couple's outing: DJ James Kennedy, a frequent fixture on Vanderpump Rules, posed up with his longtime girlfriend Raquel Leviss and a dog

'Jason and I are beyond thrilled. It is such a blessing after such a difficult year for everyone. We are so excited about this new chapter in our lives,' she gushed.

Meanwhile Lisa revealed that she would like her upcoming grandchild to refer to her as 'Nanny Pinky' after her favorite color.

She said she and her husband Ken Todd 'are overjoyed and are so happy for Pandora and Jason. Its such wonderful news and has been such a difficult secret to keep. We cant wait for the new baby to arrive and Im so excited to become Nanny Pinky.'

Breaking the news: While at the event Pandora dished to DailyMail.com that she and her husband Jason Sabo had their first child on the way

So sweet: Meanwhile Lisa revealed that she would like her upcoming grandchild to refer to her as 'Nanny Pinky' after her favorite colo
She spent her birthday last August partying hard with family and friends on the island of Jamaica.

And on Saturday, Madonna began preparing for her 63rd birthday on Instagram, with an extreme close-up shared to her Stories and a cosmic placed over her third eye which read: 'Tonight is the new moon of Virgo My birthday begins'.

The Queen of Pop included a string of emojis with the note, including the symbol for Leo, her birth sign, some party emojis and an image of a moon.

On Saturday: Madonna began preparing for her 63rd birthday on Instagram, with an extreme close-up shared to her Stories and a cosmic caption placed over her third eye

Madame X wore a black top and a busy smattering of pendants and necklaces in the snap.

The Vogue superstar turns 63 years young on August 16th.

And to her feed on Saturday, Her Madgesty shared a fabulously nostalgic image from one of her journals, which she has been scouring thanks to her research for her upcoming biopic.

And to her feed on Saturday: Her Madgesty shared a fabulously nostalgic image from one of her journals, which she has been scouring thanks to her research for her upcoming biopic

Later on: Madonna uploaded this fierce selfie, in a sheer pink top with her bra visible, also on the occasion of the new moon and lunar month of Elul as celebrated in Kabbalah and Judaism

The image looked to be from a party in the early 90s, in which Madonna wore a polka-dotted blouse and held a slice of birthday cake along with a long knife.

The blonde beauty was seen in profile, with her tongue out as she licked the utensil suggestively.

The notation written next to the photograph read, 'I would entertain myself with parties while he was away. Here I am showing off one of my best assets.'

The notation written next to the photograph read: 'I would entertain myself with parties while he was away. Here I am showing off one of my best assets'; seen recently in another post

While it wasnt immediately clear who exactly 'he' referred to, Madonna has been linked to several famous suitors through the early 90s: Tupac Shakur, Dennis Rodman and Warren Beatty were just three of them.

Another clue helping to date the photo was in the caption she included in the post, which read 'Its good to keep journals!'

The mother of six added the hashtag #dita, which references her unofficial alter-ego from her 1992 album Erotica and envelope-pushing picture book Sex, published around the same time.
She is known for showing off her various fashion-forward ensembles on her Instagram.

And on Saturday afternoon, January Jones, 43, uploaded two shots of herself wearing an eye-catching outfit to both her account and her Story.

The Golden Globe-nominated actress also asked her over one million followers if she was 'trying too hard or not hard enough' with her interesting combination of colors and textures.

Interesting outfit: January Jones was seen wearing a crocheted dress in a pair of snaps that were shared to her Instagram account and Story on Saturday

Jones was pictured wearing a beige crocheted dress that draped over much of her sculpted physique in the shots.

The Last Man on Earth actress could also be seen wearing a black velcro-strap cap that added a bit of darkness to her ensemble.

The Primetime Emmy-nominated performer rocked a fashionable pair of sunglasses and an elegant set of gold earrings while posing for the pictures.

Her normally flowing blonde locks remained tied back for the length of her time in the pleasant summertime weather.

Contrasting colors: The actress also sported a black cap and a pair of sunglasses while enjoying the pleasant summertime weather

The performer's shots were shared not long after production was suspended on the upcoming feature God Is A Bullet, in which she is set to appear.

Development on the forthcoming Nick Cassavetes-directed feature was first announced earlier this year.

The feature is based on the 1999 thriller novel of the same name, which was written by Boston Teran.

The story is centered on a detective who infiltrates a satanic cult with the help of one of its former members in an effort to save his daughter, who has been kidnapped by the group.

New developments: Jones' shots come not long after production was temporarily suspended on the upcoming thriller film God Is A Bullet, in which she will appear

God Is A Bullet will feature the talents of numerous performers, such as Jamie Foxx, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Andrew Dice Clay, among others.

Jones is currently set to appear as Maureen Bacon in the upcoming flick.

Production on the feature had previously begun in Mexico City and had reached its end stages prior to the announcement.

Late last month, Nick Cassavetes, 62, made it known through his Instagram account that filming had been suspended with under a week of shooting left due to five crew members testing positive for COVID-19.

Stacked cast: The actress will appear alongside performers such as Jamie Foxx, Andrew Dice Clay and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau; she is seen in June

According to Deadline, all of the individuals had been fully vaccinated and were quarantined, with production tentatively scheduled to restart around July 31st.

The filmmaker's statement about the delay partially read: 'Six days ago, I marked posive [sic] for COVID, with five shooting days left to go! Brutal, but a bump in the road. We're back to work and will finish in the next week.'

The director also encouraged his followers to keep taking precautions to keep themselves protected from the coronavirus in the latter part of the message.

'Please stay safe everyone. This f****** disease is still out there, and it's no joke. Get vaccinated. Wear your masks, whatever you need to do to protect yourseves [sic] and your families,' he wrote.
Ben Affleck appeared in high spirits as he paid a visit to his ex-wife Jennifer Garner's home in Brentwood to visit his three children on Friday afternoon.

Just days after returning from his yachting trip in Saint-Tropez with Jennifer Lopez, the 48-year-old actor looked ready to spend some quality time with daughters Violet, 15, and Seraphina, 12, and nine-year-old son Samuel.

For his outing, the two-time Oscar winner sported a red flannel over a white t-shirt, dark-wash jeans and a pair of grey sneakers.

Doting dad: Ben Affleck appeared in high spirits as he paid a visit to his ex Jennifer Garner's home in Brentwood to visit his three kids on Friday

Reunited! Just days after returning from his yachting trip in Saint-Tropez with Jennifer Lopez, the actor looked ready to spend some quality time with kids Violet, 15, and Seraphina, 12, and nine-year-old Samuel

His new girlfriend's healthy habits have clearly rubbed off on him as he was seen drinking coconut water instead of his usual Dunkin Donuts coffee.

While making his way to Garner's front door, Affleck sported a sun-kissed glow and big smile as he prepared to reunite with his kids.

The Gone Girl star timed his visit perfectly as Garner had just returned from picking up their youngest daughter from summer camp with Violet.

Keeping it casual: For his outing, the two-time Oscar winner sported a red flannel over a white t-shirt, dark-wash jeans and a pair of grey sneakers

Refreshing: His new girlfriend's healthy habits have clearly rubbed off on him as he was seen drinking coconut water instead of his usual Dunkin Donuts coffee

Doting dad: Affleck was later spotted taking a walk and spending a bit of quality time with his youngest child and only son, Samuel

His latest sighting comes after his romantic trip with Lopez on their $130m mega-yacht while off the coast of Italy and France.

They were in St. Tropez for her 52nd birthday and had a 'beautiful trip' together, an insider told People.

The lovebirds - who had been set to wed back in 2003 but postponed their wedding due to 'excessive media attention' before calling off their engagement the following year - have grown close again in recent months following Jennifer's split from Alex Rodriguez.

Radiant: While making his way to Garner's front door, Affleck sported a sun-kissed glow and big smile as he prepared to reunite with his kids

Back to LA: His latest sighting comes after his romantic trip with Lopez on their $130m mega-yacht while off the coast of Italy and France

And, although the beauty is 'fully committed' to Ben, the brunette beauty isn't planning on jumping into marriage any time soon, a source told E! News.

A source also recently told ET: '[They] are fully committed to each other... They have been meshing their lives and families and don't feel the need to get engaged yet or even tie the knot.

'They have both been there and don't feel it's necessary. They are both very secure within their relationship and Ben worships her.

Lovebirds: In July 2021, Lopez confirmed they were back together by posting a photo of them kissing after ending her engagement from Alex Rodriguez in May

'It's truly meant to be and everyone around them thinks they are a perfect match.'

But it doesn't look like it will be long before the loved-up pair take their relationship to the next level by moving in together.

An insider explained: 'Their friends wouldn't be surprised if they move in together and ultimately end up together. They're spending all of their free time together and making each other a priority.'
Margot Robbie has revealed she suffered a mishap after accidentally taking a double dose of painkillers.

The actress, 31, had gone through a day surgery and was in pain, when a friend offered her the medicine they were prescribed after a root canal.

'When he said, 'Take two' I thought he meant to take two as the dosage, but he really meant to take two just in case I needed another one later,' she told The Sun.

Mistake: Margot Robbie (pictured) has revealed she suffered a mishap after accidentally taking a double dose of painkillers. The actress, 31, had gone through a day surgery and was in pain, when a friend offered her the medicine they were prescribed after a root canal

'I didn't get time to eat breakfast so, on an empty stomach, I had two. I'm driving and halfway there I was suddenly like, 'Oh my God, what a lovely day it is!''

'I was off my head. It was a terrible audition, I'm sure!' Margot added.

The Birds of Prey star had a driving test after the audition but decided not to go because she felt too woozy.

Surgery: 'I didn't get time to eat breakfast so, on an empty stomach, I had two. I'm driving and halfway there I was suddenly like, 'Oh my God, what a lovely day it is!'' she explained

Instead, Margot found a friend who worked in the same building as where she had her audition, and begged them for help.

'I ran to her office and was like, 'Can you give me food or something? I think I'm high. I'm not sure but I think I'm high, help me'. It was hilarious,' she said.

It comes after the Suicide Squad actress revealed the one fear she has about her career.

'When he said, 'Take two' I thought he meant to take two as the dosage, but he really meant to take two just in case I needed another one later,' she said. 'I was off my head. It was a terrible audition, I'm sure!'

'Honestly, this keeps me up at night, this very question,' Margot said in a recent interview when asked her thoughts, according to The Daily Telegraph.

'Maybe it's all downhill from here. Maybe I'm at the top and it can't get any better,' the Suicide Squad star added.

Margot said that she hopes she hasn't reached her peak as she feels she still has 'a lot to give'.

Oh no: Margot found a friend who worked in the same building and begged them for help. 'I ran to her office and was like, 'Can you give me food or something? I think I'm high. I'm not sure but I think I'm high, help me'. It was hilarious,' she said

Even though the former Neighbours star holds fears on reaching her career peak, she still has an extensive list of big upcoming projects.

Margot can be most recently seen in the new Suicide Squad movie, where she reprises her role as the iconic Harley Quinn, and is set to appear in a Damien Chazelle-directed film titled Babylon which will premiere in 2022.

She has also starred in other huge blockbusters including Birds of Prey, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I, Tonya, Legend of Tarzan and Focus.
Holly Kingston has emerged as the favourite to win Jimmy Nicholson's heart on The Bachelor.

The reality star, 27, headed out to run errands with her mother in Sydney on Saturday.

She dressed down in a blue tank top, worn with black track pants with a stripe down one side.

Soon to win? Holly Kingston has emerged as the favourite to win Jimmy Nicholson's heart on The Bachelor. Pictured with her mother

The blonde beauty covered up with a sleeveless puffer jacket, which also featured a hood.

Holly wore a black face mask for portions of the trip, and added a pair of white sneakers to the ensemble.

She appeared to be makeup free for the outing, and had her blonde hair up in a loose bun.

Out: The reality star, 27, headed out to run errands with her mother in Sydney on Saturday

Casual: She dressed down in a blue tank top

Details: The top was worn with black track pants with a stripe down one side

Errands: During her time out, Holly picked up some petrol while her mother looked on

During her time out, Holly picked up some petrol while her mother looked on, and then headed to a clothing store where she looked at some shoes.

It comes after Jimmy said he was blindsided after learning contestant Stephanie Lynch had called Holly the C-word on The Bachelor.

Speaking to Yahoo! Lifestyle on Thursday, the 31-year-old Bachelor admitted he had some regrets after choosing Steph for a solo date during last Wednesday's episode.

Choose shoes: She added a pair of white sneakers to the ensemble

Relaxed: Holly appeared to be makeup free for the outing

Day off: The beauty had her blonde hair up in a loose bun

All smiles: Holly appeared in good spirits as she chatted with her mum

Mask off: She wore a face mask for portions of the trip

The pilot confessed that if he knew then what he knows now, he never would have chosen the 27-year-old, branding her behaviour on the show 'disappointing'.

'Watching the show back, I'm looking at it and I'm thinking, "No, don't do it mate! What are you doing?! Don't take her on this date!"' he admitted.

'Now I've seen everything that everyone's said, and I think it's important to realise that I didn't know any of this kind of stuff.

Sipping: Holly picked up a takeaway cup of coffee

Cosy: The blonde covered up with a sleeveless puffer jacket, which also featured a hood

Ouch: It comes after Jimmy said he was blindsided after learning contestant Stephanie Lynch had called Holly the C-word on The Bachelor

Words: Speaking to Yahoo! Lifestyle on Thursday, the 31-year-old Bachelor admitted he had some regrets after choosing Steph for a solo date during last Wednesday's episode

'People might be like, "Get rid of her, get rid of her", but I wasn't seeing what we're seeing now back then.'

During the particularly jarring moment, Stephanie branded Holly a 'c**t', before later denying she'd ever said it, despite video evidence to the contrary.

While drinking tea with some of the other ladies in the Bachelor mansion, Stephanie declared: 'So Holly's a c**t.'

A damn shame: The pilot confessed that if he knew then what he knows now, he never would have chosen the 27-year-old, branding her behaviour on the show 'disappointing'

Antics: Later learning about what had transpired, Jimmy admitted he wasn't happy with the 'schoolyard antics' on the show

She later denied having said it after being confronted by Holly at the cocktail party just hours later, before then adding: 'Isn't she kind of one though?'

Later learning about what had transpired, Jimmy admitted he wasn't happy with the 'schoolyard antics' on the show.

'If that's the way you're acting on national television when you're supposed to be a little bit more polished and wary of your audience, then how are you going to act outside of it?' he asked.

Spot of shopping: After running errands Holly headed into a fashion store

A new pair? She looked at a pair of white boots sitting in the window

Previous contestants of the reality show have blamed 'editing' for their bad behaviour, but Jimmy maintained there was no excuse.

'People sort of say, "Oh, the edit stitched me up", but they don't tell us to say that. There's no script, so if you say something, you've got to own it,' he said.

After watching the show back on TV, Jimmy maintained he had 'no idea' about what went on behind his back, and said he 'definitely would have changed my narrative' if he'd seen it while filming.

Speaking out: Holly has since spoken out after being sensationally called the C-word by her co-star

Issues? She said last week that she didn't think she had 'any issues' with Steph, who called her a 'c**t' twice behind her back but later denied it

He added that he 'probably would have just gotten rid of some people earlier on if I had seen that', but understood it made for entertaining TV.

Holly has since spoken out after being sensationally called the C-word by her co-star.

She said last week that she didn't think she had 'any issues' with Steph, who called her a 'c**t' twice behind her back but later denied it.

Holly told New Idea: 'I knew I hadn't done anything to Steph. It was confronting to hear, because I honestly didn't think we had any issues'

Mates: Holly and her mother appeared to run into a friend and chatted by the side of the road

Holly told New Idea: 'I knew I hadn't done anything to Steph. It was confronting to hear, because I honestly didn't think we had any issues.'

The Bachelor had its lowest-ever premiere ratings last month, with just 482,000 metro viewers tuning in for pilot Jimmy's first episode.

This number collapsed to a new record low of 360,000 a week later, following the start of the Tokyo Olympics on Seven.
James Corden has allegedly been offered 7 million to host The Late Late Show until 2024.

The Brit actor, 42, is currently contracted until 2022, and is under a 4.6 million deal to do so.

But bosses at network CBS want this extended for a further two years, according to The Sun.

Money talks: James Corden has allegedly been offered 7 million to host The Late Late Show until 2024

A source told the paper: 'The network love him. They are delighted with his work and reach in that tough late-night slot.

'Previously, James passed on a five-year deal to remain for 24 months, but he has lots more to give and he is very much in the driving seat.'

MailOnline has approached reps for comment.

This would see James in the hosting role for a decade, having taken the job in 2014 - relocating his family to Los Angeles to do it.

Extension: The Brit actor, 42, is currently contracted until 2022, and is under a 4.6 million deal to do so

Homesick? He has said in the past that he misses the UK and that there are 'people at home we miss very much who we we are homesick for' [pictured with his family in the UK this summer]

He took over from Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson and launched the Carpool Karaoke segment, which has seen the likes of Adele, Victoria Beckham and Michelle Obama join him for his now-famous driving singalongs.

James lives in LA with wife Julia. They reside in a 7.5 million home with children Max, 10, Carey, six, and Charlotte, three.

He has said in the past that he misses the UK and that there are 'people at home we miss very much who we we are homesick for'.

James is known in the UK for co-creating and starring in sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

His presenting style has divided some fans however - with many unhappy with the decision to award him the coveted role of host of the Friends Reunion show earlier this year.

Right choice? His presenting style has divided some fans however - with many unhappy with the decision to award him the coveted role of host of the Friends Reunion show earlier this year

Wrong choice? After tuning into the episode, some fans took to social media to question why the British presenter was picked - despite him reportedly being the number-one choice by all six of the show's cast members

The one-off saw him sit down and interview the cast of the sitcom, all together on-screen for the first time since the show wrapped in 2004.

After tuning into the episode, some fans took to social media to question why the British presenter was picked - despite him reportedly being the number-one choice by all six of the show's cast members.

Courteney Cox (Monica Gellar), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay) and David Schwimmer (Ross Gellar) all returned to the sitcom's original set for the show.

James chatted to the cast about some of Friends' most iconic moments.

'Please don't text, really mad about James Corden hosting the Friends reunion,' one viewer tweeted, as another added: 'Stop putting James Corden on my screen.'

There he is: Amid the speculation James was seen filming for new Prime comedy series, Mammals, in London on Sunday
Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken looked delighted as they arrived on set to continue filming The Offenders series two in Bristol recently.

Stephen, 46, looked in good spirits as he chatted with his co stars Christopher, 78, and Danish actor Claes Bang.

The comedian looked smart as he wore a navy blue blazer, a blue shirt and beige chinos.

Happy: Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken looked delighted as they arrived on set to continue filming The Offenders series two in Bristol recently

The Idiot Abroad comic, who directs and writes the BBC and Amazon Prime series, wore his statement circular rimmed glasses black glasses.

Pulp Fiction actor Christopher also looked in a good mood as he donned a black bowling shirt with light blue panelling with quirky detailing which depicted a martini glass and cocktail shaker for his costume.

Later on, in another snap, Stephen can be seen laughing and showing Claes, 54, something on his phone while the Dane seemed unimpressed.

Costume: Christopher looked in a good mood as he wore a black bowling shirt with light blue panelling with quirky detailing which depicted a martini glass and cocktail shaker

Claes' costume looked very dapper as he donned a burgundy suit, his hair in a quiff, and a blue and white spotty tie.

Stephen was reportedly also seen posing with a fan after accepting gifts from a fan who turned up with a bottle of gin for him.

Gamba Cole was also on set wearing green jogging bottoms, a blue sweatshirt, and eating a Fruit Pastilles ice lolly.

The show follows seven strangers who are brought together to complete a community payback sentence in Bristol. Season one is yet to air this year.

Also starring in the series is Eleanor Tomlinson, who is the Queens-born actor who was spotted last week in the city.

Discussing his forthcoming series, Merchant - who comes from Bristol, where the show is based - admitted production was initially hampered by the spread of coronavirus in 2020.

He told The Sun: 'Like so many other productions, we'd just begun filming when COVID-19 struck and we had to shut-down.

'I'm delighted that we're now finally able to resume filming with this incredible cast and finish this long-standing passion project.

'This is the first series I've made in my hometown of Bristol and I'm so excited to showcase the city and utilise the amazing local talent.'

Filming ground to a halt after just 12 days due to health concerns, but work has since continued in earnest as Britain's third national lockdown starts to ease.

Reflecting on the BBC's unorthodox decision to commission a second series before gauging the popularity of the first, producer Kenton Allen told Deadline: 'We said, 'We'll write Season 2 if you commission Season 2'.

'We were able to rewrite Season 1 to reflect what we know is going to happen to the characters in Season 2. We were able to deepen it and layer it.'
Paddy Colliar has been rushed to hospital after he was stabbed at a party in South Australia.

The former Bachelorette star, 30, shared the news on his Instagram Stories on Sunday, alongside photos of himself being treated in hospital.

He wrote in the caption: 'Appreciate the messages guys. I'm doing okay, just lost a fair bit of blood and have broken ribs. Lucky to still be here'.

Wounded: Paddy Colliar (pictured) has been rushed to hospital after he was stabbed at a party in South Australia. The former Bachelorette star, 30, shared the news on his Instagram Stories on Sunday, alongside photos of himself being treated in hospital

Paddy also shared a boomerang clip which appeared to show him in the back of an ambulance.

He captioned it: 'Not how I thought my night would end'.

According to Adelaide Now, the reality star 'received minor stab wounds to the back' during a party around 1.30am on Sunday.

He wrote in the caption: 'Appreciate the messages guys. I'm doing okay, just lost a fair bit of blood and have broken ribs. Lucky to still be here'

He was at a Beafield Rd fitness studio, located in the Para Hills West area of Adelaide, with about 30 others at the time.

Paddy is believed to have stepped into an altercation between a man and a woman when he was attacked.

A 23-year-old was charged with aggravated assault over the stabbing, Adelaide Now reported.

Injured: According to Adelaide Now, the reality star 'received minor stab wounds to the back' during a party around 1.30am on Sunday. Paddy is believed to have stepped into an altercation between a man and a woman when he was attacked

Last year, Paddy confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that he'd lost his job as a personal trainer after the government closed Australia's gyms as part of the coronavirus lockdown.

He added that he's also continuing to model and work with clothing brands, in addition to building his following on OnlyFans.

The Irish hunk shot to fame on Ali Oetjen's season of The Bachelorette back in 2018 before returning for Bachelor In Paradise, last year.
Bachelor winner Chelsie McLeod has denied being 'anti-vax' after defending close pal Samuel Levi after he was publicly attacked by Abbie Chatfield.

Chelsie came to the defence of her friend and roommate Samuel after Abbie threatened to 'tear him to shreds' over a cryptic post he shared on Instagram about Covid 19.

'Never did I say I was anti-vax. I said I'm not going to force it down people's throats. It's not my job to. I am am anti-bullying though,' Chelsie wrote in a post soon after.

Clarification: Bachelor winner Chelsie McLeod has denied being 'anti-vax' after defending her close friend Samuel Levi after Abbie Chatfield said she was going to 'tear him to shreds' over his Covid conspiracy Instagram post

'Sam apologised for his post. He didn't need to be slammed for making a mistake,' she added.

Chelsie, who is a chemical engineer, went on to say it was silly to say she didn't trust 'scientists' with her having her own impressive scientific credentials.

'I didn't say I don't trust scientists AT ALL - I am one!! All I said was when it comes to giving out information (particularly around nutrition) trust the experts - the scientists in that specific field.'

Statement: Chelsie said she was not 'anti-vax'. She simply didn't believe in shoving her opinions down everyone else's throats. She added she believed in not-bullying others

'See you in my DM's bullies keyboard warriors,' she finished.

Chelsie had made a stand earlier after Abbie brutally attacked him on her social media platform.

'Emotions are running high, and this whole Covid thing can be quite dividing - I know Sam put a post up the other day, literally left it up for about 15 minutes,' she said.

Speaking out: Sam's roommate, Abbie's fellow Bachelor co-star Chelsie McLeod, also weighed in on the debate in a video she shared online

'It didn't have much context behind it - he was absolutely ripped to shreds. Bullied beyond the point of tears. I found it disgusting the way he was treated.

'People do have a tendency to attack people behind a screen, which I think is quite saddening. I'm not someone who is going to put Covid down your throat, or tell you that a vaccine... all the information is out there, you make your own decision.'

It comes after a furore between Samuel and Abbie Chatfield, after Abbie lashed out at Samuel over his cryptic post about the pandemic.

Defence: 'Sam apologised for his post. He didn't need to be slammed for making a mistake. I didn't say I don't trust scientists at all - I am one!' Chelsie said

On Saturday, Abbie, 26, revealed she had sent a private message to Samuel asking for 'context' after he shared the vague post, which read: 'You don't need to be a conspiracy theorist to know that something ain't f**king right.'

The Bachelor star raged that his words were an 'irresponsible use of a platform' which was 'encouraging anti-vaxxers', before saying that she was going to 'tear him to shreds on my podcast unless you explain this.'

While Samuel was quick to apologise and delete the post, he later said he found the public shaming 'distressing and outright rude' - a sentiment which was echoed by Samuel's roommate and Abbie's former Bachelor co-star Chelsie McLeod shared.

Not happy: Abbie (pictured) furiously lashed out at Married at First Sight star Samuel Levi this week, after he shared a cryptic post on Instagram amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic

'Hey dude, I'm going to tear you to shreds on my podcast tomorrow unless you explain this. Thanks,' Abbie began in her messages to Samuel, which she shared to her Instagram stories.

'What exactly isn't right? Use your platform to encourage vaccination, not to scare people with vague statements?'

She captioned the post saying she 'probably shouldn't have used the words 'rip to shreds'', but was asking for an explanation for a 'vague statement that encourages anti-vaxxers'.

Cryptic: On Saturday, Abbie revealed she had sent a private message to Samuel asking for 'context' after he shared the bizarre post, which read: 'You don't need to be a conspiracy theorist to know that something ain't f**king right'

Samuel was quick to say sorry over the message, claiming he is in 'no way against' vaccinations and he 'didn't even realise that would have been taken that way.'

The MAFS New Zealand star added that he intends to be vaccinated '100 per cent' yet is in a rural area which is 'limited'.

But Abbie furiously responded saying he should clarify to his followers he was planning to get a vaccine 'because if I were a follower, I would unfollow.'

Upset: Abbie furiously responded saying he should clarify to his followers he was planning to get a vaccine 'because if I were a follower, I would unfollow'

'I just saw the last part, that 'something ain't f**king right' which is the one thing that hit me,' Sam added. 'Didn't even look at it as a whole, and more saw it as a sixth lockdown and triggering.'

After Abbie continued to ask him questions, Samuel later confirmed he had taken the post down and did 'not mean to push that agenda on to others at all'.

The line of questioning did not sit well with Samuel, who later shared an emotional statement saying he felt 'distressed and saddened' being called out in front of Abbie's 289,000 followers.

Answers: The Bachelor star raged that his words were an 'irresponsible use of a platform' which was 'encouraging anti-vaxxers', before saying that she was going to 'tear him to shreds on my podcast tomorrow unless you explain this'

After again apologising for the post and saying he 'didn't think through' the meaning of the post, he wrote: 'Social media can be a scary place, where it takes just one thing to be taken in the wrong way for people to then be attacked.

'The same night, someone I had never met, but has a big following slid into my DMs. It was unprovoked, unhinged and outright rude. The distressing message included the threat to publicly 'rip me to shreds'. I was up all night to the point of tears.

'I'm unaware if she was looking for shock value or a response from me or a response from me in which I would retaliate or start an argument.

Unhappy: The line of questioning did not sit well with Samuel, who later shared an emotional statement saying he felt 'distressed and saddened' by being called out in front of Abbie's 289,000 followers

'What I do know is the feelings I have after I was addressed in this manner. I felt intimated, distressed and saddened.'

He went on to say he had never met or spoke to Abbie, and followed her because he 'enjoyed her content' before posting the numbers for Lifeline.

Abbie later shared a video saying that she stood by the sentiment of what she said, but again added she 'probably shouldn't have said the words 'rip to shreds''.
Laura Haddock showed off her edgy festival style as she attended Wilderness in Oxfordshire on Saturday.

Posing with a glass of Champagne in hand at the Veuve Clicquot event, the White Lines star drew attention to her leggy figure in ripped black Daisy Dukes, which she teamed with a slogan T-shirt.

The 35-year-old actress accessorised her casual yet trendy look with black boots, a khaki bomber jacket, a white headband and vintage round-rimmed sunglasses.

Festival style: White Lines star Laura Haddock (pictured), 35, flaunted her leggy figure in ripped black Daisy Dukes and boots at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire on Saturday

Laura's caramel locks cascaded past her shoulders in loose waves, and her makeup was minimal yet elegant, enhancing her striking facial features.

The Guardians of the Galaxy star appeared relaxed as she posed for photos in the grounds, at the same event attended by Gemma Chan and Jenna Coleman.

Laura made headlines back in July last year when it was reported she was dating her White Lines co-star, Tom Rhys Harries, 28.

Casual yet trendy: The actress teamed the edgy look with a white slogan T-shirt, a khaki bomber jacket, a white headband and vintage round-rimmed sunglasses

Cheers! Laura appeared relaxed as she posed for photos in the grounds with a glass of Champagne in hand

Sources claimed the pair struck up a romance during filming for the Netflix drama, which told a sordid tale of drugs and murder on the island of Ibiza.

A source told The Sun On Sunday at the time: 'The couple have been spending a lot of time together in London and are really loved-up.

'They've been hanging out a lot and are keen to shoot another series together.

'She's introduced Tom to all her friends and sees a future with him despite being seven years older.'

Gorgeous: The star's caramel locks cascaded past her shoulders in waves, and her makeup was minimal yet elegant, enhancing her striking facial features

Star-studded: Laura was in great company at the festival, with other star attendees including Jemma Coleman and Gemma Chan

MailOnline contacted representatives for Laura and Tom for comment at the time. It is unclear whether they are still dating.

The relationship came after Laura's split from her husband Sam Claflin in August 2019 following six years of marriage.

Laura wed The Hunger Games star Sam, 35, in 2013, and they share son Pip, five, and daughter Margot, three. They split in August 2019.

Headlines: It was reported in July last year, that Laura had begun dating her White Lines co-star Tom Rhys Harries, 28, (right), after the pair played siblings on-screen

Sam confirmed the split on Instagram, writing: 'Laura and I have decided to legally separate. We will move forward with nothing but love, friendship and a deep respect for one another whilst we continue to raise our family together.

'We won't be commenting on this further. Thank you in advance for your support and respecting our privacy at this time. Both of us x.'

The couple first met back in 2011 at an audition and claimed it was love at first sight, with the Peaky Blinders star declaring he knew he wanted to marry 'perfect' Laura the moment he clapped eyes on her.
Kit Harington has bravely spoken about surviving alcoholism and depression in a candid interview with The Sunday Times this week.

The actor, 34, who achieved worldwide fame with his role as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, said he 'went through some pretty horrible stuff' in the years since the fantasy drama series ended in 2019.

Kit, who has been sober for two-and-a-half years following a stint in rehab, revealed that while he is now 'very happy' and 'content', he once battled suicidal thoughts.

'I went through horrible stuff': Game of Thrones' Kit Harington revealed how he contemplated suicide amid a 'traumatic' battle with alcoholism and depression, in an interview with The Sunday Times this week. Pictured in April 2019

'I went through some pretty horrible stuff,' Christopher, who goes by the moniker Kit, told The Sunday Times, when describing his life after the end of Game of Thrones.

'Things that have happened to me since Thrones ended, and that were happening during Thrones, were of a pretty traumatic nature and they did include alcohol,' he revealed.

Kit went on to describe his experience of hitting rock bottom, that resulted in a stint in rehab at the Prive-Swiss retreat in Connecticut, costing 95,000 a month.

When asked by the publication whether he ever contemplated suicide, Kit reportedly hesitated before saying: 'The answer is yes. Yes of course. I went through periods of real depression where I wanted to do all sorts of things.'

Past battle: 'Things that have happened to me since Thrones ended, and that were happening during Thrones, were of a pretty traumatic nature and they did include alcohol,' the 34-year-old said of life after Game of Thrones. Pictured as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones

Kit said he hopes his comments will help others suffering, and admitted to being very 'secretive' about his addictions.

'I will say about my addictions that I kept them very, very quiet and I was incredibly secretive and incredibly locked up with them,' he confessed.

Now sober, Kit is relishing fatherhood and his marriage with fellow Game of Thrones actress, Rose Leslie, 34.

The couple wed in 2018 and welcomed their first child, a boy, in February this year.

Kit gave a rare insight into fatherhood in a recent interview with Access Hollywood.

Mental health: When asked by the publication whether he ever contemplated suicide, Kit reportedly hesitated before saying: 'The answer is yes. Yes of course. I went through periods of real depression where I wanted to do all sorts of things.' Pictured in July 2021

The star admitted he didn't understand just how big the journey through fatherhood was until he embarked on it himself.

He said: 'Everyone goes, "Look, it's big what you're about to go through." You have no way of knowing that until it happens.'

'Every day, I wake up and I look after this little human and now we're part of a unit together.

'I think the thing that surprises me most about fatherhood is you are now a unit, the three of you, and that's a whole new dynamic you need to find.'

Kit added: 'I pretty much find every day as he grows and changes, how does that change you? It's a beautiful thing, it really is.'

First-time parents: Kit and his actress wife Rose Leslie, 34, confirmed the arrival of their baby boy in February but have not revealed his name. Pictured in April 2019

Kit and Rose confirmed the arrival of their baby boy in February but have not revealed his name.

The couple have largely stayed out of the public eye since announcing that Rose was pregnant via a photoshoot in September last year.

They celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary last summer, after tying the knot in June 2018 at Rose's aristocratic family's spectacular 12th-century Wardhill Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Kit will next be seen on screen in season two of his new series, Modern Love, premiering this week.

The show is a romantic comedy based on the weekly column of the same name published in The New York Times.

Kit is seen in the trailer playing a hopeless romantic who falls for a girl he meets on the train, played by Lucy Boynton.

Modern Love premieres on August 13 on Amazon Prime Video.

For confidential mental health support, please contact Samaritans on 116 123. For support regarding alcohol addiction and treatment, please contact UK Rehab on 02038 115 619.
Ashley Jensen looked smitten with her Love, Lies And Records co-star Kenny Doughty during a night out in Bath on Thursday - four years after the tragic death of her husband Terence Beesley.

The Extras actress, 51, stepped out with her former co-star, 46, in her hometown, with the pair dining at a Japanese eatery Robun.

The pair were openly affectionate towards one another as they walked down the street, holding hands and giggling.

New love: Ashley Jensen looked smitten with her Love, Lies And Records co-star Kenny Doughty during a night out in Bath on Thursday - four years after the tragic death of her husband Terence Beesley

The pair stayed for two hours at Robun - which had a fanfare opening last week - before having a late night walk around the streets.

Ashley looked trendy in a black jacket and leather trousers while Kenny donned a similar coat and jeans,

They first met on the set of Love Lies And Records back in 2017 and have allegedly grown close over the summer.

A source told The Sun: 'Ashley and Kenny have been friends for some time, and he has been an immense support to her in the past few years.

Couple: The Extras actress, 51, stepped out with her former co-star, 46, in her hometown, with the pair dining at a Japanese eatery Robun

Sighting: The pair were openly affectionate towards one another as they walked down the street, holding hands and giggling

Couple: The pair stayed for two hours at Robun - which had a fanfare opening last week - before having a late night walk around the streets

Style: Ashley looked trendy in a black jacket and leather trousers while Kenny donned a similar coat and jeans

Close: The new couple looked close as they walked together in Bath

PDA: They held hands as they walked down the street together and headed for dinner

Taking it in: Ashley and Kenny looked interested in a historic building on the night

'They make a lovely couple, and all their friends are absolutely delighted for them. Ashley is both a wonderful actress and person  and she deserves this second chance at happiness.'

The Barnsley-born actor is renowned for his portrayal of DS Aiden Healy on ITV's Crime Drama Vera.

His lengthy television acting career spans back to 1998. Other Stand-out shows include roles in Love, Lies and Records, Stella, Coronation Street and Funland.

Chat: The pair were seen chatting as they made their way down the street

Hand in hand: The couple were co-stars four years ago and are now a couple

Close: The pair looked relaxed as they strolled down the street together

Chat: Ashley and Kenny looked relaxed as they chatted to one another on the night

Budding romance: The pair met on the set of Love Lies And Records back in 2017 and have allegedly grown close over the summer (pictured above on the show)

Co-stars: A source told The Sun that their friends are 'absolutely delighted' for them

As recently as March of this year it was reported that Doughty was still married to the actress, screenwriter and producer Caroline Carver who is particularly known for her roles in The Aryan Couple, Holby City and My First Wedding.

Ashley is not known to have publicly dated anyone since her husband's death.

The Scottish actress, who played Maggie Jacobs in the hit Ricky Gervais series Extras, was left heartbroken after her husband died by suicide in 2017

She was married to The Bill actor for ten years after they first met in 1999.

Tragic: The Scottish actress, who played Maggie Jacobs in the hit Ricky Gervais series Extras, was left heartbroken after her husband Terrence Beesley died by suicide in 2017 (pictured above in 2016)

They shared a son Francis, 11.

Terence took his own life almost four years ago and was found by his wife in his Mercedes at the family home in Camerton, Somerset.

She told the inquest the following year: 'I was extremely shocked by what happened that night and I will never ever forget it.

'Terry and I had been together for 18 years but I had no idea he was capable of what he did.'
Peter van Onselen shared a shocking opinion during the latest episode of The Sunday Project this weekend - he doesn't like McDonald's cheeseburgers.

The 45-year-old journalist responded to a story about a woman who called for the franchise to stop advertising their juicy burgers during the Roman Catholic Church period of Lent, because the footage was tempting her to break her fast.

'You know what would cure this woman's inability to resist a McDonald's cheeseburger? One bite,' Peter said.

Not a fan: Peter van Onselen (left) shared a shocking opinion during the latest episode of The Sunday Project this weekend - he doesn't like McDonald's cheeseburgers (left)

His co-stars erupted in sounds of shock, with Lisa Wilkinson making a particularly animated facial expression to express her disagreement.

When asked if he wasn't a fan, Peter hit back: 'The burgers are better at Hungry Jack's!' referring to the slogan for the rival fast food chain.

Co-host Tommy Little replied: 'You don't get drunk enough! Cheeseburgers are the best. What are you talking about.'

What! The 45-year-old journalist responded to a story about a woman who called for the franchise to stop advertising their juicy burgers. 'You know what would cure this woman's inability to resist a McDonald's cheeseburger? One bite,' Peter said

What! His co-stars erupted in sounds of shock, with Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) making a particularly animated facial expression to express her disagreement

Better? When asked if he wasn't a fan, Peter hit back: 'The burgers are better at Hungry Jack's!' referring to the slogan for the rival fast food chain. Pictured: Hungry Jack's cheeseburger

Peter hit back: 'You have to get drunk to enjoy a cheeseburger', before Tommy laughed and added: 'We cannot all have caviar every day, mate!'

McDonald's and Hungry Jack's have a long-standing rivalry, with the latter long claiming their burger are better.

It comes after the best burgers in Australia were revealed in May, including an epic surf 'n' turf with a rock lobster and a slow cooked 'lamb shank redemption'.

Sydney's Bar Luca has been named among the contenders for its 'Smoke & Candy' creation, featuring a beef patty, American cheese, smoked beef brisket, beer battered onion rings, liquid cheese, chipotle barbecue sauce and candied jalapenos.

Best: It comes after the best burgers in Australia were revealed in May. Sydney's Bar Luca has been named among the contenders for its 'Smoke & Candy' creation (pictured)

Tasty! Brisbane diners are obsessed with Red Hook's epic Buffalo Soldier (pictured)

Wow! In Melbourne, Rude Boy Burger's 'Pizza-YOLO' (pictured) has been a crowd favourite

In Melbourne, Rude Boy Burger's 'Pizza-YOLO' has been a crowd favourite with its three times smashed patties with American and mozzarella cheese, grilled pepperoni, jalapenos. lettuce, tomato and onion topped with an 'angry' tomato sauce and garlic mayonnaise served on a southern fried sesame seed bun.

Saint Quentin's Kitchen in Perth has created a gourmet concoction called 'The West Turf Indian Surf', which consists of two thick Angus patties sandwiched between a kimchi coleslaw, topped with a parmesan crusted French bun towered with a coconut and shallot battered Indian Ocean rock lobster.

Brisbane diners are obsessed with Red Hook's epic Buffalo Soldier, featuring brioche buns filled with a crumbed chicken, tossed in the store's 'to-die-for' buffalo sauce, finished with a homemade blue cheese, topped with jalapenos, lettuce and tomato.
David Campbell has revealed that his young son was taken to hospital on Sunday.

In a post shared to Instagram, the 47-year-old Today Extra host shared a photo of the Billy, six, being treated at Royal North Shore Hospital.

He thanked the staff for making quick work of tending to the young man's cut up hands.

Oh no! David Campbell has revealed that his young son was taken to hospital on Sunday. In a post shared to Instagram, the 47-year-old Today Extra host shared a photo of the Billy, six, being treated at Royal North Shore Hospital. Both pictured

'Thanks to all the nurses and staff at Royal North Shore Hospital for taking care of Billy and his hand,' David wrote.

'He cut it on oysters and rocks on a walk. He is all better and was very brave.'

David and his wife Lisa have been married since 2008 and have three children, Leo, Betty and Billy.

Aww: 'Thanks to all the nurses and staff at Royal North Shore Hospital for taking care of Billy and his hand,' David wrote

Busted up: 'He cut it on oysters and rocks on a walk. He is all better and was very brave,' he said

It comes after David said that he felt 'helpless' when his dog became ill during Sydney's latest lockdown.

He wasn't sure how he would get care for the dear pooch, who is called Scully.

Luckily vets are taking drop-off patients, but he found it harrowing to leave the scared dog behind.

Family: David and his wife Lisa have been married since 2008 and have three children, Leo, Betty and Billy. All pictured

'Due to Covid, vets had become a drop-off arrangement and I felt sick myself as I left our scared favourite child (yes, I said it) at the door and headed home to wait for a call,' he wrote in a column for this week's Stellar Magazine.

David explained that the dog had developed a serious tummy upset that wasn't improving.

'When the call came saying she'd need some more tests as 'something was not quite right', I bravely listened  then catastrophised about what it could be. The wait was agonising. Hour after hour passed and I felt helpless,' the TV host wrote.

Luckily, Scully's condition was not serious, and she was taken home where she soon recovered.
He's been enjoying quality time with his family in Croatia.

And Bernie Ecclestone, 90, and his wife Fabiana Flosi, 45, cut relaxed figures as they went for a stroll with their son Ace, one, in the idyllic city of Split on Friday.

The former Formula 1 boss donned a crisp pale blue dress shirt, light blue jeans and comfortable brown sneakers for the outing.

Soaking up the sun: Bernie Ecclestone, 90, cut a relaxed figure as he enjoyed a casual stroll with his glamorous wife Fabiana Flosi, 45, (both pictured) in Split, Croatia on Friday

He wore a pair of tinted designer sunglasses and kept health in mind by wearing a beige face mask.

Bernie walked hand-in-hand with Fabiana, who looked casual yet trendy in a white T-shirt and matching Daisy Dukes, which she teamed with silver and white sneakers.

The Brazilian beauty accessorised with a striped off-white blazer and stylish sunglasses, and like Bernie, wore a protective face mask.

Fabiana swept her brunette locks into an effortless chignon and looked to have opted for minimal makeup.

Doting mum: Fabiana, showed off her toned legs in a white ensemble, consisting of Daisy Dukes and a T-shirt and striped blazer, as she pushed their adorable son Ace in his pram

The couple were also seen on Friday pushing their adorable son Ace in his stroller, and boarding a yacht.

Bernie became a father for the fourth time when he welcomed son Ace last July with Fabiana, who he married in 2012.

The billionaire businessman is already a father to daughters Deborah, 66, Tamara, 37, and Petra Ecclestone, 32.

Deborah was born to his first wife Ivy Bamford before he welcomed socialites Tamara and Petra with his second wife Slavica Radic.

The lifestyles of the rich and famous: Also on Friday, Bernie was pictured boarding a yacht. He looked dapper in a crisp pale blue dress shirt, light blue jeans and comfortable brown sneakers

Bernie married Fabiana three years after he divorced Croatian model Slavica.

He confirmed he and Fabiana were expecting a child to Swiss newspaper Blick last April.

'Yes, it is due in the summer,' Mr Ecclestone told the publication. 'Hopefully he'll learn to play backgammon soon!'

Afterwards, he told the Daily Mail: 'There's nothing that unusual is there? I haven't had a job for a little while so I have had plenty of time to practise!'

Family: The billionaire businessman is already a father to daughters Deborah, 66, Tamara, 37, and Petra Ecclestone, 32. He is pictured with Petra (left) and Tamara (right) in July 2010

Bernie hit back at claims he was too old to become a father after Ace's birth, saying he wants even more children.

He told The Sun on Sunday in July last year: 'Now I have more time on my hands and I hope I can spend it with my son as he grows up. I don't know if we will stop here. Perhaps he should have a little brother or sister.

Discussing his first chats with his now-wife about starting a family when they first met, he said: 'Fabiana said she wanted a family, and I told her, "That's no problem for me. Half a dozen kids is great".'

The couple met through the World Motor Sport Council, where she regularly attended meetings.
She was seen entering the Big Brother VIP house in Australia just days earlier.

But Caitlyn Jenner's stint on the reality show appeared to have come to a swift end when she was spotted touching down at LAX airport near Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 71-year-old former Olympian was dressed casually as she exited the airport and headed out to a waiting car.

Short stay: Caitlyn Jenner, 71, looked casual and relaxed as she arrived at LAX airport near Los Angeles on Saturday. She was arriving back in the US after entering the Big Brother VIP house in Australia just days earlier

Caitlyn looked comfortable after her long flight in a simple black V-neck sweater with a set of slim dark jeans.

She also wore gray, pink and yellow trainers and had her chestnut hair styled in waves.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians fixture had the surgical mask that she was required to wear inside the airport to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus dangling from one ear.

Back in black: Caitlyn looked comfortable after her long flight in a simple black V-neck sweater with a set of slim dark jeans

Safety first: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians fixture had the surgical mask that she was required to wear inside the airport to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus dangling from one ear

It was back to business without much delay for Caitlyn, who's currently running to replace California Governor Gavin Newsom in the state's upcoming recall election.

The reality star traveled down to San Diego, where she posed with a small business owner in a Twitter post.

'Always good to meet with local small businesses across the state. Small local biz Cecilia's Fine Jewelry was forced to shut down and they are now up and running! Thanks for having me,' she wrote.

Caitlyn was seen giving a thumbs up in a black suit and a white blouse in the accompanying photo.

Another sweet snap shared to her Instagram Stories featured her adorable dog Bertha.

'So happy to be in California,' the former decathlete wrote of her reunion.

On the trail: The reality star traveled down to San Diego, where she posed with a small business owner in a Twitter post as part of her gubernatorial recall campaign

Missed her: Another sweet snap shared to her Instagram Stories featured her adorable dog Bertha. 'So happy to be in California,' the former decathlete wrote of her reunion

Although Caitlyn is running as a Republican in the recall election, the California Republican Party opted not to endorse her or any other recall candidate.

In fact, she didn't even qualify for the party's endorsement, according to USA Today.

After returning to the US, she reposted a tweet from Big Brother Australia featuring herself and the other cast members of Big Brother VIP, despite apparently barely being featured on the series.

'Great time abroad for fun and glad to be back in #California on the campaign trail!' she wrote, despite having spent most of her time in Australia in quarantine.

Later, another user urged her to endorse one of the higher-performing Republican candidates in the campaign.

'Why? I am on the same team as Larry [Elder]  recall and vote yes on question 1,' she replied.

'Good time': After returning to the US, she reposted a tweet from Big Brother Australia featuring herself and the other cast members of Big Brother VIP, despite apparently barely being featured on the series
She's been enjoying a sun-soaked getaway in Greece with her daughter Bo, 21.

And on Sunday, Ulrika Jonsson drew attention to her age-defying figure as she posed for a series of sizzling snaps shared to her Instagram Stories, in a tiny yellow bikini.

The Swedish-British TV presenter, 53, showed off her cleavage, washboard stomach and trim pins in the skimpy swimwear as she captured the selfies in her bathroom.

Age-defying: Ulrika Jonsson (pictured), 53, showed off her sensational figure in a skimpy yellow bikini in photos shared to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, as she enjoys a sun-soaked getaway in Greece with lookalike daughter Bo

Ulrika accessorised her bikini with a layering of delicate gold necklaces, and swept her blonde locks back into an effortless ponytail.

Hinting at the yellow bikini being her favourite, the former Gladiators presenter captioned one snap: 'Bring 3 bikinis. Wear one.'

In a later snap, Ulrika captured her toned back and derriere, joking about her changing looks as she gets older in the caption.

Holiday attire: In a series of selfies, the Swedish-British TV presenter drew attention to her toned frame as she posed from a variety of angles inside her bathroom

Lighthearted: Another sizzling snap saw Ulrika drawing attention to her platinum locks and ample cleavage. She joked in the caption how she is keen for a haircut back in London

'Rear of the Year once upon a time. Now mainly, rear,' she wrote.

Other snaps saw Ulrika drawing attention to her platinum locks and ample cleavage, and dining with her lookalike daughter Bo.

The posts come just days after Ulrika revealed her youngest son Malcolm, 13, finally settled status in the UK and can remain for an 'indefinite period'.

Mother and daughter: The blonde beauty joked in the caption of another snap that she 'can't get away' from her daughter Bo (pictured), 21, as they dined at a restaurant

Malcolm recently returned from America where his advertising executive father Brian Monet is from.

Ulrika said the thought of him being 'adopted abroad' would have been 'messy' so she is grateful to have him back home.

The media personality took to Instagram on Wednesday and shared a snap of Malcolm posing with a lightsaber.

Relieved: Just days prior on Wednesday, Ulrika revealed her youngest son Malcolm (pictured), 13, has finally settled status in the UK and can remain for an 'indefinite period'

Alongside the post, she wrote: 'Tonight I had a 27min instruction on lightsabers from the youngest Ungrateful.

'He has just returned from the States where he custom made one. Himself.

'This is important because today I was told by the @ukhomeoffice that this half-yank, half-Viking boy has been given leave to stay in this country for an indefinite period. He finally has Settled Status.

Ex: Malcolm recently returned from America where his advertising executive father Brian Monet is from. Ulrika pictured with Brian in 2013

Ulrika wrote: 'Thank you, UK for letting me keep him by my side. And if anyone is interested in lightsabers, you know where to find the bugger'

'Which is a huge relief because the thought of having him adopted abroad was gonna be messy.

What is settled status? Settled status grants EU nationals the right to live, work, and remain in the UK indefinitely, free of immigration control after Brexit. People who have settled status can use the NHS for free, access public funds and travel in and out of the UK. Those with settled status are also able to apply for British citizenship if eligible. Ulrika desscribed her son as 'half-yank, half-Viking', referring to the fact she is originally from Sweden. Children must have their own application and are eligible if they are from the EU or their parents are. The deadline for most people to apply to the Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021. Advertisement

'So thank you, UK for letting me keep him by my side. And if anyone is interested in lightsabers, you know where to find the bugger.'

Settled status grants EU nationals the right to live, work, and remain indefinitely, free of immigration control after Brexit.

People who have settled status can use the NHS for free, access public funds and travel in and out of the UK.

Those with settled status are also able to apply for British citizenship if eligible.

Ulrika described her son as 'half-yank, half-Viking', referring to the fact she is originally from Sweden.

Children must have their own application and are eligible if they are from the EU or their parents are.

The deadline for most people to apply to the Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

MailOnline has contacted Ulrika for comment.

Ulrika was married to ex-husband Brian for eleven years before the couple parted ways in 2019.

She is also mother to son Cameron, 26, with John Turnbull, daughter Bo with ex Markus Kempen and daughter Martha, 17, with Lance Gerrard-Wright.

Grateful: Ulrika said the thought of him being 'adopted abroad' would have been 'messy' so she is grateful to have him back home
She jetted off to Mexico for a sun-dappled trip earlier this summer.

And Billie Lourd was bitten by the travel bug again over the weekend when she shared some gorgeous views of her trip to the scenic Italian village of Positano.

The 29-year-old American Horror Story star put on a gorgeous display in a lacy crimson dress as she posed with the hillside city in the background in a photos shared to Instagram on Sunday.

International destination: Billie Lourd, 29, sizzled in a lacy red dress as she enjoyed the scenic beauty of Italy's Positano village in Instagram photos shared Sunday

Billie was seductively posed, with her back arched and her head thrown back as she grasped at her long brunette locks.

Another playful snap showed her whipping her hair about.

Joining the daughter of Carrie Fisher was her fiance Austin Rydell, who had his arm wrapped around her in a sweet snap.

Billie had her arms wrapped around him and gazed lovingly into his eyes while beaming ear-to-ear.

The couple's nine-month-old son Kingston was seen from behind in a picture taken from the same spot showing him and Austin gazing out at the hillside buildings nested just above the sea.

Letting loose: Billie was seductively posed, with her back arched and her head thrown back as she grasped at her long brunette locks, before she shook her hair free

Lovebirds: Joining the daughter of Carrie Fisher was her fiance Austin Rydell, who had his arm wrapped around her in a sweet snap

Scenic: The couple's nine-month-old son Kingston was seen from behind in a picture taken from the same spot showing him and Austin gazing out at the hillside buildings nested just above the sea

Billie looked more playful in a red-and-white patterned sleeveless dress with frilly straps.

The Last Jedi actress paired the outfit with fun heart-shaped sunglasses and tied her long hair back in a ponytail with a scarlet bow.

She had a hand on her black stroller, though little Kingston had his spot taken up by her navy blue and white striped bag.

She gasped in another photo taken by the sparkling water with the village in the background.

Cute: Billie looked more playful in a red-and-white patterned sleeveless dress with frilly straps

Taking in the sights: The Last Jedi actress paired the outfit with fun heart-shaped sunglasses and tied her long hair back in a ponytail with a scarlet bow

Billie managed to have some fun with her post and included a photo of fountain sculpted into the shape of a woman with faucets draining from her breasts, which they actress referred to as '#boobfountain.'

She also added the hashtags '#blaseontheoutsideblessedontheinside' and 'positanheaux.'

The TV star had a tan brace on her hand in another snap after she broke it during a painful fall from an electric scooter last month while celebrating her birthday.

It didn't seem to be stopping her from having a good time, and she saluted a nearby clocktower with what looked like a sparkling Americano or Negroni.

She included a closeup of a delicious swirl of spaghetti from dinner that was topped with sliced tomatoes and a basil leaf.

Having a laugh: Billie managed to have some fun with her post and included a photo of fountain sculpted into the shape of a woman with faucets draining from her breasts, which they actress referred to as '#boobfountain'

Ouch! The TV star had a tan brace on her hand in another snap after she broke it during a painful fall from an electric scooter last month while celebrating her birthday

Yum! She included a closeup of a delicious swirl of spaghetti from dinner that was topped with sliced tomatoes and a basil leaf

Shortly before leaving for her Italian trip, Billie sold off her home on LA's Melrose Boulevard for an impressive $2.8 million, as she renovates the two next-door estates that her mother Carrie and her grandmother Debbie Reynolds shared.

She's currently renovating the two homes and plans to combine the estates into a single large lot.

She and her partner Austin have been together since 2017, and they took the next step and got engaged in June 2020.

They welcomed Kingston just two three months later, in September of 2020.
Chloe Sevigny looked divine as she enjoyed day out in the Big Apple on Saturday.

The actress, 46, was spotted wearing a white textured puff sleeve top and matching tiered skirt as she hailed a taxi cub.

Chloe looked every inch the New Yorker as she threw her arm out, alerting the taxi to her whereabouts.

Heavenly: Chloe Sevigny looked divine as she enjoyed day out in the Big Apple on Saturday

The star looked stunning with her blonde locks slicked back into a no-fuss hairdo and a clear pair of sunglasses propped on over her blue eyes.

She dressed up the look with a pretty crossbody bag while taking precautions against COVID-19 with a face mask, which she carried in her hands.

Clashing with the otherwise arty vibe of the look, she comfortably strode through the big city wearing sandals and socks.

Not pictured with Chloe was her son Vanja or her husband Sinisa Mackovic, whom she married in secret last year.

Hello gorgeous: The star looked stunning with her blonde locks slicked back into a no-fuss hairdo and a clear pair of sunglasses propped on over her blue eyes

The actress took to Instagram back in March to celebrate her one-year anniversary with her partner Sinsia, which also marked the very first time she has ever spoken about their marriage.

Writing alongside a snap from their wedding, she revealed: 'Married on a Monday March 9th 2020. Happy one year anniversary my love...'

Chloe is heavily pregnant in the picture, as their wedding took place just two months before they welcomed their son Vanja on May 2.

I do! Chloe and Sinisa Mackovic tied the knot in City Hall in NYC last year

The actress also confirmed the couple tied the knot at City Hall in New York City, as that's where she tagged the location of the wedding photo.

Chloe and Sinsia have been dating since 2019, and the couple revealed they were expecting their first child in late April of 2020, just days before Vanja was born.

Speaking in a Q&A for Homme Girls on Instagram, she said, 'Our baby's due in eight days and we don't have a name yet.'

Baby love! The couple share one-year-old son Vanja together

The Boys Don't Cry star confessed she was feeling 'distressed' that social distancing guidelines imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic meant she'd have to give birth alone.

New York Presbyterian hospitals announced: 'At this time, no visitors including birthing partners and support persons are permitted for obstetric patients.

'We understand that this will be difficult for our patients and their loved ones, but we believe that this is a necessary step to promote the safety of our new mothers and children.'

In response to the news, Chloe wrote on Instagram, '#pregnantincoronatime I hope all expecting families are finding some calm. Today's news in NY was very distressing for all. #support #prayers...'

The policy was later changed.
Sean Penn and his daughter Dylan Penn enjoyed a family night out on Saturday evening as they attended a special screening of their new film Flag Day.

The 60-year-old actor and director held hands with his 30-year-old daughter as they headed into a theater at the Los Feliz 3 theater in Los Angeles.

The two were there to chat about the thriller, which they both star in.

Unified front: Sean Penn, 60, and his daughter Dylan Penn, 30, held hands at a screening in Los Angeles of their new film Flag Day. They play a fatherdaughter pair in the thriller, with Sean also directing

Sean looked cool in a shiny navy blue jacket with a black T-shirt and weathered jeans, along with stained white trainers.

He also wore a black mask repping his Covid-19 relief organization CORE in accordance with Los Angeles County's current mask mandate.

Dylan opted for a more glamorous look with a lovely black velvet spaghetti-strap dress covered in tasteful floral designs.

She also had on tall black open-toe heels and swept her long blond locks over one shoulder.

Too cool for school: Sean looked cool in a shiny navy blue jacket with a black T-shirt and weathered jeans, along with stained white trainers

Back in black: Dylan opted for a more glamorous look with a lovely black velvet spaghetti-strap dress covered in tasteful floral designs

Despite heavy anticipation for their new film, it was poorly received by critics when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, though more will weigh in before its official release in the US on August 20.

In addition to directing the film, Sean stars as John Vogel a magnetizing figure who charms his daughter Jennifer (played as an adult by Dylan).

However, what starts as a family drama takes a turn into thriller territory after it's revealed that John is one of the most notorious counterfeiters in US history.

As an adult, Jennifer has to struggle to find her own path in life while moving past the crimes of her father.

New movie: He was at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month to premiere his new directorial effort Flag Day, which he and his daughter Dylan Penn star in; seen July 11

Poor start: Despite heavy anticipation for their new film, it was poorly received by critics when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, though more will weigh in before its official release in the US on August 20

Shocker: What starts as a family drama turns into a thriller after the charming father John Vogel is revealed to be a notorious counterfeiter. Dylan stars as his adult daughter

The fatherdaughter due were on hand at the Cannes Film Festival last month, where Flag Day premiered in competition.

Ben Kenigsberg of RogerEbert.com called the film 'heavy-handed,' while David Rooney wrote for The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Flag Day was 'neither terribly memorable nor moving.'

Mark Asch wrote for the British film magazine Little White Lies that 'everyone in this movie is doing career-worst work.'

Seemingly missing from the advance screening was Penn's new wife Leila George, 29.

COVID-19 wedding: Seemingly missing from the advance screening was Penn's new wife Leila George, 29. He married the actress, who's a few months younger than Dylan, last summer; pictured March 2020

The AustralianAmerican actress is only a few months younger than Dylan and just two years older than Sean's son Hopper Penn, 27.

The actor and director confirmed that he had married George last summer via a civil ceremony over zoom.

He showed off his gold wedding band during a visit to Late Night with Seth Meyers, where he divulged: 'We did a COVID wedding. By that, I mean it was a county commissioner on Zoom and we were at the house with my two children and her brother, and we did it that way.'

The Milk actor shares both children with ex-wife, House of Cards star Robin Wright.

Prior to their union he was married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989.
Lisa Armstrong has 'liked' a tweet from a friend who sent their love to her on the day of her ex-husband's wedding day.

The Strictly makeup artist, who split from Ant McPartlin in 2018 after 12 years of marriage, 'liked' the Tweet from Saturday that read: '@lisaAmakeup Sending lots of love sweetheart, have a fabulous day!'

It comes as Lisa appeared to make a subtle dig at her ex-husband about his nuptials, as he tied the knot for a second time with Anne-Marie Corbett in Hampshire.

'Sending lots of love': Lisa Armstrong 'liked' a tweet from a friend who sent their love to her on her ex-husband's wedding day on Saturday

She also had the support from her friend Linda Dorney, who said: 'Agree ditto from me to xx'.

'We love ya lisa xx', read another tweet from Angela Fox who stood behind her friend.

Hours earlier, the makeup mogul also 'liked' a Tweet from a fan that read: ' @lisAmakeup Terrible weather in Hampshire today.'

Subtle dig: It comes as Lisa appeared to make a subtle dig at her ex-husband about his nuptials, as he tied the knot for a second time with Anne-Marie Corbett (pictured) in Hampshire

Support: The Strictly makeup artist 'liked' the Tweet from her friend on Saturday

Luckily for Ant, 45, and Anne-Marie, 43, the earlier wet weather gave way to sunshine.

Last-minute preparations were made to the outside of the church in the morning as rainy conditions threatened to put a dampener on the day.

Anne-Marie looked stunning in her gorgeous wedding gown as she arrived for the nuptials.

Online: Lisa 'liked' a tweet from a fan that read, 'Terrible weather in Hampshire today,' with rainy conditions threatened to put a dampener on the day

Ex-wife: Lisa split from Ant McPartlin in 2018 after 12 years of marriage ( Ant and Lisa pictured on their wedding day in 2006)

Anne-Marie looked stunning in her gorgeous wedding gown as she arrived for the nuptials.

The bride was radiant in the floor-length dress that featured an off-the-shoulder design with lace detailing as she carried a beautiful bunch of white and purple roses.

Ant cut a dapper figure in a black suit and bow tie as he headed into the service alongside his fellow Geordie pal Declan Donnelly.

Newlyweds: Anne-Marie looked stunning in her gorgeous wedding gown after she wed her television presenting beau Ant, 45

Blushing bride: Anne-Marie looked stunning in white ahead of the ceremony, clutching a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hand as she arrived

Details: The bride was radiant in the floor-length dress that featured an off-the-shoulder design with lace detailing as she carried a beautiful bunch of white and purple roses

Groom: Meanwhile Ant (left) gave a beaming smile as he arrived at the church with Best Man Declan Donnelly, 45, (right) just before Anne-Marie made her show-stopping appearance

Lisa enjoyed a romantic staycation at Pale Hall in Snowdonia ahead of Ant and Anne-Marie's wedding this weekend.

While Ant was preparing to tie the knot in a sleepy Hampshire village, Lisa was living it up with her electrician boyfriend James Green at the idyllic hotel, where their room cost around 450 per night.

The romance is Lisa's first since her 31 million divorce was finalised in April 2020.

Her love: While Ant was preparing to tie the knot in a sleepy Hampshire village, Lisa was living it up with her electrician boyfriend James Green (pictured) at the idyllic Pale Hall in Snowdonia, where their room cost around 450 per night

She and James went public with their relationship last August, a few months after he separated from his wife Kirsty.

Ant was married to Lisa for 12 years. The pair, who were together for 23 years, confirmed their split in 2018, following Ant's stint in rehab the previous year where he sought treatment for painkiller addiction.

Following rehab, Ant took a year out from TV and he and Lisa parted ways, with their divorce being finalised in April 2020.

Last year, Saturday Night Takeaway host Ant was reported to have handed over 31 million to Lisa, including their 5million home in West London, after an 'eight-hour negotiation'.

Lisa, a make-up artist on BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing, is understood to have felt that Ant 'got away with a lot' following their split. She was also believed to be dismayed and deeply hurt that he moved on so quickly when he started a new relationship with Anne-Marie.

A source close to the couple said at the time: 'Ant has been very generous in terms of the financial settlement but Lisa is totally the opposite of someone who is motivated by money. She doesn't care about that  she earns her own. But she has been so hurt by all of this.'

Ant's engagement to Anne-Marie was announced on New Year's Eve after the presenter popped the question in a romantic Christmas Eve proposal. It's believed Ant designed Anne-Marie's 200k engagement ring himself.

Candid: After it was revealed that Ant and Anne-Marie had embarked in a romance following his split from Lisa in January 2018, the make-up artist took to Twitter in June to criticise their former PA of 'breaking girl code'

After it was revealed that Ant and Anne-Marie had embarked in a romance following his split from Lisa in January 2018, the make-up artist took to Twitter in June that year to criticise their former PA of 'breaking girl code'.

Lisa revealed to her 138,000 followers that she invited Anne-Marie into their marital home and the woman had been both hers and Ant's personal assistant and at 5am in the morning she tweeted a broken heart emoji.

She then went on to reveal that she did not know about the romance and had only found out about the new relationship after reading about it in the media.
Mark Wright and his wife Michelle Keegan stepped out in style on Saturday when they attended Mark's youngest sister Natalya's 21st birthday party in Essex.

Posting photos of the glitzy bash on Instagram, Mark, 33, looked typically dapper in slim-fit trousers teamed with a white shirt while Michelle, 34, put her tiny waist on display in a gorgeous corset top paired with chic black trousers.

The loved-up couple beamed from ear to ear as they posed for a sweet family snap alongside Natalya, her boyfriend Tommy, Mark's older sister Jess, her fiance William Lee Kemp, Mark's brother Josh and his wife Hollie.

Party: Mark Wright, 33, and his wife Michelle Keegan, 34, stepped out in style on Saturday when they attended Mark's youngest sister Natalya's 21st birthday party in Essex

Doting brother: Former TOWIE star Mark also shared a separate photo of himself and Natalya at the bash

Former TOWIE star Mark also shared a separate photo of himself and Natalya, writing: 'About to celebrate this one in style!! How my baby sis is 21 is beyond me, I choose to not believe it. Love you more than anything.'

Mark and his siblings also made sure to pose alongside their parents Carol and Mark Wright Sr for another photo.

The bash took place in a large marquee that had been kitted out with show-stopping decorations including gold and pink balloons, beautiful floral displays and fairy lights galore.

Natalya also treated guests to a live band and posed for photographs next to a sign that read: 'Natalya is 21.'

Mark wrote: 'About to celebrate this one in style!! How my baby sis is 21 is beyond me, I choose to not believe it. Love you more than anything'

It comes after Mark and Michelle returned to the UK this month after spending time together lapping up the sunshine in Mallorca and Ibiza.

Upon their return, Mark, who is usually well known for his ripped physique and love of fitness, debuted his fuller figure to Instagram after piling on the pounds during the very indulgent getaway.

The side-by-side comparison collage of his torso showed his former ripped physique on the left, with the right displaying his bloated stomach and slightly fuller paunch.

Alongside the snaps, he penned: 'No lie This is what 10 days in Mallorca and Ibiza has done to me. Best time ever. But time to get back on it!!'

Mark had been documenting his travels with Michelle last week, sharing images of his holiday indulgences which included ice creams, plenty of tapas and a daily beer.

What a difference: Mark showed off a fuller figure on Instagram as he shared a snap of his reverse body transformation following his Mallorca holiday
As Ant McPartlin promised to have and to hold his second wife, his first wife was holding on to their great mutual love  chocolate labrador Hurley.

The dog was bought in 2013 as Ant and Lisa Armstrong struggled, and ultimately failed, to have a baby.

When they split in 2018, he told lawyers: She can have anything she wants  except the dog.

They ended up agreeing to share custody for a week at a time each, which is how Lisa was to be seen looking radiantly happy with Hurley  and her new boyfriend James Green  in a London park yesterday.

Ant, meanwhile, had to make do instead with a labrador made out of fondant on the top of his wedding cake.

Lisa, a make-up artist, had been keeping a low profile as Ant married former personal assistant Anne-Marie Corbett, with Instagram updates suggesting she had been enjoying a weekend away with James at a luxury hotel in Wales.

Given their acrimonious divorce its understandable if she wanted a distraction on his big day.

While she and Ant had split before he got together with Anne-Marie, she still felt utterly betrayed when it emerged that they were dating. As she put it: To think she was MY friend. My friend and OUR PA who I let into our home.

All that conflict was forgotten, however, when Ant married Anne-Marie at Heckfield in Hampshire on Saturday.

Ant McPartlin's ex-wife Lisa Armstrong took their dog Hurley for a walk with new partner James Green as Ant wedded his second wife Anne-Marie Corbett in a lavish ceremony on Saturday

During his speech at their reception at Heckfield Place hotel the TV presenter told 100 guests: This beautiful woman saved my life.

After warming up the audience by joking My name is Ant, and Im an alcoholic, he went on to talk about how Anne-Marie had put him back together again after his life fell apart.

They got together after he was involved in an accident, crashing his Mini while over the drink-drive limit in April 2018.

Anne-Maries teenage daughters Poppy and Daisy, who were bridesmaids, have also come to mean the world to him, he added.

His new mother-in-law, Anne, made a brief speech in which she thanked him for being a wonderful stepdad to the girls.

Pictured: Ant and Anne-Marie hand-in-hand after exchanging vows before family and friends

Ant and Anne-Marie, known as Amzie, were heading home to London today, forgoing a honeymoon due to Covid travel restrictions.

Their big day is thought to have cost up to 500,000, with all the guests staying at Heckfield Place for two nights at Ants expense.

Anne-Marie, 43, who separated from her first husband Scott in 2017, wore a 15,000 full-skirted Suzanne Neville dress. Ant, whose first wedding in 2006 was at Cliveden House, wore a dinner suit, as did Declan Donnelly  his best man for the second time.

While Decs previous speech had been a jokey affair about all the local off-licences sending congratulations, this time  with the groom sober and a devotee of Alcoholics Anonymous  it was a more heartfelt tribute from one best friend to another.

Certainly, Ants path to domestic bliss has been difficult. He has been through rehab twice and his long marriage to Lisa fell apart soon after he completed his first stint  at a clinic for painkiller addiction  in 2017.

He underwent a second stay in rehab after pleading guilty to drink-driving following the Mini smash in 2018.

We're married: Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie Corbett had a wedding ceremony in Hampshire on Saturday after tying the knot during a star-studded service at St Michael's Church

Anne-Marie fell for Ant when she was caring for him. It was confirmed that they were dating within eight weeks of the crash, sparking a hard-fought and expensive divorce. Ant, worth 62million, is thought to have paid Lisa a settlement of up to 31million. Anne-Marie, meanwhile, moved into a new home with Ant in south-west London in 2019.

On Saturday, the couple posed happily for photographers outside St Michaels Church in Heckfield.

They were surrounded by their showbiz family of former and current colleagues including Alesha Dixon and David Walliams from Britains Got Talent, Stephen Mulhern from Saturday Night Takeaway and Cat Deeley, who appeared with Ant and Dec on Saturday morning show SMTV.

Other guests included presenters Andi Peters and Christine Lampard. This Mornings Phillip Schofield came with wife Stephanie, to whom he remains close despite coming out as gay last year.

Holly Willoughby, who is on holiday abroad, sent good wishes on Twitter, as did fellow TV presenter Amanda Holden.

During the speeches, tribute was paid to Ants mum Christine, who raised him as a single parent. She lives in the Newcastle suburb of Fenham, a few doors from Ants sister Sarah. It is thought he bought houses for each of them.

At the reception, Abba tribute act Bjorn Again performed, as did a barbershop quartet, The Herringbone Cocktail Club. A three-tier cake featured the couples maltipoos Bumble and Milo  as well as Hurley.

While Ant and Anne-Marie have married three years after getting together, he and Lisa had been a couple for 11 years before they tied the knot.

They started dating in 1995, when both were 19 and he was famous as one half of singing duo PJ and Duncan, named after the characters he and Dec had played in Byker Grove. Ant announced in January 2018 that he and Lisa had split. They finally agreed a divorce settlement last year.

Lisa initially refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which led to a breakdown of negotiations. A further offer was rejected but at the third attempt they managed to agree. Lisa received the 5million former marital home in Chiswick  since sold  plus a slice of his fortune worth between 20million and 31million.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Despite a sluggish start, the European Union's COVID-19 vaccination drive has caught up to that of the United States, where the slowdown of the country's once-vaunted campaign has contributed to the virus's deadly comeback.

In mid-February, less than 4% of people living in the 27-nation EU were at least partially vaccinated against the coronavirus, compared with nearly 12% in the U.S, according to Our World in Data, an online science publication connected to the University of Oxford.

Now the EU has surpassed the U.S. by that same measure, with some 60% of the bloc's residents receiving at least one dose, versus less than 58% of Americans.

In Italy, where roughly 63% of people 12 and older are fully protected, Premier Mario Draghi took a victory lap this past week.

I said that I dont want to celebrate successes, but it must be said that Italy has inoculated more doses per 100 inhabitants than France, Germany, the United States, he said as the countrys vaccine verification program went into effect Friday.

People in Italy must now show proof they have had at least one vaccine dose, recovered from COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the virus if they want to dine indoors, use gyms or go to concerts, theaters, museums and tourist sites such as the Colosseum.

European authorities attribute success in Italy and elsewhere to nationalized health care and a history of public confidence in the safety of immunizations.

The EUs slow process for approving the vaccinations set the bloc back at the beginning, but that is now paying dividends because it is instilling more confidence in the rapidly developed formulas, said Dr. Peter Liese, a European Parliament member from Germany.

While the U.S. and Britain issued emergency authorizations of vaccines to get shots into arms quickly, the EU went through the longer process of granting full approvals, putting it weeks behind.

I am convinced that we have a good argument to explain to people still hesitating that the vaccine was properly tested in Europe, Liese said recently. Now it becomes clear that not only the pace of vaccination in the first months but also the long-term strategy is important.

The turnaround in Spain has been pronounced. In mid-April, when nearly a quarter of all Americans were fully vaccinated, only 7% of Spaniards were similarly protected, according to Our World in Data. Now, nearly 60% of Spain's roughly 47 million people are fully vaccinated, while about half the U.S. is.

Portugal, with around 10 million people, had fully vaccinated around a third of its population by the end of June. Now officials say it is on track to reach 70% by the end of the summer.

Like the American vaccination drive, the European Union effort started around Christmas and struggled to meet initial demand. But it quickly turned into a major political embarrassment for European officials, as the U.S. and Britain jumped ahead.

The major factor holding back the EU initially was its decision to purchase vaccines as a bloc instead of as individual countries. The move ensured smaller member nations weren't left out, but it ended up taking more time to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, said Giovanna De Maio, a visiting fellow in international relations at George Washington University.

The U.S. was also more efficient in distributing the vaccine, quickly setting up large-scale vaccination sites and also supplying shots to neighborhood pharmacies, groceries and other places, while the EU initially focused on hospitals and other medical facilities, she said.

EU nations were also overly confident manufacturers would deliver. As it turned out, Astra-Zeneca failed to produce its shots on time and delivered a paltry number of doses. Concerns over its safety and effectiveness also contributed to vaccine skepticism. But with the major rollout of the Pfizer shot, things turned around.

Meanwhile, the U.S. vaccination effort peaked and then dropped off dramatically in the face of significant hesitancy and outright hostility, fueled by misinformation and partisan politics.

As of the end of July, the U.S. was dispensing under 600,000 shots a day on average, down from a peak of over 3.4 million a day in April. The highly contagious delta variant has sent new daily cases soaring over the past month to levels not seen since February. The vast majority of those hospitalized were not vaccinated.

Still, not all is well within the EU. Discrepancies between member states are huge. For example, in the Netherlands, 85% of adults have received at least one dose. In Bulgaria, it is less than 20%.

There are also troubling signs that Europe's campaign is losing steam.

In Germany, where 54% of the population is fully vaccinated, the number of shots being dispensed per day has declined from more than 1 million in May to about 500,000.

Officials there have begun pushing for more vaccinations at megastores and in city centers and are offering incentives. A vaccination drive in Thuringia state included free bratwurst, while sites in Berlin planned to have DJs play music this weekend in hopes of encouraging young people to get inoculated.

De Maio said she believes nationwide vaccine mandates like her native Italy's Green Pass program could help EU nations avoid America's fate.

European politicians see it coming and theyre taking these measures, she said of the potential for vaccination efforts to stall in Europe. Theyre desperate trying to avoid that because Europe can't afford another lockdown, given the big economic toll COVID has already taken.

___

Marcelo reported from Boston. Associated Press reporters Frank Jordans in Berlin, Frances DEmilio in Rome, Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade contributed to this story.
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The agency had also failed to maintain the emergency backup manifold system, the counter affidavit filed by the principal secretary pointed out. Representational Image (AP)

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government has filed a counter affidavit in AP High Court submitting that non-availability of sufficient oxygen to Covid patients on ventilator support had caused immediate death of 11 patients in May 2021, while 12 patients breathed their last after a few hours at Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government Hospital in Tirupati.

Principal secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal filed the counter avoidant on behalf of state government in High Court stating that though the government had taken all measures to prevent, contain and mitigate Covid-19 pandemic, the tragic incident occurred at Ruia hospital on May 10, 2021.

Singhal submitted that the 23 deaths occurred due to sudden drop in pressure of oxygen because of non-availability of sufficient oxygen to patients on ventilator support. Subsequently, Chittoor district collector conducted an inquiry and submitted a report prima facie holding the oxygen service provider responsible for the mishap. The collectors report underlined that the agency contracted to supply medical oxygen did not supply the oxygen on time despite being alerted. The agency had also failed to maintain the emergency backup manifold system, the counter affidavit filed by the principal secretary pointed out.

He submitted that action had been initiated against the service provider  M/s Shree Bharath Pharma and Medical Oxygen Distributor  by lodging an FIR at the concerned police station. The director of medical education had been directed to initiate action against the service provider for breach of contractual terms of Tripartite Agreement dated September 20, 2018.

Singhal further stated that the government had extended ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakh each to legal heirs of the 23 deceased.
VISAKHAPATNAM: Responding to a report published in Deccan Chronicle, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to include hand-made Ponduru khadi in the Centre-owned Government e-Market (GeM), a one-stop government e-marketplace, hosted by Director-General of Supplies and Goods (DGS&G) where common user goods and services can be procured.

The report headlined "AP's hand-made Ponduru khadi battles for survival. Digitisation, funds may help Ponduru khadi" was published in these columns on August 4.

While participating in the National Handloom Day celebrations at Ponduru in Srikakulam district, the minister ordered the district collector Srikesh B Lathkar to add pure cotton production to the GeM, a dynamic, self-sustaining and user-friendly portal.

Addressing the gathering, she said that revenue productivity of khadi has doubled from Rs 9,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 18,000 crore this year.

Since the number of handloom weavers is low in Ponduru, the mega cluster has not come up here. I urge the locals to increase the numbers and be assured of a mega cluster here. I will take up the issue with the textile ministry, Sitharaman said.

The minister also suggested the collector convene a meeting with bankers and handloom weavers to work out logistics for providing loans to eligible weavers. The bankers were directed to increase the loan amount to them by 50 per cent before the coming Gandhi Jayanti.

Assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram said that there was a cultural connection between Ponduru and the nation. Gandhi used to send his son to Ponduru to check the quality of the cotton clothes he wore.

Deputy chief minister Dharmana Krishnadas said that the then president Pratibha Patel had ordered Ponduru sarees. Former US president Bill Clinton was also a patron, he pointed out.

Demand for craft market centre in Vizag

VISAKHAPATNAM: A team from Crafts Council of Andhra Pradesh (CCAP) met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging her to earmark an area in the city for organising craft activities on a regular basis.

CCAP president Ammaji Rayadu gifted her with select pieces of Andhras crafts, including a sari from Mangalagiri, a showpiece from Etikoppaka, along with other crafts and weaves from the region.

Rayadu said that since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, CCAP has not had enough space to set u a craft market centre. Vizag would be apt for such activity and help the craft to flourish, they told the minister.
Most countries have witnessed at least two waves, while others have reported a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Data collected from various sources show that the gap between the wave peaks is approximately between 160 and 180 days in high burden countries, including India.

Differences in peak days, age-range and severity of the infectious disease have been reported widely across the globe. However, the comparative characteristics of the Covid-19 waves still remain largely unexplored.

In India, the second wave spread like a tsunami. By April 23, 2021, Covid-19 cases crossed 15.9 million, with over 1,85,000 deaths. The second wave is still evolving in some states when compared with the first wave.

Read | All you need to know about Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine

Experts said that the third wave is yet to hit India and the ongoing surge in cases in certain regions such as Kerala and northeast India is part of the second wave started by the Delta variant, government health experts said. There is no third wave yet. We are still in the late phase of the second wave, said Anurag Aggarwal, director of CSIR-Institute Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.

Meanwhile, the United States is now averaging 1,00,000 new Covid-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country.

Now facing the third Covid-19 wave, the US was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 1,07,143.

It took the US about nine months to cross the 1,00,000 average case number in November before peaking at about 2,50,000 in early January. Cases bottomed out in June but took about six weeks to go back above 1,00,000, despite a vaccine that has been given to more than 70 per cent of the adult population.

The virus is spreading quickly through unvaccinated populations, especially in the South where hospitals have been overrun with patients. Health officials are fearful that cases will continue to soar if more Americans don't embrace the vaccine.

Our models show that if we don't (vaccinate people), we could be up to several hundred thousand cases a day, similar to our surge in early January, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said on CNN this week.

Read | 'Breakthrough' Infections do not mean Covid vaccines are failing

The number of Americans hospitalised with the virus has also skyrocketed and it has gotten so bad that many hospitals are scrambling to find beds for patients in far-off locations.

Despite the gloomy picture across the globe, there's some silver lining. A British scientist who gained prominence for issuing dire warnings about the spread of Covid-19 said on Saturday that the UK is unlikely to need future lockdowns, although new infections may rise significantly as social interactions increase.

Professor Neil Ferguson, an infectious disease expert at Imperial College London, told The Times of London that Britain is likely to move to a situation where the disease can be managed by vaccinations rather than crisis measures such as lockdowns.

I wouldn't rule it out altogether, but I think it's unlikely we will need a new lockdown or even social-distancing measures of the type we've had so far," he said. The caveat to that is, of course, if the virus changes substantially.

Data released on Friday showed the latest virus surge in the UK has eased, with the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 falling in most parts of the country. Based on its weekly survey of infection levels, the Office for National Statistics said infection rates appeared to be falling in England, Scotland and Wales, though not in Northern Ireland, with the biggest declines in younger age groups.

Read | Covid-19 antibodies remain stable or increase 7 months after infection: Study

Public health experts credit the UK's successful nationwide vaccination program for slowing the spread of Covid-19 even in the face of the more infectious delta variant, which was first discovered in India and is now the dominant form of the disease in Britain. With almost 74 per cent of adults now fully vaccinated, the government plans to expand the program to teenagers.

The government reported 31,808 new infections across the UK on Friday, down 42 per cent from the peak of the third wave in mid-July.

But many scientists warn that infection levels are still too high for complacency and that the reported figures may be inaccurate due to a drop in testing. Over the past week, the UK has reported an average of 26,513 new cases a day, up from fewer than 2,000 cases a day in late April. It still has the second-worst pandemic death toll in Europe after Russia, with over 1,30,000 confirmed deaths.
A court here has issued a non-bailable warrant against the husband of Uttarakhand Women and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya in a 31-year-old double murder case.

Additional Sessions Judge Abdul Qayyum passed the order on Thursday against Girdhari Lal Sahu alias Pappu Girdhari.

According to Bareilly SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan, police teams have been set up to arrest him.

Sahu's counsel Anil Bhatnagar had filed an application in the court saying his client has fever and was also suffering from weak immunity. He also cited a Allahabad High Court order that stated that neither a person suffering from fever should be allowed to enter the court nor the court premises, but the court rejected the application and issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

An application was also moved in the court to cancel the non-bailable warrants of other accused in the case, Bajruddin, Naresh and Jagdish, but the court rejected their application and sent them to jail.

The case will now be heard on August 20.

The matter relates to the murder of Naresh Jain and his wife Pushpa Jain on June 11, 1990 over a property dispute.

Their daughter Pragati had lodged an FIR alleging that four-five people entered their house with knives and sticks and killed her parents. Pragati along with her sister Prerna was also injured in the attack.investigation many names came to light in this case. Later charges were framed against 11 people including Sahu.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday attempted to contain disgruntlement among ministers in his Cabinet by meeting both Anand Singh and M T B Nagaraj.

Both ministers, who were unhappy with the portfolios allocated to them, appeared to have mellowed down after their meeting with the CM. Bommai told reporters that he has assured them to look into their demands in the coming days.

MLA Satish Reddy also met Bommai on Sunday after his supporters staged a protest demanding a Cabinet berth for him. Meanwhile, supporters of Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan will take out a 'Bengaluru Chalo' rally from Kodagu district on Tuesday.

Following his meeting with Bommai, Nagaraj  who is the Municipal Administration and Small Scale Industries minister  said the CM has promised to address his concerns. Pointing out that he was the housing minister in the Congress-JD(S) government, Nagaraj said he was demoted from an 'A' grade portfolio to a 'D' grade one.

"I want to be minister (of a department) that helps people, benefits the poor and gives a good name to government," he said, adding that he would continue to serve in the portfolio allocated to him.

Also Read | Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai keeps Finance, Bengaluru, Sudhakar retains health portfolio

"I am not unhappy now," said Nagaraj, who is among the 'migrants' in the state Cabinet.

On whether he had any particular portfolio in mind, he cited Public Works, Energy and Tranport departments and said the CM knew which portfolio was better.

Another minister Anand Singh, who has expressed reservations over being allocated the Environment and Ecology, and Tourism portfolio, also met the CM during the day.

Bommai said that he had discussed all the concerns raised by Singh. "I told him that I understand his feelings and have assured measures," he said.

The CM also spoke to Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy, after members of Reddy community staged a protest on Saturday. "The CM has asked me to be patient," Reddy said, adding he was assured of a berth during Cabinet expansion in the future.

"He understands the problems of native BJP workers who feel uncertain," Reddy said amid murmurs of 'native' BJP leaders being sidelined.
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Kartik Aaryan shares yet another drool-worthy snap; calls himself Mr Shady

Mastering the art of playing with his words to deliver the best captions, Kartik Aaryan is the uncrowned king of witty captions on social media. Offering yet another testimony of his much-famous talent, Kartik calls himself 'Mr.Shady' in his recent post.

With a hilarious pun, Kartik shared a picture shielding himself from light to create shade on his face as he captioned the same saying, "Mr Shady". Exuding class in his long tresses, the sexy actor gives a smoldering look to the camera holding a jacket on his shoulder with a hand while other one shields his face.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

If creating an uproar on social media with raging posts was a sport, Kartik definitely would be the gold medalist as the actor never misses to leave his fans in a frenzy with his sensational posts. Inviting comments instantly, Kartik's posts are flooded with praises and love from his fans that drool over his fiery hotness. The actors latest photoshoots which features his long hair has been quite hit amidst his fans as he looks super-hot in them.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

On a roll with back to back announcements, Kartik is busy with the shoot of his upcoming film Freddy. The actor set off for the filming immediately post the announcement and has been piquing the interest of the audience ever since with regular updates. He even shared a behind-the-scenes still from the set where he smartly didnt reveal his face and left the fans intrigued.

With a host of intriguing performances to look forward to, Kartik surely knows to keep his fans wanting for more!
Google Pixel 5a is now rumoured to launch on August 26 after Google shot down reports of it being shelved. A new leak has revealed that the phone may get official later this month and has revealed the key specifications of the successor to the Pixel 4a. Previously, the Pixel 5a was said to be cancelled due to chip shortage but Google confirmed that it is in the works and will launch in the US and Japan. The Pixel 5a was first leaked back in February when popular tipster OnLeaks published the renders of the phone alongside detailing key specs of the phone.

According to a report by Front Page Tech, the Pixel 5a will launch on August 26 and will be available online and in Google Stores. The Pixel 5a is said to be priced at USD 450 (~Rs 33,394) and the key specifications have also been revealed.

Google Pixel 5a leaked specifications

The latest leak suggests that the Pixel 5a features a 6.4-inch display with upto a 90Hz refresh rate and is powered by the Snapdragon 765G. It has 6GB of RAM and a 4,560mAh battery to boot. It is said to have the same cameras as the Pixel 5 with a headphone jack and IP67 rated. These specifications are in line with the previous leak from February.

Interestingly, Google has confirmed that the Pixel 5a will only launch in the US and Japan which means that the phone will not be coming to India. This is the first time Google will not launch its Pixel a-series phone in India after it stopped launching its flagships starting with the Pixel 4 in 2019. For what it's worth, India is also missing from the list of countries where Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are set to launch later this year. So its entirely possible that Google may skip launching any of its latest phones in India which could be a disappointment to many Pixel fans.

Google also recently teased the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro and you can read all about it here.
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SALEM  If the last 110 years are any indication, Secretary of State Shemia Fagan could have a big say in the makeup of Oregon state House and Senate districts for the next decade.
Through the ERAP program, Mesa has paid $15 million in rent and utility assistance for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city has written rent and utility checks for more than $6 million to residents of three ZIP codes in West Mesa  85201, 85201 and 85210.
THE Minister for Health says that recruitment of full time consultants for the medical assessment unit in Bantry General Hospital.

Minister Stephen Donnelly posted a series of tweets this afternoon, as a large crowd gathered in Bantry to lobby for the reopening of the MAU at the hospital.

There are two consultant physicians in the hospital. A locum consultant began at the hospital on Friday but this is on a temporary basis for holiday cover for one of the two consultant physicians.

Minister Donnelly said that together with Cork South West Fianna Fail TD Christopher OSullivan, he has been working with the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, and the South/South West Hospital Group in relation to the issue at the hospital.

He tweeted:

We secured locum cover from Friday to assist [in the] operation of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit.

He added: Were working to secure additional cover to allow for normal operations. Recruitment of full time consultants is underway, to be in place in September. Discussions are ongoing to secure further locum cover for the end of the month pending the arrival of the new consultants.

And he said: The current arrangements allows medical patients be transferred to Bantry and the hospital group is working with local GPs to keep them updated on progress.

Jerry Harrington speaking in the town square in Bantry, Co Cork where a protest rally and march took place over the closing of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit at Bantry General Hospital. Included are Danny Healy-Rae TD, Michael Collins TD, Dermot Kelleher, president of the ICSA, Cllr. Maura Healy-Rae and Cllr, Dan McCarthy,. Picture Dan Linehan

At todays gathering in Bantry, speakers included Independent TDs Michael Collins of Cork South West and Danny and Michael Healy-Rae from Kerry.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said: We need our health services and we are not second class citizens or third world citizens down here in Bantry or in south Kerry. We are entitled to medical care, second to none.

Christopher O'Sullivan TD speaking in the town square in Bantry, Co Cork where a protest march took place over the closing of the Acute Medical Assessment Unit at Bantry General Hospital. Picture Dan Linehan

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation also attended the gathering. The organisation said that the closure is not only bad for west Cork, but is diverting patients to already-stretched hospitals such as Cork University Hospital, Mercy University Hospital, and University Hospital Kerry.

INMO Industrial Relations Officer Liam Conway said: This situation demands urgent action. Bantry General is a pivotal hospital for the area.

"Patients across west Cork deserve better, and this closure is unfairly putting extra pressure on nearby hospitals.
THE cyclists taking part in this years Tour de Munster finished their 600km cycle on Patricks Hill in Cork city today.

More than 150 cyclists left Cork city on Thursday morning to cycle through the six counties of Munster to raise funds for the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland.

The charity cycle has raised 3.4 million for its beneficiaries since it started 20 years ago.

With funds raised through the cycle, facilities and services have been provided throughout Munster by Down Syndrome Ireland, making differences for people with Down Syndrome, and their family and friends.

The group left Kenmare this morning to embark on the final leg of their journey, led by legendary cyclist Sean Kelly.

The last leg took them on a climb of the Caha Pass, onto Glengarriff, Gougane Barra, Ballingeary, Macroom and Lissarda, before arriving into Cork city.

The cyclists were encouraged throughout the event by members of the public, as well as family and friends, who watched them pass through the various towns and villages on the route since Thursday.
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Tesla appears to have come a long way from the days when it was defying local COVID-19 safety orders. Wall Street Journal sources claim Tesla will require all staff at its Nevada Gigafactory to wear masks starting August 9th, regardless of their vaccination status. Employees at the battery plant previously only needed to wear masks if they hadn't been fully vaccinated.

The tipsters said Tesla was toughening its policy in the wake of the more easily transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, including updated CDC guidance recommending that vaccinated people wear masks indoors. Although full vaccinations still reduce the chances of infection and symptoms, there's evidence that breakthrough cases (those instances when vaccinated people get infected) can readily transmit the virus to others.

The company hasn't responded to requests for comments, although it's not expected to do so when it quietly disbanded its public relations team in fall 2020.

Tesla has been slightly slower than its Detroit-based competitors, which reinstated mask mandates a week earlier. However, it's a sharp contrast from the EV maker's attitude in May 2020, when it defied an Alameda County lockdown and kept its Fremont car plant open. Elon Musk also threatened to move Tesla's headquarters out of California and sue the county. The move may have led to additional infections at the Fremont plant, and Musk said he contracted COVID-19 in November 2020.

It's easier for Tesla to comply this time when its factory can remain open. The car brand also can't afford to test officials' patience when it's struggling to keep up with demand for its vehicles. Still, the reported mask order is a sharp contrast to Tesla's previous attitude  it's volunteering to take action rather than fighting back.
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Golden, Colorado  August 8, 2021

The Caring Generation Healthcare Issues Faced by Caregivers

Golden CO- Caregiver subject matter expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation podcast show for caregivers and aging adults. This coming Wednesday, August 11, 2021, Wilson talks about healthcare challenges that caregivers and aging adults experience and the importance of advocating for care.

Wilson releases new shows for The Caring Generation series each Wednesday. Featured are tips and conversations about aging, caregiving, family relationships, and health. Also shared are interviews and research from experts worldwide about health prevention and planning for the future to avoid caregiving stress and unexpected situations. The Caring Generation is available on Wilson's website, podcast, and music apps worldwide

Healthcare Issues Faced by Caregivers

Healthcare issues faced by caregivers grow as the amount of time devoted to the care of aging parents increases. In addition to navigating the healthcare system, caregiving responsibilities include managing family relationships, emotional and physical health worries, the financial strain of giving up a job or paying for the care of an elderly parent, finding trustworthy service providers for home care, respite care, hospice care and more.

Healthcare issues exist for caregivers and aging adults. The government, private insurers, hospitals, and other public and private entitieseach with their own policies, interests, and regulationscontrol the healthcare market. Relying on healthcare providers, politicians, or the government to be honest and disclose conflicts of interest when making health decisions is partly why consumers are disillusioned and lack trust in healthcare and other government systems

The Healthcare System Prioritizes Financial InterestsNot Always Consumer Interests

Conflicts of interest exist when healthcare providers refer patients to labs, x-ray clinics, and other providers they own or in which they have a financial interest. Unfortunately, consumers rarely read the small print about ownership or financial interest on websites or documentation they sign.

As a result, patients do not recognize that they have other options or choices for care. Transfer this lack of education to the conflict of interest that exists in political systems. How many politicians own stock in medical mask companies, pharmaceutical companies offering vaccines, or other companies they support? How many consumers realize the big picture effects of the votes they cast?

Uneducated Healthcare Consumers are Most at Risk

The government preaches about disadvantaged populations every day. Yet, what is being done to solve the problem at the root cause? Health insurance and the healthcare system are challenging to navigate.

Education is a solution to healthcare problems and many other problems. But until consumers ask questions to become more informed instead of trusting, the least educated and disadvantaged populations may surrender choice to the loudest voice promoting disinformation and fear.

Caregivers face many challenges that require tremendous energy, time, effort, and patience. During this program, Wilson encourages caregivers and aging adults to be open-minded, ask questions, and evaluate information to make wise and independent healthcare choices.

Learn More About Wilson's Efforts to Support Family Caregivers

Wilson works with family caregivers, groups, and corporations worldwide to educate about the role strain that caregivers experience, managing, and planning for health and aging issues. More about Wilson's online courses for elderly care, individual elder care consultations, caregiver support, webinars, and speaking engagements are on her website www.pameladwilson.com. Pamela may also be contacted at +1 303-810-1816 or through the contact Me page on her website.

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It seems that nothing can convince Abel and Linda Ruiz to become vaccinated against COVID-19.

Not the deaths of loved ones. Lindas grandmother succumbed to the coronavirus  as did a friends brother. COVID-19 also took the life of a patient Linda cared for as a home health care worker.

Not pressure from family members and friends. All of Abels relatives have been vaccinated, and the couples loved ones have begged them to get their shots.

Not the fact that both have contracted COVID-19. Linda, 40, had it twice. The experience traumatized her, and she dreads the thought of catching the virus a third time. Im still scared, she said.

Yet the couple from San Antonios near West Side plan to remain unvaccinated. They are among at least 400,000 Bexar County residents who are eligible to receive the vaccine but havent.

That figure has alarmed San Antonio health officials as a third surge of COVID-19 patients  the vast majority of them unvaccinated  threatens to overload hospitals.

Though vaccines are now widely available, only 57 percent of eligible Bexar County residents  people ages 12 and up  have been fully vaccinated, according to figures from the Texas Department of State Health Services. More than two-thirds of eligible residents have received at least one dose.

The countys vaccination rate has been flat since mid-June  and top health officials along with city and county leaders have grown desperate to get it rising again.

But theyve encountered resistance on multiple fronts: misinformation distributed on social media, the citys long-standing socioeconomic inequities and the inability to legally compel residents to get the vaccine.

The unvaccinated cite a number of reasons for holding out. Some fear their employers wont give them time off to get vaccinated  or to deal with potential side effects that could last several days. Others say theyre too busy.

Vaccine resistance has been fortified by myths and falsehoods that health officials have found difficult to dispel.

What we are seeing at this time is a lot of vaccine hesitancy primarily stemming from mistrust and misinformation, said Dr. Anita Kurian, who oversees the communicable disease division of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.

A common misconception is that residents must pay for the vaccine or have health insurance for it, Kurian said. Neither is true.

Some retailers, including CVS Pharmacy, ask for health insurance information from vaccine seekers, but they cannot turn away the uninsured, Kurian said.

Some undocumented residents as well as their relatives and friends fear that seeking the shot could result in deportation, said District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia, who represents the Southwest Side.

I just feel so strongly though that people are just afraid  not of the vaccine itself, not of the effects of the vaccine  but of the documentation, when, in reality, theres very little documentation that goes into getting the vaccine, Rocha Garcia said.

An array of half-truths and misconceptions about the vaccines safety and effectiveness also come into play.

One reason Abel Ruiz, 53, cited for not getting his shots: He believes he could still contract the virus even after vaccination.

That is true. The spread of the delta variant has shown that so-called breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated people do happen  but they are infrequent.

And vaccination provides strong protection even with a breakthrough infection, medical authorities say. Studies have found that fully vaccinated people who come down with COVID-19 are much less likely to suffer severe illness, hospitalization and death than unvaccinated people.

The more people become vaccinated, the less likely the virus will mutate into other strains that can bypass vaccines.

Some fear that the vaccines side effects  including fever, headache and arm pain  will be just as bad as the disease itself. Health officials are quick to point out that side effects typically disappear within two days.

Unlike the vaccine, COVID-19 is potentially lethal.

A lot of people believe that the illness is probably going to have the same level of complications as the side effects, which we know thats not true, said Miguel Cervantes, public health administrator in Metro Healths communicable disease division.

Some who have contracted COVID-19 believe theyre now immune to the virus.

Angela Rodriguez, a 21-year-old stay-at-home mom living on the West Side, caught COVID-19. So did her three children, ages 2, 3 and 5.

She wasnt sick enough to be hospitalized, but it took her two weeks to recover. Her children didnt show symptoms.

At first, Rodriguez thought she didnt need the vaccine because she already had been sick. Those who survive the disease obtain some immunity, but its not nearly as powerful or long-lasting as that afforded by vaccination, medical authorities say.

Now, Rodriguez is reconsidering her stance on vaccination. The rapid spread of the delta variant has scared her.

I dont want to get it again when it gets worse, she said.

Health officials have had to combat another pair of falsehoods: that the vaccine causes infertility and is dangerous for pregnant women.

Theres no evidence that the vaccine makes recipients infertile. So far, a limited but expanding body of research shows that pregnant women have nothing to fear from the vaccine.

Vaccination and wealth

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

Throughout the pandemic, poorer and predominantly Hispanic and Black parts of San Antonio have borne a disproportionate burden of deaths and hospitalizations.

The virus has thrived on the citys East, West and South sides, where residents have higher rates of chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease and less access to health care.

Now, the same parts of town are missing out on the vaccine.

Areas with the highest rates of vaccination  ZIP codes where at least 50 percent of residents are fully vaccinated  are concentrated primarily on the wealthier North Side, according to Metro Health data.

North Side residents have higher levels of insurance coverage as well as better access to health care.

I dont think that theres any surprise that thats where we have the highest vaccination rates, said District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, who represents part of the West Side.

In a bid to boost vaccine access, Metro Health has operated pop-up vaccine clinics at churches, community centers and schools in less-vaccinated parts of town.

Community health workers walk through neighborhoods to try to persuade hesitant residents to swing by and get their shots.

The city is enlisting trusted neighborhood figures such as church leaders to help them convince people to seek vaccination. On social media, residents in areas with low vaccination rates may see messages imploring them to get the vaccine.

What were trying to do is target some of those areas, look at the maps and make sure we have pop-up clinics so that access isnt a burden or a concern, said Rita Espinoza, Metro Healths chief of epidemiology.

To further ease access to the vaccine, the city could experiment with pop-up clinics at locations where large groups congregate, Sandoval said.

The pop-up sites certainly have made a dent, but were still asking people to go out of their way to go do it and to plan it, Sandoval said. How do we make sure we go to where people are?

Better to have it

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

Vaccination rates have lagged among younger people. Those under age 40 are less likely to be fully vaccinated, Metro Health data shows.

Sarah Stratton, a 16-year-old who works at the Presentation Ministry Center on the West Side, initially had no plans to get vaccinated  ignoring pleas from her father.

Until two weeks ago, Stratton had listened to misinformation on social media sites such as TikTok, a mobile application that allows users to share videos. There, she encountered messages both for and against vaccines.

Stratton became concerned when she heard that people her age are more susceptible to the delta variant. Younger people are vaccinated at lower rates and make up a growing share of COVID-19 hospital admission. But theres no evidence so far that the effects of the delta variant are more severe in younger age groups.

At any rate, Stratton changed her mind and got a shot at a pop-up clinic sponsored by the countys Health Collaborative and the University of the Incarnate Words School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Its better to have it and not experience (symptoms) as bad without the vaccine, Stratton said.

Still, some arent convinced. Victor Velos, a retired pulmonary specialist on the West Side, is having a difficult time convincing his two youngest sons, in their mid-20s, to get the vaccine.

The brothers get their information about vaccines from 4chan, an online forum that allows users to remain anonymous and where falsehoods about the vaccine have spread.

The idea of listening to anonymous strangers online was confusing for Velos and his wife, Rosa, a retired nurse.

Everyone in the neighborhood comes to us when they need help, Velos said. He doesnt understand why his sons dont do the same.

How do we change it?

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

For some, it might take a governmental or employer mandate to get them to a vaccination clinic.

Devon Hill, 25, said becoming vaccinated isnt a priority for him or his wife  even though a friend of his fell ill with the virus.

Hill said that if his employer, a pressure washing company, made it mandatory, he would get the shot.

I like money, so (in that case) Im going to get vaccinated, Hill said.

Health officials are trying to find novel ways to boost the vaccination rate. Through his executive orders, Gov. Greg Abbott has made it all but impossible for local leaders to compel residents to get vaccinated or to wear masks.

Metro Health wants to entice the unvaccinated with $100 gift cards, using federal money. The plan is awaiting federal approval.

The most immediately available tool is persuasion  though it has limits.

Jerry Lara /Staff photographer

Its unfortunate that no matter how much we talk, say and do, there will still be some individuals that will not change their mind, Metro Healths Espinoza said. Id love to know: How do we change it?

Simply trying to scare people into getting vaccinated wont work, said Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, a local epidemiologist who previously worked for the Immunization Partnership. Convincing the hesitant to take the vaccine requires leaders and peers to listen to their concerns and address them patiently, she said.

If you just get angry at them, theyre just going to get angry back, Rohr-Allegrini said.

Community pharmacist Okoro Nnate Kekwa, who owns Vamps Rx on Houston Street on the East Side, said more and more of his customers want to be vaccinated  but some are jittery about it because of misinformation theyve gleaned from various sources, including friends and family.

I tell them its good for your health, Kekwa said. Would you prefer to be in the hospital with a tube in your throat or just go get the free shot?
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  The only South Carolina lawmaker to go to prison so far in a recent Statehouse corruption investigation is no longer an attorney.

Former state Rep. Jim Harrison agreed to give up his law license without a fight, the South Carolina Supreme Court said in a Wednesday order.
More than 200 years later, historians, archaeologists and researchers are trying to piece together details of the Battle of Medina, the deadliest conflict ever fought on Texas soil, and locate the main battlefield.

A short-lived Texas republic broke away from Spain in 1813, adopting an emerald green flag as its symbol, during a gruesome period of unrest. That new republic was eliminated in a decisive victory of the Spanish Royal Army in a battle on Aug. 18, 1813, somewhere south of San Antonio.

Scholars and amateur researchers will gather in Leming next weekend to share the latest research on an oft-forgotten conflict that nearly wiped out the village of San Antonio de Bejar and set the stage for the war for Texas independence in 1835-1836.

On ExpressNews.com: Alamo has proven to be the most successful mission

To me, it wasnt so much an end as it was a beginning because 23 years later Texas got its independence  finally, said Martin Gonzales, chairman of the Atascosa County Historical Commission, which is hosting the events.

Jose Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara and Augustus Magee led an expedition into Texas in 1812, creating a rebel force known as the Republican Army of the North. They defeated Spanish royalists in the Battle of Rosillo, on what today is San Antonios Southeast Side, on March 29, 1813. The rebels executed the governor and 13 other prisoners and returned to the village carrying their heads as battle trophies.

The Spanish government sent an army under Gen. Joaquin de Arredondo to restore the province of Tejas to Spanish rule. Spies spotted Arredondos army about 50 miles south of San Antonio, and about 1,400 rebel troops, including Tejanos, Native American and Anglo Americans, marched down to meet them.

/Joe Holley /Houston Chronicle

Rebels fired on a Spanish reconnaissance group and moved toward Arrendondos 1,830-man force, which had set up breastworks on high ground. During a four-hour afternoon battle, some 800 rebels and only 55 royalists were killed. The bodies of the dead rebels were left to decompose. Their remains were finally buried nine years later after Mexico secured independence from Spain.

The weeks that followed the battle were a horrific time for San Antonio. Scores of rebels were executed. David Carlson, archivist of the Bexar County Spanish Archives, said Arredondo and his men did a lot of terrible deeds pertaining to the locals.

The royalists decide to really impress upon the local population that they should never contemplate rebellion against the authority of the viceroy ever again, Carlson said.

Historian Robert H. Thonhoff, in a 2013 booklet, Battle of Medina 1813, published in 2013 for the battles bicentennial, said wives, sisters and daughters of the rebels were held captive in a large house called La Quinta, just east of todays Bexar County Courthouse.

They toiled from dawn till dark to make tortillas for General Arredondos troops and suffered many indignities. Their children were turned loose on the streets to beg for food, Thonhoff wrote.

Carlson, who will open Saturdays symposium with remarks based on a manuscript hes developed, said bodies of executed rebels were publicly displayed in Military Plaza for months, as Arredondos troops applied a broad brush in accusing others of disloyalty, sometimes sending them into exile.

So without any right of appeal, these people are being sent to Nuevo Leon, basically to remove them from Texas, where theyre thought to be a possible source of subversion. And its only years later that some of these people are finally able to return, Carlson said.

Kin Man Hui /San Antonio Express-News

In a letter from March 1814 thats been translated from Spanish, Jose Dario Zambrano, pastor of San Fernando Church, asked royalist authorities for permission to bury human body parts still on exhibit in the plaza.

People started getting pardoned in October 1813. But weve still got body parts on display, and children are throwing rocks at them. And this is not a good thing for our community, so lets get these people below ground, shall we? Carlson said, paraphrasing Zambranos concerns. Thats kind of difficult to contemplate.

Carlson said the battle and its aftermath, compounded by raids by hostile invaders, is literally what leads to the decision by (Spanish) authorities to invite and welcome Anglo Americans to settle in Texas.

Battle of Medina events Both events are free, open to the public and will be at the Atascosa County Historical Commission, 25 E. 5th St. in Leming. Friday: Brain-storming session to locate the site of the 1813 battle, from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday: Daylong symposium from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; outdoor ceremony from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. For more information, call 830-480-2741 or send an email to historicalcommission@atascosacounty.texas.gov See More Collapse

On ExpressNews.com: 1813 battle was deadliest in Texas

Thats one of the historical ironies of the whole situation, he said.

Today, there still are open questions about the motivations and political forces behind that first revolution in Texas. But the biggest mystery is the location of the battle. The historical commission will host a forum Friday night to discuss potential sites. Although nine locations have been theorized and three have state or private historical markers, none is archaeologically confirmed.

Everybodys welcome to come. And if they have input on where they think the battle site may be, based on research, lets talk about it, Gonzales said.

shuddleston@express-news.net
The three school districts on Joint Base San Antonio are getting a real-time civics lesson in state versus federal rights as officials navigate divergent rules on masks.

In May, Gov. Greg Abbott banned mask mandates across Texas government entities, including school districts. But on July 28, the Department of Defense announced mandatory mask-wearing indoors across all military facilities, which would include school districts.

This has created an awkward situation for Texas military bases, including JBSA, the nations largest joint military base. Its school districts  Randolph Field Independent School District, Fort Sam Houston ISD and Lackland ISD  educate more than 4,000 military kids combined.

Brian Holt, Randolph Field ISDs superintendent, summed up the situation in a July 31 message to families, saying, as of today, state, federal, and JBSA guidance do not align.

Fort Sam Houston ISD and Lackland ISD officials have said theyre doing legal reviews, but in the meantime, theyll continue to require masks in their facilities.

The dialogue comes as COVID-19 surges. Bexar County hospitals are stressed, and all pandemic indicators are trending strongly in the wrong direction.

On Wednesday, Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told the Express-News Editorial Board: You have to believe as schools open this is going to accelerate. We have to give our kids a chance.

If Hotez had his way, schools would mandate COVID vaccines, but he acknowledged such mandates are out of sight, especially in Texas. In the meantime, masks are the least we can do in areas of high community transmission.

Given how transmissible the delta variant is, that gives me a lot of concern, and so the more belts and suspenders we can put in to get our kids through the school year, that can only be a good thing, he said. All we have as a backstop is masks and, yeah, we should have all of those kids masked and all of those teachers masked as well  thats not even sophisticated epidemiology, thats called common sense.

Burnie Roper, Lackland ISDs superintendent, said hes spoken with parents on both sides of the mask divide whove threatened to remove their students if the district mandates masks or does not. It shouldnt be this way. How have we fallen to such a fractured place?

Besides the health of the school districts children, staff and families, Roper sees the issue as a military readiness concern.

We dont want to have our kids here and then some of them get infected and they go home and infect their parents and then the parents are not able to do their mission, he said.

If you follow the military readiness argument it quickly flows to Texas off-base school districts.

Thousands of military family members work on and attend off-base schools, and with Abbotts mask mandate ban, the risk of exposure is significantly higher.

So, if keeping kids safe isnt motivation enough to repeal the ban on mask mandates in Texas, maybe maintaining national security should be. We cant afford military training pipelines and combat units in Texas to be depleted by COVID.

Abbott has said he supports the military, but by endangering military kids, hes endangering their loved ones and that, in turn, jeopardizes the mission.

JBSA and Texas military bases will surely follow the Department of Defenses masking guidance, and thats the right answer. Sadly, public schools dont have that option, and that affects us all.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana's unenviable place as the epicenter of the nation's latest coronavirus spike has replaced the excitement and hopefulness of a new school year with dread and anger.

Parents, teachers, students and education leaders are arguing over coronavirus testing rules, worrying about infection possibilities and lashing out about mask and vaccine mandates.

College faculty and administrators are bickering over whether to require coronavirus vaccines for a return to campus or to be allowed to teach online instead. Parents and teachers disagree about whether masks should be required at K-12 schools, especially for younger children.

Louisiana's classrooms are seeing the same clashes  political and personal  that are consuming the country in the pandemic. And theyre only intensifying as Louisiana's COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations continue to climb because of the delta variant and the state's low coronavirus vaccination rate.

On the political front, Attorney General Jeff Landry and some other Republican officials are actively trying to undermine Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' mask mandate.

The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education declined to enact statewide COVID-19 requirements, with board President Sandy Holloway saying in July that those decisions were best left to local school systems.

Edwards intervened three weeks later, enacting an indoor statewide mask mandate for anyone in kindergarten and older  whether vaccinated or not  that applies to school campuses.

The mask mandate won support from health care leaders around Louisiana who said they're seeing alarming increases in the number and severity of COVID-19 cases among children. But it sparked controversy in some local school districts, with angry parents in St. Tammany and Livingston parishes among those loudly objecting to the face covering requirement.

Landry sent an email to his employees with two sample letters for parents to seek a philosophical or religious exemption from the mask mandate at schools  or from a vaccine mandate if one was enacted. He has since posted the documents on his office Facebook page, where it's been reposted and shared by Republican lawmakers and thousands of others.

Louisiana is not governed by a dictatorship. The question is: who gets to determine the healthcare choices for you and your child? In a free society, the answer is the citizen  not the state, Landry wrote on Facebook.

Edwards responded to the attorney general's efforts with a letter to state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, saying Landry is creating confusion and repeating that students must wear masks indoors unless they meet a specific set of exemptions.

By adopting these measures  and ignoring those that are unwilling to acknowledge the current crisis  we can keep our kids in school this year and keep them safe," the governor wrote.

Arguments on college campuses center on vaccine requirements.

A half-dozen private institutions, including Dillard, Tulane and Xavier universities, have sought and received approval from the Louisiana Department of Health to require immunizations against COVID-19 for a return to campus. State law allows schools to seek special authorization to mandate a vaccine that isn't on the state-required list of inoculations.

But no public university in Louisiana has immediately sought that approval  a request that could be fraught with political consequences for a taxpayer-financed institution in a conservative state. Landry has indicated he will support litigation challenging vaccine mandates on public college campuses.

The Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana and Southern University systems have instead requested to be able to mandate the coronavirus vaccine on its campuses when one receives full FDA approval, which isn't expected to happen before the start of classes.

LSU, in particular, has received vocal pushback from faculty, especially after administration attorneys initially said requiring the coronavirus vaccine now would violate state law  a position quickly contradicted by the state health department as inaccurate.

The university's chief lawyer, Winston DeCuir, later adjusted the explanation, saying LSU had to worry about federal constitutional protections against government intrusion into individual freedoms.

LSU President William Tate encouraged faculty, staff and students to get vaccinated, even though no mandate is in effect. But hundreds of faculty  who have started petitions and posted objections online  say that's not enough. They want the ability to avoid in-person teaching until the shots are mandated.

It is unconscionable that you would ask faculty, staff and students for a full return to campus under these conditions, professors wrote to Tate.

Louisiana's school year is getting off to a rocky start.

___

EDITORS NOTE: Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran, grappling with its most severe surge of the coronavirus to date, reported more new infections and deaths across the country on Sunday than any other single day since the pandemic began.

Health authorities logged over 39,600 new cases and 542 deaths from the virus. The fatality count shatters the previous record set during Iran's deadliest coronavirus surge that gripped the country last November, signaling the current wave will likely only get worse. The new all-time highs push Iran's total number of infections over 4.1 million and death toll over 94,000  the highest in the Middle East.
TORRINGTON  The stresses of the job as a police officer often can be difficult, leading officials to find ways to help officers cope.

Torrington Police Chief William Baldwin took the idea a step further this week by bringing Addison, a one-and-a-half-year-old Labrador retriever mix, as the departments newest member and therapy dog.

Addisons caregiver and handler is Officer Hannah Yabrosky, a four-year veteran of the department.

Shes been assigned as Addisons handler, and will use the dog for officer wellness, as well as community outreach, Baldwin said of Yabrosky. Addison will accompany her on patrol.

Therapy dogs, Baldwin said, have a proven track record of providing comfort and emotional support to individuals, especially officers, during stressful and critical events.

Torrington has two canine officers, Oscar Deloy and Oscar Loukas, who are paired with the same police officer daily and go on patrol with them. Addison is not the same kind of dog, Baldwin said, and wont be used for typical canine officer jobs, such as evidence recovery, narcotic detection, apprehension or tracking a missing person.

Hell be on patrol with Officer Yabrosky, but hes not there for the same reasons, the chief said. Hell be used for crisis intervention, a mental health issue; if theres kids going through a traumatic event, hell be there for things like that. Hes also there to support the officers when they need him.

The dog was donated to Torrington police through a program known as Puppies Behind Bars, which originated out of New York City.

Alfanos Hyundai of Torrington is funding the program for three years for $3,500. It is because of the generosity of people like Jon Alfano and the Alfano Auto Group, which is Torrington Hyundai of 1445 East Main St., that programs such as this can exist, Baldwin said. I appreciate their generous support.

Addison has been welcomed into the department by officers and staff, the chief said. So far, so good, he said.

When I proposed this program, I had an officer from Naugatuck come to the Board of Public Safety, who does the same therapy dog program, to talk to them, Baldwin said. When the board met his dog, there was a smile on everyones face. It changed everyones demeanor.

Addison, he said, joins a growing list of law enforcement agencies that use therapy dogs.

The mental health and well being of our officers and the Torrington community is of paramount importance, and this program aims at helping to accomplish this goal, he said.

To prepare for Addisons arrival, Yabrosky attended an intensive two-week program in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. During this training, she worked with a number of prison inmates in the Puppies Behind Bars program who are skilled in raising the dogs starting from eight weeks old.

An integral part of this training is the ability to bridge the gap between inmates and law enforcement, Baldwin said. The training specifically teaches and trains the dog to interact with people who have experienced some form of crisis.

The training, he said, gives Yabrosky the skills needed not only to handle the dog, but to recognize people in crisis and use the dog for stressful situations. The program will focus on officer wellness as well as community wellness, especially children who find themselves in difficult situations, Baldwin said.

The chief said Addison also will help officers during interactions with people facing a mental health crisis. This helps in providing a sense of comfort and stability to those going through what may be a bad situation in their lives, Baldwin said.

This is a program I wanted to initiate for the well-being of our officers for a long time, and I pushed it forward, Baldwin said. I think Addisons a great addition to the department.
LONDON (AP)  Britains competition watchdog said Sunday it will look into the cost of COVID-19 testing for travelers after Health Secretary Sajid Javid complained that high prices for the government-mandated tests were preventing some people from going on vacation.

PCR tests required for most travelers average about 75 pounds ($104) each, or 300 pounds for a family of four, but many firms charge significantly more. Prices quoted by providers listed on the government website range from 17 pounds ($24) to 250 pounds ($347).
GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP)  For more than a century, one of Mississippi's largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood, a Black-majority city with a history of civil rights protests and clashes. Protesters have demonstrated at the base of the towering pillar with six Confederate figures  some residents demanding removal amid a racial reckoning across the country, others advocating for the statue's protection as a piece of history.

Now, after years of debate, a new statue will be erected in Greenwood  one of Emmett Till, the Black 14-year-old who was brutally beaten and shot in 1955 by white men just 10 miles from the city. The likeness of Till, whose death is still under federal investigation, will be one of only a handful of statues of African Americans in Mississippi, where dozens of Confederate monuments still dot the landscape at courthouses, town squares and other prominent locations.

Greenwood is one of hundreds of cities and towns nationwide grappling with painful, expensive questions: What should be done with these tributes to the Civil War and the Confederate soldiers who fought in it? And, what monuments should go up in their place to represent the community?

Across Mississippi, multiple places have voted to remove monuments; the few that have followed through found it costly, with a $1 million bill at the University of Mississippi. In Charlottesville, Virginia, a larger-than-life figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee was recently carted away by truck  nearly four years after a deadly, racist rally there. Dozens of Confederate statues fell across the country during the 2020 protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis  many in liberal-leaning urban centers, while those in rural or conservative places stood.

But far fewer cities have solidified plans for new tributes or monuments in their place.

In Greenwood, as in many places, change has come slowly.

The Leflore County Board of Supervisors voted more than a year ago, in June 2020, to remove the Confederate statue, erected in 1913 by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy. The board  where four of five members are Black  stipulated that the monument, whose most prominent figure is former Mississippi Gov. and Civil War Gen. Benjamin G. Humphreys, not be replaced by any piece honoring the civil rights movement or other county history.

The vote followed a yearslong discussion about what to do with the monument after a Black public schoolteacher and his father, Troy Brown Jr. and Troy Brown Sr., began petitioning for removal in 2017. The county initially came up with an idea to leave the Confederate statue and build a civil rights monument  one that would likely include Till  on the courthouse lawn to create balance.

But community members continued to push for removal. The county's Black board members voted 4-0 to remove the statue. The lone white member, Sam Abraham, did not attend the meeting. He later told the Greenwood Commonwealth newspaper he would have voted to keep the Confederate statue.

Board member Reginald Moore voted to move the monument, saying it serves as a symbol of intimidation, of fear, of treason, domestic terrorism, slavery and murder.

Member Robert Collins said the statue didn't bother him, but that if it caused pain for others, it should be removed. Collins was a young boy when Till was killed; he recalled the fear it ignited in the Black community and said it's a story the community should not forget. But he was vocal in his opinion that another monument shouldn't replace it, regardless of its meaning or intent.

The courthouse belongs to the people of Leflore County," he said. "If were going to remove that monument, we shouldnt put no monument on the property of Leflore County.

But still, the Confederate statue stands, the process slowed by bureaucracy, with no concrete plan for removal.

Board members did not return calls from The Associated Press inquiring about an update. Mississippi Department of Archives and History spokesperson Michael Morris said county attorney Joyce Chiles reached out to their department for a consultation in November, but noted that the agency hasnt heard from her since.

In April, Democratic state Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood reignited a conversation about a Till statue in the city of 13,500. Hes one of the last people alive locally who attended the trial for Till's killers.

There are so many heroes that need to be recognized, Jordan said of the need for the cities to make plans for new monuments when Confederate ones are gone. Its about trying to get justice for so many good people that have been mistreated.

When Till was killed, Jordan was just starting college as a freshman at a historically black college nearby. He and three friends pooled their money to buy enough gasoline  at 25 cents a gallon to drive to the Sumner courthouse for the trial. Jordan remembers seeing the defendants drinking Coca-Cola in the sweltering courtroom and laughing with their wives and children  clearly not fearing conviction.

They were the heroes, the most respected people, Jordan, now 88, said. Many said that they did the right thing, killing him. They thought Emmett Till was out of place.

Till was visiting relatives in Mississippi from his home in Chicago. He was accused of whistling at and making sexual advances on 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant at a grocery store. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W. Milam abducted Till from his great-uncles home at gunpoint.

Till's brutalized body, weighted down with a cotton gin fan, was later pulled from the Tallahatchie River  the same river that claimed the Union merchant ship The Star of the West during the Civil War 90 years earlier. The ship is memorialized on Greenwood's monument, with the pilot wheel etched into one side.

Images of Tills mutilated body in his open casket gave witness to the depth of racial hatred in the Deep South and inspired civil rights campaigns. Bryant and Milam were acquitted, though they later confessed to the crime in a magazine interview. Both are now dead.

Sen. Jordan said it would feel like poetic justice to erect the Till statue in front of the courthouse  the very place where dogs were set on Black residents trying to register to vote, in a city where racist Citizens' Councils maintained regional headquarters.

If we can show that change can happen here, it can happen anywhere, Jordan said.

But the county board wouldn't budge. Collins said in April that allowing the Till statue on the courthouse lawn would be a double standard.

To move one statue and put another statue up, I wouldnt be representing all the people Im supposed to be representing if I did that, Collins, who is Black, said during a board meeting.

Jordan was hurt by the decision, especially given that the Confederate statue also hadn't budged yet.

I told them, let the Emmett Till statue be there for 100 years, and then you can move it, he said. Then, it would be balanced. But I dont understand double standard. What kind of double standard? Just give me equal time.

Ultimately, late last month, the council voted unanimously in favor of erecting the Till statue, just not on the courthouse lawn. Instead, the statue will go up in a park half a mile away from the courthouse and the Confederate monument. The Till tribute will be funded, at least in part, with $150,000 from a bond bill from the state legislature, Jordan said, and he plans for the statue to stand at 9 feet tall, made of bronze.

He's also decided to be optimistic about the location. The park is by the railroad tracks that once separated where Black and white residents lived and worked in racially segregated Greenwood  the Greenwood Jordan knew growing up. He said he hopes the statue's presence there will unite the community.

For now, residents on both sides of the issue are frustrated with officials' lack of a plan.

Melissa Earnest  a white resident who grew up in Drew, 3 miles from the shed where Emmett Till was beaten before he was taken to the Tallahatchie River  wants to see movement toward removal, and more monuments to civil rights figures whose stories have been ignored.

Its a representation of progress, she said.

Larry McCluney said he considers the statue a tribute to Confederate soldiers who died on the battlefield. Hes also in favor of the Till statue  even at the courthouse  as long as the Confederate statue stands.

Its the same thing if I went out to the graveyard and knocked over one of your family members headstones, said McCluney, a history teacher and commander-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization for male descendants of Confederate veterans that spans 30,000 members. Thats how people feel about these things: You are removing the only thing I have that I can go to as a family member and remember my ancestors.

Brown Sr., one of the residents who petitioned for removal, said Greenwood needs to show the world what it stands for.

"Im not saying we shouldnt talk about the Confederacy, but we definitely should not celebrate it in a sense that we have that statue looking over the town, as if it was something were proud of," Brown said. That young boys life  thats a story worth being told.

___

Leah Willingham 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.
As a deeply divisive debate over vaccines turns the tide on a deadly public health risk, some may remember a time when Montana rose united to the challenge amid a similar threat.

In the 1950s and 60s Montana was among the leaders in the war against polio and nearly 4,000 Montana children participated in a 1954 field trial of the Salk polio vaccine that became known as the biggest public health experiment ever, according to a published article.

Nationwide, the kids became known at the Polio Pioneers.

The effort is chronicled in detail in a 20-page story by Todd S. Harwell, Stacey Anderson, Dr. Greg S. Holzman and Dr. Steven D. Helgerson published in 2019 in "Montana: The Magazine of Western History." The names of the authors may seem familiar, as they had worked for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, and many were, or remain, on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Montana played a special role, Helgerson, the former state medical officer who retired in 2015, said in a recent telephone interview.

Poliovirus is described as an enterovirus that spreads by ingesting water or food contaminated by fecal matter, or by coughing and sneezing. Less that 1% of the infections included paralysis. It was regarded as a rare disease of infancy or early childhood.

From 1913, when Montana first required reporting infantile paralysis, to 1971, when the last death from acute poliomyelitis was reported, 2,926 cases and 317 deaths occurred in the state, researchers said.

Helgerson said Montana, like many other states, supported the effort to eradicate polio. The general population did not take too much convincing of how dangerous polio was, he said, adding there was widespread agreement on controlling polio and parents did not let children go outside in the summer.

According to the authors, the Montana State Board of Health estimated in 1964 that 73% of those 5 years old or younger, 77% of those 5 to 14 and 63% of those 15 to 39 had been fully vaccinated against polio.

The state reported Friday that 48% of eligible residents, or 446,031, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The state also reported a total of 117,882 cases with 114,187 people recovered. There have been 1,722 deaths attributed to the coronavirus.

And a very aggressive Delta variant has surfaced, sending some back to mask rules and health mandates.

Helgerson said there is an interesting contrast between President Franklin Roosevelt, who had polio and was completely supportive of trying to control the disease, and President Donald Trump, who was so self-centered that he did not believe there was a disease to control.

A lot of the nonsense that came out of the White House was not real helpful, he said.

Dr. Kelly Elterman, a Texas-based physician, notes in a February posting on goodrx.com that we are experiencing significant vaccine hesitancy" in regards to the coronavirus.

In recent years, vaccine hesitancy has increased worldwide  so much so that the World Health Organization considered it a top 10 global health threat in 2019. Misinformation is a major cause of vaccine hesitancy, and there is much misinformation about both COVID-19 and its vaccine because they are new.

She said its a problem that can make it harder to contain a disease.

Elterman said people refuse to be vaccinated because they distrust the vaccine and its effectiveness. They fear possible side effects or have a general lack of concern about the virus.

In these communities, people may not accept a COVID vaccine because to them the risks of the vaccine seem greater than the risks of the disease," she said.

Dr. Abe Elias, medical director of the Shodair Children's Hospital Genetics Department, said there are several parallels between the polio outbreak and the coronavirus pandemic.

He said polio sparked the first concerted effort to get a vaccine out relatively quickly to a large number of people.

When you look at the numbers there were relatively few outbreaks, but it was enough to mobilize the people, Elias said. It required a willingness to participate and required a trust in the scientists and the science behind it.

Shodair is mentioned several times in the article for helping young people with polio. Shodair began in 1896 as a home for orphaned and abandoned children and then became the first facility in the state to treat children with polio, its website states.

A large outbreak of polio in New York City early in the summer of 1916 was reported in Montana newspapers. It raised such concern that The Billings Gazette published tips from local doctors on how to stave off its spread.

The first case surfaced in Montana in July 1916 on the Crow Indian Reservation. Dr. William Cogswell, executive secretary of the Montana State Board of Health, told local health officials to be prepared for more cases. He coordinated state and local health department efforts and requested help from the federal Public Health Service to find the nature of the outbreak.

The first death in Montana was Virgil Van Pelt, a teen from Hardin, who died in July 1916. Billings officials quarantined ill children, delaying the opening of schools and prohibiting children from going to public places and events.

Montana and Minnesota were the only states west of the Mississippi that had cases. In 1916, there were 111 cases and 24 deaths in Montana, according to the authors of the 2019 article.

But some cases may have been unreported. In 1923, state epidemiologist Dr. John J. Sippy said his research led him to believe that only 25% of the infantile paralysis cases had been reported in 1916.

In 1917, there was an outbreak in Great Falls with 12 cases, and two deaths were reported. The state Board of Health discouraged gatherings observing National Baby Week, including Better Baby Contests.

The states largest polio outbreak was in 1934. Helena postponed the first day of school until the number of new polio cases decreased and by December, 321 cases had been reported throughout Montana. Public fear grew, even though cancer and injuries killed more people than polio. It was because of polios mysterious nature, as it struck without warning and left people unable to walk, with deformed limbs or in iron lungs, the authors of the research paper wrote.

Roosevelt, who contracted polio in 1921, founded the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. Thousands of chapters started nationwide, including in Montana. Throughout the 40s and 50s, the Montana chapters raised funds to aid polio victims and support national research.

However, in 1953, outbreaks were reported in Park and Custer counties. In one month alone, 13 cases were reported. Of those, four were paralyzed and died.

The Livingston community mobilized immediately to help address this emergency, the researchers said. The citys health officer, an official from Shodair Hospital and members of the Park County Medical Society, decided to have a mass inoculation of 3,300 Livingston-area children with gamma gobulin.

Gamma globulin was not a vaccine, but did offer some protection via passive immunity as it had protective antibodies taken from people who had been infected.

It was flown in from San Francisco, was valued at $60,000, was funded by the NFIB and would be offered to children 14 and under. The Elks Club donated their house for the clinics and 50 children were inoculated per hour.

On Aug. 24, 1953, siblings Alice and Orvis Harper were the first to get the gamma globulin and the Livingston Enterprise newspaper was there.

Alice was the first, all smiles, to go under the needle, the newspaper reported. Dr. Means, City and County Health Officer, held the sparkling needle and said: Youre not afraid, are you Alice? She shook her head and smiled for the man who was taking her picture.

She was the first child to participate in a mass gamma globulin inoculation program ever held west of the Mississippi and the 12th such event held in the United States.

Alice Harper is now Alice Hansen. She is 77 and lives with her husband in Missouri.

She said her most vivid memory that day is that she got the shot in her hip and the newspaper photo showed her laying on a table with her pants down. She had become ill prior to getting the shot and the doctor thought she might have polio. But that was not the case.

"It was a terrible, terrible thing," Hansen said of polio, adding she had a friend who had it. She said the fact she was the first west of the Mississippi to get the gamma globulin shot has not come up in conversation, but said she has told her husband a few times.

"It's not something I particularly talk about," she said.

She said people were much more receptive to a polio vaccine than they are of a coronavirus shot. She got the Pfizer COVID shot.

"The main reason I got it is that I like to travel and would not have been able to do so," she said.

She said she does not often think of that day in Livingston nearly 68 years ago.

"I was just a kid and things like that weren't important to me," she said. "The only thing I got was my rear-end hanging in the air in the paper."

Her older brother Orvis Harper, now 81 and living in western Washington, said he doesn't remember a whole lot about the day but does remember going to the Elks Club. He believes he and his sister were the first to get the shots because of their father's deep belief that if you are not 15 minutes early for appointments or events, you are late.

"I guess that is why we were first in line," he said, adding he was a high school student at the time. "Mom made sure we are there."

In late 1953, the NFIB recruited epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Francis Jr. to do a field trial on a polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk and his team. In Park County, efforts were made to raise funds for the study.

Harvey Cole, chair of the Park County NFIP chapter, encouraged all to help.

Everyone should contribute to the drive, no matter how little  The fight against polio is everybodys fight.

By mid-March Park County had contributed $8,908 to the polio fund. Soon after, it was announced that Park and Gallatin counties were selected to participate in the national field trial in April of 1954. There were 217 areas in 44 states selected to participate in the biggest public health experiment ever.

Gallatin, Mineral, Missoula and Park counties were selected for a placebo control method in which some children would receive the vaccine while others would be given a placebo substance.

Local doctors, nurses, schools, PTAs, other civic groups and hundreds of volunteers helped. There were 776 Park County first-, second- and third-graders eligible to participate.

"V-Day" was to be held April 29, 1954.

However, just a few days before, a 2-year-old Livingston boy was stricken with what was believed to be polio and there was some thought of pausing because the boy had siblings in the school, but that was not the case and the trial moved forward, the Montana magazine authors noted.

Children who got the shots received a certificate and a Polio Pioneer button for participating.

John Sloan, an adult polio victim from West Glacier, told the Daily Missoulian that the vaccine was the most wonderful thing they ever found, even though it was too late to help him.

However, some cases of polio were reported among recently vaccinated children in Illinois, California, Idaho and elsewhere. It was soon learned that the vaccine was produced by a California laboratory and had inadequately inactivated virus.

In January 1955, after data had been tabulated, the vaccine was proclaimed to be safe, effective and potent.

The authors of the article note it has been nearly 50 years since Montana had its last case of polio.

Those of us who were not alive during the polio outbreaks of the mid-20th century may find it difficult to understand a communitys fear regarding this disease or the level of anticipation, and then relief once an effective vaccine, the Salk vaccine, was developed, tested, and provided to communities across the United States, they wrote.

Because Montanas communities, health officials and Polio Pioneers played an essential role in demonstrating the efficacy of the Salk-type polio vaccine, this crippling disease was eradicated from the state.

Elias, of Shodair, said Montanas polio efforts in the 50s and 60s serve as a reminder of what it takes to get such an effort underway. He said there is always resistance to vaccines.

He said what went right with polio is that it concerned people so much that they took action.

Helgerson, Harwell and Holzman also wrote a paper on the 1918 Spanish flu, which was also published prior to the pandemic.

When asked if the articles now strike him as prophetic amid the coronavirus pandemic, he said Theres an edge of satisfaction, adding he wished the events of 20-21 had rolled out differently.

Helgerson retired as the state medical officer in 2015 and now spends his time in Seattle and Bozeman.

I think I retired prematurely and I think I should have hung around a little longer" to work with younger employees on the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

Helgerson was a second-grader in Portland, Oregon in 1954, and said he got the vaccine and is one of the Polio Pioneers.

So why is there resistance to the COVID-19 vaccines?

Helgerson notes that in 1954 there was not such a wide network of misinformation that came from the White House. Nor was there cable television news that would spread inaccurate information.

Harper, the Livingston high school student in 1953 who got the gamma globulin shot, said he is now an "anti-vaxxer," but said he and his wife wear masks when required in stores.

Although clinical trials found the vaccines to be safe and effective, Harper said he is concerned that the process moved too fast.

"I don't trust our present health system," he said. "There are too many lies going around."

One local public official expressed frustration over the divisiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines and thought about his youth when he got the shot for polio.

I'm just befuddled, Lewis and Clark County Commissioner Jim McCormick said during a July 20 meeting.

When I was a little kid when the polio vaccine came out, all of us kids lined up outside Meadowlark School in Shelby going into the school to get our vaccine, and it was certainly welcomed by folks to be able to be protected from such a terrible, awful disease.

How and why these vaccines and public safety protocols have become political is sad, he said. I'm sorry that it became such because it needn't be.

This is about protecting all of us.

Nolan Lister of the Independent Record contributed to this story.
The Paris Saint-Germain started his debut of Tie it 1 with a difficult victory visiting to the Troyes. Although his rival fixed them to him to go up in the marker, Achraf and Mauro Icardi gave him the turn in alone two minutes.

However, the striking did not go so much the party but what occurred afterwards of finalised the appointment. The journalists that covered the party asked him to the trainer of the PSG, Mauritius Pochettino, if it already had confirmed the arrival of Leo Messi now that it no longer will play with the Barcelona. And his answer was not him indifferent to anybody.

Specifically, to Pochettino asked him in the back press conference to the clash if it already had received the call of the owners of the club in which they informed him if already there was an agreement with "The Flea".

The question, and that took him out a smile to the Hispanic technician-Argentinian, had a clear and concise answer: "Still no", it said the mister of the combined French, leaving, obviously, an open door to that this call receive it in the days for coming.

A wish that comes of far

In the previous of the party, the Argentinian trainer had advanced that the signing of the rosarino "is a possibility and the club is working". It does not fit doubt that this would be very happy if had in the team training to the best of the world, and besides, the communication between both could be very fluent.

The mister of the PSG always has spoken very well of Leo Messi, to the one who could even have trained when it offered him the opportunity to be the trainer of the Barca, but he same refused this possibility by means of statements that, in that then, did not arrive to like him to the directors of the Catalan group.

Rumours that sound

Since it announced that Messi went to leave the Barcelona, the rumours that have linked to the Argentinian with the PSG have become the norm. Recently, the half French, Him Parisien, revealed that "The two parts (the club and Messi) agree in bold strokes. Only it is missing to seat to draft the documents", ensure.

The French newspaper adds also that the wage of Messi would find between the 35 and the 40 million euros to the year. The juridical department of the combined French continues ultimando the details, by what the exchanges between the father of Messi and the "greater state" of the club are "constant".
Actor Sherlyn Chopra who has been linked to the Raj Kundra pornography scandal, has now said that the arrested businessman had once told her that his wife Shilpa Shetty liked her work. Sherlyn also said that Raj Kundra had contacted her and she had signed an agreement with him in March this year. "He wanted me to join him and the name of the app would be the 'Sherlyn Chopra app'," she told ETimes. Sherlyn Chopra was questioned by the Mumbai Crime Branch on Friday in connection with the porn production and distribution case that has taken the nation by surprise.

Sherlyn Chopra also said that Raj Kundra wanted her to do different kinds of videos on the app like high fashion, fitness, fun and glamour and that while the concept was glamorous in the beginning, he soon began telling her about semi-nude and nude films. "During the shoot, I was encouraged. They used to say I am doing great and Shilpa has seen your photos and videos and has appreciated my work. And when you get so much praise from the seniors it does not make you feel that you are doing something wrong and it makes you think to do better," she told ETimes.

"I was told that whatever they are doing is not wrong, during that time no legal notice was given to us.... at that time it did not seem that anything wrong was happening," she added.
While actor Sherlyn Chopra has accused Raj Kundra of misleading her into shooting pornographic content, she says that she often gets trolled for this statement because she had shot for a Playboy shoot in 2012. For those who are unaware, businessman Raj Kundra who is actor Shilpa Shetty's husband, is in judicial custody after being accused in an alleged porn racket. He allegedly ran a porn network through his old company Armsprime and the app Hotshots which had pornographic content.

"Every time I speak about pornography I am trolled. I had shot for Playboy in 2012 and it is true that I didnt have issues shooting for bold content before, but when we break laws at that time we must question our actions. No authority will tolerate illegal pornography. So I just want to tell the trolls who say, 'what is wrong in pornography, we all watch it', that dont forget, all porn websites have been banned by the government. This is the law and we must not break it, that too at such a big level," Sherlyn Chopra told a leading daily.

"I wanted to do something risque in 2012 and thats when the thought of being a Playboy cover girl crossed my mind. And so I wrote to Mr Hefner expressing a sincere desire of wanting to do a cover shoot for Playboy, to which he responded immediately in the affirmative," she had said in a 2015 interview with a leading newspaper. "I know that there are people who find it disturbing as their minds have been trained to think that nudity is a synonym of vulgarity and nothing more. As I am a seeker of truth, I refuse to believe in every bit of dogma as a fact," she added.
Depalpur, Pakistan--(Newsfile Corp. - August 8, 2021) - The team at WolfyStreetBets announces its readiness to take on the Defi space, particularly the crypto-stock staking sphere. From its invention, decentralization of finance and the cryptocurrency system has remained a great move towards promoting financial inclusion as it affords people the opportunity to carry out borderless financial transactions with less surveillance.

Owing to the transparency, community ownership, and governance of DeFi, WolfyStreetBets (also called Wolfy) seeks to provide an interesting solution in this space. Here are some major points to note:





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8215/92457_715f3162749a4aa0_001full.jpg

WolfyStreetBets Will take on a Billion Dollar Industry

According to CoinGecko, the decentralized prediction market on the one hand, has a market share of around $500 million. This excludes some smaller cap prediction markets that the research did not capture. On the other hand, the centralized prediction market has a wealth share of a whooping $1 Billion, from American citizens only. The gambling market is another fortune of its own, boasting of around $53.7 Billion in online bets alone as at 2019.

"These statistics show that the prediction market is a pile of gold waiting to be mined. And Interestingly enough," began saying a representative of the Wolfy Public Relations Team, "This fortune has been glaring enough for everyone to see. The gap between the CeFi and DeFi systems has been a matter of consistent discourse between FIAT and crypto enthusiasts yet, nobody or organization has thought of cashing in on it. This is one advantage that Wolfy has, being the first to look in that direction."

WolfyStreetBets is 100% Decentralized Reward From

The platform uses blockchain technology and its vision has been the promotion of a decentralized financial system. The platform runs a transparent system which allows for community ownership and governance for token holders. From the first day of participation, community members can hope to start getting rewards. Rewards come in the form of direct transaction fees which are forwarded directly to members' wallet addresses. Members also get rewards from staking assets in the prediction markets using the WolfyStreetBets App.

Because of the decentralized nature of the platform, it does not support team allocation funds or any form of treasury system. After the direct transaction fees are paid out, the available liquidity is locked up in the Uniswap ETH/WOLFY liquidity pool where it can be monitored by all members of the community.

The WolfyStreetBets platform has an interface that is very friendly to users. It contains various forms of chatting tools, risk/reward percentages as well as prediction statistics. It also has a high contrast dark interphase which makes reading very convenient without running the risk of losing any information on the interface.

Token and Tokenization

The native token of the WolfyStreetBets platform is the WOLFY ERC-20 token which is on the ethereum chain. "As has been stated earlier, community members receive frictionless rewards that are transferred directly to their wallets based on the 2% transaction fee which every token holder is entitled to," says a source from the Wolfy Team.

This is very beneficial in generating passive income for community members. The system also operates on a deflationary principle which helps in increasing scarcity and demand on every transaction.

About WolfyStreetBets

Wolfy is an organization that seeks not only to disrupt the decentralized financial systems but also to build a bridge between CeFi and DeFi using the WolfyStreetBets platform. It hopes to achieve this by leveraging on the wide gap between CeFi and DeFi thus providing a deep direct comparison between the two asset pairs through unique and advanced UI features. There are many interesting facts about the WolfyStreetBets platform but here are the top four important things you need to know.

In spite of the innovativeness of the WolfyStreetBets platform, the developers of the platform are still forward looking, exploring ways to improve the platform and give users a better experience. Although the project is currently running on the ethereum chain, plans are already in place to evolve it into a multi-chain ecosystem through a bridge to the Polkadot network and other value-adding blockchains.

This will hopefully increase the value and decrease barriers to participation.

Also, there are plans to move the project into a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) with the aim of enhancing user participation by allowing them vote on initiatives and direction of the project.

Media Contact

Company: WolfyStreetBets

Email: team@wolfystreetbets.com

Website: https://wolfystreetbets.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/92457
Berry Oncology Completes Series B1 Funding

Berry Oncology Corporation, a member company of Chinas leading early cancer screening firm Berry Genomics, closed a US$99.15m Series B1 financing round.

This round was led by China Merchants Capital Management Co., Ltd. Existing investors Qiming Venture Partners and Legend Capital, along with new investors including Zhongjin Qichen Industry Equity Investment Fund, E Fund, Fujian Venture Investment Management Co., Ltd., Xiamen C&D Emerging Industry Equity Investment Co., Ltd. and other investors also participated.

The new proceeds will enable the company to meet the demand for early cancer screening and diagnosis and boost its expansion in the market.

Established in August 2017 and led by Zhou Jun, CEO, Berry Oncology leverages technology, business channels and capital of its predecessor Berry Genomics, a leader in genetics research, to complete genetic testing product service system for high-risk populations and patients of cancers. Up till now, it has been working with over 700 hospitals in China and has provided genetic testing of cancers for hundreds of thousands of cancer patients.

In less than a year, Berry Oncology has raised about US$154.4 million and nearly US$309 million since its establishment.

Berry Oncology has three centers (manufacture, supercomputing, R&D) located in Fuzhou and Beijing.

FinSMEs

028/08/2021
ANDERSON, SC (FOX Carolina)- On Tuesday, the FBI's Columbia branch confirmed that it took an Anderson man into custody on multiple charges connected his actions at the U.S. Capitol building.
Franklin, KY (42134)

Today

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Frank Smylie practices a piece of music in his piano while enjoying an ice cream cone. Smylie's skill on the piano recently earned him a spot in the Wyoming State Achievement Day Concert.
Sara Dery, who was born in Jackson and raised in Victor, Idaho, recently found out that her rental home and the home and commercial building on the adjacent lots near East Kelly Kelly Avenue and Vine Street are being sold for $14 million. Dery is one of a growing number of Jackson renters who are being forced from their homes as the houses they are renting get sold.
Let's not wait until schools are forced to close to do what's right
BANGOR, MAINE, July 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Husson University announced today that Brien Walton, JD, EdD, director of the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business and assistant professor of entrepreneurship at Husson Universitys College of Business, was named the first African-American chair of the Maine Venture Fund Board of Directors. Governor Janet Mills of Maine appointed all of the board members.

I am delighted Dr. Walton has agreed to chair the Maine Venture Fund, said Governor Janet Mills. I appointed Brien to the Board because of his vast experience managing a technology-focused venture capital fund and his reputation for creating innovative business strategies for high potential companies. The depth of his knowledge and experience makes him an excellent choice to chair the Board and spearhead our efforts to help businesses grow and stay in Maine.

I want to thank Governor Mills for appointing me to the Maine Venture Fund board and for the opportunity to serve the state," said Dr. Walton. "I also want to thank my fellow directors for selecting me to chair the board. As the first African-American to serve as the chair of the Maine Venture Fund, I want to encourage entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to start and grow businesses in Maine or to pursue careers as investment professionals in ways that stimulate regional and national economic growth.

Funded by the state as a revolving "evergreen" fund, the Maine Venture Fund (MVF) has invested over $25.2 million in small businesses since the funds inception in 1997 and has attracted over $200 million in outside investment to Maine, creating high-quality jobs across the state. The MVF has made 155 investments in over 80 companies, which has created over 900 jobs1 for Maine residents. MVF plans to further expand access to capital, especially for underrepresented founders.

For more than twenty years, the Maine Venture Fund has helped many small businesses and entrepreneurs across our state turn dreams into reality, said U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) in a joint statement. The MVFs two decades of service have spurred economic innovation, supported good jobs, and made important contributions to local communities  but there are always new chapters to be written in its story. We congratulate Dr. Brien Walton for his appointment to this important role to bolster Maines economy, and we look forward to continuing our work in the Senate to promote economic development and job creation as well.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Maine has 147,240 small businesses.2 Thats the equivalent of one small business for every nine people in our state.3 Here in Maine, 99.2% of all companies are small businesses.4

As part of his work with the Maine Venture Fund, Walton will provide testimony to the state legislature about banking and financial ventures. He and the other 10 members of the Maine Venture Fund Board of Directors appointed by the Governor will be responsible for determining how the fund invests in businesses that have the potential for significant growth here in Maine.

Robert A. Clark, PhD, president of Husson University and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), one of the highest designations of distinction in the investment management profession, agrees in the importance of growth. Having a strong economy provides students with internship and job opportunities after they graduate, said Clark. Professional experience is an essential part of career success.

With the largest College of Business in the state, located in a brand new $17 million facility that will open in late August, Husson University is uniquely qualified to develop the business professionals of tomorrow, said Marie Hansen, JD, PhD, SHRM-SCP, dean of Husson Universitys College of Business and New England School of Communications (NESCom). Our graduates go on to jobs with Wall Street firms and get practical experience making investment decisions while they are in college. They benefit from Dr. Waltons expertise particularly in the classes he teaches in entrepreneurship and business at Husson University. We value the real-world experience our faculty can bring to students so that they too can aspire to future leadership positions.

Adding to Dean Hansens remarks, President Clark said, Thanks to generous donations from James and Carol Carlisle, and Joseph and Suzanne Cyr, students have the opportunity to manage an investment fund of over $1,000,000, with guidance from faculty, as part of their Husson education. I wouldnt be surprised at all if the next generation of Maine Venture Fund leaders were Husson University graduates.

More about Dr. Brien Walton:

This is not the first time Dr. Walton has been called upon to contribute his expertise to a government initiative. In 2020, the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reached out to Dr. Walton about a speaking opportunity. The two government organizations invited Walton to speak during the capstone portion of their Opportunity Zone webinar series called, Bolstering Growth in Opportunity Zones: Leveraging Public and Private Resources.

We're fortunate to have a leader of Dr. Waltons caliber chairing our board of directors, said Joe Powers, the Maine Venture Fund's managing director. We have developed an excellent rapport since he joined the board, and his extensive investment and business development experience make him the ideal person to help maximize the funds assets for the benefit of all Maine citizens, especially in this era of increased collaboration between state and federal government.

Waltons academic credentials are extensive. He earned his Doctorate of Education in organizational learning leadership with a concentration in leadership development from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business. In addition, Walton has a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of the District of Columbia, a Master of Science in education with a concentration in workforce development from the University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Arts in educational technologies from Harvard University; and a Master of Laws in taxation from Georgetown University.

Dr. Walton also has extensive work experience. He is an award-winning strategic advisor on economic development and structured finance. Walton is also CEO of Acadia Capital Management, LLC, a strategic advisory firm that works directly with municipal leaders of economically distressed communities to create innovative funding pathways that eliminate poverty and facilitate sustainable growth.

Walton joined the Husson team as the director of the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business and as an assistant professor of entrepreneurship. The Center for Family Business (CFB) at Husson University in Bangor, Maine is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the 30,000+ family-owned businesses in Maine. It serves family business owners, managers and employees through a variety of seminars and workshops.

For more than 120 years, Husson University has shown its adaptability and strength in delivering educational programs that prepare future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent a superior value in higher education. The hallmarks of a Husson education include advanced knowledge delivered through quality educational programs. According to a recent analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.

# # #

1 Maine Venture Fund, Our Impact https://www.maineventurefund.com/, Accessed 7/13/2021

2 Mainebiz, From the Editor: Small businesses are Maines economic backbone, Peter Van Allen, September 7, 2020, https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/from-the-editor-small-businesses-are-maines-economic-backbone, Accessed 7/13/2021.

3 Ibid

4 Ibid

Attachments
Sydney, July 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of BuddeComm report outlines the latest developments and key trends in the telecoms markets. - https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Suriname-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW





The state-owned incumbent telco, Telesur, is the only provider of fixed-line and fixed broadband services in Suriname. The countrys fixed-line infrastructure is reasonably reliable in the more populated coastal region, though poor in the interior. Telesur started building out a fibre network in Paramaribo 2013, and in June 2018, the company started with the rollout of the National Broadband Project (TNBP), which was completed in 2019.



Fixed teledensity and broadband penetration are slightly lower than average for Latin America and the Caribbean, while mobile penetration is significantly above the regional average and much higher than would be expected given the countrys relatively low GDP per capita.



Many Surinamese have up to three mobile lines with different providers, which has pushed up penetration figures although the number of subscribers has fallen in recent years as consumers have responded to economic pressures. The mobile market supports only two players: Telesur (trading as TeleG), and Digicel (part of Digicel Group, a significant operator across the Caribbean and Pacific regions). In early 2015 Digicel acquired the only other operator, Uniqa, which only had about 5,000 subscribers. In January 2017 Digicel signed a deal to host the MVNO Transatel, which operates in a number of markets across the Caribbean and Latin America. In May 2020, through a successful refinancing activities, Digicel reduced its debts by more than 20% .



Key Developments:



Digicel restructures debt;

Telesurs National Broadband Project completed;

Telesur launches its 5G network in Paramaribo, markets triple-play offering and high-volume mobile data packages;

Suriname ranked 81st internationally for mobile network speeds and 158th for fixed broadband speeds;

Significant recent gold and offshore oil discoveries to boost economic growth;

Report update includes recent market developments, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, ITU and regulator data to 2019.



Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Suriname-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW
London, UK, Aug. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Masses are eagerly investing in Bitcoins, Ethereums, and other cryptocurrencies. Due to which many budding investors are emerging worldwide with lesser to no knowledge about the crypto space. Bitcoin Profit is designed to cater to new investors looking to gain from this crypto run without bearing the loss of not being knowledgeable. People who are new to the crypto world and want to start their investment journey can benefit from this platforms unique services. Bitcoin profit helps budding investors and traders take their first step into making a successful crypto investment. The company also encourages investors to expect gains right from the inception of their investments.

They had helped their bitcoin traders earn every day and other bitcoin profits. This app does not promise its users and traders to make them millionaires overnight, but, instead, they will suggest several methodologies and ways. They will conduct trading sessions in the most innovative way possible to make users successful in their efforts. In the world of trading, there is nothing more important than the right strategy and planning. This application will help users secure their lucrative returns allowing them to trade with an absolute peace of mind. They had an entire team of experts and master traders ready to help its users whenever they needed them besides in trading.



With Bitcoin Profit, bitcoin traders can unlock their true potential and make everything possible for them. Here is their sign-up page, which will show traders the way in their journey. Users just need to enter their name, email, and password to open an account. Also, they had to make sure that they are 18 and above and have all other credentials ready and active. To get started, traders just need to follow 3 simple steps:

First, Open the Bitcoin Profit Account page and invest a few seconds to sign up, following the simple and interactive sign-up process.





Then verify every detail. This will ensure that every trader on this platform can have a seamless trading experience and strict security.





By connecting with the team, they will help in the trading journey of their investors.



Some key features that this application has to offer to unlock one's true trading potential are:



*Expert Guidance

Everything is in the hands of traders. They just need to ask and will receive instant email and SMS updates. This ensures that they never miss out on critical changes in the market.

*Uncompromising Security

Nevertheless, security is the pivotal point of every trading platform, and this application has an intelligent way of monitoring and controlling that with Bitcoin Profits robust 256-bit AES encryption protocols.



*Professional Signals and smarter choices

Bitcoin traders can trade with 93% accuracy and get bitcoin profits thanks to its team of dedicated crypto traders and the fund management options within the Bitcoin Profit. They will help traders grow in a steady, long-term investment plan.



*Exclusive trading tools and Real-Time Results

Bitcoin traders can automate their Bitcoin Profit and trade with professional-grade tools, allowing them to make money without doing anything. They can just stay in the loop and never miss out on any chance to profit, thanks to instant notifications on critical moves in the market.



*100% Up Time and limitless deposits

Since Bitcoin Profit runs on dedicated servers, there's a change in the market that will never make anyone wait to get their profits. Also, deposits and withdrawals take seconds with this platform due to its streamlined and flexible payment options.





Media Contact Details:

Company: Bitcoin Profit

Email: service@bitcoinprofit.app

Website URL: https://www.bitcoinprofit.app/

Disclaimer: All investment strategies and investments involve the risk of loss. Nothing contained in this article should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment's past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit.





Attachment
NEW YORK, Aug. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of RenovaCare, Inc. (OTC: RCAR) between August 14, 2017 and May 28, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period) of the important September 14, 2021 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased RenovaCare securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the RenovaCare class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2123.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 14, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) at the direction of the Companys Chairman, Harmel Rayat, RenovaCare engaged in a promotional campaign to issue misleading statements to artificially inflate the Companys stock price; (2) when the OTC Markets inquired, RenovaCare and Rayat issued a materially false and misleading press release claiming that no director, officer, or controlling shareholder had any involvement in the purported third partys promotional materials; (3) as a result of the foregoing, RenovaCares disclosure controls and procedures were defective; and (4) as a result, defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the RenovaCare class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2123.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
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Governor Northam Announces $485 Million Funding Commitment to Strengthen Virginias Behavioral Health System

Includes investments in mental health services, substance use treatment and prevention, hospital staffing, and critical infrastructure

ARLINGTONGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that the Commonwealth will commit $485 million in federal and state funding to address pressing challenges in Virginias behavioral health system. The plan includes targeted investments to alleviate pressure on state mental health hospitals, strengthen community-based services, and increase support for substance abuse treatment and prevention programs.

The Governor made the announcement at the Arlington County Community Services Board and was joined by Senator Adam Ebbin and Delegates Mark Sickles, Patrick Hope, and Alfonso Lopez for a tour of the Crisis Intervention Center and a roundtable with behavioral health leaders. The announcement is part of Investment Week, during which the Governor and legislative leaders are highlighting proposals for allocating the $4.3 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding available to the Commonwealth in advance of the August 2nd special session.

Every Virginian should have access to the behavioral health care and treatment they need, either in their home communities or in a state-operated facility, said Governor Northam. The pandemic has led to increases in depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and other mental health issues in Virginia and across the country, which has added to the strain on our behavioral health system and the valued people who work within it. This funding package is a down payment that will significantly increase support for our state hospitals, community-based providers, and substance abuse prevention and treatment programs so they can best help those who rely on their services.

The Governors plan solidifies the Commonwealths ongoing commitment to increasing access to community-based services and ensuring the safety of staff and patients in Virginias 12 state hospitals and centers. Additional capital investments will support improvements to state facility infrastructure, including water treatment, ventilation, and sewer systems.

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on both the mental and physical health of Virginians, said Secretary of Health and Human Resources Daniel Carey, MD, MHCM. These investments will mean Virginians will receive the care they need in the communities where they live.

The $485 million investment includes state funding as well as federal dollars from the ARP and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and is broadly focused on three areasstate mental hospitals, community-based services, and opioid and substance abuse treatment.

Virginias mental health hospitals have faced high census levels for a number of years and the pandemic has made the situation more challenging. The funding package has nearly $200 million for staffing at state behavioral health facilities and intellectual disability training centers. This includes $45 million to continue staff bonuses and an additional $154 million in the two-year budget Governor Northam will submit in December for salary adjustments.

State hospitals are in desperate need of help, said Senator Louise Lucas, Chair of the Senate Education and Health Committee. This funding will mean that Virginians can access the quality care they need, when they need it, without placing a burden on our community services.

These measures outline a significant step towards ensuring state hospitals remain operational for the immediate and foreseeable future, said Delegate Mark Sickles, Chair of the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. We have to take action now to address these critical issues.

The funding proposal also includes $150 million to increase access to community-based crisis services and child and family support services, and provide dispatcher training for the Marcus Alert program, a new statewide mental health alert system designed to ensure behavioral health experts are involved in responding to individuals in crisis. An additional $5 million dollars will be dedicated to providing permanent supportive housing in Northern Virginia to assist with bed shortages.

Over the past eight years, we have worked to restructure our mental health system and to better fund services, but we still have much to do to best help Virginians with mental health needs, said Senator George Barker, member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Behavioral Health Commission. The federal dollars will help meet needs now, and we will continue to build the best mental health system in the 2022 legislative session.

Todays announcement is a down payment toward our long-term commitment of improving Virginias behavioral health system, said Delegate Patrick Hope, Vice Chair of the Behavioral Health Commission. It is only through a sustainable investment in community-based care will we truly recognize the lasting benefit and I am committed to a fully-funded community safety net to meet all our behavioral health needs.

Expanding community capacity ensures patients are cared for in an appropriate setting, said Delegate Rodney Willett, Chair of the Behavioral Health Subcommittee. I am grateful for the partnership between the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services, the Administration, the General Assembly and the private sector to ensure equitable behavioral health services across the state.

The plan also allocates $103 million for opioid and substance abuse treatment services. In 2020, Virginia saw nearly 2,300 overdose deaths, a 41 percent increase from the previous year, and the 2021 number is projected to be even higher. This funding will support community-based prevention, peer counseling, and harm reduction services.

# # #
BorgWarner will supply dual inverters for two premier Chinese OEMs. The dual inverters will be featured on both hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versions of the Great Wall Motor (GWM) LEMON platform, and the other major Chinese OEM will utilize the technology on its own HEV and PHEV passenger car models.





Production for the GWM dual inverter is currently underway, with and without a DC/DC converter option, which was launched on several 2021 GWM models. The project with the other major Chinese OEM is planned for 2023 models.

BorgWarners dual inverter range combines different power electronic technologies into one compact package. A single unit can control and drive two electric motors while delivering cost and weight reductions, as well as enabling flexible packaging and easier installations. Additionally, BorgWarners dual inverter provides propulsion, energy generation and re-capturing of energy in hybrid powertrains.

iDM220 integrated drive module. BorgWarner also recently announced it will be supplying its iDM220 integrated drive module to a leading Chinese luxury New Energy Vehicle (NEV) brand. After the recent award of an iDM for a Korean customer, this is now the first business in China. The start of production for this business will be in Q1 2023.





Designed, developed and manufactured by BorgWarner, the iDM220 is a high-performance electric drive system. Operating at 400V, it also addresses upcoming market needs and allows for performance upgrades. The solution combines high-efficiency motor-controller technology with BorgWarners award-winning hairpin stator winding technology and advanced transmission system in a scalable, compact package that empowers global automakers to produce cleaner and more efficient vehicles.

Mounted on the rear drive, the iDM220 will provide up to 250 kW of power and 5000 Nm of torque. The advanced electric drive product offers a high degree of integration, high efficiency and smooth and quiet operation, while also delivering exceptional performance through its hairpin-wound stator motor technology.

The iDM incorporates an electric motor with a compact stator with an outer diameter of 220 mm, and integrates a gearbox and 400V silicon-based inverter, significantly reducing the weight and size of the entire system.

All of the components used in the iDM are part of BorgWarners technology portfolio and available either as a fully integrated module or as stand-alone solutions for new energy vehicles.
Researchers at Changan University in China investigated the effect of blends of Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) diesel fuel from indirect coal-to-liquid (CTL) and petroleum diesel fuel on combustion and emission characteristics under various injection timing (IT) and engine loads. A report on their work is published in the journal Fuel.

The common-rail diesel engine was fueled with pure petrochemical diesel (D100), F-T diesel blended in petrochemical diesel by volume of 30% (D70F30) and 60% (D40F60).

Among their findings:

D70F30 and D40F60 have obviously lower heat release rate in premixed combustion.

D70F30 and D40F60 present a shorter ignition delay than D100.

The two blends have a slightly smaller cycle variation than D100 in most conditions.

Blending F-T diesel can clearly reduce combustion noise at low and partial loads.

Blending F-T diesel with petrochemical diesel can alleviate the NO x -soot trade-off. Although NO x emissions of two blends are only slight reduced, soot emissions are significantly reduced.

Resources
Japans New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has appointed Sumitomo, Chiyoda, Toyota Motor, Japan Research Institute and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking to conduct a feasibility study on the receiving and distribution business of hydrogen in Chubu Region.

NEDO selected these joint contractors in the public offeriing for Development of Technologies for Realizing a Hydrogen Society/Regional Hydrogen Utilization Technology Development/Hydrogen Production and Utilization Potential Research and the study is scheduled to be conducted during FY2021 and FY2022.





In order to promote the utilization of hydrogen in Japan, it is essential not only to produce hydrogen domestically, but also to import large volumes of hydrogen from cost-competitive areas. To materialize large volume of imports, it is important to build supply chains from import terminals to demand locations, and to put priority on identifying challenges and find its solutions.

Building on the previous study of potential hydrogen demand in Chubu region by the Hydrogen Utilization Study Group conducted in February 2021, this study will focus on developing a large-scale hydrogen supply chain. The study will also address the economic viability of the large-scale receving and distribution business and sort out financial, technical and regulatory challenges for commercialization assuming that hydrogen is imported in the Chubu region.

Iwatani Corporation, Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., Toho Gas Co., Ltd., Air Liquide Japan G.K., and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (collectively Cooperation Companies), as a member of Chubu Hydrogen Utilization, and the five new joint contractors have formed the consortium to complete this study. Other member companies in the study group include Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., ENEOS Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., JFE Engineering Corporation, and Nippon Steel Corporation).

Further progress toward the FEED (Front End Engineering Design) stage will be considered with the completion of this study.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Knoxville News Sentinel.
Greensburg, IN (47240)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
In the six days between July 28 and last Tuesday, a COVID resurgence led to calls for the governor to slap on new restrictions. Events were canceled. Connecticut recorded 2,352 new cases, up from just 299 in a six-day period a month earlier.

And the number of those new positive tests among people fully vaccinated? A grand total of 38 according to data the state released Thursday.

That means if you were one of the 2.2 million vaccinated Connecticut residents, your chance of testing positive in that stretch was one in 57,000. No inoculation card? You were 90 times more likely than your vaccinated friends to come down with a documented case of COVID-19.

As we return to wearing masks in supermarkets, as we fret over long-anticipated gatherings now suddenly postponed, its hard not to feel the anger rising up your forehead. Were back into an abnormal existence not to protect the vaccinated among us, but to ensure the health of that 20 percent of eligible people who wont protect themselves.

Oh, sure, children under 12 cant have the salve, and a few people with medical conditions cant, either. Were protecting them too by wearing a mask  which really isnt much of a burden. But the numbers of those cases dont justify dramatic action.

Besides, science tells us that if just half of Connecticuts 575,000 unvaccinated residents and their fellow holdouts around the nation would roll up their sleeves, we wouldnt have to worry about children, the old and the sick.

Love, respect and anger

And so the reality sets in: An overwhelming majority of citizens doing the right thing must sacrifice for the benefit of a largely uneducated crowd of folks who choose to snub civilized society.

Thats OK with state Sen. Saud Anwar, the South Windsor Democrat who must heal these holdouts in his day job as a lung doctor.

Thats where the community comes in, Anwar told me on July 28, the first day of that six-day stretch. The way I live with this situation is that education is a process. So I know that many of the people Ive interacted with, Ive been able to educate them and work with them to get them to be vaccinated.

I was heartened to hear hes had some success. Ive heard that from other docs, including Dr. Tichianaa Armah, head of mental health at Community Health Center Inc., herself a former skeptic who became a vaccinator to persuade fellow African Americans its okay.

Anwar continued, There is a mistrust but there is also a lack of enough knowledge and there is misinformation thats out there. So when you overcome some of those with the people who are willing and looking at the ground realities, theyre changing.

I was no banner-waving cheerleader for the vaccine myself, especially as it came at us after just six months of testing and all that. But I took it when my turn came, three months into the shots. And by now weve seen hundreds of millions of people consume the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, with scant few problems and better than advertised protection.

The scandal is that decades passed without the FDA approving other vaccines and therapies using the technology that teaches cells how to defend themselves.

Back to the holdouts. Yes, were letting a few crank cases set the rules. Does a little part of me want the free market of Darwinism to work its magic, let nature take its course as these people blather about personal freedom? The thought is there, I cant deny it.

Somebody asked me the question, Anwar recalled, How are you going to treat a person who is critically ill, who actually is unvaccinated? I said, Just like my family. Just like my family. The reason is that they have made a choice to make a decision, and if God forbid they get sick, I will treat them with the choice that I have, to give them everything and anything that I have to protect them.

Great. The argument for civilized behavior wins.

If everybody starts to think that we are just responsible to ourselves and anybody else thats doing wrong, its not our problem, we dont build a society like that, Anwar continued. And for the sake of our society we just need to show love, respect, understanding and help them get to the point. There are some people well never be able to change, and its okay for them to not change, its their right.

Love? Respect? And we have to respect their individual rights? Okay, but we can ans should still turn up the pressure  no movies or concerts for you, no table at a Danny Meyer restaurant, definitely no seat on your favorite airline. And under Gov. Ned Lamonts new order, no more nursing home job.

How bad is it?

We still dont know how much of the blame for this delta variant spike lands at the feet of the unvaccinated-by-choice set. Of course we know from the Provincetown outbreak that vaccinated folks spread coronavirus. And of course there are many more breakthrough infections than we see in the test results.

But clearly, the worst states are the ones with low vaccination rates, like Florida and Missouri.

Patterns arent easy to see at this stage. For example, the number of people in hospitals in Connecticut, 174 as of Friday, stands at 14 percent of the wintertime peak  not far from the level Great Britain reached before it started to decline.

We even had a couple of days of declines this week, raising hopes that the spike was over.

Well be on a much lower track, said Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer and a thane of the coronavirus apparatus, but I think we have a little bit further upwards to go before we start to plateau.

Sure enough, hospitals added a net 19 more patients Friday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants us to focus on the number of cases, and by that measure were a hot spot  but Connecticut conducts more than five times as many tests as the average state.

There are so many different variables and its impossible to know how they compare with each other, Geballe said.

This much we know: Free cultures that encourage dissent dont do well in a public health crisis. If youre confused about how to treat the holdouts in your life, join the club.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com
DENVER (AP)  When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer, he said he hoped he would never have to do it again.

Republican legislatures are granting him that wish.

At least eight GOP-controlled states have passed bans on donations to election offices this year as Republicans try to block outside funding of voting operations. The legislation often comes as part of Republican packages that also put new limits on how voters can cast ballots and impose new requirements on county or city-based election officials.

The response is spurred by anger and suspicion on the right that Zuckerberg's money benefited Democrats in 2020. Conservatives have long accused the tech mogul's social media platform of censoring right-wing voices as part of its campaign against misinformation.

Zuckerberg's money was largely distributed through a nonpartisan foundation that had liberal roots. Conservative groups cite analyses that the money went disproportionately to Democratic-leaning counties in key states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.

People saw that, and looked around, and they were increasingly concerned about why would you have a billionaire funding our elections through the backdoor, said Jessica Anderson, executive director of the conservative group Heritage Action, which has pushed the bans in several states.

But many election officials say that effort is short-sighted and fueled by paranoia. Election offices, they argue, are chronically underfunded and now cannot benefit from donations that still flow to so many other branches of government, including police, schools and libraries.

Furthermore, they say there is no sign of favoritism in the distribution of the grants from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Elections are more expensive in populous urban areas, and especially more so last year, when states scrambled to shift to mail voting to deal with the pandemic. Metro areas had to buy expensive equipment to open and sort mail ballots, a task that smaller, more GOP-leaning counties could do by hand or with less gear.

Also, Republican-leaning areas were already discouraged from accepting election grants due to conservative suspicion of Zuckerberg. The Republican attorney general of Louisiana last year ordered his state's election offices to turn down grants from the nonprofit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which distributed $350 million of the Zuckerberg money.

Every election department that applied, received funding," said CTCL's executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, adding that the distribution of the money "reflects those who chose to apply.

A spokesman for Zuckerberg declined to address the wave of new legislation.

When our nations election infrastructure faced unprecedented challenges last year due to the pandemic, Mark and Priscilla stepped up to close a funding gap and granted $350 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) organization, said Ben LaBolt. Mark made clear this was a unique effort to address the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and his preference for elections to be publicly funded."

The center distributed grants to 2,500 election offices nationwide, from Alaska to Florida. The money was spent in a wide variety of ways  protective gear for poll workers, public education campaigns promoting new methods to vote during the pandemic, and new trucks to haul voting equipment.

In northern Arizona, sprawling Coconino County used its $614,000 grant to hire more election workers, particularly Navajo speakers who could do outreach on a reservation, and set up drive-up sites for voters to drop off ballots, said county recorder Patty Hansen.

She said it was the first time she had enough money to expand outreach to the entire county, which is among the biggest in land size in the country at 18,600 square miles but is sparsely populated.

Because of the legislation passed and signed by the governor, we will never be able to get a grant like that ever again, she said. Theyre cutting off a funding source to be able to provide these additional requirements theyre putting on us.

Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers.

Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices  $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL.

The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the group's roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan.

Other Republican election officials have also vouched for the impartiality of the program. I dont see why governments should be barred from trying to work with the private sector in securing grant funds, said Brian Mead, a Republican election director in Licking County, Ohio, outside Columbus, which received $77,000 from CTCL. If we can work with the private sector and secure funds where we save our taxpayers money, I think thats a good thing, Mead said.

That did not mollify conservatives, especially after the initial grants went to major, Democratic-voting cities. In Pennsylvania, one of the central battlegrounds of the presidential election, Philadelphia, with an annual election budget of $12.3 million, received $10 million from CTCL. The conservative Foundation for Government Accountability found that in Pennsylvania, Democratic-voting counties received an average of $4.99 per voter, while Republican-voting ones got $1.12 per voter.

In Florida, the differential was also dramatic, with one-third of the $18 million in total money going to Democratic-leaning Palm Beach County, and an additional $2.4 million for Miami-Dade County, which backed Democrat Joe Biden, albeit more narrowly than expected. Republican Donald Trump won the state.

If Charles Koch was doing this, well, for many of these people the shoe would be on the other foot, said Hayden Dublois, a researcher at the Foundation for Government Accountability, referring to the conservative billionaire.

In some states, including Georgia and Texas, the new laws require all donations to local election offices to be distributed by the secretary of state. In states such as Arizona, Kansas and Iowa, they are banned altogether.

Anderson, the Republican CTCL board member, said that will do real damage.

If you want to block this funding, then I want to ask if the legislators are funding elections? Anderson said. Because so many states don't.

___

Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
GREENWICH  Howard Lee has developed a sort of personal code of conduct when it comes to wearing a mask.

Astride a bicycle on a busy strip of Greenwich Avenue on Thursday afternoon, Lee chose to keep his mask on, even when he was outside. Inside, too, at Smoothia, the juice bar he manages, he has opted to don a mask for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. At 26, he feels he is at low risk, but his father is older and Lee feels a responsibility to keep him safe.

Inside the store, the recommendation stands that patrons who have received the COVID-19 vaccination are free to go without a mask. Those who are without the vaccine are asked to wear a face covering. But, Lee acknowledges, enforcement is nearly impossible and, in general, many feel confused about what to do at this stage of the pandemic, as cases are again on the rise thanks to the proliferation of the delta variant.

I dont try to pressure people, Lee said.

He said he believes more people are wearing masks again in the past several weeks, as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have steadily risen and as cities and states around the country have started to reinforce mask mandates.

On Thursday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that municipalities can decide their own mask mandates. Also that day, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo announced that, beginning Aug. 9, masks will be required in all town buildings. Businesses, like individual towns, according to Camillo, will have the ability to decide the rules for themselves.

Francine Salerno, who moved to Greenwich in April was on the Avenue with her granddaughter, Sabella, who was visiting from Utah. Salerno hopes that businesses, as well as people, will increasingly make the choice to mask-up.

I dont think enough people are wearing them, to be honest, Francine Salerno said. Im concerned.

Her granddaughter, on the other hand, remarked on how many more masks she has seen since arriving for her visit in Connecticut.

Its definitely more relaxed in Utah, Sabella Salerno said.

Up the block, Margaret Guarin, a resident of Raleigh, N.C., who was in town for a wedding, echoed the older Salernos worries.

I hope people are doing what theyre supposed to be doing, Guarin said, mask in hand as she walked to her SUV. Theyre idiots if they dont.

Still, on the streets of downtown Greenwich during a bustling lunch hour, masks on faces were scarcely seen. Inside, it was a more mixed scene.

At the Putnam Restaurant, manager John Montoya wore a surgical mask as he greeted customers, two of whom in a 10-minute stretch were masked. Another two were not.

Montoya, who has worked at the restaurant for 25 years, said he has noticed two contrasting trends of late: More people  many of whom are coming from out-of-state  are patronizing the restaurant and fewer are wearing face coverings.

Right now a lot of people arent wearing a mask anymore, Montoya said.

Staff members at Putnam Restaurant are not required to wear masks, Montoya said, and at least some of his coworkers opted to go without. But standing at the entrance to the restaurant, Montoya said he preferred to keep his on at work.

I dont want to get the virus, he said, before stepping behind a plastic shield to ring out a bare-faced customer.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586
As in-person classes in public schools prepare for Thursday, and some private schools already back in session, thousands of young learners will be transitioning from online to in-person education.

It was announced last week by the Guam Department of Education that about 92% of students are expected in classrooms this coming school year.

Board of Education Chairman Mark Mendiola said the education departments main priority is student safety, and the Department of Public Health and Social Services endorsed layered mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of acquiring COVID-19 in schools.

Though GDOE has assured that its prepared, some returning students voiced their opinion about the thought of returning to in campus learning.

Thian Patague, an incoming junior at Okkodo High School, said he is used to seeing his friends and classmates only on a computer or phone screen. This has been the norm since his freshmen year. However, he recognizes that he and his peers have to have that proper high school experience.

I think that having social interaction during school helps with how we learn in a good environment full of friends, Patague said.

Patague says returning to campus also motivates him to finish his work instead of being distracted at home in front of a screen. But he understands the benefits of keeping the option of virtual learning.

Having alternative learning options give choices to the students depending on their situation whether they have encountered or caught COVID-19, or whether their parents dont feel safe sending their kids to school during this time, Patague said.

Collaboration

Al Labang, an incoming senior at the University of Guam, misses his interactions with his classmates and professors. However, with the threat of the delta variant becomes dominant, he suggests an amalgam of practices from both virtual and in person learning.

All classes should still use their online learning system because COVID-19 and its variants, Labang said. I feel that the pace of school reopening is just right because we are starting to reach our herd immunity, but assignment submissions should be made online.

Everyones best interests

Amayah Tudela, an incoming sophomore at John F. Kennedy High School, found online classes easy to understand. However, she found herself missing the face-to-face interactions with her teachers and peers.

The pandemic has made us take online classes, and it had taken a significant toll on my social skills and interacting with people when I was so used to staying in all the time, the 14-year-old said. She said schools need to consider factors like the size of the student population, campus capacity and schedules.

Tudela still harbors concerns that some people will not follow rules.

This could result in another lockdown, making another school years mode of learning online, Tudela said. This could affect some peoples grades as it could be harder for some people to learn online.

Nevertheless, Tudela thinks that schools are not reopening too early.

I just trust that the Department of Education has everyones best interest at heart and has implemented a plan that would be practical during the pandemic, she said.
A two car accident with one of the vehicles being overturned sent a man to the hospital Saturday night, according to Guam Fire Department spokesperson Cherika Chargualaf.

GFD received a 911 call reporting a two car accident on Route 4 and Shell in Ordot at 9:46 p.m. Units arrived on scene at 9:52 p.m., Chargualaf said.

The man in the overturned vehicle was transported by a medic with Advanced Life Support to Naval Hospital at 10:22 p.m. During transport the man was unconscious, unresponsive but breathing on his own, according the Chargualaf.

She added there was no additional update on the mans status following the transport.

The man driving the other vehicle had no injuries after the accident, Chargualaf said.

Family mourns Juan Aguon, hopes killer is found The family of Juan Aguon is mourning his sudden and tragic death and hopes his killer is found.
Academy of Our Lady of Guam students continue wearing their face masks as they proceed through the halls on their way to morning Mass after returning to the Hagatna school for the first day of face-to-face learning Aug. 6.
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Former Gwinnett Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash named Gwinnett Chamber's 'Citizen of the Year' at Annual Dinner

Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash stands in the lobby of the Charlotte J. Nash Court Building on Friday. Nash was presented the Gwinnett Chambers Citizen of the Year Award at its Annual Dinner on Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash stands in Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, where she worked for much of her career in county government, on Friday. Nash was named the Gwinnett Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award at the organization's Annual Dinner on Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash receives the Gwinnett Chambers Citizen of the Year Award during the chambers Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash addresses the audience at the Gwinnett Chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night after receiving the Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award. Photo: Kathryn Skeean Gov. Brian Kemp attended the Gwinnett Chambers 73rd Annual Dinner Friday night at the Gas South Conference Center in unincorporated Duluth. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash addresses the audience at the Gwinnett Chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night after receiving the Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash receives the Gwinnett Chambers Citizen of the Year Award during the chambers Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash receives the Gwinnett Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award during the chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash receives the Gwinnett Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award during the chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash talks about being named the Gwinnett Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" during an interview at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center on Thursday. The award was presented to Nash during the chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Former Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash greets sheriff's deputies working in the Charlotte J. Nash Court Building on Friday. Nash received the Gwinnett Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" Award during the chamber's Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center Friday night.

For Charlotte Nash, several of the former recipients of the Gwinnett Chambers Citizen of the Year Award are not just bunch of names on a list.

They are people she considers friends and mentors.

There is F. Wayne Hill, the 2003 recipient of the award, who was the county commission chairman while Nash was the county administrator. Theres Wayne Shackelford, who was the county extension agent when she was a 4-H student and was later county administrator when she was hired to work in Gwinnett government, in the grants department in 1977.

There is also Lillian Webb, who was the first woman elected to lead the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. Former Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson, a friend of Nashs, has also received the award.

Theres so many great Gwinnett leaders on the (Citizen of the Year) list, Nash said.

Nash, who retired from elected office when her last term as chairwoman ended in December, joined the long list of Citizen of the Year recipients on Friday night as the Gwinnett Chamber held its 73 Annual Dinner at the Gas South Conference Center in unincorporated Duluth.

There have been more than 40 people named Citizen of the Year by the chamber, including a few commission chairs that Nash worked under in county government.

As I mention Shack (Wayne Shackelford) was a mentor and there are certainly others on the (Citizen of the Year) list who have mentored me and supported me at various times during my career, Nash said. So its particularly special to me because Gwinnetts been my home all my life and ... Ive known so many of the recipients personally over the years.

Nash said Gwinnett Chamber President Nick Masino called her to tell her she would be receiving the award.

I was excited, she said. It would be foolish for me to pretend otherwise ... this is a big deal.

Gwinnett Chamber Board of Directors Chairman Doug Jenkins said he had been looking forward to handing the Citizen of the Year Award to Nash because she has been a teacher and a mentor to many of the people in the audience at the dinner, including himself.

Beside being the driving force behind the Gwinnett standard of doing things  and most of you have heard of that, its all about excellence and team work  Charlotte has inspired numerous Gwinnettians, Jenkins said.

Nash had two careers with Gwinnett County government. There was a nearly 30 year career as a staff member that lasted from 1977 until 2005, and then there is her time as commission chairwoman from 2011 until last December.

The former commission chairwoman said she was proud to have a chance to come back as an elected officials and finish projects that she had previously worked on as a staff member.

Interestingly, there are things we had teed up during the time that I was a staff person, then I retired, went away and came back and got to be a part of seeing them come to fruition, Nash said.

I mean many of the things that happened in parks and rec, for example, during the time that I was in office, those were actually teed up in earlier years. Thats just the way it is with those big long-term kinds of planning and projects. It doesnt typically get done in one year of service, or one term of service.

Nash also had her fair share of challenges to deal with during her time as commission chairwoman. She came into office during the Great Recession and in the middle of a service delivery strategy battle between the county and its cities.

She also came into office on the heels of scandals that brought down multiple commissioners, including her predecessor.

And, much of her final year in office was spent grappling with a global pandemic.

During the dinner, several of the actions Gwinnett government took under Nashs leadership were highlighted, including adding more than 145 new police officer positions and opening new fire stations. She was also cited for her work as a member of the Atlanta Transit Link Authority board, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and Gwinnett Recreation Authority and was a former president of the Association of County Commissions of Georgia.

I do feel a real sense of satisfaction about whats been accomplished whether it is something that I was directly involved with or whether it was something the organization as a whole managed to accomplish, Nash said. And, Im proud of things that happened in the community again whether its something Ive been involved in directly or its something thats just part of the fabric of Gwinnett.

The former commission chairwoman was modest about the award, however. She said the people she worked with during her career, including fellow staff members when she was a member of the county staff and her fellow commissioners when she was chairwoman, also contributed to and deserves some of the credit for any successes attributed to her.

One individual is not able to generate the kinds of projects and accomplishments that have happened during the time I was chair, Nash said. Its not the commission chair thats responsible for getting those things done.

Its Glenn (Stephens) as county administrator heading up a great staff team. Its the other commissioners working together, finding common ground on priorities and putting in the work that it takes to get things done to fund projects, to find mechanisms for funding, but also listen to the community and do things that the community thinks are important as well.

Other award recipients recognized during the Gwinnett Chambers Annual Dinner included:

R. Wayne Shackelford Legacy Award: Dennis Billew and J. Terry Gordon

 Membership Development Manager of the Year: Ansley Jones

 D. Scott Hudgens Humanitarian Award: Community Sustainability Enterprise

 James J. Maran International Award: OFS

 Public Service Awards: Dr. Audrey Arona, Randy Dellinger, Marlene Fosque and Nancy Ward

Related

+70 +70 PHOTOS: Scenes from the Gwinnett Chamber's 73rd Annual Dinner The Gwinnett Chamber held its 73rd Annual Dinner at the Gas South Convention Center on Friday night.




iciHaiti - NOTICE : Training of midwives and technologists in the private sector not recognized by the State





Marie Greta Roy Clement, the Minister of Public Health informs the population in general, health institutions, socio-professional associations and users in particular, that the training of midwives and medical technologists in Haiti is relevant, until date, of the prerogative of the State.



No recognition has been given to private institutions for training professionals in these fields.



The Ministry of Public Health and Population urges students and parents to be cautious in choosing health science training courses, especially those which are still offered today only by training structures controlled by the State.



A list of recognized institutions capable of providing teaching in Health Sciences by category is available on the official website of the Ministry.



Download the list of recognized educational institutions in Health Sciences: https://www.mspp.gouv.ht/site/downloads/INSTITUTIONS%20%20RECONNUES%20EN%20SCIENCES%20INFIRMIERES%20Juin%20%202019.pdf



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Assassination of President Moise one month later

Former Deputy Gary Bodeau :

A month after the assassination of its President, Haiti still cannot elucidate the circumstances of this national tragedy. I call on justice to appoint a panel of 5 Haitian judges supported by UN experts to begin the investigation".



Former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe :

"One month already since the tragic assassination of President Jovenel Moise : Where are we ? We must fight to the end for justice ! This fight will not be easy but unavoidable !"



BRH NOTICE : Moratorium on Loans

Jean Baden Dubois, the Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) advises banks, development finance companies and leasing companies, that they are authorized to grant to their debtors who wish to benefit from it, a moratorium running from August 1st, 2021 to January 31, 2022 on all healthy loans as of June 30, 2021. During this period, only the payment of interest on receivables will be required from clients benefiting from the moratorium. Credit card debtors are not affected by this measure.



The PM meets political, popular and trade union organizations

On Friday, as part of the search for a political agreement that should lead to peaceful governance in the country and continue discussions to find a solution to the current crisis, Prime Minister ai met with representatives of various political, popular and unions. The discussions focused, in particular, on the social, political, economic and security situation of the Nation, as well as on the living conditions of the most vulnerable populations.



Inclusion of people with disabilities

Friday morning, Desir Soinette, Secretary of State for the Integration of People with Disabilities met Pascal Montoisy Representative of the Association for the Promotion of Education and Training Abroad to discuss the strengthening and development of cooperation between the 2 institutions. This is to continue working for the autonomy and inclusion of people with disabilities.



5th General Census

The Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI) had a workshop around the realization of the 5th General Census of Population and Housing with representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).



Hiroshima 76th Anniversary

On Friday August 6, 2021, the Ambassador of Haiti to Japan, Helph Monod Honorat, participated in the Peace Ceremony organized in Hiroshima, on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombing of this city. Hiroshima was the first city to suffer the first nuclear attack in history (August 6, 1945). Each year, the mayor of the city of Hiroshima reiterates the wish that such a bombardment will never happen again in the world.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Editor: As the Board of Education deals with the complexities of dividing up the f
Editor: We need to be focused on the deepest meaning of the reason for creation. O
City invites residents to serve on advisory boards

The city of Hendersonville has openings on various advisory boards and committees and is looking for community-minded citizens to get involved with their local government.

Boards, committees, and commissions are designed to give citizens a voice in their government, said Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk. The input our boards provide to City Council helps us make informed decisions and shapes the quality of life for our residents.



The application deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, to allow City Council to consider vacancies at its December meeting. The City often has advisory boards which consist of both City and County residents. Some of these boards require that persons reside in the county but within the Citys extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and some appointments are made through the County or other entity. Additional information regarding residency and appointment requirements are available on the Citys website.



Below are current and upcoming vacancies for the December 2021 appointment cycle:

Animal Services Advisory Committee  1 City appointed vacancy for At-Large member (must be a veterinarian)

Board of Adjustment  1 City appointed vacancy (must reside in City Limits)

Board of Adjustment  1 County-appointed vacancy (must reside in Citys ETJ - apply with Henderson County)

Downtown Advisory Board Seventh Avenue Service District (MSD) Stakeholder  1 City appointed vacancy (An MSD Stakeholder is defined as persons owning property within the Seventh Avenue municipal service district of the City of Hendersonville, or a business owner whose business is located within the Seventh Avenue municipal service district in the City of Hendersonville.)

Downtown Advisory Board  2 City appointed vacancies (Members-At-Large)

Historic Preservation Commission  4 City appointed vacancies (must reside in City Limits)

Housing Authority Board  Mayor Appointment - 2 vacancies (Members-At-Large)

Planning Board  4 City appointed vacancies (must reside in City Limits)

Planning Board  2 County appointed vacancies (must reside in Citys ETJ- apply with Henderson County)

Tree Board  2 City appointed vacancies (must reside in City or Citys ETJ)

NEW: Stormwater Advisory Committee  multiple vacancies (City Council is soliciting applicants to gauge interest in the formation of a Stormwater Advisory Committee. All interested parties are encouraged to apply.)

Serving as a member of a board presents opportunities for citizens to become more involved with issues that affect the community and make a difference in their City. Additional information and an application to apply are available at https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/boards-and-commissions. For more information contact Angela Reece, City Clerk, at (828) 697-3005.
A FORMER care home in Whitchurch has been put up for sale following a long-running planning battle.

Eastfield House, which has remained derelict since it closed in 2016, is being marketed by Christie & Co, of London.

The agent, which is inviting offers to buy the freehold, says Whitchurch is a highly affluent and picturesque location.

Majesticare, which owns the building, obtained permission to demolish modern extensions and then expand the original Victorian building in 2013.

South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, has confirmed that this remains valid because the company started the initial groundworks, although it didnt finish the project. This means any buyer would have the right to expand the property from 27 bedrooms to 45, all with modern features including en-suite bathrooms and level internal floors.

In 2018, when Majesticare was seeking consent for a more extensive refurbishment with 48 beds and additional facilities, its consultants said the previous plan was effectively not worth pursuing as it would be more viable to demolish and rebuild the home.

They said: We do not feel there is any significant merit in retaining the existing facade, although it could be reflected in a new-build structure.

Trying to build a new structure around the existing one will only incorporate unnecessary compromises for little benefit.

In our opinion, the structure in its current position simply being refurbished is not economically viable and will create compromises... this presents an uneconomic and compromised solution.

At the time, Christie & Co expressed a similar view, saying the 45-bed scheme falls short of current market standards and is constrained by an inefficient layout. It said Whitchurch had a strong affluence profile with a good opportunity to capture private fee-paying residents.

Majesticare, which first sought permission to extend the building in 2011, then made several attempts to obtain permission for the larger scheme but these were rejected by both the district council and planning inspectors on appeal.

The proposals were opposed by Whitchurch Parish Council as well as neighbours who criticised the company for letting the home fall into disrepair and become a target for vandals.

Jim Donahue, who chairs the parish council, said: Were very keen to protect the building as its an important part of our conservation area so were pleased that Majesticare arent making another attempt to tear it down.

The various planning applications have caused a lot of trouble so hopefully any buyer will seek to comply with planning regulations. They could run it as a care home but there are so many other options for this beautiful building.

It is a shame that it has been closed for almost five years and although the council has held no discussions, Id personally like to see it developed in a more sustainable way.
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Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo came out in support of Houston ISD's proposed mask requirements, calling it necessary civil disobedience.

Houston ISD Superintendent Millard House II said he plans to bring a mask mandate for approval to the districts board meeting on Thursday, even though Gov. Greg Abbott put forth an executive order banning such mandates.

The Harris County judge said going against the governor is the right move, considering that the rapid spread of the delta variant has forced the county back into the highest alert level and is causing overcrowding in area hospitals.

BACK TO SCHOOL: As school starts, Houston-area parents panic over raging delta variant and limited mask guidance

I fully support the action Houston ISD Superintendent House is taking to require masks in schools, Hidalgo tweeted. I hope that more will do the same, despite the state of Texas edict against masks in schools. Its a moment of necessary civil disobedience. Children's lives are literally at risk.

The mandate would require all students and employees to wear masks in facilities and buses, House said during a board meeting last week. If approved, the mandate would be among the first of its kind issued by a public school district in the Houston area.

Some board members have already signaled their support.

"I will vote for any and all measures to keep our kids and communities safe. Their safety is MY top priority," trustee Elizabeth Santos tweeted earlier this week.

WHERE TO GET TESTED: COVID testing sites around Houston that don't require a doctor's note

Many parents have expressed concerns about bringing their children back to school in the midst of a fourth wave, and some have even signed petitions demanding virtual learning options.

School resumes in Houston ISD on Aug. 23.
Houston Police Department

Houston Police, family and friends are calling on the community to help locate a 20-year-old southwest Houston woman who went missing almost two weeks ago to

Shawtyeria Waites, was last seen July 27, according to Houston Police. She is 59 and weighs about 130 pounds, according to Houston Police. She was last seen wearing a pink dress with pink sandals.
To hear Gov. Greg Abbott tell it, if Texas has a problem with COVID at all, its because migrants are running loose, spreading the virus among unsuspecting Texans who are otherwise dutifully heeding the governors familiar refrain of personal responsibility.

For a governor looking to shift blame away from himself and his vaccine-hesitant supporters in this latest COVID-19 wave, a tenuous situation in the Rio Grande Valley has provided plenty of fodder.

The ongoing swell of asylum-seekers and other border-crossers, lured to our southern border in part by the perception of more a humane president, has indeed been aggravated by the pandemic. In McAllen last week, officials reported more than 1,500 migrants testing positive for COVID-19 the previous seven days.

The migrants, legally here while the U.S. considers their asylum claims, arent just released into the general public, as some have claimed. Theyre asked to quarantine, many at local hotels, before they can be transported to their next destination. But local officials say the Biden administration has failed to provide enough facilities for quarantine so theyve had to improvise by setting up emergency tents, including one at a Hidalgo County park. The mounting numbers of migrants in quarantine has, understandably, drawn concerns from residents. Local officials say theyve had to issue disaster declarations to get help from the state and federal governments to care for the group of mostly families. .

The escalating scene has proven an irresistible campaign backdrop for Abbott and a couple of other Republicans hoping to challenge President Joe Biden if he runs again in 2024. For Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, scapegoating faceless groups of new immigrants has become almost rote, an unquestioned custom of pinning many of the nations vexing ills on a constituency who cant retaliate at the ballot box. Add an infectious disease to the mix and its pure partisan gold.

Its pretty good TV, too. If youve watched Fox News lately, or merely talked with someone who has, you know that McAllens misfortune has been Christmas in July  and now August, too  for the conservative network. Host Sean Hannity flat out said that Americans who get sick or die of COVID can blame Biden for letting in immigrants who are causing a super-spreader event. Cruz was quick to echo him, as he often does, saying the election of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was a super-spreader event because their open border is endangering not just the people of Texas but people all across the country. DeSantis parroted accordingly at a press conference.

Abbott, meanwhile, did more than talk. Accusing Biden of endangering the lives of Americans and immigrants, the governor issued an order that made the situation even worse by restricting the transport of migrants. The local Catholic Charities shelter, which houses many of the migrants as they come through McAllen, began to overflow, leading to the need for an emergency shelter. The Justice Department sued, and a federal judge has since blocked Abbotts order.

With the rhetoric turned up full-blast  Disaster! Crisis! Surge!  what are we supposed to believe?

Peeling back the layers, a far more nuanced picture emerges once you talk with local officials, both Democrats and Republicans. While the delta variant is present among migrants coming across the border, it mirrors the soaring case totals here in Texas where around half the state still remains unvaccinated. The biggest COVID threat in Texas isnt coming across the border, its already here.

Ivan Melendez, the health authority for Hidalgo County, offered a sober assessment that political leaders would be wise to echo.

Are the migrating folks part of the problem? Absolutely. Are they the problem? No. Are they bringing the disease in? Yes. Are they bringing diseases in that we dont already have? No. Is their positivity rate greater than our positivity rate is? No, Melendez said at a press conference. Is this a pandemic of the migrants? No, it's a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

Yes, McAllen officials say that 7,000 migrants have tested positive for COVID since February, but bear in mind, those folks were promptly quarantined until they tested negative. Even if a few managed to expose someone during that time, that is certainly less cause for alarm or blame than the estimated 116 million vaccine-eligible Americans who have refused to get their shots.

For years, the Respite Center in McAllen run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley has been a way station in a transit route for legal immigrants traveling to their next destinations, usually near friends and family. Before that point, asylum seekers have to pass a credible fear interview that allows them to legally reside in the country under humanitarian release for six months while they wait for their cases to be adjudicated in immigration court.

Catholic Charities receives these migrants from the Border Patrol in downtown McAllen, provides them with necessities and transports them out of town, usually by bus or airplane, to a location approved by federal immigration authorities, typically within 24 hours.

Migrants are not tested for the virus by authorities, and Abbott refused help from the federal government for testing in March, leaving that responsibility to non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, which have gone about it diligently. They say they test migrants as many as three times at the border before they are released for transport. .

Over the past 10 days, though, the positivity rate among migrants in McAllen doubled to nearly 16 percent, a byproduct of the delta variant ravaging the globe. Suddenly, Catholic Charities center was at full capacity. Local governments were overwhelmed, leading to cities such as Laredo suing the Biden administration over the influx.

Abbott pounced. On July 28, the governor ordered state troopers to begin pulling over any non-governmental group transporting migrants, leading to what some immigration advocates called a bottleneck on top of a bottleneck.

That left hundreds of migrants stranded with nowhere to go. The governor drew the ire of the Justice Department and frustrated locals.

(The executive order) had us in a bind, because we try to get (migrants) in and out as fast as possible, said Republican McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos.

In blocking Abbotts order, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone found it caused irreparable injury to the U.S. and immigrants in its custody.

Just as we have called on Abbott to get out of the way of schools and local governments trying to protect Texans with mask requirements, the governor should get out of the way of the federal government trying to enforce immigration laws.

If Abbott were truly concerned about the COVID threat posed by migrants, he wouldve accepted the Biden administrations offer to help test them. And he wouldnt kneecap border communities from ensuring that the pipeline of migrants coming across the border legally remains safe and efficient. Hed be joining the bipartisan and seemingly smart push from U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, for the White House to appoint a border czar tasked with prioritizing the health and safety of communities in the Rio Grande Valley. He would call, rightly, for the Biden administration to set up its own COVID wards at the border to relieve overburdened NGOs and cities.

There is a long, sordid history in our country of painting migrants, or foreigners in general, as a disease-ridden scourge  from the exclusion acts targeting Asians that were justified around stopping the spread of diseases, to President Donald Trump, who used the pandemic to pressure the CDC to close the border entirely to migrants entering from Mexico. Its far easier, and politically convenient, for Abbott and other Republicans to continue this legacy than to take ownership of their own failure to end this pandemic.
Vincent Yu, STF / Associated Press

COVID mandates

Regarding We can't endanger the lives of the many to humor the misconceptions of the few, (Aug. 1): Leonard Pitts argument that public interest supersedes personal choice so we should stop asking nicely and impose coercive measures has implications beyond COVID. Empowering the government in a free society to coerce its citizens in the name of public interest is a slippery slope. A government can define public interest any way it wants. Just ask the people in Hong Kong who have seen their civil liberties erode in recent years. Today, the COVID vaccine mandate. Tomorrow, free speech restrictions. Efforts by government using big tech monopolies to censure misinformation, as those in power define it, are already underway.
On any given day, you can find me at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, smiling and laughing with my team members on the outside. But inside, I feel empty.

Im exhausted. All nurses are exhausted. Since this fourth surge hit Houston, we have felt anger, fear, trauma and despair. We are defeated and burnt out. I have cried every day for a week. What makes this wave especially traumatic is that we were so close to seeing an end to this pandemic  or at the very least, getting COVID-19 under community control. Just last month, around Independence Day, our inpatient numbers were down to the lowest they had been since the pandemic began. The CDC had recently relaxed its recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals, and we were enjoying hugs, public outings and unmasked dinners in restaurants again  among so many of the other simple joys we had lost these past 18 months.

But then, the delta variant began spreading rampantly among the unvaccinated in our community. Now, we are back in a nightmare scenario  working long hours, with little time for family (or anything else), and with ICU beds being stretched throughout Houston and beyond.

Nurses are angry, and rightfully so, because all of this could have been prevented. For 18 months, we have been fighting misinformation  be it about masks, the virus itself, or the vaccines. Now, we must watch as more patients lose their fight against COVID-19, knowing there is a vaccine out there that could have saved their lives. Nurses have been asked by critically ill patients, between labored breaths, to give the COVID-19 vaccinations shortly before the patients are placed on ventilators and, unfortunately, at that point, its too late.

This surge is causing family members who are hospitalized together to have to say their final goodbyes over FaceTime. We have also had some patients improve, and only then learn that their family members had succumbed to this terrible disease.

We are not supposed to die alone, and as an ICU nurse, that is one of the hardest things about this virus. Pre-pandemic, once we had done everything possible to save someones life but determined we couldnt save them, we could at least provide the company, comfort and kinship of family in those final moments. In the current COVID climate, sadly that is not an option.

Earlier this week, Memorial Hermann Health System announced that it would be making the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for its workforce  a decision I support and commend. As health care providers, we have an obligation to set an example for our community.

I will admit that, at first, I myself was hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, mostly because I hadnt had the chance to really inform myself, both about the science and facts or any long-term side effects, so I understood some of the anxiety surrounding the decision. I did my research, spoke to doctors I trusted, and, ultimately, I understood the plain and simple fact that this is our only chance at bringing an end to this pandemic.

Decades ago, our predecessors stood in line to get the smallpox and polio vaccines so that we as a society could live without fear of those terrible diseases. Why are we not willing to do that now, when it is our turn to protect the community and do the right thing for each other and future generations? I want my granddaughter to grow up in a world where she can attend school in person, not wear masks everywhere she goes, and not have to say goodbye to her grandparents over FaceTime.

As nurses, we are here to serve and care for our community, no matter what, but I am now asking our community to help us. Please, roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath, and get the vaccine. You will be saving so many more than just yourself.

Steenburg is the ICU nursing director at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank Group, is underwriting the entire issue of a green bond recently launched by Commercial International Bank (CIB), Egypt's largest private bank. This is the first green bond from the Egyptian private sector to support the country's transition to a greener economy.

The transition to a green economy is underway in Egypt, with the support of the private sector. The Commercial International Bank (CIB) recently launched the first private sector green bond, worth $100 million. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank Group, has confirmed that it will subscribe to the full value of the issue.

For the IFC, this is an important step in a multi-year effort by the Egyptian government and private sector to develop the Egyptian capital market for green finance in the country, and to help fill the infrastructure financing gap.

New loans for green projects

Egypt is making great strides towards achieving its 2030 development agenda, which is in line with global sustainability goals. In 2020, the Egyptian government launched its first sovereign green bond issue, which was five times oversubscribed. At the Ministry of International Cooperation, we want to build on this success by establishing effective partnerships to foster green recovery, says Rania A. Al-Mashat, Egypts Minister of International Cooperation.

CIB will use the funds raised from its loan to increase its lending to companies that want to invest in green initiatives. The bank will support the rapidly developing electric mobility in Egypt, with many initiatives for green public transport. Loans will also be provided to companies for the construction of green buildings, renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, and water and wastewater management.

Support for sustainable housing projects

The IFC, the sole underwriter of the $100 million green bond, promises to support the CIB by helping it develop a pipeline of energy efficiency and green building transactions. Technical assistance will also be provided to green project developers to help them adopt low-cost, environmentally friendly building solutions and participate in the EDGE certification programme. The IFCs certification scheme aims to make buildings more resource efficient.

EDGE makes it possible for emerging markets like Egypt to develop green buildings quickly, easily and affordably. In the North African country, the certification programme will be supported by funding from the UK-IFC Market Accelerator for Green Construction, which offers incentives to developers who build certified green buildings. CIBs first green bond is also supported by the Green Bond Technical Assistance Program, a programme managed and administered by the IFC, aimed at creating a market for green bonds in developing countries, with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Jean Marie Takouleu

Source: https://www.afrik21.africa/en/egypt-ifc-underwrites-1st-private-sector-green-bond/
Larry David, David Letterman and Conan OBrien were all uninvited from Barack Obamas 60th birthday celebrations, according to reports.

The stars were originally included in a 475-strong guest list to attend the former US presidents bash, but Obama scaled back the event in response to rising Covid cases in the country.

His spokesperson Hanna Hankins said the move to cut back on numbers was due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, adding that Obama is appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon.

According to The New York Times, actor David and TV hosts Letterman and OBrien didnt make the cut, and neither did many former members of Obamas White House administration.

The party, which was held this weekend at Obamas $12m family residence in Marthas Vineyard, was expected to be attended by Jay-Z, Beyonce, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.

A rumour that Pearl Jam was playing was dismissed by both a band representative and Obamas own planners. Part of a meat-free menu was being coordinated by the musician Questlove, according to Bloomberg News.

David Axelrod, a former top Obama adviser, said that guests were asked if they were vaccinated and to provide the results of a Covid-19 test close to the event.
A third provincial capital is close to falling to the Taliban as the insurgent group carries out a sweeping offensive through the north of Afghanistan and attempts to encircle the capital, Kabul.

Kunduz City, a strategic and symbolic prize, was largely in control of the insurgents on Sunday with just the airport remaining in government hands. The Taliban flag was raised in the city centre amid chaotic scenes of burning buildings and cars, and people trying to flee.

The offensive by the Islamist group, launched after the withdrawal of US-led forces, saw them take control of Sheberghan in Jawzjan province, the stronghold of the Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, after an assault following a siege on Saturday.

The previous day Zaranj, in the south-western province of Nimroz, was handed over to them by local officials who said they had no other choice but to do so after the government failed to send a relief force.

Kunduz, however, is the most important gain made so far by the Taliban, with routes to Kabul, other major cities and also Tajikistan  the border with which is already controlled by the Islamists.

It was also a stronghold of the Northern Alliance, the traditional adversaries of the Taliban who seized the city in 2016, but could not hold it.

Amruddin Wali, a member of the Kunduz provincial council, reported: There is fighting going on in different parts of the city, the security forces are at the airport, but the Taliban have control of most of the place now.

Mohammed Agha Abdullah, who left the city with his family on Saturday, said: The people left behind are terrified. The Taliban have a special view of Kunduz because of Northern Alliance connections, and expect therell be harsh treatment. I dont think well be able to go back to our homes.

Fighting continues, meanwhile, in three other provincial capitals the Taliban are attempting to capture  Kandahar, Herat and Lashkar Gah, with territory changing hands in all three cities.

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The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan comes as a former British military commander warned that the UK and Western allies were making a strategic mistake in withdrawing from the country, which he said could once again become a base for international terrorists.

Speaking to the BBC, General Sir Richard Barrons said the withdrawal suggested the UK no longer had the stomach to see these things through and described the decision as a very poor strategic outcome.

He said: We will run the risk of terrorist entities re-establishing in Afghanistan to bring harm in Europe and elsewhere.

Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, also condemned the shabby withdrawal which he said was abandoning the country to the very insurgency that drew us there in the first place.

He said: Unless we wake up to the reality of what is taking place, Afghanistan might once again become a terror state. This, remember, is the country that brought us 9/11.
Fierce fighting has broken out inside a northern Afghan city, with the Taliban claiming to have captured their second regional capital in 48 hours with more due to fall in the coming days.

The Islamist group said that it had seized control of Sheberghan in Jawzjan province, the stronghold of the Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, following a siege. The Afghan government insisted, however, that its forces and allied militias were engaged in an operation to clear out the insurgents, with reinforcements on their way to finish the task.

On Friday the Taliban captured their first regional capital in the offensive  launched after the withdrawal of US-led forces on the orders of President Joe Biden  Zaranj, in the southwestern province of Nimroz, was handed over to the Islamist group by local officials who said they had no other choice but to do so after the government failed to send a relief force.

The governors headquarters in Sheberghan was recaptured from the insurgents by government forces on Friday. But the region's council chief, Babur Eshchi, reported that the city centre had been lost in the early hours of Saturday morning with only the area around the airport continuing to hold out.

To add to the tension and uncertainty, the Taliban emptied the local prison after taking it over, and there were reports of looting of the homes of those who had fled Sheberghan or their neighbourhood.

Ministry of Defence spokesperson Fawaad Aman disputed claims of a Taliban victory, maintaining that the main areas of the city remained under government control and the troops around the airport would be cleared of terrorists soon.

Ahmed Jawad, a resident of Sheberghan who did not want his surname published, said: If the army or police are here, we cannot see them. What we can see are the Taliban on the streets and they seem to be in charge. The airport may be in government hands but there are no flights going in or out. I am sure the Taliban would use missiles [against planes] if they try to bring in solders by air.

Fighting continued, meanwhile, in three other provincial capitals the Taliban are attempting to capture  Kandahar, Herat and Lashkar Gah. In all three of the cities, however, the Islamists have been pushed back, to varying degrees, from areas they had seized.

The reports of the fall of Sheberghan came at the end of a grim week for the Afghan government. As well as the fall of Zaranj, a suicide bombing and gun attack killed 13 people and wounded at least 24 people in Kabul. And Dawa Khan Meenapal, the head of the governments media and information centre, was gunned down on his way home from Friday prayers, the latest in a series of assassinations by the Taliban.
A man has been charged with the murder of a Swiss tourist who was found earlier this week on the resort island of Phuket, police have said.

The body of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, was discovered face down in water in a rock crevice near a waterfall Thursday afternoon by an island resident.

On Sunday, Krisana Pattanacharoen, a national police deputy spokesperson, confirmed that police have charged a suspect with murder and robbery causing death.

Teerawat Thothip, a 27-year-old Thai man living in Phuket, confessed to the killing and even spoke by telephone at a police press conference to admit his guilt and describe the crime.

The suspect told reporters he went into a forest on Tuesday to try to find wild orchids to sell, but was unsuccessful.

On his way back, he said he passed by the waterfall and saw Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf. He said he strangled her.

He then covered her with a black sheet, which was found nearby, took 300 baht (6) from her backpack and threw her shoes away.

He said his motivation was because he had no money and no work due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I would like to apologise to the family of the tourist and plead for all Thais to forgive me, he added.

Thothip was arrested on Saturday after investigators were able to trace the suspect using security camera footage.

During interrogation, he was found to have scratches and bruises on his body, said the polices major general Nuntadech Yoi-nuan.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, and an autopsy report has yet to be released by the authorities, Mr Pattanacharoen said.

Swiss media have reported the victim was a member of the countrys diplomatic service. She had travelled to the island under Thailands so-called Phuket Sandbox programme to try to bring fully vaccinated foreign tourists to the popular destination.
The world is dangerously close to running out of time to prevent a climate catastrophe, Cop26 president Alok Sharma has warned.

But the minister refused to condemn plans for a new oilfield, despite saying we cant afford to wait to act on global warming.

Mr Sharma, president of the upcoming Cop26 summit being held in Glasgow, spoke to The Observer ahead of a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) being published on Monday.

The report he said, will be the starkest warning yet about what the future could hold.

He said: This [IPCC report] is going to be a wake-up call for anyone who hasnt yet understood why this next decade has to be absolutely decisive in terms of climate action. We will also get a pretty clear understanding that human activity is driving climate change at alarming rates.

He said the conference has to be the moment we get this right, adding: We cant afford to wait two years, five years, 10 years  this is the moment.

He added: I dont think were out of time but I think were getting dangerously close to when we might be out of time.

Every fraction of a degree rise [in temperature] makes a difference and thats why countries have to act now, he said.

Mr Sharma pointed to recent extreme weather events, such as the UKs record heatwave, floods in western Europe and recent wildfires across central Europe and the Middle East.

However, the minister recently came under fire over the number of flights he has taken since the new year and failed to condemn plans for a new oilfield off the coast of Shetland.

In response to the criticism, Mr Sharma said: I have every week a large number of virtual meetings, but I can tell you that having in-person meetings with individual ministers is incredibly vital and actually impactful.

It makes a vital difference, to build those personal relationships which are going to be incredibly important as we look to build consensus.

The Cambo oilfield, that could see a further 150 to 170 million barrels extracted, could be approved before Glasgow, and potentially be in operation as far into the future as 2050.

The government has also refused to rule out new licences for oil and gas in the North Sea or a new coal mine in Cumbria.

The International Energy Agency said in May there must be no new investment in oil and gas projects and coal power plants from this year to have a hope of limiting warming to 1.5C.

Mr Sharma said failing to limit warming to 1.5C would be catastrophic.

But he refused to criticise the UK governments plans for further fossil fuel extraction, saying: Future [fossil fuel] licences are going to have to adhere to the fact we have committed to go to net zero by 2050 in legislation.

He added: There will be a climate check on any licences.

While Mr Sharma focuses on building international support for action, at home the government faces tough decisions over how to meet its net zero pledge  and who pays.

Boris Johnson has promised that householders will not have to pay "unreasonable" costs as old gas boilers are ditched in favour of cleaner heating systems, but a Treasury review meant to be published in the spring has been delayed.

In a sign of disquiet among Tory MPs, a new net zero scrutiny group of backbenchers is being formed to examine the plans.

The group's chairman, Craig Mackinlay, warned that spending vast sums on subsidising green schemes would be seen by the public as aping some of Jeremy Corbyns pledges at the 2019 election.

He told the Sunday Telegraph: The Conservatives strongest hand has always been credibility: credibility to deliver good economics and good governance. To ape the failed policies of an extreme Labour politician does not seem to be the way of electoral success.

He added: Im very pleased the Treasury are actually thinking of this with a financial head on rather than just a warm feeling.
 Close Hundreds rescued by boat from Greek island as flames reach shore

Two people have died in Greece and eight killed in Turkey amid extreme wildfires, fanned by unpredictable winds and soaring temperatures  described as the worst in southern Europe in decades.

A volunteer firefighter has died after being struck by a falling electricity pole in an area north of Athens affected by the fire, officials said on Friday.

Flames swept through a residential town outside the Greek capital overnight as wildfires burned across the country for a fifth day, while hundreds of people were evacuated by ferry from the island of Evia.

More than 700 firefighters, including reinforcements from Cyprus, France and Israel, have been deployed to fight the blaze north of Athens, assisted by the army and water-bombing aircraft.

In neighbouring Turkey, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated after flames swept through the countrys southwestern coastal regions.
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have been named in British Vogues list of the 25 most influential women of 2021 for their philanthropy work.

The annual round-up, which is published in the magazines September issue, aims to celebrate the women who have paved the way for a more equal future.

The Duchess of Cambridge earned a spot on the list following the launch of a new research hub, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, in June.

The centre aims to raise awareness of the impact of the first five years in child development after early research found a link between these years and some of the challenges people face in adulthood, such as addiction, poor mental health and tendencies towards violence.

With the flashier end of royal duties largely on hold during lockdown, it was [Kates] charity work rather than her fashion choices that pulled the majority of headlines, the judges said.

She used the pandemic to launch major campaigns around early-years development and continue her work trying to lift the stigma around discussing mental health, as well as supporting those living with childhood trauma.

The Duchess of Sussex, who also made the list in 2018 and 2019, was honoured for her extensive philanthropy work and her debut childrens book, The Bench.

It seems no woman has been more talked about on these shores in the past 12 months than Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

In addition to her extensive philanthropy work, she inked Netflix and Spotify deals and authored a childrens book, all with a shared goal of promoting equality, the judges said.

Despite stepping back from her duties as a senior member of the royal family in 2020, the mother of two has continued her work with several UK-based charities.

In March, Smart Works  a charity that provides interview training and workwear to help women re-enter the workplace  announced that Meghan had been writing personalised notes to the women it had helped to congratulate them on their achievements.

Separately, she has also remained the patron of Mayhew, an animal welfare charity that supports vulnerable cats and dogs and their owners.

Also named on the list is the musician FKA Twigs. In December 2020, Twigs publicly sued her ex-boyfriend, Shia LaBeouf, for abuse, sexual battery, assault and emotional distress.

Joeli Brearley, the founder and CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed, made the list for raising awareness of pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

From taking the government to task on childcare legislation to fighting for flexible working for all, Brearley has made it her mission to make womens working lives not just fairer, but feasible, the judges said.

Zara Mohammed, the first woman to become secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, was recognised for laying foundations for a more equal future.

Theres a lot of stereotyping that Muslim women are oppressed, Mohammed told the magazine.

Im here to help smash the glass on that perception. Well be the ones to say who we are and what we represent, she added.
Ministers have been urged to do more to support struggling households when the furlough scheme ends next month as economists warn that 1.9 million workers are in a critical position.

The call for extra help comes after Rishi Sunak confirmed this week that the central pillar of the governments financial support, which has helped fund 11 million peoples wages since the pandemic began, will end as planned on 30 September.

A 20-a-week uplift to Universal Credit is also to be withdrawn, reducing the incomes of some of the poorest households while a cap on household energy bills will rise October, pushing up bills for millions.

Debt charities also warned that more than half a million renters are thought to be in arrears and will no longer be protected from the threat of eviction as they have been during the pandemic.

Problems are not limited to individuals; businesses are saddled with billions of pounds of debt. Retailers have built up 2.9bn in rent debt, much of which accrued during periods where they were required to be closed by law. Experts warn they are prevented from investment in stores and jobs, potentially hastening the demise of the high street.

Despite the gloom, the most apocalyptic economic forecasts have not materialised. Last year, the most pessimistic pundits estimated that more than four million people would be out of work, ushering in an era of mass unemployment not witnessed since the nadir of the early 1980s recession.

The extension of furlough and a rebound in economic activity has meant that the peak is now expected to be much lower. However, problems have still been stored up and, economists say, the scale of them is hard to determine.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) is predicting the official jobless rate will rise around half a percentage point after furlough ends, meaning another 160,000 people out of work.

Problems are expected to be concentrated in particular industries and to affect younger workers and those approaching retirement.

The pandemic has exacerbated an existing mismatch between the skills that employers need and the ones that UK workers have.

In health and social care, which relies heavily on migrant workers, there is a huge shortfall of staff, while in accommodation and food services, for example, there are six times more people on furlough than there are vacancies.

Cyrrille Leon, of NIESR, says: There is a need for reallocation of labour from the sectors that have lots of people on furlough to the ones that are hiring.

For this reason, ending the furlough scheme now is necessary to allow the economy to grow, even if it might be painful for those directly affected, he says and adds: The problem with the furlough scheme is that its slowing down this readjustment by creating some additional friction in the labour market. People on furlough are not necessarily actively looking for a new job which means the pool of potential candidates is smaller than it is in normal times.

Ending furlough is difficult because people will become unemployed but, in my view, extending it would make the later adjustment even more painful.

The withdrawal of support is particularly concerning for older workers, said Charlie McCurdy, economist at the Resolution Foundation. Many older workers are still reliant on furlough  those who are less likely to be leaving the scheme and returning to work than younger workers.

With redundancies likely to rise when the furlough scheme finally ends, policymakers must offer back-to-work schemes targeting workers of all ages  especially as newly redundant older workers often take longer to find new work after being on furlough for long periods than their younger counterparts and may need tailored advice and support.

The Foundation is also calling on government to provide much-needed support for low-income families, including reversing the withdrawal of the 20 uplift to Universal Credit  a move that 60 Tory backbenchers also support.

Mr McCurdy said: [Low-income households] will be facing not only risks of higher unemployment in the wake of the furlough scheme wind-down but also the planned reversal of the vital 20 a week Universal Credit uplift and rising fuel costs.

Ofgem announced on Friday that the energy price cap would rise by 139 per year for an average household from 1 October.

Citizens Advice warned the withdrawal of financial support and increase in energy bills could create a perfect storm for low-income families while the Fuel Poverty Coalition forecasts that an additional 488,000 people would not be able to afford to heat their homes.

Debt charities report that, despite household debts rising for some groups during the pandemic, far fewer people have been seeking help, prompting concerns that problems are building up and have been masked by emergency measures put in place during the pandemic.

Sue Anderson, of debt charity StepChange, says the scale of the problem is hard to establish: There are a lot of people with a lot of underlying financial pressures that have been masked because lenders have given them temporary forbearance.

Lenders were ordered not to pursue credit card and loan arrears and to offer payment holidays for periods of the pandemic. Those have now finished.

Ms Anderson said: We see problems most notably with rent. An awful lot of tenants are behind. We havent seen that turning into evictions because there has been a ban.

Tenants have also had forbearance from lenders on some of their other debts such as credit cards. If those people find that they come off furlough and are made redundant, clearly we have particular cohorts of people who are quite quickly going to be in an emergency.

The problem is we dont know how many of these people there are, when the problems will materialise or the extent of things we fear, like redundancies. There is an awful lot of uncertainty about how this will look.

Ms Anderson pointed to clear winners and losers in the pandemic, saying: While some people have been able to pay down their debt or save more, there are an awful lot of people who were already struggling who will be struggling more.

Our clients who are really struggling to make ends meet will be really affected by the removal of the 20 uplift in Universal Credit.

StepChange believes the situation could be a slow burn, with peoples debt problems built up during the pandemic coming to a head into next year.
A suspect in the death of a 57-year-old Swiss woman on Thailan s tourist island of Phuket was charged with murder and robbery, police said Sunday.

The suspect, Teerawat Thothip, a 27-year-old Thai man living in Phuket, confessed to the killing and even spoke by telephone at a police press conference to admit his guilt and describe the crime.

Investigators were able to trace the suspect using security camera footage, and during the interrogation he was found to have scratches and bruises on his body, said Police Maj. Gen. Nuntadech Yoi-nuan, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8.

The body of the Swiss woman, Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, was discovered Thursday at a secluded spot on the island. Swiss media reported she was a member of the countrys diplomatic service.

The suspect told reporters he went into a forest on Tuesday to try to find rare plants to sell, but was unsuccessful.

On his way back, he said he passed a waterfall and saw Sauvain-Weisskopf. He said he strangled her from behind, and that she resisted for a while before losing consciousness.

He then covered her with a black sheet, which was found nearby, took 300 baht ($9) from her backpack and threw her sneakers away. He said his motivation was because he had no money and no work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, and an autopsy report has yet to be released by the authorities, said Kissana Phathanacharoen, a national police deputy spokesperson.

The incident has cast a pall over Thailands so-called Phuket Sandbox program to try and bring fully vaccinated foreign tourists to the popular destination, which has been struggling massively during the coronavirus pandemic.
A 33-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a social worker was attacked with a knife in north London on Friday night.

Sulai Bukhari was further charged with two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

He is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The 61-year-old social worker, who has not been named, was attacked along with two police officers as he tried to check on the welfare of vulnerable children at an address in Wood Green.

The victim suffered stab injuries but has been assessed by doctors and his injuries are said to be non-life changing. One of the officers sustained slash injuries and another was assaulted, and all three were taken to hospital for treatment.

Mr Bukhari, of Noel Park Road, Wood Green, was arrested on Friday and charged on Sunday morning.

Two other men who were arrested in connection with the same incident have been released under investigation, police said.

Officers were called to assist the social worker just before 8pm on Friday.

After forcing the door and entering a communal area of the building, the social worker was approached by a man who stabbed him several times.

Haringey Council said previously it would provide all the necessary support to the social worker as he makes his recovery.
 Close Coronavirus in numbers

The first person to be infected with Covid-19 may have been a Wuhan laboratory employee, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official has claimed.

Dr Peter Embarek, the epidemiologist who led the WHOs four-week investigation into the origins of the virus has said that a probable hypothesis is that a lab employee was infected while taking samples from bats in the field.

He added however, that the WHO had found no direct evidence that the coronavirus outbreak was linked to the bat research conducted in Wuhans laboratories.

Meanwhile, new research has found that those pinged by the NHS app in England and Wales are four times more likely to have Covid-19 than someone who has not been pinged. A survey of more than 750,000 found that people who were alerted by the app and told to self-isolate were between 3.7 to 4.0 times more likely to have the virus. The research also found that younger groups who were told to self-isolate were more likely to test positive compared with older groups.

Separately, a study of 72,000 patients across 314 UK hospitals found that one in 10 patients contracted Covid while being treated in hospital for another condition during the first wave of the pandemic. The study, published in the Lancet, found that rates of hospital acquired Covid were even higher within residential community care centres and metal health hospitals.

And the Office for National Statistics has determined that nearly two-thirds of adults are meeting up with others indoors, continuing along a trend of greater comfort with indoor gatherings since Covid restrictions were eased in July. Despite increasing comfort levels, new data revealed that 88 per cent of adults felt that it was important or very important to continue wearing face coverings while shopping.

Elsewhere, the UKs travel industry continues to struggle, as Gatwick airport reported a pre-tax loss of 204m in the first half of 2021. The airports chief executive called on the government to leverage the countrys world class vaccination programme and remove unnecessary and costly testing requirements for passengers. Meanwhile, the Competition and Markets Authority has said it is looking into immediate actions the government can take around the high costs of PCR tests for international travel.

In hopes of tackling the pandemic globally, the UK donated around 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to 11 countries in Africa through the international COVAX initiative, as part of its commitment to share 100 million jabs with the rest of the world.

Countries around the world continue to report record Covid figures. Thailand reported 23,418 cases on Friday, whilst projecting that cases could double by early September. Russia reported a record 815 deaths, alongside 22,277 new infections. Areas in India are also seeing cases rise, with Mumbai reporting 6,388 cases on Friday, the highest figure for a week, and around 200 deaths.
Boris Johnsons approval rating has hit an all-time low, an opinion poll has indicated.

In an online survey by pollster Opinium Research nearly half (49 percent) of respondents disapproved of the job Mr Johnson is doing as prime minister. Thirty-four percent approved.

The percentage of those who disapprove is up two points from a fortnight ago.

The PMs net approval rating has also fallen to -16 percent, down from -13 percent a fortnight ago and the lowest recorded in the 53 times Opinium has asked the question.

The decline in Mr Johnsons personal rating came despite an increase in support for the governments handling of the pandemic, from a net -16 percent a fortnight ago to -9 percent.

The Tories poll lead remains relatively stable, dropping by one point over the past fortnight to 42 percent with Labour unchanged on 35 percent.

A survey conducted by the Conservative Home website shows that Mr Johnsons approval rating has also dipped among his own party members. The sites Cabinet League Table saw the PMs ranking drop from 17th place to 24th place.

Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmers approval raring has also dipped from -6 percent to -11 percent, its joint-lowest in the Opinium series.

Adam Drummond, Opiniums head of political polling, said: Its only after rounding, but our latest poll shows Boris Johnson with his lowest approval rating of any of the 53 times we have asked the question since he became prime minister.

While the so-called vaccine bounce he has been enjoying in recent months may be over, the Conservatives still enjoy a comfortable seven-point lead in the polls - partly off the back of Starmers similarly poor ratings.

But even as his ratings do drop, the prime ,inister should never be written off. He has bounced back from poor polling numbers before, and he may be able to do so again.

Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,000 UK adults from August 5-6. Results were weighted to representative criteria.

Additional reporting by Press Association
Just 10 wealthy people account for a quarter of all donations made by individuals to the Conservative Party since Boris Johnson became prime minister, according to new analysis by The Independent.

The 10 super-rich donors  nine of whom are men  have given a combined sum of just over 10m to the Tories since Mr Johnson entered Downing Street, equalling more than 25 per cent of the 38.6m received from all individuals in the past two years.

Fears have been raised about the power held by the very wealthiest Tory donors after it emerged last week that a group known as the advisory board had been developed to connect the partys biggest financial backers with ministers.

Campaign groups said The Independents analysis  based on the latest data from the Electoral Commission  showed the concentrated power of a small number of big donors.

Darren Hughes, chief executive of Electoral Reform Society said: These figures show just how concentrated donor power is in UK politics. Political debate shouldnt be something bought by a few very wealthy individuals.

The fact that a small group have provided such a large amount of political funding and gained the potential influence that comes with it is of great concern.

Calling for strict new limits on the amount donors can give, Mr Hughes added: Its time to fix the rot and restore faith in politics. We need to explore a cap on donations [and] greater public funding to bring us into line with most advanced democracies.

Alex Runswick, senior advocacy manager at the Transparency International UK campaign group, added: These revelations underline concerns that great wealth can secure a privileged audience in UK politics.

This dependence on a small number of wealthy donors risks shaping policy and decisions in their favour rather than national interest, so the government should legislate to take big money out of politics.

The data shows most of the 10 biggest individual Tory backers since Mr Johnson became prime minister in July 2019 made their fortune in finance or property.

One of the 10 most generous donors is Jamie Reuben, co-owner of the Reuben Brothers property empire, who has given almost 700,000 to the Tory party thus far during the Johnson era.

His ties with the Tories came under scrutiny earlier this year when it emerged his company was a co-investor with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) in last years failed bid to buy Newcastle United.

Leaked messages from September 2020 revealed that the prime minister had asked his adviser, Sir Edward Lister, to look into the chances of the deal being revived. When Sir Edward said that he was hopeful the deal could be done, Mr Johnson reportedly replied: Brilliant.

Other wealthy Tory donors on the top 10 list include online trading tycoon Peter Cruddas, who has given the party just over 870,000 in the past two years. Mr Cruddas was handed a peerage last year  sparking accusations of cronyism from Labour.

In June the anti-corruption campaign the Good Law Project launched legal action over the peerage, claiming that Mr Johnson ignored the advice of the House of Lords Appointments Committee against making the businessman a Lord.

The single biggest individual donor since Mr Johnson came to power is Malcolm Healey  the retail tycoon whose company owns Wren Kitchens. He has handed the Tory Party 2m in the past two years.

Labour MP Anneliese Dodds, the partys chair, said the Conservatives had serious questions to answer about their dependence on big donors.

The frontbencher told The Independent: We need to know why the Tories have become so reliant on huge donations from a select group of super-wealthy individuals  and what it is that these elite donors are being given in return.

Boris Johnson has created a cash for access culture in the Conservative Party ... He needs to break his silence and explain what he plans to do to ensure there isnt one rule for senior Conservatives and their cronies, and another rule for everyone else.

Last week the Financial Times reported that an advisory board donor club, featuring members who donated at least 250,000, was developed to connect Tory supporters with senior figures, claiming meetings have been held with Mr Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The Tories have since refused to reveal which donors have paid to be members of the group, or which ministers have attended meetings after Labour called for transparency.

Leading donor Mohamed Amersi told the FT the group is like the very elite Quintessentially clients membership: one needs to cough up 250,000 per annum or be a friend of Ben.

The name was a reference to the Conservatives co-chairman Ben Elliot, founder of the luxury concierge service Quintessentially who also reportedly helped set up the donor network.

Mr Amersi sits just outside the list of top 10 donors in the past two years, having given 189,000 in the Johnson era. Most of the money  99,500  was paid for a breakfast date with Mr Johnson after he won an auction at a party dinner event.

Conservative Party co-chair Amanda Milling claimed that government policy is in no way influenced by the donations the party receives  they are entirely separate.

She said: All political parties raise money and accept donations in order to pay their staff and campaign in elections.

Earlier this week, cabinet minister Grant Shapps said large donations to the Tory Party from wealthy people should not be painted as some sort of immoral act.

The transport secretary also said the British public would not welcome any new limits on the amount donors could give  since he claimed it could mean more money coming from the public purse to fund political parties.

In 2011 the Committee on Standards on Public Life recommended that political donations were capped at 10,000 per donor, per party, per year  but the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government passed up the chance to reform the system.

Campaign groups said it was time for clear limits on the size of donations, urging MPs from all parties to consider new rules to limit the potential for corruption.

Without limits on the size of political donations, political parties will continue to fail to build broader, more democratic bases of financial support, said Ms Runswick of Transparency International UK.

Clearly money does buy access, and the perception that this secures undue influence corrodes trust in our political system.

Top 10 individual Tory donors since Boris Johnson entered No 10:

1. Malcolm Healey  2m

Owner of Wren Kitchenss parent company West Retail Group.

2. John Gore  1.4m

Theatre production tycoon.

3. Peter Hargreaves  1m

Co-founder of financial services giant Hargreaves Lansdown.

4. Jonathan Wood  1m

Founder of hedge fund SRM Global.

5. Peter Wood  1m

Founder of Direct Line and Esure insurance companies.

6. Peter Cruddas  872,000

Founder of trading company CMC Markets.

7. Sir Ehud Sheleg  832,000

Tory party treasurer who was given knighthood under Theresa May.

8. Lubov Chernukhin  681,000

Ex-banker whose husband was minister for Vladimir Putin.

9. Jamie Reuben  639,000

Property tycoon whose company was part of failed bid for Newcastle United.

10. Howard Shore  609,000

Founder of finance firm Shore Capital and Brexit supporter.
Boris Johnson threatened to demote Rishi Sunak after the chancellor called for travel restrictions to be relaxed in a leaked letter, according to reports.

The prime minister is said have been furious after he became aware of the letter when details of it were published in last weeks Sunday Times ahead of the announcement of the latest travel rules on Wednesday.

In a fit of frustration, Mr Johnson is reported to have said: 'I've been thinking about it. Maybe it's time we looked at Rishi as the next secretary of state for health. He could potentially do a very good job there.'

A senior government source told the newspaper: "In an open meeting, after ranting about Rishi, he then suggested the chancellor could be demoted in the next reshuffle."

The newspaper reported that Mr Johnson is not expected to carry out his threat and noted the prime minister's reputation for off-the-cuff remarks made half in jest.

Mr Sunaks letter is said to have been sent to the PM several days before details were printed in The Sunday Times. Whitehall officials blamed the oversight on No 10 staff, who apparently failed to draw the memo to his attention.

The leak of the comments, reportedly made in a meeting on Monday, will do little to help relations between No 10 and No 11.

The chancellor is preparing for a tough spending review later this year as he attempts to repair the public finances following the coronavirus crisis.

That could put him on a collision course with a prime minister who has promised there can be no return to austerity.

A Treasury source said: The chancellor is solely focused on securing the countrys economic recovery and continuing to protect and create jobs.

Although a reshuffle is not expected imminently, it was reported that Mr Johnson has previously considered international trade secretary Liz Truss as a potential chancellor, with Jacob Rees-Mogg as her deputy.

"The PM keeps talking about Liz Truss," a source said. He's always got on quite well with her. He thinks she's controllable.

PA
Gerard Coyne, the candidate who narrowly failed to beat Len McCluskey four years ago, is quietly confident of winning the leadership of Unite, Labours largest affiliated union.

Mr Coyne, who is Sir Keir Starmers favoured candidate in the election, told The Independent in an interview that he would maintain Labour funding and that he wouldnt purge his opponents in the way that Mr McCluskey purged him.

Mr Coyne said he had snippets of feedback about the ballot, which closes on 23 August, in which he is competing against two candidates who are more critical of Sir Keir, Steve Turner, an assistant general secretary, and Sharon Graham, head of the unions organising department.

Mr Coyne, who was defeated by a margin of 4 per cent last time, is expected to benefit from a split among Mr McCluskeys supporters.

Im going to leave Keir alone to get on with turning the Labour Party back into a winning machine, Mr Coyne said. I want to see a Labour government. I believe our members do better under a Labour government. Ive been a lifelong member of the Labour Party. So, of course I want to see that, but at the same time, it is for Keir to determine that which will bring the party back to being electable, and for me to get on with turning Unite into a force that will be to reckon with across society.

Mr Coyne said he wanted a change from the McCluskey period, when the union backed Jeremy Corbyn. Mr McCluskey has endorsed Mr Turner, the candidate of the unions United Left caucus. Mr Turner is widely regarded as the frontrunner, but his vote may be split by Ms Graham, who describes herself as a candidate of the independent left, and who has suggested Labour could not be certain of the unions financial support, saying she favours payment by results.

Mr Coyne said: Im not going to play student politics with the funding of the Labour Party. Theyve got a hard enough job as it is, of pulling back from the worst electoral defeat since 1935. Im not interested in the antics that some of my other colleagues who are standing in this election have entertained.

However, he refused to say that he shared Sir Keirs politics: Im not focusing my efforts on the leader of the Labour Party. Thats what Len did. My focus cannot be obsessing around it  I mean what I say about the need to grow our organisation. We are in terminal decline. We have been in terminal decline for too many years. And if there was ever a need, if there was ever a time for vibrant trade unions in this country in the private sector, it is now, as we emerge out of the pandemic, so Im really not going to be spending my time analysing where I differ from Keir on one policy or another.

We are in terminal decline. We have been in terminal decline for too many years. And if there was ever a need, if there was ever a time for vibrant trade unions in this country in the private sector, it is now, as we emerge out of the pandemic Gerard Coyne

Nevertheless, a Coyne victory would be a boost for the Labour leader, giving him a larger majority on the partys national executive and a better chance of winning votes at the annual conference as well as more secure finances.

Mr Coyne said that the ballot return figures so far suggested that turnout in this election is going to be around 12 per cent, the same as last time. Its disappointing. But then, when theres no real engagement about this election from the union directly, its not surprising, he said. Participation in this election is woeful. It was woeful last time around. Sadly, in the past, this has served the interests of those that are already in power.

He has promised to set up a democracy commission to look at all elements of the unions internal democracy: Weve learned that its much easier to connect virtually than previously was the case. There is a huge opportunity for us to harness that technology and to engage in a different way.

But this does not extend to supporting Mr Turners idea for the union to launch its own TV channel: The focus on members money will be uppermost in my mind, and Unite TV does not represent value for money. It is not what our members want. It smacks of North Korea: the voice from the glorious leader. That is not something I want to be involved in, quite frankly. I dont entertain those sorts of projects because thats not what members are telling me that theyre worried about.

Mr Coyne has accused the McCluskey leadership of wasting money on plans for a hotel and conference centre in Birmingham, the costs of which have escalated over years. The latest estimate of its costs is not known because the unions annual financial returns are now almost eight weeks late, Mr Coyne said. Maybe Howard Beckett, whos in charge of finances currently, has spent too much time campaigning and not enough time bean counting. Mr Beckett, another anti-Starmer candidate, dropped out of the election and endorsed Mr Turner.

Mr Coyne, who was the unions West Midlands regional organiser until the last election, said that he had no intention in the slightest of purging Mr McCluskeys supporters if he won: I went through a purge after the last general secretarys election. There were a lot of people that were involved in my campaign that were dismissed and all 14 organisers in the West Midlands were placed under a disciplinary investigation as soon as the ballot closed. So I understand what went on and the fear that people felt after the last election. That is not my desire at all.
The dying wish of an unvaccinated Florida father prompted his family to turn his funeral into a Covid vaccination and testing event.

Marquis Davis, 28, a married business owner from Cocoa, fell ill in late July and, within days of being hospitalized, it became apparent that the virus was going to win. He had been hesitant to get the vaccine but told his vaccinated wife, Charnese, from his sick bed that hed changed his mind and wanted to receive it if he recovered.

He was in the hospital. He said, Bae, Im going to get the vaccine when I get out of here, his wife told local ABC affiliate WFTV. So he was going to get it. I was like, Good, Im so happy you said that, but its too late.

In honour of Mr Davis, his family decided to offer Covid testing and vaccinations to coincide with his wake and funeral. The wake took place on Friday and the funeral was set for Saturday Dr R Shaun Ferguson, pastor of Faith Temple Christian Center, told The Independent that around 15 people had been vaccinated and 30 tested as of Saturday afternoon, but the process was ongoing.

People were actually leaving the funeral and going across the street and getting vaccinated, Dr Ferguson told The Independent. His church has been active in promoting proper information about the vaccine and encouraging community members to register, but this was the first time efforts had been held in conjunction with a funeral home or wake, he said.

Florida is quickly becoming a Covid epicentre in the US, recording its highest daily count this week since the beginning of the pandemic. The state reported 22,783 new cases on Thursday, 1,100 more than Floridas previous single-day case count record last Saturday, according to the CDC.

The state helped support the vaccination and testing event in honour of Mr Davis, Dr Ferguson told The Independent. He added that the unusual funeral and wake arrangements were going exceedingly well and he felt members of the community were truly taking notice after the young fathers death and subsequent publicity.

What were seeing is more and more young people are dying, he said. Before, if you remember, it was just the older population  so I think its just opening the eyes of young people.
Zuleydis Elledias has gotten up each morning for the past two months hoping for a phone call, a message  any news on the fate of her husband and nephew, who disappeared at sea after the boat they were in capsized as they tried to reach Florida

Another half dozen families in the small town of Orlando Nodarse, 35 miles (55 kilometers) west of Havana and near the port of Mariel, are living with the same uncertainty.

Due to the pandemic my husband lost his job. Many places closed and he had been home for more than a year. Every time he went to his workplace, they told him to wait. And that made him desperate because we have a 2-year-old son, Elledias, a 38-year-old homemaker, told The Associated Press through tears.

Cuba is seeing a surge in unauthorized migration to the United States, fueled by an economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, increased U.S. sanctions and cutbacks in aid from its also-crisis-wracked Venezuelan ally. That has led to shortages in many goods and a series of protests that shook the island on July 11.

And legal ways to leave have been strained by the Trump administration's near-closure of the U.S. Consulate in 2017 following a series of mysterious illnesses among diplomatic personnel that some claimed could result from an attack  allegations Cuba bitterly denies.

Most Cubans who want to try for a U.S. visa now have to go to embassies in other countries  and getting there is almost impossible due to sharp cuts in air traffic during the pandemic. Most can't afford tickets anyway unless relatives abroad can front them the money.

That has pushed many Cubans to launch themselves into the sea on small boats or rafts to attempt the dangerous crossing of the Florida Straits to the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard said recently it has intercepted 595 Cubans at sea since the current fiscal year started on Oct. 1. That's larger than any any full fiscal year since 2017  during which the U.S. announced that even Cubans reaching U.S. shores were likely to be expelled, ending a longstanding policy of granting asylum to those who reached dry land.

It's still small in comparison with the nearly 5,400 halted at sea in 2016 or the dramatic crises of 1994-1995 and 1980, when Cuba's government temporarily stopped trying to block departures and tens of thousands set out en masse. Thousands died in the ocean.

It's also still far smaller than the current flow of those who have somehow made their way to the continent and worked their way north. The U.S. Border Patrol had recorded 26,196 Cubans trying to enter the U.S. without documents between Oct. 1 and June 30, most by land.

As well as her husband  45-year-old driver Fernando Quinones  Elledias is also awaiting word on her nephew, Ismel Reyes, 22, who worked on a farm.

They were among a group of 18 men and two women who left Cuba for Florida on May 25. The boat sank the following night and survivors were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard about 18 miles (29 kilometers) southwest of Key West. The search by sea, land and air lasted for days.

Something happened, I dont know, the currents, the boat flipped. The United States Coast Guard rescued eight people alive, found two bodies and there are 10 people missing, Elledias said.

Among the survivors were four cousins of Elledias, some of whom have already been repatriated to Cuba.

Elledias, her sister Sudenis  Reyes mother  and other Orlando Nodarse residents who spoke with the AP all agreed that the risky decision to head for the United States was triggered by the economic crisis and the difficulties in obtaining a visa.

Cuban historian Alina Barbara Lopez noted that two earlier mass exoduses by sea were spawned by crises and Cuban authorities opened the borders as a kind of release valve in the face of social pressure.

In 1980, with unhappy Cubans pouring into foreign embassy compounds seeking visas, Fidel Castro opened the port at Mariel for people who wanted to leave and 125,000 Cubans rushed north, setting off a political crisis for the government of U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The dire economic tailspin of the early 1990s following the collapse of Cuba's aid from the Soviet Union led tens of thousands to put to sea in innertubes, makeshift rafts and highjacked boats. Then too, many died.

But now Havana is trapped because it cannot open its borders due to migration agreements signed with the Washington in that wake of that crisis, she said.

Meanwhile, Cuba's economic reforms have only been superficial, Lopez said. The economy remains stagnant.

All this makes the underlying political foundation of this crisis much stronger than in the previous crises, she said.

Cuban authorities acknowledge there are symptoms of a possible migratory crisis but say it could be deactivated if President Joe Biden fulfills a campaign promise to jettison Trump's tighter sanctions, which were aimed at trying to drive the Communist Party from power, and resumes the dialogue launched by former U.S. President Barack Obama

The situation we have now is the result of a number of negative factors, said Jesus Perz Calderon of the United States department at Cubas Foreign Ministry. In the first place, the deterioration of the economy as a result of COVID-19 ... but at the same time the resurgence of an economic war of blockade against Cuba by the United States.

Jose Ramon Cabanas, a former Cuban ambassador to the U.S. and current director of the Center for International Policy Research, said both nations have instruments in place to prevent an exodus to Florida,

There are agreements in force but they are not being fully applied, Cabanas said.

The United States had been providing 22,000 visas a year to Cuba for two decades until 2017, when Trump froze relations. The consulate shutdown made applying for a visa almost moot for most Cubans.

In addition, at the beginning of 2017, Obama eliminated the policy known as wet foot-dry foot" that let Cubans who reached U.S. shores remain, usually as refugees, while those caught at sea were sent back.

Back in Orlando Nodarse, Elledias hopes a miracle will bring home her loved ones.

"I would tell people who are thinking about this option (of crossing the Florida Straits) not to do it, that it is not a safe route. There is no money in the world that can pay for this suffering we are going through, she said.
An emergency siren usually reserved to warn of an imminent natural disaster rang out in Austin, Texas, as authorities face an explosion of Covid-19 hospitalisations.

The emergency alert system was activated on Saturday to implore the public to do more to fight Covid-19, Austin Emergency Management said on Twitter.

It warned residents of the Texas state capital to wear a mask in public, get vaccinated and stay away from crowds.

The Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center will be using the Warn Central Texas notification system today (08/7) to implore the public to do more to fight COVID-19.



Find your vaccine at https://t.co/S74cHsMOoS if you haven't received one yet! pic.twitter.com/UHCDfVE5Ko  Austin Emergency Management (@AustinHSEM) August 7, 2021

As of Sunday, there were 3,438 active reported cases of Covid in Austin-Travis County, with 510 hospitalisations, 184 people in ICU and 102 on ventilators, according to the Covid-19 surveillance dashboard .

Austin-Travis County Medical Director Dr. Desmar Walkes told CBS Austin the situation was critical.

Our hospitals are severely stressed and there is little we can do to alleviate their burden with the surging cases, Dr Walkes said.

The public has to act now and help or we will face a catastrophe in our community that could have been avoided.

The Delta variant has cut a swathe through Texas, Louisiana and Florida in recent weeks, causing new daily case rates to surge to their highest levels since the pandemic began.

The new Covid-19 strain has impacted children, with Houston pediatric units unable to take new patients last week.

An 11-month-old girl suffering from Covid had to be airlifted from Houston to a hospital 150 miles away in Temple.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has refused to reinstate a state-wide mask mandate he lifted in March.
Former acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen was on Capitol Hill over the weekend, where during a six-hour-plus meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee he reportedly detailed his former deputys efforts to help former President Donald Trump attempt to reverse his 2020 election defeat.

Mr Rosen also spoke to the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General on Friday, according to The New York Times. During both conversations, the Times reported, Mr Rosen discussed efforts by Jeffrey Clark, former head of the DOJs civil division, to convince top officials to release statements claiming that investigations of voter fraud cast doubt on the veracity of the 2020 election results.

The shocking effort by Mr Clark, who, according to the Times, was in contact with Mr Trump in the final days of his presidency, shows just how far some of Mr Trumps allies went in their efforts to weaponize the US government on the former presidents behalf.

A source familiar with Mr Rosens discussions told the Times that Mr Rosen described multiple instances in which Mr Clark pressed colleagues such as himself to make statements they believed to be false concerning the 2020 election. One example described by the newspaper involved plans to send a letter to Georgia lawmakers falsely claiming that the DOJ was investigating voter fraud in the state and that the states election results should be voided in the meantime.

Other allies of the former president, most notably ex-Attorney General William Barr, did not go along with Mr Trumps attempts to overturn his defeat, thereby preventing the Justice Department from effectively being used as Mr Trumps cudgel as he attempted to strong-arm local officials in battleground states where he lost to President Joe Biden.

Among the facts detailed to the committee and DOJ Inspector General by Mr Rosen, according to the Times, included his discovery that Mr Clark was having unauthorised secret conversations with Mr Trump about the presidents effort to cling to the White House for a second term, and his direct order to Mr Clark in December of 2020 to cease contact with the president.

Mr Clark declined to speak to the Times for their latest report, and did not respond immediately to a request for comment from The Independent.

Efforts by Mr Trump to overturn the election culminated in an attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, when thousands of pro-Trump rioters overwhelmed police around the building and made their way inside in an effort to halt the procedure of lawmakers counting votes from the Electoral College, thereby certifying Mr Bidens win.

In recent months Mr Trump has continued to spread false claims about voter fraud and election fraud during the 2020 election, despite his own former top deputies stating publicly that there was no evidence to back up his assertions.
Senate Democrats across the political spectrum seem near the unanimity theyll need for the crucial first step toward their $3.5 trillion vision of bolstering health care, education, family services and environment programs

From Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders on the left to moderate Joe Manchin on the right, numerous Democratic senators have said they'll support a budget resolution outlining the ambitious domestic goals they share with President Joe Biden. None have said they'll oppose the budget measure, which the Senate seems likely to approve after its expected passage of a smaller, bipartisan infrastructure package as soon as Saturday.

The backing of every Democrat in the 50-50 Senate, plus the tie-breaking vote of Vice President Kamala Harris, will be needed to approve the budget over likely solid Republican opposition. Its passage must occur before lawmakers can write the huge follow-up bill, probably this fall, that would carry their specific spending and tax plans through the narrowly divided Congress.

Progressives are passionate about the $3.5 trillion social and environmental package. Moderates strongly back the separate $1 trillion measure financing highway, water and other i nfrastructure projects.

Democrats of all stripes know that rejecting the budget would mark a quick derailment of Bidens defining domestic priorities, a stunning, self-inflicted political blow. Their broad support for the fiscal blueprint underscores that each of the party's two competing wings knows it needs the other's backing to enact its top priority.

Asked if his partys factions faced the political version of mutually assured destruction, liberal Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, said, I think its a mutually assured improvement situation for the American people, if we can pull it off." The Cold War tenet helped prevent the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. from launching nuclear weapons at each other.

The Democrats' rallying behind the budget also illustrates another calculation: They know the battle that counts most will come in autumn.

That's when, with almost no margin for error, they'll try translating the budget's broad guidelines into the expansive, $3.5 trillion, 10-year package of specific spending and tax provisions. Besides the evenly divided Senate, Democrats narrowly running the 435-member House will be able to lose no more than three votes to prevail.

Significantly, budget passage would let Democrats move that huge follow-up bill through the Senate by a simple majority, circumventing a Republican filibuster that would require 60 votes to overcome. The budget itself cannot be filibustered.

Its unclear when the House will take up the budget.

Sanders, I-Vt., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, this week made the progressives' case for the budget blueprint he helped craft.

He said it was time to help working- and middle-class people, needs that have been neglected for decades. He said the measure's initiatives would be paid for by ending the obscenity" of allowing some rich people to escape paying federal income tax, boosting levies on the wealthy and on big corporations.

He mocked space-traveling billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson without naming them, saying they seem increasingly unconcerned about what happens here on Earth because theyre off in outer space.

And in what seemed a plea for pragmatism by his fellow progressives, Sanders acknowledged that the measure falls short of some of his personal goals but would be a major step forward.

Sanders has said his budget's proposals will include an extension of the recently expanded child tax credit; free pre-kindergarten and community college; new dental, eye and hearing benefits under Medicare; bolstered housing and home health care and efforts to fight climate change by encouraging clean energy.

Another influential progressive and former presidential contender, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is also taking a conciliatory approach.

No ones going to get everything they want," she said this week. "But we Democrats are all rowing in the same direction.

From the opposite end of the party's spectrum, the centrist Manchin said that out of respect for my colleagues he will vote for the budget. Also flashing a green light  for now  is Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a moderate who helped write the bipartisan infrastructure compromise.

While I support beginning this process, I do not support a bill that costs $3.5 trillion, she said. Her statement suggested she'd back the budget and was leaving herself flexibility to fight later about spending amounts.

This starts the process, said Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, a moderate who helped craft the bipartisan infrastructure bill and is an influential voice on Sanders' Budget Committee. While he said he had no guarantees about how moderates would vote on the budget, Warner said hopes that the U.S. might curb the pandemic make it time for a fresh debate about what the social contract ought to look like in this country."

Even so, signs of a fall clash between moderate and progressive Democrats' priorities are unmistakable.

Manchin, whose West Virginia home state relies heavily on energy production and mining, says he isn't making any promises" about whether he'll back the $3.5 trillion spending bill this fall. He pointedly notes that that legislation's climate change provisions  a top progressive priority  would have to move through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which he chairs.

From across the party's ideological divide, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., says there will be more than enough" progressive votes to block the current infrastructure bill in the House until liberals get the investments they want in the separate $3.5 trillion package.

Ocasio-Cortez spoke last weekend on CNN's State of the Union.
A retired United States Army lieutenant colonel who served in the Trump administration has attacked Fox News host Tucker Carlson, accusing the television personality of hating and tending to demonize the United States.

Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who was wounded during combat in Iraq, told CNN: Its interesting to hear folks like Tucker Carlson demonise and hate the Unite States because thats what hes doing. Hes hating the United States.

He added: I would just ask the American public to take a look around, walk your streets ... Does it look anything like the world Tucker Carlson portrays, or that Donald Trump portrays?

While assigned to the National Security Council during the Trump administration, Mr Vindman served as part of the delegation at the inauguration of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

He ultimately became a key witness in the first impeachment investigation against Trump, testifying that, in the spring of 2019, he had become aware of outside influencers promoting a false and alternative narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the interagency and offering firsthand knowledge of communication between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky regarding investigations into the Biden family.

Mr Vindman has continued to be an outspoken Trump critic, just this week calling the businessman-turned-president a vile man who did more damage to the United States than any other leader in recent US history in an interview with the Washington Post.

In advance of the release of his new book Here, Right Matters, Mr Vindman told the Post that Mr Trump remained an enormous threat.

I can make cold, hard calculations about the threat ... former president of the United States Donald Trump poses. He continues to pose a keen threat based on propagating this lie that the election was stolen, in fact, he was the one trying to steal the election.

Mr Vindman left the NSC in July 2020 following his testimony to Congress about Mr Trumps activities, citing bullying and retaliation from members of the Trump administration. He previously served as its director for European affairs.

Mr Trump claimed to have never met Mr Vindman in a February 2020 tweet that simultaneously accused the military officer of being very insubordinate, causing his superior to file a horrendous report about him. The former president famously demonised members of his administration and the broader White House and military spheres who criticised him in any way following their respective exits from his administration.

The 45th president survived both impeachment efforts launched by Democrats over the Ukraine scandal as well as the attack on the US Capitol earlier this year, though his second impeachment trial ended in the most bipartisan support for a presidential impeachment in US history.
Georgia, Mexico and the French overseas territories of La Reunion and Mayotte have been downgraded from amber to red in the latest reshuffle of the governments traffic light lists for international travel.

The changes came into effect in England at 4am on 8 August.

Follow UK Covid news live: Latest travel updates

Those entering the UK from these destinations will now be subject to 11 nights of government-mandated hotel quarantine. This quarantine previously cost 1,750 per solo traveller but will be increasing to 2,285 as of 12 August.

These countries and regions all present a high public health risk to the UK from known variants of concern, known high-risk variants under investigation or as a result of very high in-country or territory prevalence of COVID-19, according to a statement from the Department for Transport.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced that these four destinations were to be moved onto the red list during the latest tri-weekly review, which took place on 4 August, a day earlier than expected.

Mr Shapps said: We are committed to opening up international travel safely, taking advantage of the gains weve made through our successful vaccination programme, helping connect families, friends and businesses around the world.

While we must continue to be cautious, todays changes reopen a range of different holiday destinations across the globe, which is good news for both the sector and travelling public.

Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said: As well as moving more countries to the green list, todays announcement also demonstrates the need for continued caution. Further countries have been added to the red list to help protect the success of our vaccine rollout from the threat of new variants.

The Indian Ocean islands of La Reunion and Mayotte are overseas departments of France.

When France was added to the amber plus list last month, with the UK government citing high cases of the Beta variant of Covid-19 as a factor in that decision, speculation was rife that this was due to case numbers in La Reunion, rather than on the French mainland.

As part of the same update, the government has announced that it will scrap the controversial amber plus category.

As of 8 August, France will return to the amber list, meaning arrivals from France will no longer need to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated.

In addition, four destinations were moved from the red to the amber list - India, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE  while a further seven countries were added to the green list.

Arrivals from Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway will be able to avoid quarantine, whatever their vaccine status.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
In what could be a breakthrough in the vaccination programme, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has said that a study has suggested that mixing and matching of COVID-19 vaccines -- Covaxin and Covishield -- show better results.

Study on mixing & matching of COVID vaccines, Covaxin & Covishield shows better results, said ICMR.

Immunisation with combination of an adenovirus vector platform-based vaccine followed by inactivated whole virus vaccine was not only safe but also elicited better immunogenicity, said the study.

Reuters

Earlier, the ICMR said that Bharat Biotechs coronavirus vaccine Covaxin is effective against the Delta Plus variant of the SARS CoV2 virus.

The study was, however, yet to be peer-reviewed.

WHO warns against the practice

Some earlier studies have suggested that mixing two COVID-19 vaccines from two different manufacturers can have provided better protection, the WHO is warning against the practice.

PTI

World Health Organisation (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said that mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers is a "dangerous trend" and could lead to chaos as there is limited data on it.

Addressing a COVID-19 media briefing, Swaminathan said, "Really want to caution folks, because there is a tendency now for people in countries with enough availability of vaccines to voluntarily start thinking."

Several European countries including the UK have been seriously considering mixing Pfizer and Moderna vaccine shots as both are mRNA-based.
The Uttar Pradesh government has withdrawn a departmental re-inquiry ordered last year against suspended Gorakhpur paediatrician Dr Kafeel Khan, the state government informed the Allahabad High Court.

The government is likely to decide on his suspension in three months.

Khan was suspended from service on August 22, 2017, following the death of about 60 infants in the BRD Medical College hospital due to lack of oxygen.

AFP

During the court proceedings, additional advocate general (AAG) Manish Goyal, representing the state government, informed the court that the said order has been withdrawn subject to liberty being reserved for the respondents - the state authorities concerned - to proceed in the matter afresh and in light of what was noted by this court in its order of July 29, 2021.

The AAG further submitted that all endeavour shall be made to conclude the disciplinary proceedings within a period of three months.

Taking the statement of AAG on record, Justice Yashwant Varma said, "That only leaves the court to consider the justification for continuing the suspension of the petitioner, which was made pursuant to an order passed on August 22, 2017, by the state government."

AFP

Having made the submission, the AAG requested the court to enable him to obtain requisite instructions in this respect. Hence, the court directed to list this petition on August 10 for the next hearing.
A collaborative study involving four Indian institutes (National Institute Of Immunology, AIIMS, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, St Johns Research Hospital, Bengaluru) and one French Institute, University of Strasbourg have figured out a way to detect colon cancer as early as stage 1, to ensure an effective recovery.

Getty Images

Also Read: Israeli Scientists Find A Way To Destroy Cancer Without Harming Healthy Cells

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it is the third most common form of cancer in men (663,000 cases in 2014, amounting to 10 percent of all cancer cases) and second most common in women (571,000 cases in 2014 amounting to 9.4 percent of all cancer cases).



Colon cancer is also notorious to be one of the forms of cancer thats detected at really late stages and there are two techniques that result in effective detection -- CT colonography, colonoscopy and immunohistochemistry. CT colonography involves low-dose radiation, colonoscopy is invasive and really uncomfortable and immunohistochemistry is subjective and can at times be non-reproducible.

The new study, led by Dr Sagar Sengupta from the National Institute of Immunology has however found a novel way to identify the disease as early as stage 1 through his labs work on microRNAs.

These microRNAs are minute single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that silence the expression of proteins. The microRNAs are known to fuse to the messenger RNA molecules that code for the proteins and thus either inactivate or destroy them.

The study has found that six microRNAs get upregulated in colon cancer cells -- the levels of these are controlled by master regulator protein CDX2. The upregulated microRNAs which were named DNA damage sensitive microRNAs (DDSM for short) was found to target a group of cellular proteins which are needed to maintain the original nature of genetic material in each cell of the human body.

Also Read: Scientists Invent Laser Surgery To Kill Cancer Cells Without Harming Healthy Tissues

Lab mice experiments revealed that the cells have a greater tendency to form cancers if there is an overexpression of these microRNAs and loss of the aforementioned genome stabilisers.

The findings have been tested on datasets in the Cancer Genome Atlas as well as in a group of colon cancer patients who had come to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

Dr Sagar Sengupta/ Twitter

Also Read: Israeli Scientists Find Huge Breakthrough In Curing Deadly Brain Cancer

Researchers discovered that DDSMs were upregulated even in the case of stage 1 colon cancer tissues. This was seen even till stage 4 cancers. Moreover, increased DDSM levels reduced the probability of the patients survival.

Dr Sengupta said in a statement to India Science Wire, We believe that the identified DDSMs can serve as an invaluable biomarker for colon cancer early detection process. We now have to determine whether the DDSMs can also be detected in patient blood samples. If that is possible, it would make colon cancer detection as simple as the detection of blood sugar in diabetic patients.

This is a great piece of technological breakthrough, which will no doubt help save lives lost to cancer. Keep visiting Indiatimes.com for more coverage on breakthrough research in the field of cancer cure and medicine, and healthcare technology.
Indo-Canadian trucker Tasbir Singh was the victim of marijuana dealers who hacked into the trucking company's computers, created a fake order for springs and packed the trailer with marijuana, said his attorney. Above: A border between the U.S. and Canada. (Wikimedia.org photo)
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

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%.
Volkswagen has introduced a new, small SUV coupe, the Taigo, and is predicting that customers will love the crossover body style.

The five-seater Taigo slopes backwards at the rear, in coupe style  without restricting the headroom in the passenger compartment  a la some of the more premium SUV coupes, such as the BMW X4 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe.

Volkswagen is expanding its portfolio of compact and front-wheel-drive Polo (hatchback) and T-Cross (SUV) models, based on the modular transverse kit (MQB), with this third body variant, which was previously reserved for high-priced vehicles.

The focus of the Taigo is on design and individuality, and a specification list that includes LED headlights, a digital cockpit, and the latest-generation Infotainment systems (MIB3).

The focus of the Taigo is on design and individuality, and a specification list that includes LED headlights, a digital cockpit, and the latest-generation Infotainment systems (MIB3).

The 4.26-metre SUV coupe sets a new technology benchmark in its class. On the German market, the Taigo comes as standard with the latest-generation assistance systems, such as lane assist and front assist.

The model is produced in Pamplona, Spain, and, like the Polo and T-Cross, the sporty new crossover will go on sale throughout Europe, with sales markets including 28 EU countries, as well as South Africa and Turkey.

In Brazil, the Taigo will be offered and produced under the name of Nivus, with market-specific variations.

The design was the responsibility of Marco Pavone, head of exterior design for Volkswagen, who, with his twin brother, Jose Carlos Pavone, head of Volkswagen Design Centre (South America Region), has implemented several projects for the brand.

Depending on the engine, gears are changed manually by means of a five-speed/six-speed manual gearbox, or via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG).

When they were students, Marco and Jose Carlos Pavone were determined to work in the Volkswagen design team.

They submitted their job application with their first design sketches for future cars.

Today, 35 years later, the brothers are in consistent communication about the brands latest design developments.

Volkswagen is launching the Taigo as a front-wheel-drive model with highly efficient petrol engines, generating 70kW (95bhp), 81kW (110bhp), and 110kW (150bhp). The maximum speeds are 183km/h, 191km/h, and 212 km/h, respectively.

The five-seater Taigo slopes backwards at the rear, in coupe style  without restricting the headroom in the passenger compartment

Depending on the engine, gears are changed manually by means of a five-speed/six-speed manual gearbox, or via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG).

We will have more on pricing, specification, and timelines for the cars Irish launch in due course.

Audi Ireland job

Audi Ireland has appointed Damien OSullivan as new Audi Ireland brand director.

Mr OSullivan returns to Audi Ireland after a successful six years working for Audi in Asia, initially in Taiwan as after-sales director, and then for the last three years in China as vice-president, dealer development, for the Audi sales division, based in Changchun.

Prior to taking up his role abroad, in 2015, Mr OSullivan held various roles in Audi Ireland, including financial controller, sales planning manager, and head of after-sales.

The appointment comes as Thorsten Godulla is promoted to president of SAIC Audi sales and marketing in Shanghai, China. Mr Godulla will be continuing his 27-year career with Audi in a recently launched, new joint venture.

During his time at the Irish business, Mr Godulla steered it through the challenges of Brexit and the ongoing challenges of Covid-19, cemented Audi Irelands position as number one premium brand, and oversaw the launch of key strategic new models, including the Audi E-tron, Audi A3, the e-tron GT, and Q4 e-tron to market.

Mr OSullivan returns to Audi Ireland after a successful six years working for Audi in Asia, initially in Taiwan as after-sales director, and then for the last three years in China as vice-president, dealer development, for the Audi sales division, based in Changchun.

Carla Wentzel, group managing director, Volkswagen Group, said: On behalf of the board of management, I would like to thank Thorsten for everything he has done over the past three years. Thorsten is a living testament to the Future is an Attitude ethos and has collaborated successfully with the Audi Dealer Council and the Audi dealer network to achieve the best performance in all areas, but also to prepare for the acceleration to increased electric vehicles and digital services. We wish him all the best in his exciting new role.

We are also delighted to welcome Damien back to Audi Ireland and we look forward to working with him in a very exciting period for the brand.

Mr Godulla said, It was an honour for me to work with the most professional automotive dealer network in Ireland.

My time in Ireland was challenging, due to Brexit and Covid. We worked closely in partnership with the dealer network to deliver the best customer experience, with amazing products, in both sales and in aftersales. I want to thank my amazing team at Audi Ireland for their contribution and the great team spirit during my tenure.

I really look forward to moving to Shanghai to start a new chapter in my career to establish successfully the new joint venture with SAIC, with new products and a completely new dealer network.

Its a great pleasure to welcome Damien OSullivan back to Audi Ireland. With his international experience in Taiwan and China, he will successfully manage the future success of the Audi brand in Ireland. Honda has revealed a preview of the NSX Type S, which will go on sale at the end of 2022 as the swansong for its hybrid V6 supercar, but will sadly not be available to Irish customers.

The limited-run model will be unveiled in the coming weeks, but it has already been teased in a series of images, under a low-light camouflage, revealing bespoke design cues that will mark it out from the standard NSX.

Grey exterior paint, black trim, red brake calipers, and Type S badging, positioned just ahead of the rear wheels, will be the defining cues, while a red engine cover will nod to Hondas performance-car heritage. Each of the 350 units built will receive a numbered plaque, too.

Honda NSX

Honda has also promised, enhancements to performance and design with the goal to create a model that goes beyond all NSX models that came before.

Performance figures are yet to be revealed, but its highly likely that the electrified, 3.5-litre V6s output will be bumped up from a standard 573bhp closer to the 600bhp mark, alongside upgrades to the brakes and suspension to enhance the cars agility.

Production of the second-generation NSX will continue to take place at Hondas Performance Manufacturing Centre in the US, before coming to an end in December 2022.

Honda will produce 350 units worldwide, with 30 of these for Japanese customers.
You normally would not expect a $1000 tip on a $285.66 check, but that is exactly what happened at the popular Firefly restaurant.

According to the owner of the Panama City Beach restaurant  described as casual fine dining - the wait staff and cooks at his were rewarded with a $1,000 tip. The restaurants owner, Dave Trepanier, posted on it on Facebook.

Trepanier wrote, Why do I love this business? First, I love my staff! Second, I love the fact that you never know what will happen from night to night. This incredible guest wanted to make sure the men and women on the cooking line got taken care of! It's been a long, hard summer for the staff in the kitchen. It's nice to know some folks out there appreciate them!
The Lucid Lush cigar shop in the Harbor Plaza Shopping Center is a small place - two comfy chairs and a TV. But to Eden Ed Mekmel, owner and operator, the shop provides an opportunity to create a cigar lovers experience on every visit.

We are a lot more than a cigar store, he said.

For the Israeli-born Mekmel, who moved to the U.S. 20 years ago, Lucid Lush represents an opportunity to connect with his customers on a deeper basis. Cigar smokers are an interesting and diverse group, Mekmel recently told Islander News. Cigars provide an escape from life, help create your own bubble where you can meditate or relax while you enjoy the stick.

At Lucid Lush, Mekmel has crafted a selection of cigars which, in his opinion, matches the diverse population of Key Biscayne. Prices start at $5.95 and go all the way up to $47 for Lucid Lushs selection of Deluxe Quality Cigars, the Zino Platinum Chubby Especial Cigars, a delightful choice in the owners opinion.

Cigars are like wine; they get better with age, says Mekmel, adding that at Lucid Lush, we can match your taste on cigars with the perfect brand. We take the time to learn about your taste and budget before recommending a smoke.

Lucid carries brands like Arturo Fuente, Oliva, Montecristo among many, with cigars crafted in Latin American countries like Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

For the entrepreneur Merkel, Lucid Lush is a business that connects with people. Most of the businesses Ive owned have that in common, adds Mekel who previously was in fashion and swimwear design.

At Lucid, you can also receive advice on which spirits pair well with different cigars. For example, an underappreciated cigar companion is sherry, such as Hidalgos Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada. Sherry is usually a blend of both vintages and vineyards but this is a single-vineyard Manzanilla, from the prized albariza soils of Hidalgo's Pastrana vineyard outside the Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera.

Another favorite offering at Lucid is the 30-year aged Pedro Ximenez Triana Vinos Viejos de Hidalgo -- a dark and intense compliment to a wine cigar. There are also champagnes available, such as the premium Lamborghini, for both that special gift or for a smokers gathering.

Additionally, Lucid Lush offers cigar accessories (lighters, cutters, designer ashtrays), a complete line of E-cigarettes, CBD and Delta-8 products.

Lucid Lush is located at 71 Harbor Drive. They are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. You may reach them at (786) 903-7415.
The percentage of Texas Covid-19 tests coming back positive is now at levels considered red flags by Gov. Greg Abbott and the Trump administration during the height of the pandemic. State officials and virologists say the highly contagious delta variant is fueling the rise in new cases and hospitalizations, especially among the unvaccinated. The delta variant also is capable of infecting the vaccinated, considered breakthrough infections, although the vaccinated experience only mild cases. Should the public return to pandemic safety measures such as mask wearing in public places?

You voted:
Ithaca, NY (14850)

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Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
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.
Butts County Animal Control is currently closed to the public, but Butts Mutts is still working by appointment only. They are working diligently to get dogs in foster care, if not adopted, as quickly as possibly. Click for more.
We adopted our dog from a shelter.

We adopted our dog from a non-profit organization.

We purchased our dog from a pet store.

We adopted/purchased our dog from a breeder.

Our dog just showed up one day and now it's family.

A friend or family member gave us a dog from a litter.

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Anyone familiar with the Oregon cannabis industry knows that the secondary market for its cannabis producer license is both unfamiliar and lucrative. In the past few years, especially last year, we have helped many farmers buy and sell these permits (or more accurately, the rights to succession permits). What needs to be clear is that most of these sales do not involve equipment, inventory, name rights, and nothing. It is the right to obtain a license instead of other producers. We even pre-sold some of them, and as I typed, there are four such sales in progress. What I mean by pre-sale means that we have customers in the application queue, and the buyer has promised to obtain up to 300,000 US dollars after the release of our customers license to apply for the right to apply for a follow-up license. This is a very hot market.

You might be asking why people pay $250,000 or more for the Oregon Alcohol and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) for licensing rights that spend approximately $5,000 a year on the secondary market. This is a very good question. The answer is because OLCC does not currently issue producer licenses (or licenses of any kind) to most new Oregon cannabis applicantswhether the applicant is an existing licensee seeking to expand its holdings or new market entry By. The only way to obtain one of these licenses is to find someone willing to give up their license, usually through an asset purchase agreement. In this type of transaction, the buyer purchases all rights, ownership, and interest in the inheritance license at the sellers premises or elsewhere. OLCC will process these buyer applications and the sellers license refunds.

This strange situation has been brewing for a long time.From an administrative point of view, it all started with the famous License processing suspended June 15, 2018-For better or worse, this is still in progress. But the law that really stimulates the secondary producer market is Senate Bill 218, which was promulgated in the 2019 legislative session.You can read my summary of SB 218 here. The bill was enacted in response to well-documented Oversupply of cannabis In the regulated Oregon market, and provide:

OLCC may, based on the supply and demand of cannabis refuse to issue a production license within the time the committee deems necessary.

A big question when SB 218 was passed was: How long will OLCC reject the issuance of production licenses? Today, the answer seems very clear, at least until January 2, 2022, when SB 218 sunsets.

The next question is what will happen on January 2, 2022. In our conversations with OLCC staff, they generally acknowledged that the committee will be forced to accept new manufacturer applications on January 2, 2022. Whether OLCC will process these applications at any time in the near future, however, this is a question of one million dollars (or maybe 250,000 dollars). Here are some things to consider:

There are currently 450 new (non-ownership change) applications pending in the OLCC hopper.

About 250 of these applications were submitted before the 2018 suspension. OLCC must process these applications to avoid prosecution. Some of these applications are used for producer licenses.

After the suspension, another 220 or so unprocessed applications were added one after another. Due to SB 218, these suspended applications are not for the producer.

The new law SB 408 stipulates that OLCC shall not unreasonably delay processing, approving or rejecting license applications, except in limited circumstances (you can read my summary here).

Generally speaking, when processing OLCC licenses, the agencys goal is to allocate unboxed applications to investigators within 30 days (currently slightly longer), and issue licenses within 60 days thereafter.

So, where does this take us? Well, for anyone looking to start licensed Oregon cannabis cultivation, the fastest way to obtain a license is still the secondary market. This situation may continue for some time. Even if OLCC cancels the suspension tomorrow, there are still 450 pending applications before new applicants. There is also no guarantee that the agency will process these applications in the order received. For example, at different times in the past few years, OLCC placed certain types of applications on top of other applications and focused on market factors.

The next question may be whether it is worth paying $250,000 to plant early, especially when the market is very tight. Assuming the buyers intention is not to use the license as a cover for more profitable illegal activities, and assuming the buyer is organized and well-funded (please dont try to start one of these businesses for less than $1 million), this is indeed A timeline issue. The following are some relevant factors related to OLCCs processing of submitted applications for qualified manufacturers and applications that may be submitted after January 2, 2022:

OLCC and everyone else dont know when the committee will lift the suspension.

When OLCC does release the suspension, it is not known whether it will continue to slow down certain types of applications, subject to SB 408 constraints. The Commission may be particularly inclined to do this to manufacturers in order to protect existing licensees (including outbound sellers).

It is not clear what measures the Oregon Legislature will take at its short meeting in February to affect this situation. I want to say that the probability that we see relevant legislation is more than 50%.

It is not clear what will happen to the federal legislature and when farmers in Oregon will finally be allowed to transport cannabis interstate.

If you are buying on the secondary market, it is unknown whether the current OLCC change of ownership timeline will remain (although it has been very stable since then) Simplified licensing Has been implemented; currently OLCC is About six weeks later Change from allocation).

If you buy on the secondary market, you may have sales problems due to various reasons (violation of the sellers license, sellers dishonesty or confusion, landlord issues, etc.).

In the short term, people will continue to pay each other for what they usually get directly from the state. If you are an aspiring Oregon cannabis producer and need to enter early, the only thing you can do is to find a willing seller. Or, you can watch things change, plan to apply on January 2nd, and hope that the dominoes will benefit you. With any luck, you may get a permit this time next year. or not.
The authorities have recovered the body of the man who did not resurface at Longview Lake this morning after he went into the water to help his two children.
On August 7, "My Roommate Is A Gumiho" actor Jang Ki Yong turned 30. As a celebration for his special day, his fans sponsored Indie Space, South Korea's first cinema dedicated to independent films under his name.

Jang Ki Yong's Fans Sponsor Indie Space Under The Actor's Name

On his birthday, his fans sponsored Indie Space, South Korea's first cinema catered for independent films to celebrate the actor's special day.

YOU MIGHT LIKE: 'Nevertheless' Star Song Kang Shows Off Toned Biceps in New Instagram Post

Indie Space has been showing various independent films in South Korea since the year 2007 through exhibitions, screenings, and also sponsorships where an actor's name is engraved on the seat of Indie Space theaters.

Jang Ki Yong's name has been engraved on a nameplate on the G4 seat of the Indie Space theater to cheer and support the South Korean independent film industry. The gesture is expected to positively impact the actor's career and the film industry, both independent and domestic.

Jang Ki Yong as A Promising Actor in Today's Time

The "Sweet and Sour" actor proved he is one of the most promising actors in his generation, after starring in numerous top-rating and smash-hit dramas "It's Okay, That's Love," "The Liar and His Lover," "Come and Hug Me," and "Born Again." Jang Ki Yong also became a hot topic worldwide after playing the role of the handsome men in "Love In The Moonlight" actress Chae Soo Bin and f(x)'s Krystal's lives in Netflix's romantic comedy film "Sweet & Sour." The 30-year-old actor, despite his humble self, has had several awards under his belt since 2018.

He recently swept fans and viewers off their feet in his recent drama "My Roommate Is A Gumiho" with his leading lady Girl's Day's Hyeri.

Jang Ki Yong will be appearing in SBS TV's upcoming drama series "Now, We Are Breaking Up" opposite "Descendants of the Sun" actress Song Hye Kyo, EXO's Sehun, and Girl's Day's Yura.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Song Hye Kyo Teases Fans with a Photo for Upcoming Drama with Jang Ki Yong

"Now, We Are Breaking Up" will be his last appearance on the small screen before enlisting for the military.

Fun Facts You Ought To Know About Actor Jang Ki Yong

Jang Ki Yong is an Award-Winning Model

The 30-year-old actor started his career as a model in 2012 and won the Fashion Model Award at the 2014 Asian Model Awards.

Jang Ki Yong also walked the runway for top designers and luxury brands.

As he wants to break the stereotype that beautiful models can't act, he took his shot and ventured into acting. He also influenced "Start-Up" actor Nam Joo-hyuk to become a model. Now, they are one of the most sought-after models and actors in the South Korean film industry.

Jang Ki Yong Can Sing

Interestingly, Jang Ki Yong is an outstanding actor and model; he can also sing and rap. A total package.

He once sang for his dramas "The Liar and His Lover" and "Come and Hug Me" and showcased his hidden talent in variety shows.

The model and actor also appeared in several music videos, "Red Shoes" and "Friday," to name a few.

Source: (1)

What are your wishes for the birthday boy Jang Ki Yong? Which Jang Ki Yong dramas are your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Follow KDramastars for more Kdrama, KMovie, and celebrity news updates!

KDramastars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
MEDFORD, Ore.  Wildfire incidents are caused a number of road closures in District 2. Areas of highway closures are subject to change at any time.

STATE ROUTE 299: State Route 299 in Trinity County is currently CLOSED from Burnt Ranch to Powerhouse Road 2 miles west of Junction City due to #MonumentFire. There is currently no estimated time for when the roadway will be reopened. For current fire information, click here.

STATE ROUTE 36: State Route 36 is currently closed from White Rock Road (Shasta County) to the junction with State Route 3 (Trinity County) due to the #McFarlandFire. There is currently no estimated time for when the roadway will be reopened. For current fire information, click here.

STATE ROUTE 36: State Route 36 is closed from just east of Morgan Summit to the junction with Highway 44 due to the #DixieFire

STATE ROUTE 70: State Route 70 is currently closed from just east of Jarbo Gap (Deadwood Road) to the junction with State Route 89 (Greenville Wye) due to the #DixieFire.

STATE ROUTE 32: State Route 32 is currently closed from Butte Meadows to the junction with State Route 36 due to the #DixieFire.

STATE ROUTE 89: State Route 89 is currently closed from approximately 1 mile north of Crescent Mills to the junction with State Route 36 due to the #DixieFire.

STATE ROUTE 89: State Route 89 is currently closed through Lassen Volcanic National Park, from the junction with State Route 36 to the junction with State Route 44, due to the #DixieFire.

STATE ROUTE 147: State Route 147 is currently closed from the junction with State Route 89 to County Road A-21 due to the #DixieFire.

At this time, there are no detours in place due to these closures.

QuickMap is free app to use for smartphones, where you can find the best alternate route to get to your destination.

You can also call 1-800-427-7623 for highway condition information.

Motorists are being urged to check roadway conditions often as these wildfire incidents remain dynamic.

If you are traveling in a large vehicle (big rig, large recreational vehicle or commercial bus), please check this website for route restriction information when considering alternate routes.

Please follow the Caltrans District 2 Facebook and Twitter pages for additional updates.
JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore.  With cases of COVID-19 on the rise in Southern Oregon, Josephine County Public Health experts are calling for renewed vigilance in the face of the rapidly spreading virus. This includes getting vaccinated, maintaining physical distancing and wearing face coverings indoors and in crowded outdoor areas.

Since the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions across the state on June 30, Josephine County has seen a steep rise in both cases and hospitalizations that are pushing hospitals beyond their capacity. Hospitalizations in Region 5, which comprises Jackson County and Josephine County, have gone from 17 to 83 in this time, a 488% increase. The previous peak for hospitalized COVID-19 patients was 69 in January.

Of the 256 new cases of COVID-19 in Josephine County reported last week, more than 68 percent were in individuals younger than 50. More than 100 of the cases were among residents in their 20s and 30s.

One factor at play is the prevalence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is the dominant strain in Oregon and has been confirmed as present in Josephine County. A mutation of the original COVID-19 virus, the Delta variant spreads more easily between individuals than other variants.

The Delta variant is more common in those who are unvaccinated, and younger people are less vaccinated, said Dr. Leona OKeefe, JCPH deputy health officer. To help prevent spread and protect the entire community, younger people need to get vaccinated. Furthermore, it will protect them against the randomness of COVID-19. Even young people are becoming ill enough to be hospitalized, often on oxygen support, and we cannot always foresee who those individuals will be.

Although we tend to feel invincible when we are young, this virus is unpredictable and can harm even the young and healthy.

JCPH strongly recommends everyone age 12 or older receives the no-cost COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone interested in scheduling an appointment to receive a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (and receive a $25 Visa Reward Card) is invited to fill out the Josephine County COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment Request Form at http://www.co.josephine.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=2299 or call the COVID-19 vaccination call center at (541) 916-7030.

To help those who need both COVID and non-COVID care, the community must work together to get vaccinated, wear masks and put some limits on social activities, OKeefe said. Each layer of protection helps to protect you and others.

JCPH recommends wearing face coverings indoors and at crowded outdoor spaces, even for those who are vaccinated.

The COVID-19 Delta variant seems at least three times as transmissible as prior variants, said Dr. David Candelaria, Josephine County Public Health officer. Outbreaks have been identified in crowded outdoor spaces, such as the Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest in Oregon and several large public events in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Outbreaks have involved fully vaccinated individuals, but it is still extremely rare for a fully vaccinated individual to die of COVID-19. Those who are hospitalized or die after full vaccination almost always have other underlying health conditions. Overall, vaccines have undoubtedly prevented severe disease and hospitalization.

Since some fully vaccinated individuals have spread COVID-19, JCPH staff agree with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it is safest to wear a face covering even if vaccinated in order to protect those who have underlying health conditions and/or are not fully vaccinated.

This truly remains a communitywide effort, Candelaria said. The pandemic ends when the health care system can reliably care for people who need all types of medical care. To reach that goal, more people must get vaccinated.

The longer it takes to contain COVID-19 with vaccination, the more likely it is we will see variants that cause greater problems  and the more likely that societal restrictions like masking will be required.

Despite area hospitals being pushed beyond capacity, OKeefe stresses the importance of residents seeking care when they are sick.

Do not delay care, OKeefe said. Call your provider. Go to urgent care. Go to the emergency room. Let a medical professional decide what level of care you need.

Those who have COVID-19 can ask their provider about monoclonal antibody treatment to help prevent hospitalization. The treatment is provided at Asante Ashland Community Hospital and requires a referral from the patients primary care provider. Certain criteria must be met to qualify for treatment.

See co.josephine.or.us/COVID19 for more information.
The COVID-19 infection rate in BC has leaped to 536, a figure not seen since mid-May. There are more than 3,500 active cases in the province and more than half of those are in the Interior Health region.

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I really like going to Petrifying Springs Park here in Kenosha County: Got anything like that? If youre after that Wisconsin woods experience, head to Ohio for Cuyahoga Valley National Park or drive farther southeast to Congaree National Park , located near Columbia, S.C. Congaree is one of the least visited national parks and was established to protect the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the U.S. Its very wet  but dont call it a swamp; theyre sensitive about that. Luckily, the trails feature elevated boardwalks. At Cuyahoga, visitors can ride a scenic railroad, hike/bike along a canal trail or attend a concert at the Blossom Music Center.

I really, really want to get away from it all. There are two very different national parks that offer extreme isolation, if thats what you seek: Dry Tortugas and Isle Royale. Dry Tortugas is located on an island 68 miles west of Key West, Fla. The U.S. Park Service operates daily boat trips to the island and tours of the islands historic Fort Jefferson. You can stay overnight, but there are no facilities there, including fresh water (hence the name dry Tortugas). Isle Royale is an island in Lake Superior. (Warning: that boat trip can be quite rough.) The island is mostly uninhabited, and many visitors head out to backpack and camp. Or you can visit the way we did, by spending the night in the comfy Rock Harbor Lodge (I recommend the blueberry cobbler for dessert in the dining room).
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Given the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, many are asking why people would be hesitant to be vaccinated against it. Thats the question that bounces around the skulls of countless physicians, public health experts, journalists, politicians, and others. But before trying to answer the question, it might be reasonable to ask why people do, or fail to do, other things that negatively affect their health.

Why does a patient with diabetes come to the emergency department with a blood sugar over 500, having failed to take insulin for 2 weeks? Why does the patient with lung disease continue to smoke two packs per day despite struggling to breathe around the clock? What prompts the elderly patient with abdominal pain to sign out and go home to be with her dog? And for heavens sake, why do young people take that first hit of heroin or methamphetamine?

The easy, heartless answer is to say that these people are just stupid. Stupid people dont take their insulin, and they keep smoking. Ignorant, uneducated people refuse medical care. Unwise, unscientific young people start using drugs.

And yet, having practiced medicine for 28 years, I can say that none of the above patients would be more likely to follow my suggestions if I told them their decisions were stupid.

Human decisions are far more complex, nuanced, and personal than most of us realize. So, revisiting the above scenarios, its possible that the patient with diabetes couldnt afford insulin. It could be that the smoker has few joys in life, and nicotine is one of them. As so often the case, the owner of the dog has no family or friends, and her dog is her closest companion. Finally, the person using drugs may be anesthetizing a life of terrible abuse, or may come from a home where drugs were always in the background. Are their decisions concerning? They certainly are. But they are comprehensible. We neednt agree with a choice to understand it.

Still, in light of a deadly pandemic, why would people eschew a vaccination that might be life-saving for them or those around them? As before, the easy answer is: because they are simply ignorant or dont care if they hurt other people. This argument is inadequate and unproductive. Let me suggest some alternative reasons why people might not want the vaccine.

Even as follow the science is a common mantra, science is often quite hard to understand. Few people understand the incredible complexities of virology, immunology, or epidemiology. Despite my own education, the intricacies of human biology and medical science still can seem a bit much to me too.

An understanding of science is not innate. Furthermore, reading and posting news clips about science with which one simply agrees is not the same as following the science. Many people with 4-year college degrees have only a passing grasp of science at best. Likewise, high school science classes are often relatively basic. As such, our general population-wide comprehension of science makes it very difficult to explain the research that might alleviate anxieties among the unvaccinated. Any practicing physician knows how difficult this is when trying to explain a disease process, a procedure, or the results of imaging or labs to a patient.

Another commonly cited reason for vaccine hesitation is that the COVID-19 vaccine was developed and launched much more quickly than typical vaccines and most pharmaceuticals. While those who express this are often viewed with some scorn, the fact is that for years we have been told by academics in medicine that we should view pharmaceutical companies with suspicion, and that they are often dishonest in their research. It may be that some of the vaccine-hesitant are only doing what they have been told to do  until now.

Those in rural America, particularly those in the throes of the ongoing opioid crisis, might have more personal reasons to distrust Big Pharma. After all, OxyContin was sold to them as a less addictive way to manage chronic pain. And yet, the death and devastation left in the wake of the opioid crisis has been truly apocalyptic.

Many lower-income individuals are distrustful of government in general, and not without cause. Poor citizens in the U.S. (and around the world) suffered terribly during the lockdowns advocated by public health professionals and government. Unable to work from home, they lost jobs, businesses, and homes as their children suffered from compromised educations, depression, and anxiety. Rates of overdose and interpersonal violence have risen significantly from the agony of the lockdowns and endless restrictions.

It was easy for those with money, or who could work from home, to tell others to stay home, order food, and watch Netflix. Those without money, both urban and rural, remain unimpressed by the sort of pseudo-scientific guidance, wrapped in politics, that nearly wrecked them. As such, their concerns about vaccine guidance might seem a little more reasonable, feeling distrustful as they certainly have reason to be.

Vaccine hesitation is certainly amplified by social media, which constantly churns out half-truths and untruths, readily shared with the click of a button. The classic example is that the vaccine implants some sort of chip in the body that allows humans to be tracked. False information abounds.

On the other hand, ideas initially treated as crazed rants turn out to have some value. For instance, there is now growing support for the idea that COVID-19 originated in a lab. The switch in this viewpoint, as formerly recalcitrant experts have hesitantly come to embrace a once reviled viewpoint, is also a source of confusion and distrust for the masses.

While problematic, no one should be surprised by the effect of social media on this debate, or on the way it has become increasingly toxic. In fact, social media is used by movements and advocates of every stripe, and not always in an honest way.

It can be very hard to know whom to trust; even more so as legacy media and Big Tech increasingly seem to apply censorship that is sharply partisan in their treatment of the pandemic. In addition, the algorithms of social media intentionally drive anxiety and division in an already divided populace in pursuit of clicks and advertising dollars.

In summary, its not all that surprising that many people still have not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine. After treating COVID-19 patients for many months, I finally got the vaccine this past winter. I am a rural, Southern, evangelical Christian, and I have actively encouraged patients, friends, and family to be vaccinated. Unlike the general narrative, I have been met with very little pushback on the idea of vaccination. Obviously, that is anecdotal. But it is relevant.

Along with many physicians, I believe that the science of the vaccine is good and the benefit is great. While we are early in the process, and should be attentive to (and honest about) potential problems, I believe that the COVID-19 vaccination effort was one of the great scientific and governmental triumphs of the last century.

However, I work with real human beings and with their very real doubts and fears. I urge everyone to try and understand the vaccine hesitant and talk to them. Treat them as potential allies rather than enemies. Try to learn from them and apply that information to future situations. But do not, under any circumstance, treat them as simpletons or dismiss their concerns out of hand.

We change the minds of our patients, and our loved ones, with compassion and kindness. We only alienate them with disdain. And this is nowhere more true than in the issue of COVID-19 vaccine hesitation.

Edwin Leap is an emergency physician who blogs at edwinleap.com and is the author of the Practice Test and Life in Emergistan. This article originally appeared in MedPage Today.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Weather Alert

An Air Quality Alert has been issued by the following agencies: Washington Department of Ecology in Spokane Washington Department of Ecology in Yakima Colville Confederated Tribes The Washington Department of Ecology has announced an Air Quality Alert for all of Washington east of the Cascade crest through 10 AM Monday August 16th, due to increasing levels of wildfire smoke. A cold front on Sunday is expected to begin clearing smoke across much of Eastern Washington, but air quality concerns will continue for Okanogan, Ferry, and Yakima counties. Burning restrictions are in effect. Health Impacts and Recommended Actions: When air quality is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, sensitive persons may experience health effects and should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors. When air quality in Unhealthy, everyone should limit their time outdoors, and people with asthma, respiratory infections, diabetes, lung or heart disease should stay indoors. Burning Restrictions: Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued an emergency order July 6, 2021, prohibiting most unpermitted outdoor burning through September 30, 2021. Visit www.ecology.wa.gov/burnbans for details on local restrictions.

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with afternoon temperatures in the upper 90s to 105 degrees. * WHERE...Some of the lower elevations of the north and north central Idaho Panhandle as well as all valleys of central and eastern Washington. * WHEN...Until 8 PM PDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat combined with unusually warm overnight temperatures will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses. Conditions will be difficult for residents without air conditioners. Those working or participating in outdoor activities will also be vulnerable. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned rooms, and check up on relatives and neighbors. &&

...DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY... Breezy to gusty westerly winds along with low relative humidity values will lead to increased fire weather concerns across portions of central and eastern Washington. ...FIRE WEATHER WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE OKANOGAN VALLEY AND HIGHLANDS AS WELL AS THE SPOKANE AND PALOUSE AREA... * Affected Area: Fire Weather Zone 674 East Washington Palouse and Spokane Area (Zone 674), Fire Weather Zone 684 East Washington Okanogan/Methow Valleys (Zone 684) and Fire Weather Zone 687 East Washington Okanogan Highlands (Zone 687). * Winds: Southwest to west 10 to 16 mph with gusts 20 to 30 mph. * Relative Humidities: 9 to 18 percent. * Impacts: Rapid fire spread with any new or existing fires. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings. &&
More car diesel is being sold to fuel Irish cars in June 2021 than for any June in the last 20 years but that has not stopped a spike in price at the pumps, according to the latest statistics.

However, official figures show that the operators of filling stations may have not choice but to charge high prices because the cost wholesale cost suppliers are charging them is at its highest point in a decade.

Central Statistics Office Fuel Excise Clearances figures published on July 5 show that sales have also returned to pre-pandemic levels. It shows that autodiesel sales in in June 2021 were 2% higher than in June 2019.

The CSO also says the June 2021 autodiesel figure is the highest June figure in the 2000-2021 time series and was 23% higher than the level in June 2020.

This has not stopped diesel prices spiking at the pumps exceeding 1.45 a litre at many pumps. However, the price paid by filling stations to supply drivers is at its highest level in nearly seven years.

The CSO report also says there was a large increase of 36% for clearances of petrol in June 2021 compared with the levels in June 2020. It says June 2021 petrol clearance volumes were 9% below June 2019.

Petrol was down 54% in January 2021 compared with January 2019; down 46% in February; down 36% in March; down 28% in April 2021; and down 24% in May 2021 compared with the respective months in 2019.

Th wholesale cost of petrol is at its highest point since Septmber 2014 which was also the last time diesel was at the same high price as today.

The average cost of a litre of petrol at Irish filling stations has passed the 1.50 a litre mark.

The Covid-19 lockdowns saw auto fuel demand plummet in 2020 with lowest wholesale prices being charged in April and May which had a knock-on impact at the pumps.

Clearances of kerosene (mainly used as a home heating fuel) in June 2021 were 34% lower than in June 2020. Excise clearances of marked gas oil in June 2021 were 26% higher than in June 2020, with volumes being the highest for the month of June since 2008. Marked gas oil is used for off-road purposes such as agriculture and heating of larger buildings.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is delighted to welcome The Ros Tapestry on exhibition to the historic surroundings of Kilkenny Castle, built by Isabel de Clare and William Marshal in the early 13th Century, and whose life stories are entwined in these fantastic tapestry panels.

Speaking ahead of the launch Minister Patrick ODonovan, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, said: This collaboration between The Board of The Ros Tapestry and the OPW is a great opportunity to showcase these exquisite panels, which commemorate the Norman history of New Ross and South East Ireland. We should also appreciate the wonderful embroidery skills and sheer dedication of the many craftspeople who have for over 20 years worked tirelessly in bringing these characters to life.

The Ros Tapestry exhibition, which will be launched by Olivia OLeary, has drawn in thread the story of the Normans and their arrival in the Southeast of Ireland and the consequent development of the dynamic port of Ros is depicted in a series of fifteen large striking embroidered panels. From the initiation of a Celtic King to Hiberno-Norman commerce, the cultural legacy of Leinster is immortalised in stitches.

Mary Lou OKennedy from The Board of The Ros Tapestry said: "We, The Board are delighted to partner with the OPW who have created a stunning display of the Tapestry in the wonderful surroundings of Kilkenny Castle. This exhibition will bring the extraordinary work of its creators and stitchers to a wider national and international audience which we hope will continue when it returns to its permanent home in the Norman Centre, currently under development in New Ross, Co Wexford."

Everyone can now see this amazing exhibition, which is a fantastic legacy for the country, combining as it does wonderful art, admirable craftsmanship, and a multitude of fascinating stories.

Inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry in France, the Ros Tapestry project is the brainchild of Rev. Paul Mooney, St Marys Church, New Ross, who conceived the idea of creating a series of tapestries to commemorate the Norman history of New Ross and South East Ireland.

The first tapestry was completed in 2002 and to date 14 of the 15 tapestries are finished. The final one is being stitched in Kilkenny and is nearing completion. Volunteers throughout the country have done all the stitching, with well over 150 stitchers contributing, working both at home and in local venues. Each tapestry is embroidered on to Jacobean linen twill fabric with woollen thread using a multitude of different stitches, such as Long and Short, French knots and Bullion knots. It takes approximately 1 hour to stitch 1 square inch and can take anything from 3 to 7 years to complete a panel.

Viewing Information

Exhibition: The Ros Tapestry

Location: The Gallery, Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny

Dates: 7 August  September 2023

Times: Daily, 09:3017:30 (last admission 17:00)

Website: kilkennycastle.ie/calendar

Admission: Free (booking is essential)
The back-to-school season is turning into a frightening one for parents and children as they find themselves in the middle of political skirmishes over mask and vaccine mandates, leaving students' safety determined more by geography and the political whims of governors than the science that should be guiding best practices.

In this dangerous new phase of the pandemic, when the seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases is topping 100,000, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other acolytes of former President Donald Trump have made school mask requirements the new front in the Covid culture wars.

Republicans like DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both potential 2024 presidential contenders if Trump doesn't run, are trying to burnish their conservative credentials by holding fast to their bans on mask mandates, which are increasingly headed to the courts. Under the guise of giving parents control, these Republicans have dispensed with the long-cherished GOP principle of local control and are taking a life-and-death gamble with children's lives.

At the same time, many teachers' unions -- who are normally allied with Democrats -- have balked at the idea of vaccine mandates, a stance that is seemingly at odds with their insistence last year that students and teachers should not return to the classroom until it was safe. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, failed to come up with a linear explanation of their positioning Friday on CNN's "New Day," stating that if a city or jurisdiction requests a vaccine requirement for schools, the unions would be "bargaining over those policies."

The dogged obstruction on common-sense safety measures coming from both ends of the political spectrum is unnerving parents, many of whom still worry about the lack of data about the long-haul effects of Covid on children -- particularly those under the age of 12, who are still not eligible for Covid-19 vaccines.

A report from the American Academy of Pediatrics last month noted that although "it appears" that severe illness due to Covid-19 is "uncommon" among children, "there is an urgent need to collect more data on longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children."

US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona made a plea Sunday for political and education leaders not to stand in the way of safety measures that would do the most to protect school children. He said he has personally reached out directly to many governors, including Abbott and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who recently changed his position on banning mask mandates in schools.

"To those who are making policies that are preventing this, don't be the reason why schools are interrupted, why children can't go to extracurricular activities, why games are canceled," Cardona said Sunday on CBS News' "Face the Nation." "We need to do our part as leaders like Gov. Hutchinson is doing, to make sure that they have access to the decision that they need to make to get their students safely back in school."

Florida's Covid surge tests DeSantis

DeSantis' reckless experiment with turning his state into a zone of "no restrictions and no mandates" could yield some alarming results as the Delta variant ravages the state.

On Friday, Florida reported more Covid-19 cases over the past week than any other seven-day period during the pandemic, and the state has accounted for about one in five of the nation's new Covid cases over the past couple of weeks. But in stark contrast with this time last year, public health officials are beginning to sound the alarm about the impact on children.

Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University, told CNN's Jim Sciutto last week that "our children's hospitals are completely overwhelmed."

"Our pediatricians, the nursing, the staff are exhausted, and the children are suffering, and it is absolutely devastating," Marty said on CNN's "AC360" Friday night. "Our children are very much affected. We've never seen numbers like this before."

While some school districts in Florida are ignoring DeSantis' order by requiring masks -- daring him to carry out his threat to withhold funding from those that defy him -- a group of parents with school-aged children from counties all over the state are now also challenging the constitutionality of his executive order in court.

Charles Gallagher, an attorney working on the lawsuit, told CNN's Rosa Flores that "they are framing this as a parent choice issue when this is really a public health issue." The lawsuit, which notes that the Florida constitution mandates a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools," accuses DeSantis and other state officials of usurping the powers of local school districts to make decisions for themselves.

DeSantis' order, the lawsuit argues, "wrongfully assumes that state authorities can better determine the local health risks and educational needs of students and teachers than the local officials that were elected for that purpose."

"The community spread that will inevitably result from the unsafe reopening of schools without a mask mandate will yield unfortunate and avoidable increases in disease, long-term health complications, and deaths across Leon County and the State of Florida," the lawsuits says.

Some Florida school districts are trying to get around DeSantis' order with verbal gymnastics. Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, for example, said on Saturday that the district will "require face coverings" when schools open, but they will allow parents to "opt out" if they fill out a form stating they don't want their child to wear a mask.

Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools Albert Carvalho said Sunday on "Face the Nation" that his school system is trying to work through a safe school reopening strategy while avoiding the "punitive defunding strategies" that could be a consequence of defying DeSantis' order.

"It is sad that currently in America we see this rhetorical narrative that's deeply influenced by politics rather than medicine and the wise advice of those who know best what's in the best interests of our students and the professionals who teach them," Carvalho said. "We ought to pay less attention to the loud voices that are often disconnected from reason and focus our attention on students, teachers, and healthy, protective environments," he said, adding that the strategy should include some degree of "parental choice."

Trouble for school-aged children in other states

In some states where schools have already opened, the anecdotal results of students heading back to the classroom without masks in places with high community transmission are not encouraging.

Fifth and sixth grade classes at Ellsworth Elementary School in Pinal County, Arizona -- where the governor and legislature banned mask mandates -- are already back in remote learning two weeks into the school year due to Covid cases. In a letter to the governor this week, more than 150 Arizona doctors urged GOP Gov. Doug Ducey to reverse course, arguing that scientists don't yet know the impact on young brains.

In Arkansas, a judge has temporarily prevented the state from enforcing its law banning masks mandates in schools. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox issued a preliminary injunction last week in response to two lawsuits, one from officials from the Marion School District, which has more than 900 students and a dozen teachers in quarantine after discovering positive cases during the first two weeks of school.

Even before that injunction, Hutchinson had been one of the few GOP governors who has said publicly that he regrets preventing the state's school districts from making their own decisions with that state's ban.

"Facts change and leaders have to adjust to the new facts," Hutchinson said Sunday on "Face the Nation." "Whenever I signed that law cases were low. We were hoping that the whole thing was gone in terms of the virus, but it roared back with the Delta variant. ... I realized that we needed to have more options for our local school districts to protect those children."

This story has been updated with additional details Sunday.

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As the rate of Covid-19 vaccinations climbed and new infection numbers plummeted in spring, many Americans thought they were in for a carefree summer.

But lagging vaccinations and a highly contagious new variant dragged the US back into a vicious Covid-19 surge -- one that's prompted new mask mandates and measures and still shows no signs of slowing down.

The rise in cases is being driven by unvaccinated Americans -- who health officials say also make up most of hospitalized Covid-19 patients and deaths across the country. Fueling the surge is the dangerous Delta variant, a strain so contagious that those who were not previously infected or have not been vaccinated will likely get it, said Scott Gottlieb, the head of the Food and Drug Administration in the Trump administration.

If America doesn't vaccinate a large enough number of its population to help crush this outbreak, the surge could become the country's worst yet, some experts warn.

"This surge that we're going through right now has every potential to be -- and already looks to be -- the worst surge we've faced so far," former US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said in a live online interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday.

But we don't have to get there. Health officials say the key to quickly turning things around is getting more shots into arms.

"If we work together, unify as a country, vaccinate everyone who is interested and unvaccinated, and put our masks on to prevent disease, we could really control this in a matter of weeks," US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told CNN on Thursday.

If that doesn't happen, Walensky warned, the US could soon be seeing the same levels of daily cases it did back in January -- several hundred thousand daily.

Here's where we are now.

Average cases have increased nine-fold since early July

As of Friday, America's seven-day average of daily Covid-19 cases was more than 107,100 -- the highest average in nearly six months, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The last time average daily cases topped 100,000 was February 11. Average daily cases have seen a nine-fold increase since early July.

Most of the cases are coming from areas with low vaccination rates, White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said in a Covid-19 briefing on Monday. A third of all US cases in the previous week came from Florida and Texas, he said.

"The frustrating part is this is all preventable," Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN's Pamela Brown on Thursday. "Had we really accelerated throughout May and June and fully vaccinated the country ... we wouldn't have to worry about this so much."

Surges have been particularly steep across the South, including in Florida and Louisiana, where Walensky said Thursday there have been "exponential rises" in cases that don't look like they've reached their peak just yet.

Hospitalizations are highest since February

More than 66,000 Americans were hospitalized with Covid-19 across the country as of late Saturday, according to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

America's Covid-19 hospitalizations haven't been this high since February.

"Today we find ourselves retracing our steps towards the edge of a cliff. It is very conceivable that we could once again be heading toward a public health catastrophe," Harris County, Texas, Judge Lina Hidalgo said in a news conference on Thursday. In that conference, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the Texas Medical Center campus in Houston had admitted more than 300 Covid-19 patients in a day.

Florida, which leads the nation in the number of adults and children hospitalized for Covid-19, had 12,373 adults and 143 children hospitalized Thursday, according to CDC data.

Data published Friday by the Florida Department of Health showed the state reported a record 134,506 new Covid-19 cases over the past week, for an average of 19,215 cases each day. The previous record high was on January 8, with 125,937 total cases reported over seven days, for an average of 17,991 cases each day, according to data from Johns Hopkins.

Louisiana officials reported Friday a record 2,421 people hospitalized with Covid-19 statewide -- beating the state's previous record that was set just a day earlier. Of the state's hospitalized patients roughly 91% are unvaccinated, officials said earlier in the week.

Last week, Arkansas reported a record low of 25 ICU beds available across the state. In Mississippi, health officials said Wednesday only six ICU beds were available.

Child and teen Covid-19 cases jumped 84% in a week

Nearly 72,000 new child Covid-19 cases were reported in the week between July 22 and July 29, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported on Tuesday -- a substantial increase from the previous week, when about 39,000 cases were reported, and nearly five times what was being reported at the end of June. The definition of a child varies by state but generally includes those up to ages 17 or 18.

"I don't think this virus is necessarily targeting kids or adolescents, I think what's happened is, I think what you're seeing across the South right now is a forest fire, and everything is getting swept up in it, including adolescents, including younger kids," Hotez told CNN on Thursday.

"The way you stop that is you get as many people vaccinated," he added. "The more you can vaccinate, you can actually slow transmission."

The alarming rise comes as schools across the country prepare to welcome students back to class, while navigating the safest way forward. With children under 12 years old still ineligible for a shot, some states are requiring students to mask up -- while others have banned school mask mandates.

Leaders across the country are taking different steps to help protect America's youngest. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said the state will give away KN-95 masks to children and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson called a special session of the Arkansas Legislature to amend a law passed to "end mandatory face covering requirements." He said he regretted signing the bill, adding that local school districts should have the flexibility to add protection for children under 12, who cannot be vaccinated.

On Friday, an Arkansas judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of that law.

Delta variant accounts for 93% of US Covid-19 cases

Behind the country's latest surge is the Delta variant, which now accounts for more than 93% of coronavirus circulating in the US, according to data from the CDC. This includes several sub-lineages of Delta, all of which are classified as variants of concern. The number is even higher in parts of the country including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, where Delta accounts for more than 98% of circulating virus.

Those numbers show a rapid increase in the variant's prevalence across the US. In late May, the CDC estimated that Delta made up about 3% of new Covid-19 cases.

An internal document from the CDC last month said the variant appears to cause more severe illness and is about as transmissible as chickenpox.

"This is serious," Walensky previously told CNN. "It's one of the most transmissible viruses we know about."

Officials across the country have said the Delta variant is fueling their case increases.

Mississippi Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Thursday the state has seen a "phenomenal increase" in daily cases that's "entirely attributable to the Delta variant, which is sweeping over Mississippi like a tsunami." Roughly 97% of new cases are among unvaccinated people, Dobbs said.

"We're seeing the unvaccinated in our population driving the current surge. We're seeing about 89% of our hospitalizations and 85% of our deaths are unvaccinated."

Most Americans live in substantial or high Covid-19 spread areas

More than 97% of Americans live in areas with "substantial" or "high" Covid-19 transmission, according to CDC data.

The agency said late last month that even fully vaccinated people who live in those areas should wear masks indoors, to prevent further spread of the Delta variant. CDC guidance for unvaccinated people remains that they should continue masking up until they are fully vaccinated.

The "substantial" and "high" terms are part of the CDC's system that measures the level of community transmission in a county based on two metrics: new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people and the positivity rate.

Experts say knowing how much virus is circulating in a community can help residents understand the kind of risk they're taking when choosing whether to mask up or not.

The good news

The figures are grim, but there's good news: Covid-19 vaccinations are picking up pace, with an average of more than 464,700 people initiating their vaccinations every day as of Thursday, CDC data shows. That's the highest average daily pace in nearly seven weeks -- and a 19% increase over last week's pace.

And seeing some of the sharpest vaccination increases are several Southern states, which have for months seen poor vaccine progress and heavy vaccine hesitancy. At the end of July, Alabama's average of new doses administered was more than double what it was three weeks before.

Louisiana saw daily vaccination rates jump 111% in the same time frame, while in Missouri daily average vaccinations climbed by 87%.

Roughly 58.5% of the US population has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose and roughly 50.1% is fully vaccinated, CDC data shows.

"The ultimate answer" to turning around this surge is vaccination, emergency medicine physician Dr. Leana Wen told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

"We know that what will stop the virus in its tracks and really is our only and best way out of the pandemic is to increase our vaccination rates," Wen said. "If we have a high enough level of immunity in the US then we're able to stop this virus from wreaking the type of havoc that it is."

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DECORAH, Iowa  An assistant professor and some students at Luther College have spent the summer investigating how stress impacts genetics and the development of living things.

The work by students Anneke Knauss, Hamid Ahmed, and Julia Schulte with visiting assistant professor of biology Brian Hiester will help to explain how human diseases form, such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

We tested two types of genes and four types of complementary DNA (cDNA), says Schulte. We made the cDNA ourselves. We tested the expression of the different cDNAs against a normal population of worms using heat shock. Then, we harvested the worms to see if their genes were different from those that were not under stress.

Ahmed says his research on unregulated proteins in worms can help inform how uncontrolled proteins in humans may lead to serious diseases.

The protein I studied essentially takes care of other proteins, says Ahmed. Because proteins need to be turned over every now and then, if this protein does not do its job, old proteins can start messing up the cells. You can connect this to Alzheimers disease, to cancer, or other diseases that result from dysregulation.

Hiester and his students plan to share their findings by presenting their research on campus and at conferences.

You kind of think of scientific research as trying to build an ocean through little tiny drops of water, says Hiester. Were just trying to contribute maybe a couple drops of water into that, and over time, contribute to our overall understanding. If we can understand a little bit more about how these genes work, that might inform us about how genes in mammals are functioning, and how dysregulation of those genes can contribute to certain human diseases.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  On a hot summer afternoon, Latrell Snider and his partner knocked on Abdullahi Mohameds door, introduced themselves and launched their pitch: Minneapolis, they said, has a chance to replace its police department with something new, and they wanted Mohameds support.

With his children looking on from a living room window, Mohamed reacted cautiously, saying he likes police and relies on them to keep his family safe. When Snider assured him that a new public safety department would still have a police unit but would do things differently  such as responding to some 911 calls without armed officers  Mohamed brightened.

I think that would be a better idea, he said.

More than a year after George Floyds death sparked a failed push to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department, activists and several City Council members are trying again, with a well-funded initiative that would ask voters in November whether the department  disparaged by critics for what they say is an enduring culture of brutality  should be dismantled.

In its place would be a public safety department that employs a comprehensive public health approach and licensed peace officers if necessary. The new department would no longer be under the sole command of the mayors office, which is significant given that incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey opposes abolishing the police department while a majority of City Council members supports the idea.

More than 30 local groups are pushing for change under the Yes 4 Minneapolis banner. They gathered 20,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot  almost twice the number necessary  and have raised about $1 million, including $500,000 from Open Society Policy Center, which has ties to billionaire George Soros.

What we knew as public safety  which is only the police right now, the only option that we have  was unacceptable, said Brian Fullman, lead organizer with one of the groups, Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative. The murder of George Floyd ignited a lot of historical pain and disrespect that we have been going through, and we made the decision that we no longer wanted to have what we have now as the only option for public safety.

A majority of City Council members first began pushing to eliminate the police department soon after Floyds death, but they failed to meet deadlines to get it on the ballot last November. The Rev. JaNae Bates, a leader of the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign, said the ease with which the campaign gathered signatures shows the momentum for change is still there more than a year after Floyds death.

The residents of Minneapolis really were the ones who made the call for this, who were like, we cant just let this lesson that took place in the summer to be something that fizzles out, and then what? We just wait for the next person to be killed by the police? she said.

Minneapolis, like most other major U.S. cities, has been on edge due to rising violence and property crime in almost every neighborhood in the past year. And the police department is more than 200 officers, or about 25%, below its authorized strength due mostly to a wave of retirements and disability leaves following Floyds death.

Both factors have energized opponents of the initiative. All of Mpls  a new group that has raised more than $109,000  will begin campaigning against the proposal in the coming weeks with door knocking, community events, mailers and digital ads through the fall.

All of Mpls campaign manager Leili Fatehi called the proposal to eliminate the department a gimmick. She said plenty of residents want police to be held accountable and changes in the department, but they also worry about rising crime.

Its not getting us to the real solutions that balance those two concerns, she said.

Opponents also say the ballot question doesnt guarantee that a new public safety department would have police officers at all. Instead, it says officers would be included if necessary to fulfill the departments duties. Bill Rodriguez, co-founder of Operation Safety Now, called the proposed amendment a trojan horse and warned that the campaign's end goal is to abolish police.

The amendment doesn't say there will be a police force  it says there could be, maybe, if necessary, he said. That's the most important thing that needs to be understood about this amendment.

It's among several aspects of the ballot question that city officials plan to highlight with an explanatory note in November. Activists are trying to block such a note, arguing that the city is improperly trying to influence voters.

Regardless of how the ballot question fares, the city remains under pressure to make changes. The police department is the target of federal and state investigations into policing practices, and both investigations could force widespread change. In addition, the mayor and Chief Medaria Arradondo have launched several policy changes since Floyd's death, including requiring new training on de-escalation, overhauling use of force restrictions and strengthening the disciplinary process.

Details of what a new public safety department would look like are scarce, but Bates said thats intentional, to get city residents involved in the process. If the amendment passes, council members would need to first pass an ordinance to establish the new department, explain how it would function and how its commissioner is selected. It's not clear how long such a process would take.

Ed Brown, 69, listened to Snider's pitch on his north Minneapolis doorstep in July. Brown, who is Black, told The Associated Press that a new public safety department seems like a good plan. He thinks it would mean police officers are no longer sent to some calls that they aren't equipped to deal with and that can otherwise end in violence.

What we need to do is reimagine the police department," Brown said.

"That is to say not necessarily defund but maybe in some cases even give them more money if theyre going to do the right thing with it, he said. We have to have the proper responses for the proper situations.
HOUSTON COUNTY, Minn.  A North Iowa driver is involved in a fatal collision in southeastern Minnesota.

It happened around 6:30 pm Saturday on Highway 44 in Houston County. The Minnesota State Patrol says Jacob Quentin Schiffner, 21 of Prior Lake, was driving south in an SUV and Aaron James Souhrada, 59 of Lime Springs, IA, was northbound in a semi when they crashed near Indian Springs Road.

The State Patrol says Schiffner was killed and Souhrada injured in the collision. Road conditions were wet at the time and both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

The Houston County Sheriffs Office, La Crescent Police Department, and Caledonia fire and ambulance assisted at the scene.
OWATONNA, Minn.  A trial has been scheduled in a fatal summer stabbing in Steele County.

Hassan Nur Hassan, 29 of Owatonna, is charged with second-degree murder, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and theft for the incident July 12, 2020, in the area of 600 Cherry Street in Owatonna.

Police officers were called to Dartts Park around 5:17 pm and found Mohamed Aweis Mohamed lying on the ground with a stab wound to the chest. Mohamed was pronounced dead by Mayo Clinic paramedics at 5:49 pm.

Witnesses said that Hassan chased down Mohamed at the park and stabbed him. Police said they recovered two knives at the scene.

Hassans trial is now set to begin on January 18, 2022.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  A 47-year-old Waterloo man has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison over a shootout in the parking lot of a liquor store that the judge called not unlike the Wild West.

U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams in Cedar Rapids imposed the sentence this week on Charles Antony Ware for being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm. Ware pleaded guilty to the charge in March. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that Williams also described Wares criminal history as fairly nonstop."

The shootout in the Waterloo liquor stores parking lot was in September 2020. Police said Ware and 34-year-old Demitrius Shambray Cannon argued and exchanged gunfire.
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This photo taken on Aug. 5, 2021, shows vehicles of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) being parked at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province. Yonhap



South Korea has tentatively decided to conduct the upcoming military exercise with the United States as planned, albeit in a scaled-back manner due to the pandemic, sources said Sunday, despite North Korea's warning the maneuvers will cast a pall over inter-Korean relations.



Whether and how to conduct the summertime exercise has drawn keen attention, particularly after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned the drills will dampen the conciliatory mood created after Pyongyang restored long-severed hotlines with the South.



"We are working to stage the exercise as planned, which is a regular one and necessary for a combined readiness posture. We've maintained close consultations with the U.S. over the issue," a government source said.



The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) is expected to be held from Aug. 16-26, which is likely to come after a four-day crisis management staff training, set to kick off on Aug. 10, another source said.



North Korea has long railed against such exercises, denouncing them as a rehearsal for invasion.



"The upcoming exercise would involve a minimum level of troops, which will be even smaller than the springtime one, and no outdoor drills will take place," the source said, noting that the defense ministry decided Friday to extend the toughest antivirus scheme for the entire military population until Aug. 22 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.



South Korea has seen a drastic surge in confirmed cases across the nation since late last month, with the daily caseload remaining in the 1,700s for the third consecutive day Friday.



The two sides staged the springtime exercise in March in a scaled-back manner given the virus situation and peace efforts involving North Korea. At that time, the defense ministry enforced the second lowest social distancing scheme for the military, with the daily caseload across the nation coming to around 400.



The defense ministry has said that outdoor maneuvers have been carried out throughout the year, rather than done intensively at a specific period of time.



Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan said that it is still discussing details about the matter with the U.S., while closely following related circumstances.



Last week, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to restore long-severed liaison communication lines to improve chilled cross-border ties, and some ruling party lawmakers and civic groups here have called for cancelling or postponing the summertime combined exercise. (Yonhap)


By Anne-Marie Slaughter and Heather Ashby





Anne-Marie Slaughter Heather Ashby
The United Nations Headquarters building in New York / AP-Yonhap



Two Myanmar citizens have been arrested in New York state for plotting with an arms dealer in Thailand  who sells weapons to the Burmese military  to kill or injure Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. authorities said Friday.



Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents Myanmar's elected civilian government which was overthrown by the military in February, told Reuters Wednesday that a threat had been made against him and the U.S. authorities had stepped up his security.



The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said Friday that Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and Ye Hein Zaw, 20, had each been charged with one count of conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.



The ambassador did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the charges. Myanmar's junta fired him in February, but for now he remains the country's U.N. envoy because the United Nations has not acknowledged the military government.



According to the legal complaint, Phyo Hein Htut told FBI investigators that the arms dealer in Thailand had contacted him online and offered him money to hire attackers to hurt the ambassador and force him to step down.



If the ambassador did not step down, then the arms dealer proposed that the attackers would kill him, according to the complaint. Phyo Hein Htut and the arms dealer then agreed on a plan to tamper with the ambassador's car to cause a crash.



Ye Hein Zaw contacted Phyo Hein Htut and made two money transfers totaling $4,000 in late July, according to the complaint. Phyo Hein Htut told the FBI he was supposed to receive an additional $1,000 after the attack was completed.



A volunteer security guard at Myanmar's U.N. mission told the FBI, Tuesday, that Phyo Hein Htut had told him about the plan "to hire a hitman to kill or injure the ambassador."



The complaint said Ye Hein Zaw admitted he transferred the money to Phyo Hein Htut, that he regularly sends money to others on behalf of the arms dealer and recently booked travel to the United States for two other people at the arms dealer's request.



"These defendants reached across borders and oceans in designing a violent plot against an international leader on United States soil," New York Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement. (Reuters)


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VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV)  Several local healthcare systems are now requiring caregivers to be vaccinated, including the PeaceHealth hospital system.

Its set a deadline for their employees to be fully vaccinated of August 31, unless they have a qualifying medical exemption. Right now, it said 80% of their caregivers are vaccinated, but they need to do more.

PeaceHealth said unvaccinated caregivers will be subject to regular COVID-19 testing, additional masking and possibly be reassigned to non-patient care.

PeaceHealth to require all caregivers to get COVID-19 vaccine VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV)  PeaceHealth announced Tuesday that it will require all caregivers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit a quali

In response to this announcement, more than 100 PeaceHealth employees, family members and other local healthcare workers gathered in Vancouver Saturday to protest the requirement, saying they should have a choice in the matter. Many of those in attendance said they want to give informed consent, as patients do.

"I am healthy, I am not the problem, Tammy Harris, a CT technologist at PeaceHealth St. John, said. I'm a healthy individual and they need to prove I pose a danger to my patients. I believe I can survive it and if I can't, I am willing to take the risk. I'm willing to take the end result, which could be death."

For Theresa Swift, an ICU nurse at PeaceHealth St. John, her concern is the effects the vaccine might have on her baby.

"I have a three-and-a-half-month-old baby that I'm breastfeeding, and I don't feel there are adequate studies to show me that it's important for me to get it, Swift said. When we don't know the dosages of what she's getting through my breastmilk," Swift said.

The CDC said the vaccine is not thought to be a risk to lactating people based on how vaccines work. The CDC said recent reports have shown vaccinated people who breastfeed have antibodies in their breast milk, which could help protect their baby.

At a press conference Tuesday, PeaceHealth Chief Physician Executive Dr. Doug Koekoek said it's their moral obligation to require the COVID-19 vaccine as the Delta variant spreads rapidly in the community.

"The rationale for this action is clear: Our mission calls us to promote personal and community health and our vision is to make sure every person receives safe and compassionate care," Koekoek said. "What we're seeing in our hospitals - 95% is unvaccinated individuals."

With the deadline of August 31 right around the corner, Koekoek said they will work on a case-by-case basis with those who are willing to get the vaccine but won't be fully vaccinated by that date. Those in attendance at the rally Saturday said if the requirement stays in place, they'll consider leaving PeaceHealth.

PeaceHealth also sent FOX 12 this statement addressing the requirement and those opposing it:

"The rapid spread of new COVID variants and resulting rise in hospitalizations in our communities is a clear reminder that we are facing a public health emergency and we must do more to keep each other safe.

After careful discernment, PeaceHealth, along with area health providers Legacy Health and The Vancouver Clinic, joined many health systems across the country and professional organizations including the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Nurses Association in supporting the required vaccination of health care workers.

With hundreds of millions of doses delivered in the U.S. and many months of real-world evidence to draw from, the vaccines have proved safe and effective. We believe it is imperative for our employees who are medically able to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

We support the right of individuals to express opinions in an unofficial capacity outside of work. Our priority remains the safety of our caregivers and those we serve. This new policy is a reflection of our mission to promote personal and community health and our vision to make sure that every person receives safe, compassionate care at PeaceHealth."
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Across Missouri, the tax-free weekend is in full effect. Shoppers are in search of back-to-school staples.

Some of those shoppers aren't locals, the tax-free event draws people outside of Missouri to check it out.

"We come from Nebraska so we're just across the border but yeah we take advantage of it." Cheri Lewis, a shopper said.

As back-to-school shoppers are taking advantage of the savings, they're also taking precautions as the pandemic continues.

"My family has all been immunized," Lewis said. "We choose to wear the masks inside the stores so just to be safe."

Their best advice for fellow shoppers is to do the same.

"You know we still use the precautions that we need to for covid-19, so we should," Lewis said.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) says that he disagrees with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' taking a top down approach in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that decisions on mask mandates and restrictions should be made at the local level.
PRESTON, Mo.  A second suspicious fire appears to have targeted one of the local motorcycle clubs involved in the infamous fatal gunfight on the Lake Ozark Strip last month. LakeExpo has confirmed that on Tuesday, Aug. 3, the home of Tonka Way-Con Ponder, who is currently facing felony charges related to the gunfight, was burned to the ground. Ponder was released on bond, on July 27.

The Preston Volunteer Fire Department Chief confirmed to LakeExpo that firefighters were called to the home at 36009 Hwy 54, Preston, Mo. at approximately 1 a.m., and battled the blaze for around 4.5 hours. No one was home at the time of the fire, and no one was injured, but the home was a total loss. CaseNet lists that location, just west of Macks Creek on Highway 54, as Ponders home address.

The fire chief said the fire was determined to be suspicious in nature, and the state fire marshals office was contacted. However due to the extent of the damage, investigators could not determine the specific cause. We didn't have anything left to investigate, the fire chief told LakeExpo.

This is the second fire to apparently target the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, of which Ponder is a member, since the fatal July 15 gunfight that injured four and killed one, making national headlines. The night of July 20, the Midwest Drifters, an affiliate of the Galloping Goose, local chapter clubhouse was damaged by fire; the next morning, officials with local, state, and federal agencies were on the scene, investigating. As of Friday, Aug. 6, no charges had been filed in connection with that fire.

The Gunfight

On Thursday, July 15, authorities say a physical altercation on the porch of a Lake Ozark restaurant/bar turned into a gun battle. In multiple court documents, authorities say 25-year-old Blane Curley, a member of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, drew his gun, after which Tonka Way-Con Ponder pulled out a firearm and fatally shot Curley. Ponder has not been charged for Curleys death, but is facing felony charges of Assault and Armed Criminal Action for what followed: a gun battle that spilled into the street on the busy Lake Ozark Strip, in which approximately 20 shots were fired, and four people were injured. Authorities say Ponder, who was wounded in that gunfight, shot and injured a man who walked past with his hands in the air.

Daniel Kurtzeborn, 38, of Iberia, was also later charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Authorities say Kurtzeborn was one of several men who brandished a firearm and exchanged gunfire during the fight, but as a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

More Coverage

+4 Retaliation? Fire Damages Lake Ozark Motorcycle Club Chapter Headquarters MILLER COUNTY, Mo.  Less than a week after a gun battle between Lake of the Ozarks area mot
ELKHORN  The 35th Annual Lutherdale Fest Quilt Auction is Saturday, Aug. 14, starting at 9 a.m.

The event is scheduled to last until 3 p.m., or until all quilts are sold. Lutherdale Bible Camp is located at N7891 U.S. Highway 12, Elkhorn.

Conducted by professional auctioneer Gary Finley, the quilt auction begins at 10 a.m.

Over 300 quilts were donated to the auction, in sizes ranging from baby to king, plus wall hangings and table runners. Auction items were handmade by hundreds of quilters from Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and Idaho.

There will be a silent auction Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13 and 14, featuring gift certificates from area businesses, theme baskets and various specialty items.

The quilts can be viewed online at www.lutherdale.org, where silent bids can be placed. There are a few special viewings and previews of the quilts prior to Aug. 14.

Special viewings are Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 11 and 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Silent bids will also be accepted at the viewings, which will be inside the Chapel and HOPE Conference Center. Masks are required inside the buildings.
Were excited to host the first themed event of its kind at Prairie Springs Park, she said. Theres nothing better than being outdoors when the weather starts to cool down in late September with great live music and good food. Plus, well have fun events for the whole family including bounce houses and fun 80s-themed costume and trivia contests.

Tickets for the two-day event went on sale at noon Friday at pleasantprairietotally80s.evenbrite.com/

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The event will run from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 24) and from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 25).

Robert Ireland, a sales director with Wisconn Valley Media Group, is hopeful the Pleasant Prairie Party in the Park will turn into an annual event.

Weve had success hosting and marketing other events that draw large crowds and drive overnight stays, Ireland said. We are excited to bring this to the village, and we hope this can be an annual event that people look forward to each year.

The Wisconn Valley Media Group hosts events throughout Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties.
Vaccine resistance  often fueled by misinformation and propaganda  stands in the way, the letter said. We need to finish the job. And we need your help.

Terri Cole, president and CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, said some employers have legitimate liability concerns about mandating the vaccines without a state order to do so.

Cole said the concern might be reduced if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration moved beyond emergency-use authorization and granted full approval to the vaccines.

As a business community, Cole said, we obviously believe that the way out of this pandemic is to get workers and residents vaccinated. We cant say that strongly enough."

Matthew Dominguez, the general manager of Sadies of New Mexico restaurant chain, said what the elected officials wanted wasnt a bad idea but that it could hurt business.

If its not mandated and just recommended, and we are part of only a handful of restaurants trying to implement something like that, then 100% I think that is something that would hinder us from getting new employees, Dominguez said.
Gary C. Bergstrom in Cornells plant pathology and plant microbe biology department said that hes been talking about soybean cyst nematode to farmers mostly weary of hearing about it. However, now that it has spread farther in New York  currently identified in seven counties  more operators are paying closer attention.
Swansea, August 8: Venom contributed to the extraordinary diversity of insects and fishes, the most species-rich invertebrate and vertebrate groups in the animal kingdom, according to the findings of a recent study. The findings of the research were published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution.

Venomous fishes and insects diversify around twice as fast as their non-venomous counterparts, the research showed. Venom provides an effective means of repelling predators or catching prey, which may allow species to exploit more opportunities in their environment, potentially leading to the formation of new species as they diversify in their ecology. Ice Age Lion Cub, Believed To Be 28,000 Year-Old, Found in Siberia; Scientists Say Its the Best-Preserved Fossil Ever Found.

Over 1 million species of insects have so far been identified, which is three-quarters of all invertebrate species on Earth. There are 31,269 species of fish, which make up almost half of all vertebrate species. Today, around 10 percent of fish families and 16 percent of insect families contain venomous species - from stingrays and catfish to wasps and mosquitoes. The research showed that venom has independently evolved at least 19-20 times in fishes and at least 28 times in insects across their evolutionary history.

Although biologists have long examined what drives biodiversity, the role of venom in relation to the most diverse groups of all - insects and fishes - had not been fully considered. This is where the new Swansea-led research came in. The team, led by Dr Kevin Arbuckle from the Department of Biosciences, carried out the first large-scale test of whether venom contributed to the diversity of insect and fish species. Penis Snakes or Caecilians, Native to Colombia and Venezuela, Discovered in South Florida (See Pic).

By showing that venom has evolved many times over the evolutionary history of both insects and fishes and that it has been associated with faster rates of diversification, the researchers presented evidence that venom has contributed meaningfully to the species diversity in these 'super-radiations'.

"Our results provide evidence that venom has played a part in generating the diversity of insects and fishes, which have the largest number of species amongst invertebrates and vertebrates respectively," said Dr Kevin Arbuckle of Swansea University, lead researcher.

"Venom is not the only factor driving species richness in these animal groups, but we show that it has played an important but previously unrecognised role in generating the amazing diversity we see today amongst insects and fishes," added Dr Arbuckle.

"Although tentative, the pattern of timing in the origins of venomous fishes suggests tantalising clues of what was driving the evolution of their venom. Unlike insects, where venom evolved fairly evenly throughout their history, most origins of fish venom were concentrated in the Late Cretaceous and Eocene periods," continued Dr Arbuckle.

"Mosasaurs - the aquatic behemoths made famous in the Jurassic World series - originated and peaked in diversity in the Late Cretaceous, at a time when other large marine predator groups were declining. Similarly, whales originated and peaked in diversity in the Eocene, when most other large marine predators had gone extinct at the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, which killed off the dinosaurs," explained Dr Arbuckle.

"Both early whales and mosasaurs are thought to have been active predators with similar styles of movement. As a result, we cautiously speculate that most origins of fish venom were linked to similar predation pressures imposed by mosasaurs in the Late Cretaceous and early whales in the Eocene," concluded Dr Arbuckle. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kolkata, August 8: Prajna Debnath, a resident of Dhaniakhali in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, went missing from her home in 2009. Ten years later, in 2019, she was arrested in Bangladesh. The police were surprised to find that she was no longer Prajna Debnath but had taken a new name -- Ayesha Jannat Mohona. This meritorious student turned out to be an active member of the women's cell of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Back in India, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Aal Halif alias Abu Ibrahim -- one of the most dreaded Islamic State (IS) handlers in the subcontinent -- from Bengaluru in 2020. This IS handler was a meritorious student of economics before his entry into the world of terror. Halif disguised as Sujit Chandra Debnath was working as an assistant of a mason in Bengaluru. His arrest came as a surprise to the NIA investigators. Srinagar Encounter: 2 Terrorists Belonging to Al-Badr Terror Outfit Killed by Security Forces During Encounter in Khanmoh Area.

These are not isolated examples but there are several other instances when terror handlers have used religion as a cover to fox investigators. "Religion is no more a taboo for the terror groups rather they are using it as a tool to hide their identity. Changing religion is no more an important thing for these handlers, rather they are using it effectively to dodge surveillance," a senior Kolkata Special Task Force (STF) officer said.

The STF officer was referring to the recent arrests made by the elite Kolkata police force from Haridebpur on the southern fringes of the city. A few days ago, the STF had arrested three JMB handlers -- Naziur Rahman Pavel, Mikail Khan and Rabiul Islam -- who had sneaked into India and were staying in a posh residential area of the city.

To avoid detection, Pavel used the Hindu name Jayram Bepari. He and Mekail Khan alias Sheikh Sabbir befriended two Hindu women in the Haridevpur area and had plans to get married next month. This would have helped them recruit more people without arousing suspicion. (IANS has not revealed the identity of the women to protect their families.)

"Marriage is a very important and effective instrument for these terrorists. It not only helps them to get Indian identity easily but at the same time helps in securing a permanent identity which eventually works as an effective protective shield. They don't even raise suspicion of the local people and naturally police remain unaware of their existence," a senior officer of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state said.

Another factor that is keeping the police and the investigation agencies on tenterhooks is the lockdown and subsequent unemployment which is making the work of these terror groups easier. Taking advantage of the porous border with Bangladesh and unemployment, international terror groups like JMB, Ansarullah Faction and even the IS are trying to spread their tentacles in the state.

Sometimes through direct interaction and at times online, they are targeting intelligent young boys and girls in the state who are unemployed. The NIA and the STF of the Kolkata Police have secured this information from the three JMB terrorists who were arrested by the STF from a colony on the southern outskirts of Kolkata recently. The investigation officials are worried that systematic brainwashing of these unemployed youths is securing new recruits for the terror groups.

"The brainwashing of the meritorious unemployed can only be handled by police personnel at the grassroots level. The state police authorities should give special training to the constable level personnel on these lines. Unfortunately, this has not happened in West Bengal. The state police is short of personnel and it is mainly involved in tackling law and order problems. Very few of them are trained or equipped to tackle the danger of sleeper cells," a senior official of the state Home Department said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2021 08:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The United Nations children's agency said more than 100,000 children in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region could suffer life-threatening malnutrition in the next 12 months. Nearly 400,000 people are living in famine conditions in the region, according to the U.N. pic.twitter.com/AEdcQCQm1K Reuters (@Reuters) August 3, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
He works as a blacksmith in one of Baghdads swarming Shiite slums. But at least once a month, Abu Saif tucks a pistol into his belt, hops into a minibus taxi and speeds south.

His goal: to unearth ancient treasures from thousands of archaeological sites scattered across southern Iraq.

Images of Baghdads ransacked National Museum, custodian of a collection dating back to the beginning of civilization, provoked an international outcry in the early days of the war in 2003.

The ancient statues, intricately carved stone panels, delicate earthenware and glittering gold are now protected by locked gates and heavily armed guards. But U.S. and Iraqi experts say a tragedy on an even greater scale continues to unfold at more than 12,000 largely unguarded sites where illegal diggers like Abu Saif are chipping away at Iraqs heritage.

It may well be that more stuff has come out of the sites than was ever in the Iraqi museum, said Elizabeth Stone, an archaeology professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Iraqi officials say the U.S. government has supported their efforts to retrieve looted antiquities from the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Islamic and other civilizations, but they do not hide their bitterness that more was not done to secure them in the first place.

Iraq floats over two seas; one is oil and the other is antiquities, said Abdul Zahra Talaqani, media director for Iraqs Ministry of State for Tourism and Archaeology. The American forces, when they entered, they protected all the oil wells and the Ministry of Oil . . . but the American forces paid no attention to Iraqs heritage.

The thefts were already taking place before the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, but U.S. and Iraqi experts say they surged in the ensuing chaos.

Abu Saif, a man in his mid-30s with dark eyes, calloused hands and a long, black coat, was 14 when relatives introduced him to the hunt for buried treasure. Asked why he does it, he grins.

For the thrill of it, he said.

In the beginning, he was a lookout for others. Now, he has his own tightknit group of four or five diggers. He collects tips from farmers about possible archaeological sites and researches them in his small collection of dogeared books before traveling inconspicuously to meet his team and excavate. They work quickly, finishing a job in two to three days.

If they are successful, which they usually are, he shares the find with his diggers and the property owner. He considers what he does a hobby and says he sells only what he needs to cover costs. But he is vague about who the buyers are.

Talaqani says criminal gangs buy artifacts from men like Abu Saif and smuggle them out of the country. U.S. officials also suspect that Sunni and Shiite paramilitary groups may be taking a cut.

Abu Saif, who asked to be identified by a traditional nickname, admits that he once paid members of a Shiite militia to protect a site where he was digging. But a few hours later, another group of gunmen turned up and demanded more money. Now, he says, he refuses to deal with the militias.

He avoids the more famous sites such as the ancient cities of Isin, Shurnpak and Umma because there are eyes upon them. But he says there are plenty of out-of-the-way places near Kut and Nasiriya that yield small treasures. The artifacts include coins, jewelry and fragile clay tablets etched in wedge-like cuneiform script, recording myths, decrees, business transactions and other details of Mesopotamian life.

At his two-story cinder-block home, he pulls out old jewelry boxes and rummages through spools of thread to find ancient gems of agate and carnelian. His most treasured possession is a thumb-sized cylinder with a mans face carved into one side and a womans face into the other. An appraiser told him it was from Babylonian times and was worth as much as $4,000. Asked whether he planned to sell it, he looked horrified and said, No, these are my children!

Stone has been tracing the thefts at 2,000 sites in the south using DigitalGlobe satellite imagery. She estimates that looters have torn up about 167 million square feet.

Its a huge amount of area, she said. Archaeologists have dug just a tiny fraction of that.

She said small-scale digging began in the 1990s, when government neglect and a United Nations embargo pushed a large number of farmers into penury in the largely Shiite south, home to many of Iraqs richest archaeological sites. But in the weeks before the 2003 invasion, the images show holes spreading rapidly across many of the smaller and medium-sized sites.

Most of these places werent touched again until the last months of 2003. But at the sites of some of the more important cities, there was a huge push that summer, which Stone said appeared far more systematic and organized than previous digging. Umma, a major Sumerian city that was partially excavated before the war, was turned into a moonscape. Afterward, the pace slowed considerably, though she has seen little imagery from 2007.

Taking advantage of an ebb in violence, the Iraqi government last year resumed its own excavations for the first time since the war started. It now has 11 teams on a salvage mission in southern Iraq. But almost everywhere they have been, illegal diggers have been before them, leaving devastation in their wake.

What it takes us one month to dig, they do in one day, so you can imagine what damage they do, said Iyad Mohammed Hussein, whose team recently uncovered an oval-shaped temple dating to the Babylonian empire in Maysan province.

It isnt only artifacts that they are after. In Basra, residents dug up the foundations of old Islamic buildings and used the bricks to build their homes, said Mohammed Khaiyoon Nasir, who oversees excavations in the southern oil hub.

I feel pain in my heart, said the diminutive man in a dark suit and spectacles. This ancient civilization has been broken to pieces.

The loss is incalculable. It was here, in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, that human beings began to farm, etch words into clay, codify laws and build cities. Now, the records of that evolution are slipping away.

Stolen artifacts occasionally turn up on the market or in private collections. Last month, a 4,000-year-old inscribed clay tablet, which authorities suspect was smuggled from Iraq, was pulled from EBays Swiss website minutes before the close of bidding. In 2006, Iraqi authorities were informed that a limestone head of a 2nd century BC king had been seized from the home of a Lebanese interior decorator and transferred to a museum for safekeeping.

But experts suspect that most of the stolen objects are hidden in warehouses around the world because they are too hot to sell.

The museum has recovered nearly 4,000 of the 15,000 pieces lost in looting triggered by the U.S. troops arrival, some of the thefts spontaneous and some seemingly carefully planned. Initial reports that 170,000 artifacts had been stolen proved to be exaggerated.

Many were brought back to the museum by Iraqis taking advantage of a policy of accepting returns with no questions asked. They include such prized possessions as a 5,000-year-old limestone vase from the Sumerian city of Warka, which three men produced from the trunk of a car in the summer of 2003.

Most are now boxed up and locked behind iron gates in the museums basement, waiting for a time when it will be safe enough to open to the public.

Recovering the artifacts looted from archaeological sites has proved far more difficult.

The government offers rewards ranging from about 10,000 Iraqi dinars ($8) to 5 million Iraqi dinars ($4,000), depending on the value of the items returned. But the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, worries that the program could be encouraging more illegal digging, said Mohammed Djelib, who heads the organizations Iraq office, located in neighboring Jordan.

Once the artifacts leave Iraq, officials say they are virtually powerless to retrieve them. Unlike museum pieces, items dug up illegally do not appear on an inventory and have no serial numbers etched into them. Without proof of the country of origin, the only way Iraq can get them back is to buy them, said Amira Eidan, the museum director and acting chairwoman of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.

A 3 1/4 -inch limestone lion believed to be from Mesopotamia recently sold at Sothebys in New York for a record $57 million.

Imagine how much money I would need to bring all these antiquities back to Iraq, Eidan said, wide-eyed, at her museum office.

The Iraqi government has formed a specialized guard force to secure archaeological sites. But at just 1,400 men, it is no match for the armed gangs responsible for much of the looting. UNESCO provided training and donated 37 vehicles to the project, Djelib said. But the guards said the well-appointed pickup trucks would make them targets, and refused to use them.

Donny George, the heritage boards charismatic former chairman, accused his bosses at the archaeology ministry of not doing enough to secure the sites. He alleged in media reports that the ministry had come under the influence of Shiite Islamists with no interest in safeguarding pre-Islamic sites, charges denied by Talaqani.

Efforts to protect Iraqs vanishing heritage foundered after George resigned in August 2006 and fled the country, during some of the wars worst bloodshed. But they have picked up again since September, when a new acting minister, Mohammed Abbas Oreibi, was appointed from former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawis secular political bloc. The post had been vacant since April, when followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr quit the Cabinet.

In November, UNESCO held a conference of experts in Iraqi antiquities at which countries were urged to set up safe havens where recovered items could be stored until they could be returned to Iraq. Experts hope the initiative will encourage dealers to turn over any looted antiquities they are hiding, rather than destroy them.

But Djelib said it would take a more serious effort by Iraqs own government, its neighbors and the world at large to safeguard what he described as the heritage of humanity.

It is difficult to talk about antiquities when people are dying, or they dont have water and electricity, he said. But you cant wait for the situation to improve before deciding what to do, because by then it will be too late.

Times staff writers Usama Redha and Saif Rasheed contributed to this report.

alexandra.zavis@latimes.com
A woman born in Mountmellick a century ago has celebrated her 100th birthday in the United States.

was born on August 8th 1921 in Irishtown, Mountmellick, the youngest child of the late Patrick and Brigid Hayes and sister to the late Ita, John and Jimmy.

She was educated by the local Presentation Sisters both at primary and secondary levels and then entered the Franciscan Missionary Sisters at their noviciate in Bloomfield Mullingar (now a hotel) where she began a life full of interest and venture.

In 1940 Sr. Monica travelled to Rome for her Profession and later that year to U.S.A., where she still lives. Her wartime transatlantic voyage was full of incident.

She embarked from Lisbon and in mid Atlantic they encountered a severe storm. A huge wave turned the liner on its side, throwing all the passengers from their bunks. Fortunately immediately afterwards another large wave righted the liner. This was the closest to sinking that the captain had ever experienced. Approaching New York another traumatic event occurred where their liner was chased into port by a German submarine.

For the next 38 years Sr. Monica worked in the education sector starting with Elementary Education Training in the Bronx, New York and subsequently in various High Schools in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Seminole, Florida, having achieved a Masters degree in education along the way.

In 1979 Sr. Monicas working life changed dramatically as she moved from education into parish work. She was assigned to Grove City Florida, which was a fledgling parish and where some years later the Church of St. Francis of Assisi was built.

Parish work became her new ministry for the next 31 years and her responsibilities included Director of Religious Education and Moderator of the third order of the Franciscans.

In 2010 Sr. Monica retired in her 89th year to the Franciscan retirement house in Newton Massachusetts and more recently to Framingham. In retirement she has many interests and keeps herself busy knitting, crocheting, reading and doing artistic work making greeting cards.

Over the years Sr. Monica returned home regularly to Mountmellick and still reminisces about her youth and retains a great interest in her hometown.

On August 8, Sr. Monica celebrated a very happy 100th birthday with her Franciscan sisters. Unfortunately due to Covid, her family in Ireland could not travel to join her in the celebration.
FOR me, it is all about the story, asserts Siobhan MacDonald, whose crime thriller called The Bride Collector, has just appeared in the bookshops.

It is Siobhans fourth novel, making her one of a growing subset of writers who are Irish, female and making their mark as crime writers.

But she insists: I dont think you need violence to turn the pages of a crime thriller. I prefer to employ intrigue and suspicion rather than very gruesome violence.

And when she isnt actually writing books, she is coming up with plots, dreaming up characters and doing research.

Siobhans first professional writing job, however, was a far cry from crime thrillers. Leaving school during the recession of the 1980s, she was advised to go where the jobs were, rather than pursue her interest in languages and history.

At that time, she says, the jobs were in electronics so she opted for electronic engineering at NUIG and when she graduated, bagged herself a job as a technical writer with NCR (think cash registers and ATMs) in Scotland.

I knew I didnt want to work in a lab or at the practical end of electronics, she explains. I was interested enough in the theory but I always wanted to write and discovered technical writing.

Later, the job brought her to Antibes, in the South of France (a lovely part of the world to be in) and along the way she met and married her Scottish husband Neil.

Spurred on by a granny who kept sending job ads to her in France, the couple returned in the mid-1990s to Limerick, Siobhans hometown since she was eight years old.

Once settled and with two sons now in the family, Siobhan continued to write for a living but the creative bug was becoming more insistent. In school I had written poetry and won awards for essays. That whetted my appetite, she explains. But now, in the evenings, she was trying her hand at short stories. 

Then came her first stab at a novel, which turned out to be a huge, learning experience. Her problem, she realises now, is that it was a novel of two halves: the first a romance mystery, the second half a crime thriller.

It could have been a crushing blow but feedback from agents and publishers kept up her confidence. Everybody said I had a great sense of place and my characters were good.

But she had to decide what direction she wanted to go and she opted to completely immerse herself in the thriller genre.

It was a comfortable place for her to be. I always love a good mystery, she says. True-life mysteries fascinate me. I love crime thriller series on TV.

In very quick succession there followed three novels. Twisted River, published by Penguin in the US and as an ebook on this side of the Atlantic, appeared in 2016, and to Siobhans great satisfaction got great reviews in the Chicago Tribune nd Toronto Star. The Blue Pool, set in the Burren and Galway, followed and last year, in a slight variation on her crime theme, came Guilty, a psychological suspense story.

Now, Siobhan is busy promoting The Bride Collector, in which a serial murderer is abroad in a fictional tourist town in Co Kerry. Taxi driver and amateur sleuth Ellie Gillespie, finds herself in league with investigative journalist Cormac Scully in a bid to track down the murderer whose signature is leaving his victims laid out in their wedding dresses. Who is next to say yes, and die?

The characters and the story are the rock-bed for Siobhan and when writing Ellie and Cormack into being, they became, she says, very real to her. You create this really fictional character but it doesnt seem very bizarre when you are writing it, she continues. Her characters are always fictional but often, a small memory or observation of someone she has met or read about will linger and find its way into the new character.

I do have quite a lot of twists and turns, devilish twists and turns, she adds. Sometimes, you dont know the origin of those. Others, you do.

For Siobhan the either/or categorisation of fiction as commercial or literary is a false one and, thankfully, on the wane. There is no reason why commercial fiction cant be literary or indeed why literary fiction cant be commercial, she argues. I cant see why you cant get something that is both, she says with conviction.

It is, she asserts again, about the story.

The Bride Collector, published by Constable, Trade Paperback is now available priced at 12.99.
Gardai are warning of an increase in burglaries in some areas of Limerick city since the easing of public health restrictions regarding travel and gatherings.

Burglaries were down during the lockdown as people were at home and there were no reported burglaries at all in some areas of County Limerick.

"Now that we can get out more and enjoy a staycation, burglars are also actively looking for an opportunity," said divisional crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leetch who is urging vigilance.

"Do not give burglars the chance to take from you, lock all windows and doors, use your alarm and ask a trusted neighbour or friend to check on your home regularly and to park their car in your drive to give the impression that somebody is at home," she advised.

"In addition, clever lighting up of your home using timer switches is an invaluable tool for crime prevention," she added.

Gardai are also warning that businesses premises are also being targeted since the have re-opened.

In one incident, a man entered a business premises in the city centre at lunchtime and went behind the unmanned counter to the cash register.

"He attempted to open it but he failed to gain access and left. He was subsequently identified and gardai have since arrested him and he is before the courts. Business premise owners should never leave a cash register unattended, always protect your cash," said Sergeant Leetch.
A NEW report, co-written by Dr Susan Liddy of the Media Department in Mary Immaculate, has taken a closer look at equality, diversity and inclusion issues within the broadcasting and screen production sector in Ireland.

We wanted to ascertain whether the Irish media industry had engaged with diversity at all, whether the policies and practice were in place and what they thought might be done to move the dial on these issues, Dr Liddy said following the publication of the report by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland last week. It was testing the waters if you like.

We do know that Irish society is becoming increasingly diverse, she continued, but pointed out that it was vital that broadcasting and the screen industry reflect that diversity, in gender, class, racial and ethnic terms.

There is a social justice aspect, she pointed out. A big factor in getting that diversity lies in who decides what stories to tell.

Back in 2014, Dr Liddy continued, there was no discussion about 50/50 in gender terms, no talk about diversity. They werent even aspirations or regarded as necessary. The argument was if individuals wanted to get involved, they did.

However, she said, over the past seven or eight years, there has been a shift within the industry. The Waking the Feminists movement here in Ireland along with international movements such as Times Up and Black Lives Matter played a part in highlighting the issues and helped to accelerate awareness and campaigning.

Having policies in place on diversity, equality and inclusion is crucial, Dr Liddy argued but implementing them is even more crucial and needs leadership, and vision as well as investment. Education is also key. If we want to hire diverse people, where do we find them? We need to go back to education, to training, to outreach. There needs to be more links between education and the industry and then we will have a pool of people to choose from, she explained.

A mentoring programme and paid internships would also assist people from different class and ethnic backgrounds to find their place within the industry, which, Dr Liddy says, works very much on an informal and network basis. The industry is weighted in favour of people with money and connections and that rules out so many people, she said. Without formal processes, many people remain as outsiders.

The research done by Dr Liddy and her colleagues, Dr Anne OBrien and Dr Paraic Kerrigan, also revealed that many in the industry believe significant change cannot be achieved by individual companies and there needs to be a dedicated organisation to drive that change. As things stand however, the Broadcasting Authority, though well placed to play that role, does not have the statutory remit or resources to do so.

Hard data is also needed because without it, there is no possibility of monitoring progress on change.

The danger now, Dr Liddy argued, would be that the pace slackens because a good bit has been achieved. Things can reverse or stagnate, she warned. I dont think things automatically improve. You need to take action to accelerate change.
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IRISH WATER has issued a Do Not Consume Notice for consumers on the Shannon/Sixmilebridge Public Water Supply due to elevated levels of manganese.

It follows consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE) by Irish Water, working in partnership with Clare County Council,

The notice applies to approximately 7,500 customers. It does not apply to customers in Shannon, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Bunratty. View the notice here

It is especially important that mains drinking water is not given to bottle fed infants.

Please note this is not a Boil Water Notice. Boiling the water will not reduce manganese levels and is therefore not a suitable measure to make the water safe to consume. This notice does not apply to other water schemes in Co. Clare.

Alternative supplies

Tankered water will be in place at the following locations to provide an alternative water supply to customers. Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tanker and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure. Please adhere to social distancing when queuing for water supplies.

Cratloe: Adjacent to the school

Sixmilebridge: Adjacent to the church

Kilmurry: Adjacent to the church

Kilkishen Adjacent to the school

Quin: Adjacent to the school

Irish Water drinking water compliance and operational experts are working with colleagues in Clare County Council to resolve this situation as soon as possible. Further updates will be issued early next week.

Speaking about the imposition of the notice, Duane OBrien, Irish Water said: "Irish Water is aware of the impact a Do Not Consume Notice has on the community and would like to reassure impacted customers that we are working hard to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. We would like to thank customers in advance for their patience and cooperation and advise any customers who have concerns to contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278."

This water should not be used for

Drinking

Drinks made with water

Food preparation, washing or cooking of food,

Brushing of teeth

Making of ice

Children under 12 months old should not drink this water

In particular, children under 12 months old should not drink this water. This water should not be used for making up infant formula for bottled fed infants. An alternative source of water should be used. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as Natural Mineral Water as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. Natural Mineral Water can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated.

If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way

Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.

Domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink

Caution should be taken when bathing infants to ensure that they do not swallow the bathing water

Discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges

What can you use water for?

The water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils

Irish Water and Clare County Council will continue to liaise with the Health Service Executive with a view to lifting this drinking water restriction as soon as practicable.

Business customers

Business customers will receive a 40 per cent rebate on the cost of the supply of water to their businesses for the duration of the Do Not Consume Notice.

Updates

Updates will be available from our Water Supply Updates section, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.
Mumbai: Informal talks are taking place to deal with the fall-out from two rulings by India's Supreme Court that threaten the repayment of loans totalling nearly 50,000 crore ($6.73 billion) to some of India's largest banks, bankers close to the matter say.

Any failure to recoup the money adds to stress in the banking sector, which is already dealing with an increased level of bad loans and reduced profits because of the impact of the pandemic.

Last week, India's Supreme Court effectively blocked Future Group's $3.4 billion sale of retail assets to Reliance Industries, jeopardising nearly $2.69 billion the retail conglomerate owes to Indian banks.

That ruling was delivered days after the Supreme Court rejected a petition to allow telecom companies to approach the Department of Telecommunications to renegotiate outstanding dues in a long-runinng dispute with Indian telecom players.

That raises concerns, bankers say, over whether Vodafone Idea will repay some 300 billion rupees ($4.04 billion) it owes to Indian banks and billions of dollars more in long-term dues to the government.

FUTURE OF FUTURE?

Two bankers, speaking on condition of anonymity said negotiations were taking place to try to limit potentially severe consequences.

Loans to Future worth nearly 200 billion rupees were restructured earlier this year, giving it more time to come up with repayments due over the next two years, but that was on the premise that Reliance would bail it out, the bankers said.

Future group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Should Future be taken to a bankruptcy court, bankers say they are concerned they will have to take haircuts on the loans of more than 75%.

"The immediate apprehension is that the restructuring deal will fall through for banks by December," said a banker at a public sector bank that has lent money to Future.

Future's leading financial creditors include India's largest lender State Bank of India, along with smaller rivals Bank of Baroda and Bank of India.

Bank of India, the lead bank in consortium lending to Future, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

VODAFONE IDEA

Banks have also started discussing Vodafone's debt to lenders of nearly 300 billion rupees. Top lenders to Vodafone include Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank and IndusInd Bank, as well as other private and state-owned lenders.

Vodafone, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank and IndusInd did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

"Even though banks have the option of restructuring loans in case the company defaults, it will only make sense if there is clear cash flow visibility, which is not the case right now," a senior banker at a public sector bank said on condition of anonymity.

Already, at the end of March, Indian banks had total non-performing assets of 8.34 trillion rupees ($112.48 billion), the government has said. It has yet to provide more updated figures.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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Indias indigenously built aircraft carrier returned to Kochi on Sunday having been at sea for five days for the testing of its main propulsion system, power generation and distribution and auxiliary equipment on its maiden sea trial.

The trials of the IACs systems, which were reviewed by Vice Admiral AK Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command on Sunday, the last day of the sea trial, have progressed as planned and system parameters have been proved satisfactory," the Indian Navy said in a statement.

The successful completion of maiden trial sorties, despite challenges faced due to the covid-19 pandemic and covid-19 protocols in place, is testimony to the dedicated efforts of large number of stakeholders for over a decade. This is a major milestone activity and historical event," the statement said.

The carrier would undergo a series of sea trials to prove all equipment and systems prior to its delivery in 2022," it said. The delivery date is being targeted to coincide with 75 years of Indias independence. The successful delivery of IAC to the Indian Navy will propel the country into a select club of nations that have the capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier. It would also strengthen Indias position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the Indian Navys quest to be known as a Blue Water Navy  ie project power far beyond its shores.

The IAC, which will be christened Vikrant after Indias first aircraft carrier which was decommissioned in 1997, has been designed by Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design. It is being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a Public Sector Shipyard under Ministry of Shipping (MoS).

The IAC is a leading example of the nations quest for Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Indian Navys Make in India initiative, with more than 76% indigenous content," the Indian Navy statement said.

The IAC is 262 metres long, 62 metres at its widest and 59 metres in height including the superstructure.

It has 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure.

The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1700 people with gender-sensitive accommodation" for women officers.

The ship with high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed wing and rotary aircraft.

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Aviation regulator DGCA on learning about the massive surge in flight prices between India and the UK, has asked the airlines to submit details about the airfares they have been charging, according to a senior official.

The matter came into light after Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Union Home Ministry on Saturday raised the issue on Twitter that an economy-class ticket on British Airways's Delhi-London flight for August 26 was priced 3.95 lakh.

He added that economy-class ticket on Delhi-London flights of Vistara and Air India for August 26 was also priced between 1.2 lakh and 2.3 lakh amid the college admission time in the UK.

Gupta said he has "alerted" Union Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola about this matter.

"Fare of  3.95 lakh one way Delhi to London on Aug 26. No, it's not 1st class. It's economy on @British_Airways @airindiain @airvistara etc. also 1.2 to 2.3 lakh. College admission time! See minimum fare on @GoogleTravel in August. Have alerted Secretary @MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia," read his initial tweet from a thread highlighting the rise in airfares.

Fare of  3.95 lakh one way Delhi to London on Aug 26. No, it's not 1st class. It's economy on @British_Airways. @airindiain @airvistara etc. also 1.2 to 2.3 lakh. College admission time! See minimum fare on @GoogleTravel in August. Have alerted Secretary @MoCA_GoI. @JM_Scindia pic.twitter.com/uxFF8dgaLk  Sanjeev Gupta (@sanjg2k1) August 7, 2021

While there have been lower and upper limits on all domestic airfares in India since May 25 last year, no such limits have been imposed on international airfares.

Vistara, which currently operates flights on Delhi-London as wells Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday: "Pricing is always a function of supply and demand. There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on India - UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices," according to news agency PTI.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.

Meanwhile, UK recently moved India from its "red" to "amber" list, meaning, fully vaccinated passengers from India will no longer be subjected to compulsory 10-day hotel quarantine.

"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4 am," UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted.

"While its right we continue our cautious approach, its great news to open more destinations for people wanting to connect with families, friends and businesses across the globe, all thanks to our successful domestic vaccination programme," he said.

With inputs from PTI

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Legendary French actor Denis Lavant, best known for his collaborations with Annette director Leos Carax, has found the latest role he will disappear into.

Lavant is set to star in Blood Burn, a French-Georgian gangster thriller which is currently being presented in the Locarno Film Festivals Alliance 4 Development program.

The film hails from first-time feature director Akaki Popkhadze and is based on his own experiences of immigrating from Georgia to the poor neighborhoods of Nice when he was 13 years old.

Set in that environment that Popkhadze knows like the back of his hand, the action in Blood Burn kicks off when a pillar of the local Georgian community is murdered. His son Tristan, who aspires to become an orthodox priest, finds himself alone with his grieving mother. Then Gabriel, his older brother with a troubled past, returns from a long exile to try and make amends by washing away his familys honor.

Lavant will play a central role described as the French Rivieras local mafia boss. The two brothers navigate around the character, before he eventually traps and manipulates them.

Popkhadze says the film intends to capture the humiliations and emotional shock of his family being uprooted and moved to a new country. The two main characters personify the two energies that flow through him, he says.

I had to help my family rebuild, losing my recklessness to become a young adult. I found myself torn between the ancestral values of my community and the principles of a new country, he says. To build myself up, two paths were open to me. One was that of force, violence, and deception. The second was that of listening, patience and understanding. I began with the first, unstable and dangerous, until one day I renewed my childhood dream: to make films. In seizing this vocation, I resolutely set out to take the second path.

Blood Burn is being produced by Cannes-based company Adastra Films, and co-produced by Georgian company Gemini. The film is currently seeking a third European co-producer at Locarno, and attaching a recognizable face like Lavant certainly wont do any harm in that regard.

In addition, Variety has learned that the music for the film will be composed by Niaz Diasamidze, a Georgian musician whose previous work includes the Oscar-nominated Tangerines.

Lavant was nominated for a Cesar Award for Holy Motors, and is also known for his role in Claire Denis Beaut Travail. He is represented by UBBA.

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Two on-the-rise directors, Maria Perez Sanz (Karen) and Maddi Barber (Land Underwater), have signed on to direct episodes in Present, a singular exploration by Spains Garde of a new generation of women artists, both cineastes and writers, who broke out last decade.

Part of a broader literary-film project, This Is Not a Poem (Esto no es una poesia), Present (Presentes) is being introduced to potential co-producers and distributors by Garde founder Cristina Hergueta at Locarnos Match Me, a networking forum which kicked off Aug. 6.

Perez Sanz will bring to the screen a text written by Cristina Morales, winner of Spains 2019 National Narrative Prize for Lectura Facil. Barber will create a film from a poem by Maria Sanchez, whose first book of poetry, Cuaderno de campo, was published in 2017, and has quickly run through multiple editions.

Both Perez Sanz and Barbers films are conceived as part of a first series of arthouse shorts in This Is Not a Poem.

Identified by Variety in 2017 as a Spanish talent to track, Caceres-born Perez Sanz broke through with her feature Karen, an imagining of the final days in Africa of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa.

Blixen was a non-conformist, so is Perez-Sanz, choosing to profile Blixen and what she stood for through her relationship with her highly efficient Somali farm manager Farah Aden rather than the dashing Hon. Denys George Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford in the famed movie adaptation. In her newspaper articles, Morales comes through as a caustic critic of the unthinking cliches of much contemporary thought.

Showcased at the San Sebastian Festivals 2019 Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section, Barbers medium-feature doc Land Underwater  as were her shorts, 2018s Above 592 Meters and 2020s Gorria  charts mans vestigial and ambivalent relationship to nature in Navarres Pyrenees. A rural vet, Sanchez explores her clear affinity with nature as a source of joy, a family legacy and a connection to other women writers.

Present will feature two more shorts from women directors, inspired by and representing the work of two more female writers, Hergueta told Variety.

Based out of Caceres in South-West Spain, Garde has meanwhile tapped Sevilles BNV Producciones and Sarao Films (Once Again) to co-produce its other top Match Me project: Horses (Caballos).

Described by Garde as a horse movie and experimental doc feature, it is directed by Pedro G. Romero (Nueve Sevillas). It records a flamenco concert for horses that took place in the Tempietto di Bramante in Rome. At the same time, however, it is also a reflection on our way of looking, trying to escape the anthropocentric gaze, hegemonic since the dawn of modernity, as well as a reflection on the language of cinema, Hergueta said. The project has been well-received by those who have read it in Spain.

Garde was launched in 2017 by Hergueta, a production co-ordinator on The Hanged Man, by Manuel Gomez Pereira (Between Your Legs), and line-producer of Los mundos sutiles, from Eduardo Chapero-Jackson (Sky Rojo).

Gardes production credits to date take in co-producing Guillermo Benets Los Inocentes, which scored a special jury mention at last Novembers Seville European Film Festival. El Sur Films opened Los Inocentes in Spanish theaters in March. Outside Spain, it has screened as Austrias Crossing Europe festival and Romanias Transilvania Film Festival.

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ISTANBUL (AP)  A passenger bus veered and tumbled off a highway in western Turkey, killing 15 people on Sunday.

The governors office of Balikesir province said said the bus overturned at 04:40 local time (0140 GMT) on Sunday. Emergency units arrived at the site, where 11 people died. Four others died in the hospital.

The governors office said 17 people injured in the crash were taken to five hospitals for treatment.

The bus belonging to travel company Efe Tur was traveling from Zonguldak in northern Turkey to Izmir in western Turkey when it went off the road, according to Turkey's official Anadolu news agency.

Authorities said an investigation was ongoing.
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)  Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls usually teems with tourists who come to marvel at the roaring Zambezi River as it tumbles down more than 350 feet (108 meters) to the gorge below, sending up a mist that is visible from miles away.

The Smoke That Thunders - the English translation of what the waterfall is called in the Sotho language - is still mighty, but the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced visitors to a trickle. Ordinarily, Victoria Falls attracts 350,000 tourists a year, but their numbers have dropped to almost none as a result of travel restrictions.

Hotel occupancy rates fell into the single digits during 2020 and the first half of 2021, and some hotels were forced to close, according to the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe.

To promote Victoria Falls as a safe destination, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has made vaccines available to all 35,000 residents of the town that shares a name with the waterfall. An estimated 60% of the people there have been vaccinated with either the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, both from China.

Although tourists have not returned in large numbers, Victoria Falls mostly has been spared the current wave of COVID-19 that has swept across the rest of Zimbabwe and southern Africa, which health officials attribute to the town's relatively high level of vaccinations.

Nationwide, over 1.8 million people, slightly more than 12% of Zimbabwes population, have received a first dose, while more than 900,000 people are fully vaccinated with two doses.

On the strength of the vaccination rate in Victoria Falls, the government last week reopened two land borders that link the town to the neighboring countries of Zambia, Namibia and Botswana. Travelers with proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test will be permitted entry.

Victoria Falls was where Zimbabwe recorded its first COVID-19 case in March 2020, likely because of its high number of international visitors. A year later, at a time where only medical workers and other essential workers were eligible for vaccines, shots were made available for all of the town's residents age 18 and older.

All adult Zimbabweans are now eligible, but because of widespread supply shortages, the lines for jabs are long and many people are disappointed.

Restaurants in Victoria Falls are allowed to serve sit-in customers  something that is forbidden in the rest of Zimbabwe, which still has tight restrictions as a result of the current surge driven by the delta variant of the coronavirus. Close to 90% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the current surge are of unvaccinated people, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Health.

Although planeloads of tourists have not yet returned, the reopening of Victoria Falls was a relief for a town that survives on tourism, Anald Musonza, the regional chairman of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, told The Associated Press.

We had been waiting for this for a long time," Musonza said. "This will help us retain some jobs that were lost due to the pandemic.

Tourism, together with mining and agriculture, is a key anchor of Zimbabwes fragile economy.

Mass vaccinations could help open up tourist destinations countrywide, said Tinashe Farawo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. The loss of tourism revenue has hurt the authority's ability to operate.

Victoria Falls is testimony of what vaccines can do," he said. "Its good for us. Its good for wildlife because now we can raise money to deploy our rangers and fund other critical operations.
Lockport, NY (14094)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
A number of changes are coming down the line for those who are still in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

Those who are in the highest payment band of the scheme will experience a gradual decrease in their monthly outcome as the government plans to phase out the PUP entirely by February, 2022.

According to the Irish Mirror, at that point, anyone who remains on the books will be paid 203 a week and will be switched over to the Job Seekers Allowance through the normal application process already in place.

The public has been reassured that when each payment is phased out, and youre expected to switch to Job Seekers, you will be notified.

From September 7, if you are getting the Covid-19 PUP at a rate of 350 per week, this will change to 300 on September 14, 250 in mid-November, and then in early February 2022, your weekly amount will be down to 203.

Huge online fundraiser underway to aid courageous Longford woman in fight against cancer A major fundraising drive is underway to aid Longford woman Laura Gilmore Anderson in her ongoing fight against incurable cancer.
The development of a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence for Down GAA, a project being spearheaded by their County Board Chairperson and Killoe native John Devaney, took a major step forward last week with the planning approval by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for the proposed complex at Ballykinlar.

The approval from the Councils Planning Committee will allow for the development of 4 full size GAA pitches (3 of which are floodlit), spectator seating, multi-use games area (MUGA), changing rooms, fitness studio and ancillary offices.

The design phase was led by McGurk Architects Ltd.

Ballykinlar has a vibrant GAA community and history, and the local club facility had been a training base for Down senior teams for a number of years. Whilst the new centre will cater for the training and administrative needs of Down teams in all Gaelic Games codes, it will also be a significant resource for the Ballykinlar club and the local communities.

The site at Ballykinlar was an MoD military base and training centre that also served as an internment camp during and after the Irish War of Independence, a century ago.

Down GAA Chairperson John Devaney welcomed the decision and looked forward to the next stages of the project.

The development of the proposed centre is now in our own hands. We are excited by the prospect of a facility that can cater for our sporting, administrative and cultural needs, but we know that a significant amount of work lies ahead.

"The planning approval brings the vision into view and allows our members and supporters across the county and beyond to imagine an impressive complex that will serve our future needs. It will take the efforts and support of everyone to bring it to fruition, and I want to particularly commend the work of Sean Og McAteer, Colm McGurk, Anthony McNeill, Sarah McDowell, Sean Foy and their teams, as well as the personnel whom we have worked with within the Ministry of Defence, and all others who have helped to bring the project to this point.

The facility will also open up new opportunities for the Ballykinlar club and the local area, providing a focal point and an enhancement of the GAA provision in the locality, so that the club and our games can blossom and grow.

We also know that the story of Ballykinlar and its history provides a fascinating backdrop. Parts of our local and national history intertwine at this place, and we have an opportunity to reflect past, present and future in what we build and develop.

GAA President Larry McCarthy added: I congratulate Down GAA on getting this ambitious project to this stage. With planning permission secured, the attention of their project board can now focus on bringing the initiative to fruition.

Attention will now turn to the establishment of a Project Board under the chairmanship of Feargal P McCormack, which will provide the strategic direction for the project.
(Alliance News) - Allies of Rishi Sunak have insisted he is focused on the health of the economy in his job as chancellor following reports UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has considered demoting him.

The Sunday Times reported that a furious Johnson suggested the move after the leak of a letter from the chancellor calling for the easing of travel restrictions ahead of the relaxations announced on Wednesday.

A senior source told the newspaper: "He said: 'I've been thinking about it. Maybe it's time we looked at Rishi as the next secretary of state for health. He could potentially do a very good job there.'

"In an open meeting, after ranting about Rishi, he then suggested the chancellor could be demoted in the next reshuffle."

The newspaper reported that Johnson is not expected to carry out his threat and noted the prime minister's reputation for off-the-cuff remarks made "half in jest".

A Treasury source said: "The chancellor is solely focused on securing the country's economic recovery and continuing to protect and create jobs."

The leak of the comments, reportedly made in a meeting on Monday, will do little to help relations between No 10 and No 11.

The chancellor is preparing for a tough spending review later this year as he attempts to repair the public finances following the coronavirus crisis.

That could put him on collision course with a prime minister who has promised there can be no return to austerity.

Although a reshuffle is not expected imminently, the Sunday Times reported that Johnson has previously considered International Trade Secretary Liz Truss as a potential chancellor, with Jacob Rees-Mogg as her deputy.

"The PM keeps talking about Liz Truss," a source said. "He's always got on quite well with her. He thinks she's controllable."

By David Hughes, PA Political Editor

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Trent C. Bluhm died 8/9/2021. Son of Thane and Bernice Bluhm of Pemberton. Trent was a very generous and caring man, as many of his friends and family knew. His good sense of humor will be missed.
It's no real surprise that Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit is continuing to dominate Spain's headlines, even three days after his departure was confirmed by the club.

President Joan Laporta spoke about the impossibility of renewing the Argentine's contract, blaming the situation on the club's previous board and their mismanagement of finances.

According to La Vanguardia, though, the failure to re-sign Messi was also due to the club's refusal to accept LaLiga's agreement with CVC, which Javier Tebas initially presented to Laporta over dinner on July 14.

The agreement secured 2.7 billion euros of investment into LaLiga, of which 15 percent could have been used towards signings and salaries. That would have allowed Barcelona to have 40 million euros more, meaning that they could have had Tebas' backing in signing and registering Messi.

As Laporta explained on Friday, though, he didn't want to mortgage the future of the club to ensure one player's continuity.

In their dispute since Thursday, Tebas revealed that he had dinner with Laporta in mid-July and explained the CVC agreement to him then, claiming that he had "an abundance of enthusiasm" about it then.
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Global experts said the surveillance of zoonotic diseases must be integrated into health security intelligence systems, if future pandemics are to be handled effectively.



The authors of the paper, from the Conflict and Health Research Group, King's College London, say that zoonotic diseases pose the greatest health security threat to human and animal populations alike.

Zoonotic diseases are animal infections that can be transferred from animals to humans and include the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. 





In the UK and USA there is no population health surveillance for companion animals, with veterinary practices having limited access to ad hoc warning systems. Animals who die in zoos in the UK, unlike the USA, do not undergo mandatory necropsy, the animal equivalent of a human autopsy, missing a crucial opportunity to detect potential and confirmed disease present in animal populations.



The researchers say that the anticipation and early detection of potential zoonotic events should be a first order objective for any developing health security agenda in both global and domestic settings. They added that veterinary and medical communities working in silos is obstructing the development of an effective health security research agenda.



Dr Bowsher said: "Ignoring the potential for animal infections to produce and propagate human disease is a failure of health security. Effective future epi-pandemic preparedness demands improved systems for 'species neutral' health security intelligence."



Source: Eurekalert Shelter animals in particular are high-risk populations, given their high levels of stress and susceptibility to infectious pathogens. The researchers point to a 2017 outbreak of H7N2 bird flu in New York's cat shelters as an example of new transmission pathways across a large population of over 300 animals and into people. Previously identified in the city's poultry markets, the virus had not been known to cross over into cats prior to this event.In the UK and USA there is no population health surveillance for companion animals, with veterinary practices having limited access to ad hoc warning systems. Animals who die in zoos in the UK, unlike the USA, do not undergo mandatory necropsy, the animal equivalent of a human autopsy, missing a crucial opportunity to detect potential and confirmed disease present in animal populations.The researchers say that the anticipation and early detection of potential zoonotic events should be a first order objective for any developing health security agenda in both global and domestic settings. They added that veterinary and medical communities working in silos is obstructing the development of an effective health security research agenda.Dr Bowsher said: "Ignoring the potential for animal infections to produce and propagate human disease is a failure of health security. Effective future epi-pandemic preparedness demands improved systems for 'species neutral' health security intelligence."Source: Eurekalert

Currently there are few systems capable of providing indicators and warnings for zoonotic diseases beyond livestock management. Lead author, Dr Gemma Bowsher, said: "Companion, zoo and shelter animals exist in close proximity to human populations and with limited monitoring in place, remain a potentially high-risk disease reservoir for zoonoses." She added: "Domesticated animals in high-income countries are as much a threat as the oft-cited wildlife in wet markets or equatorial rainforests."
Bollywood has been notorious when it comes to showing toxic masculinity and gender disparity on the big screen. From the days of Sholay, its sad how Bollywood has promoted the idea of approving a susheel woman and degrading the women who are independent and strong-headed. In the Bollywood narratives, men are shown to be stalking women or smoking, or doing things that would have been labeled as unsankari if a female character was to lead the story.

So, we have zeroed down on five male Bollywood characters wherein if women leads would have anchored the narrative, they would have been bashed for being not-so-susheel because it happened when actors like Ratna Pathak Shah did Lipstick Under My Burkha.

Kabir Singh (Kabir Singh)

Not denying the fact that Shahid Kapoor received backlash for his portrayal of Kabir Singh but if a female lead would have played this character, people would have gone berserk to another level. There are scenes wherein you see Kabir Singh addicted to alcohol and smoking but it was quite acceptable because he was hurting in love. If a woman was heading a similar narrative, she would have been bashed for going against the Indian culture.

Radhe (Tere Naam)

Back in 2003 when Salman Khans Tere Naam was released, people went gaga over a problematic character Radhe that the actor played on the big screen. He is a local goon who stalks and harasses the woman that he is attracted to. He is so obsessed with her that he ruins her engagement and forcefully makes her fall in love with him. This is utter bullshit that we all gave in to. If a woman lead was shown to be obsessing over a guy, she would have been tagged as a psycho lover who cant move on. With Tere Naam, Salmans Radhe was celebrated as a lover who lost his sanity and sacrificed everything for his ladylove.

Kundan (Raanjhaana)

Dhanushs Kundan was one of the most problematic characters that Bollywood writers have ever written. He kept chasing Zoya (Sonam) even after she declined his proposal. Imagine if Zoya would have been playing the role of Kundan and he would have denied her proposal and she kept chasing him, people would have roasted her for being a clingy woman.

Badri (Badrinath Ki Dulhania)

Varun Dhawans Badri is more problematic than you can ever think, but theres not much dialogue about this particular character. Well, he first stalks Alia Bhatts character Vaidehi to a level that she is convinced and says yes to marrying him. On the day of the wedding, she runs away as she always was clear of the fact that she is an ambitious woman and wants to chase her dream. Badris father wants to teach her a lesson and asks him to get her back so that he can mistreat her. Badri goes to Singapore and kidnaps her because hes filled with resentment. He created a ruckus outside her office and almost even strangled her. If this is not toxic, then we should probably change the definition of being toxic. If Vaidehi would have been drunk and created a scene outside his office, I am sure that she would be labelled as a drama queen.

Rahul (Darr)





Shah Rukh Khans character Rahul in Darr had a toxic streak that is far more than just being scary. He took away Juhis character Kiran's right to even say no as she didnt love him. He even sent her a letter covered with his own blood. He even molested her as he obviously didnt understand the concept of consent. What if Kiran had sent him letters covered in blood, people would have been quicker to judge her sanity.

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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
LUDINGTON  Sawyer Hendrickson, 12, of Ludington, recently received the Good Deed Award from the American Legion National Department for her work as a child advocate for veterans, active-duty military, law enforcement and fallen heroes with her nonprofit, Miss Sawyer's Kids with a Cause.

Hendrickson received the award, along with a $1,200 check from District 9 president Sharon Reynolds through Reynolds' Special Projects Campaign.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Melissa DeRosa, a fixture next to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for months during his coronavirus news conferences, resigned late Sunday on the heels of a report that found Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, leaving the governor without his top aide as he faces the prospect of impeachment.

DeRosa, who had been one of Cuomos most fierce defenders and strategists, said in a statement sent to multiple new organizations that serving the people of New York had been the greatest honor of my life.

But she added that Personally, the past two years have been emotionally and mentally trying."

She didnt give a more specific reason for her resignation.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such talented and committed colleagues on behalf of our state," she said.

DeRosas departure comes as Cuomo has dug in for the fight of his political life despite the threat of criminal investigations and widespread calls for his impeachment.

Scores of Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have urged him to leave office or face an impeachment battle he probably cannot win.

About two-thirds of state Assembly members have already said they favor an impeachment trial if he refuses to resign. Nearly all 63 members of the state Senate have called for Cuomo to step down or be removed.

More punishing news for the governor is expected Monday when an Assembly committee meets to discuss possible impeachment proceedings and CBS This Morning is scheduled to broadcast the first TV interview from an executive assistant who accused Cuomo of groping her breast.

In her first public interview in which she identified herself, Brittany Commisso told CBS and the Times-Union newspaper, of Albany, that what Cuomo did was a crime and that he needs to be held accountable.

Commisso has said Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her when they were alone in a room at the Executive Mansion last year and on another occasion rubbed her rear end while they posed for a photo. She was the first woman to file a criminal complaint against Cuomo.

He broke the law, she said in an excerpt of an interview scheduled to be aired in full on Monday.

The Associated Press does not identify alleged victims of sexual misconduct unless they speak out publicly, as Commisso has done.

Cuomo, who has denied touching any women inappropriately, has largely been holed up in the governor's mansion since the release of a 168-page report written by two independent attorneys selected by the state attorney general to investigate his behavior.

His lawyers have attacked the credibility and motives of his accusers.

DeRosa, who often defended Cuomo when he faced public criticism, had been with the administration since 2013. She got the title secretary to the governor in 2017, and was probably the most recognizable face in the administration after Cuomo.

She appeared by his side in most of his news briefings and often fielded policy questions from reporters when the governor didn't know enough details to answer.

DeRosa was mentioned 187 times in the attorney general's report, which detailed the administration's efforts to discredit some of his accusers.

The report described DeRosa as a central figure in his offices retaliation against one of the women, Lindsey Boylan, after she became the first person to speak out publicly. The administration released internal memos showing that Boylan had, herself, been the subject of complaints about toxic workplace behavior.

The investigators report also revealed some tension between DeRosa and Cuomo: She told investigators she was so upset with the way Cuomo had handled a conversation with one of his accusers, former aide Charlotte Bennett, that she angrily got out of his car when it stopped at a traffic light.

She told the governor, I cant believe that this happened. I cant believe you put yourself in a situation where you would be having any version of this conversation, the report said.

The governors lawyers have promised what will likely be a drawn-out fight to stay in office, and few see him as willing to quit.

My sense is from what Im hearing is hes still looking for ways to fight this and get his side of the story out, state Democratic party Chairman Jay Jacobs said in an interview with The AP. But Jacobs added: I just think that hes going to, at some point, see that the political support is just not anywhere near enough to even make an attempt worthwhile.

Cuomo lawyer, Rita Glavin, told CNN on Saturday that he had no plans to resign.

She called the attorney general's report shoddy" and biased and an ambush.

Dozens of state lawmakers who were once hesitant to call for Cuomos resignation or impeachment told the AP in recent interviews that they were swayed by the heft of the report.

I think the majority of us feel that the governor is not in a position to lead the state any longer, and thats not a temporary position, said Assembly member John McDonald, a Democrat whose district includes Albany.

The state Assemblys judiciary committee planned to meet Monday to discuss when to conclude its monthslong investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach Cuomo.

The investigation has focused on sexual harassment and misconduct, the administrations past refusal to release how many nursing home residents died of COVID-19, the use of state resources for Cuomo's $5 million book deal and efforts to prioritize COVID-19 tests for the governor's inner circle in spring 2020, when testing was scarce.

Some lawmakers want an impeachment vote in days, but committee members say the probe could wrap up in a month. State law requires at least 30 days between an Assembly impeachment vote and Senate impeachment trial.

Assembly member Amanda Septimo called for urgency, saying Cuomo was damaging the Democratic Party nationally.

Im willing to put money on how soon we see Cuomos face on an attack mailer somewhere in Ohio, she said.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul would take over for Cuomo if a majority of the 150-member Assembly votes to impeach him.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said Saturday that Cuomo could face misdemeanor charges if investigators substantiate Commisso's complaint. At least five district attorneys have asked for materials from the attorney generals inquiry to see if any of the allegations could result in criminal charges.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Hundreds of people, among them many Belarusians living in exile in Poland, marched Sunday in Warsaw to protest political repression in neighboring Belarus  a demonstration held on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Belarus presidential election that they consider rigged.

Many carried the Belarusian oppositions red-and-white flag, which is banned in Belarus, and chanted Long live Belarus!

The protest focused on the Aug. 9, 2020 presidential election in Belarus in which President Alexander Lukashenko was awarded a sixth term in a vote that the opposition and many in the West view as fraudulent.

A belief that the vote was stolen triggered mass protests in Belarus that led to increased repressions by Lukashenkos regime on protesters, dissidents and independent media. Over 35,000 people were arrested and thousands were beaten and jailed.

The protesters began in central Warsaw and marched past the U.S. and Russian embassies, aiming for the Belarusian embassy in a southern Warsaw district.

Frantz Aslauski, a 56-years-old Belarusian who traveled from his new home in Wroclaw, Poland, said he believed Belarusians abroad must protest because in Belarus people cannot go to the streets because they will be thrown into prison.

"We have the opportunity (to demonstrate), therefore this responsibility rests on us, we must shout at the whole world, so that the whole world supports us in our pursuit of freedom and democracy, Aslauski said.

In front of the Russian embassy, speakers accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for the repressions in Belarus. One banner showed an image of Lukashenko depicted as a vampire, with blood dripping from his mouth.

Lukashenko has earned the nickname of Europes last dictator in the West for his relentless repression of dissent since taking the helm in 1994. In one shocking case, the regime this year arrested a dissident journalist after forcing his flight to divert to Belarus.

The organizers of the Warsaw march said the event was held as a sign that Belarusians in Poland will not give up their fight to bring change to Belarus. Among their demands was the release of political prisoners back home.

Poland, along with Lithuania and Ukraine, has become a key center of life in exile for Belarusians who have fled their homeland. Many people in Poland, an ex-communist country now in the European Union which shares a border with Belarus, support the efforts of Belarusians seeking democratic change.

One of the most recent Belarusians to arrive is Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, an Olympic sprinter who, fearing reprisals at home, fled last week from the Tokyo Olympics to Poland.

Thousands of Belarusians have also fled to neighboring Ukraine, fearing persecution back home. In Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Sunday, some 500 Belarusians also took to the streets to protest repression in Belarus and to mark the anniversary of the presidential election that triggered the largest and the most sustained wave of protests in Belarus history.

The demonstrators carried red-and-white flags and banners saying Belarus under Lukashenko has become a concentration camp, North Korea in the center of Europe. Stop. They demanded that international authorities create a tribunal to investigate what they called Lukashenko's crimes.

Every day Lukashenko is in power, there are more victims of political repressions, even in Ukraine, 21-year-old Bazhena Zholudz said at the rally.

Zholudz was the girlfriend of Vitaly Shishov, a Belarusian activist who ran a group in Ukraine helping Belarusians fleeing persecution. Shishov was found hanged in Kyiv last week and Ukrainian police are investigating whether it was a murder made to look like a suicide.

Following Shishov's death, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the country's police and security forces to study security risks for all Belarusians who have arrived in Ukraine over the past year.

Every Belarusian who can be a target for criminals in connection with his public political position should receive special and reliable protection, Zelenskyy's office quoted him as saying.

___

Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

___

Follow all AP stories on Belarus at https://apnews.com/hub/Belarus.
BEIJING (AP)  China has appointed a new military commander in restive Xinjiang where authorities have locked up more than a million members of Muslim minorities in what they call a bid to curb terrorism and radicalism.

Lt. Gen. Wang Haijiang will oversee a massive military presence in the sprawling northwestern region that borders on several unstable Central Asian states, along with Pakistan and Afghanistan, from which U.S. troops are withdrawing.

Like Xinjiangs hardline Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, Wang previously served in Tibet, which also hosts large numbers of troops to suppress anti-government sentiment among the native Tibetan population and guard the disputed border with India, where the two nations had a deadly clash last year.

Wang's unannounced appointment was revealed on the Xinjiang Military District's social media feed showing him presiding at a retirement ceremony for senior officers on Wednesday.

Wang saw combat during a border war with Vietnam in the early 1980s and served in an elite People's Liberation Army unit, according to state media reports.

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is a particular concern for Beijing, which fears a resurgence of militant Islam along its border.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week hosted a delegation from the Taliban, which has been making rapid territorial gains in Afghanistan and is currently engaged in battles for major cities.

Wang told the officials that China hopes the Taliban will focus on peace talks and work for unity among all factions and ethnic groups.

He also said China hopes the Taliban will deal resolutely with the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, a group China claims is leading a push for independence in Xinjiang.

Unconfirmed reports say several hundred fighters allied with the ETIM are present in northeastern Afghanistan, although many experts doubt the group even exists in any operational form.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Romance Writers of America has withdrawn an award for a novel widely criticized for its sympathetic portrait of a cavalry officer who participated in the slaughter of Lakota Indians at the Battle of Wounded Knee.

On July 31, RWA judges gave Karen Witemeyer's At Love's Command the Vivian Award for best romance book "with religious or spiritual elements." Witemeyer's book centers on Matthew Hanger, a veteran from the 1890 massacre whose Christian faith helps him reconcile with the past.

News of the award for At Love's Command was greeted on social media with anger and disbelief, especially after the RWA initially said that the spiritual category concerned characters who find redemption for their moral failings and or crimes against humanity. Author Delaney Williams, a Native American, tweeted that the RWA was honoring stories in which the genocide of my ancestors are used as a plot convention to gain forgiveness, not from those killed, but from a foreign god. A fellow Vivian winner, Sara Whitney, returned her prize in protest.

The RWA then announced that its board had gathered for an emergency meeting and decided to rescind the award.

RWA is in full support of First Amendment rights, according to a statement from the association. However, as an organization that continually strives to improve our support of marginalized authors, we cannot in good conscience uphold the decision of the judges in voting to celebrate a book that depicts the inhumane treatment of indigenous people and romanticizes real world tragedies that still affect people to this day.

Witemeyer's publisher, Bethany House, issued a statement saying it was saddened by the response to the book.

Witemeyer wrote this carefully-researched story with the knowledge that it would include some of the darkest moments of our nations history, including deplorable acts of violence like the Wounded Knee Massacre, the statement reads. It was neither the authors nor publishers wish to offend, but rather to recount this history for the tragedy it was. That it was perpetuated by ordinary people like the characters in Witemeyers novel is a sobering aspect of that tragedy.

In an email Friday to The Associated Press, Witemeyer wrote: While I dont agree with RWAs choice to rescind an award fairly won, I understand why they felt compelled to take such action, and I harbor no resentment toward them.

The RWA acknowledged previous troubles in its statement. In 2020, much of its leadership resigned or was forced out because of low diversity and the awards themselves were renamed. They had been called the RITA Award, in honor of the first association president, Rita Clay Estrada. They were renamed the Vivian Award, for Vivian Stephens, a Black author who helped found the RWA.
The United States has sent B-52 bombers and Spectre gunships to Afghanistan in a bid to stop Taliban insurgents who are marching towards three key cities.

The B-52s are flying into Afghanistan from an airbase in Qatar, hitting targets around Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, sources told The Times.

The move comes amid an increasingly dire situation in Afghanistan, as the Taliban continues to seize territory across the country as U.S.-led forces withdraw.

The Pentagon estimates that the group now controls half of Afghanistan's 419 district centers.

On Friday, the Taliban seized Zaranj in Nimroz, making it the first provincial capital to be captured by the insurgents since they began their military campaign in May.

The Taliban also assassinated the government's chief media officer, Dawa Khan Menapal, on the same day in Kabul.

The deployment of American bombers and gunships also highlights how ailing Afghan forces remain reliant on US support.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber, which can carry up to 32 tonnes of bombs.

The bombers first flew during the Cold War and played a key role in toppling the Taliban from power in late 2001, according to Arab News.

B-52 shave not been used in Afghanistan for nearly a year, according to The Times.

The US is also using armed Reaper drones and AC-130 Spectre gunships, and at least five missions are being flown each day, The Times said.

The Afghan air force is still reliant on US-supplied aircraft, which are now running out of spares and trained technicians after the departure of US contractors, The Times reported.

The paper said that at least seven Afghan pilots had been killed after being targeted by the Taliban, while others are reportedly exhausted after relentless missions.

Although Joe Biden has set a deadline for withdrawal of August 31, American defense sources told The Times that there was every intention to continue with the airstrikes after that date.

"It is getting worse day by day here," security analyst and retired colonel Mohammad Hassan told Arab News.

"The cancelation of flights to Herat and the fact that America has back started using B-52 are not good signs. It will cause more panic among people at large and shows the precariousness of the situation."

The Afghan government estimates that over 40,000 families have been displaced by the fighting since early May.

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...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT... The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert for Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Powder River, Ravalli, and Sanders counties, in effect until further notice for extremely high particulate concentrations. This alert will be updated again at 9 AM MDT on August 14th. An Air Quality Alert means that particulates have been trending upwards and that an exceedence of the 24 hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard has occurred or may occur in the near future. As of 9 AM MDT, Particulate levels in Thompson Falls are Very Unhealthy. As of 9 AM MDT, Particulate levels in Lincoln are Unhealthy. As of 9 AM MDT, Particulate levels in Broadus and Hamilton are Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. As of 9 AM MDT, Particulate levels in Billings, Butte, Columbia Falls, Dillon, Missoula, Seeley Lake, West Yellowstone are Moderate. When air quality is Very Unhealthy... State and local health officials recommend that people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid any outdoor activity; everyone else should avoid prolonged exertion. When air quality is Unhealthy... State and local health officials recommend that people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should avoid prolonged exertion; everyone else should limit prolonged exertion. When air quality is Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups... State and local health officials recommend that people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion. When air quality is Moderate... State and local health officials recommend that unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion. For more information visit the Montana Department of Environmental Quality at http://todaysair.mt.gov
Lansdale, PA (19446)

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Mainly clear. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable..

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OF ALL THINGS

What? Not another Civil War
August 08, 2021

Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:

The first thing the Taliban do in every large city they capture is to free prisoners and to seize truckloads of weapons from police and military headquarters before the U.S. can bomb those. They can thereby increase their numbers even while taking casualties. - b. <

So taliban will be the second largest military force in the world to operate #Oshkosh JLTV after #American forces

----

Other issues:

Anti-China Lobby:

Dark Matter:

Woke Watch:

Maybe people who write longingly about a China coup can apply that state/party model to sorting out U.S. political headaches. The big no-no for the CCP today is dragging street action into factional politics a la Mao/GPCR (and Zhao Ziyang in 89). Upsets the applecart in a dangerous, uncontrolled way and takes things out of the elite comfort zone. U.S. is now developing a suite of legal/media tools to manage and channel street activism (BLM!) and suppress it as needed ("war on right wing extremism"!).

So instead of getting a cathartic and effective show trial where by previous arrangement the splittists recant and put the fear of G*d or at least quick and effective reprisal in the hearts of their followers, we get 1/6 performance art where the bad guys don't even show up. <
MOULTRIE, GA.- Allison Usry Reid, 48, of Moultrie, passed away Tuesday, August 10, 2021, at her home due to complications of Covid. Cobb Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements. Please sign the online guestbook at www.cobbfuneralchapel.com.
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Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

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When Milton Levine returned from World War II, he had some common, but pressing, problems.

He didnt have much money. Which was doubly urgent because he brought a lovely young war bride from France home with him.

Second, he didnt have a job. With 15 million service members returning to civilian ranks and the economy shifting from wartime to peacetime footing, there just wasnt enough work for everyone.

Rather than wasting time searching for a non-existent position, Milton went into business for himself. He read somewhere that the best fields for ex-GIs were toys or bobby pins.

More Information Holy Cow! History is written by novelist, former television journalist and diehard history buff J. Mark Powell. Have a historic mystery that needs solving? A forgotten moment worth remembering? Send it to HolyCow@insidesources.com. See More Collapse

Theres no record of how the bobby pins turned out, but toys were a brilliant suggestion. Millions of veterans were marrying and starting families. Overnight, America had a Baby Boom. As kids grew, they wanted toys.

Milton partnered with his brother-in-law and started a mail-order plastic toy business. They placed ads in comic books offering 100 Toy Soldiers for $1. They sold imitation shrunken heads to hang on car rearview mirrors. And they also sold the Spud Gun. You stuck the gun barrel into a raw potato, then fired the chunk as a projectile. (This was the time before lawyers filed lawsuits at the drop of a hat.) It turned out there was a post-war potato glut, and the partners sold two million in just six months.

Milton was doing OK. He wasnt getting rich, but he was paying the bills.

Then a pool party changed everything.

Inspiration often strikes at the unlikeliest of times. When Miltons sister threw a Fourth of July picnic at her southern California home in 1956, she had no way of knowing it would revolutionize the toy industry.

Families were relaxing poolside. Milton spotted a mound of ants and bent over to watch them. He remembered visiting his uncles farm as a boy where he dug up ant colonies, put them in Mason jars, and stared in fascination as they built tunnels and crawled around.

Then it hit him: why not build an ant observation toy? With that, he suddenly had a new product unlike anything else. He was already sketching ideas when the fireworks started.

Milton realized buying the ant farm would be a two-step process. He designed a 6-by-9-inch plastic display. It came with a coupon for 25-30 ants, which would then be sent to the buyer. He also discovered permission was needed from each state to send ants via mail. (Hawaii still bans shipping them, by the way.)

The next problem: where do you get ants? It turned out to be surprisingly simple. Ads were placed in local newspapers saying, Ants Wanted! and offering a penny per. Soon Milton was deluged with jars full of industrious insects. One guy showed up with an enormous container and demanded $50. When Milton asked how he knew there were 5,000 ants inside, the man dumped them on Miltons desk and shouted, You count them! as he stomped out.

The ant farm went on sale for $1.98. And Baby Boomers immediately went crazy for it, Parents and teachers gave it their blessing for being educational.

The fad coincided with the Golden Age of 1950s television. Milton took full advantage of the new medium. He showed his ant farm on Merv Griffins and Johnny Carsons shows, made a fancy executive ant farm for American Bandstands Dick Clark, and explained ants daily routine to Shari Lewis and her popular puppet Lamb Chop.

Milton was now buying one million ants every week to keep up with demand. Incredibly, the fad never died out. As Milton said in 1991, Most novelties, if they last one season, its a lot. If they last two seasons, its a phenomenon. To last 35 years is unheard of. (And he said that 30 years ago.)

Milton also said, I found out ants most amazing feat. They put three kids through college. Those plastic ant farms made Milton Levine very rich. He bought out his brother-in-law in 1965 and changed the companys name to Uncle Miltons Industries, featuring Uncle Miltons Ant Farm. For years people joked, If youve got all these ants, wheres the uncle? So, he gave himself that title.

When he sold his company in 1997 (for a reported $40 million), more than 20 million ant farms had been purchased.

Uncle Milton died in 2011 at age 97. World War II veteran, loving family man, self-made millionaireIt would be hard to dig up a more American success story.
Fire devours Greek islands forests; residents urged to flee View Photo

PEFKI, Greece (AP)  Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greeces second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts.

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began Aug. 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast as it burned out of control. Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed and thousands of residents and tourists have fled, many escaping the flames via flotillas that even operated in the dark of night.

The blaze is the most severe of dozens that broke out in the wake of Greeces most protracted heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) for days, creating bone-dry conditions.

Its already too late, the area has been destroyed, Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the northern Evia municipality of Istiaia, lamented on Greeces Open TV. He was one of several local officials and residents who took to Greek TV networks to appeal for more firefighting help, particularly from water-dropping planes and helicopters.

Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for four villages in northern Evia, including Pefki, but many residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties.

In dramatic scenes Sunday afternoon, fast-moving flames had encroached on the seaside village of Pefki, burning trees on the fringes and entering the houses yards. Panicked residents raced with water tanks, hoses and branches in a seemingly futile effort to extinguish the flames.

Late Sunday, firefighters managed to stop the fire before it advanced further into Pefki, on the islands northern coast. Pefki residents and tourists fled to the port of Aidipsos to take the ferry to the mainland port of Arkitsa, 150 kilometers northwest of Athens.

Acrid, choking smoke hung in the orange-grey air, turning the day into an apocalyptic twilight as people headed towards Pefkis pebble beach, dragging suitcases, clutching pets and helping elderly relatives.

The ferry, carrying panicked, exhausted evacuees who had boarded the vessel before the advance of the fire was halted, arrived at Arkitsa on Sunday evening. Passengers complained they had been left to fend for themselves as the fire approched.

We were completely forsaken. There were no fire brigades, there were no vehicles, nothing! David Angelou told The Associated Press, adding that the villagers hoses were inadequate to stop the fire.

Angelou described the frightening hours before the evacuation.

You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around, he said.

Angelous complaint was echoed by others, who decried government efforts, citing what they saw as a lack of firefighting forces or planes or delays in their arrival.

There was ash and smoke everywhere, said Christina Tsatou, who had been in the seaside village of Agios Georgios. It is very sad that they did not send help in the first days and they left the island burning. It was unfair and many people have lost their property, their livelihoods.

In the picturesque mountain village of Gouves, towering flames leaped from the treetops, devouring the pine forest leading to the village. Some residents remained, dousing homes with water from garden hoses in a last-ditch effort to save them. Others used bulldozers to raze trees and bushes, hoping to create rudimentary firebreaks.

Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the Evia fire was burning on two fronts, one to the north and one to the south. He said the conditions there were particularly tough for the water-dropping planes and helicopters, whose pilots faced great danger with limited visibility and air turbulence.

We have before usone more difficult night, Hardalias said. All the forces that have been fighting a difficult battle all these days will continue operating with unabated intensity, with the same self-sacrifice.

The wildfires have stretched Greeces firefighting capabilities to the limit, and the government has appealed for help from abroad. More than 20 countries in Europe and the Mideast have responded, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and manpower.

The fire department said Sunday 575 firefighters, 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters. Four helicopters and three planes provided air support.

Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greeces southern Peloponnese region, while another broke out Sunday afternoon on the southern island of Crete.

Another massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane. That blaze burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens.

Firefighters were worried that the Mount Parnitha fire would rekindle, so they and the military had been patroling all night, Hardalias said.

On Friday, a volunteer firefighter died after suffering head injuries from a falling electric pole north of Athens, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters hospitalized in intensive care.

The causes of the fires are under investigation. At least eight people have been arrested around Greece.

Greek and European officials have also blamed climate change for the large number of fires in southern Europe this summer, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia.

In the U.S., hot, dry, gusty weather has also fueled devastating wildfires in California.

____

Becatoros reported from Argostoli, Greece. Iliana Mier-Lavin contributed to this report from Arkitsa, Greece and Demetris Nellas from Athens.

___

Follow APs climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change

By NICOLAE DUMITRACHE and ELENA BECATOROS

Associated Press
From the founder of a famed dating app to the leader of a jewelry empire, these Texas moguls have made Forbes' most recent list of Americas Richest Self-Made Women.

The annual list, published August 5, looks at the country's 100 most successful women entrepreneurs and executives. The cutoff to make the list climbed to $225 million, up from $150 million last year.

These Texas women join the ranks of big names like Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton, and Rihanna.

Thai Lee  No. 6

Coming in highest among Texas women is Thai Lee, the Austin-based CEO of IT company SHI International. Lee's $4.1 billion fortune earned her the No. 6 spot. Her net worth has increased by $2.6 billion since March 2017.

SHI International accounts for $11.1 billion in sales and has over 20,000 customers that include other big company names like AT&T and Boeing.

Lee was born in Bangkok and grew up in South Korea. She moved to the U.S. for high school and eventually earned her MBA from Harvard. SHI International's beginnings trace back to when Lee and her now ex-husband bought a software reseller for less than $1 million in 1989.

Whitney Wolfe Herd  No. 21

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Bumble

Austin-based Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO and co-founder of gender norm defying dating app Bumble, had perhaps the biggest leap in net worth among the Texas women in the top 50, coming in at No. 21 with a $1.3 billion empire.

That net worth is up nearly $11 million from February this year when Bumble went public on the stock market. (Its closing share price soared 63 percent on its opening day.) She became the youngest self-made billionaire with Bumble's initial public offering, according to Forbes.

Wolfe Herd founded the dating app in 2014 after leaving Tinder. Bumble, Bumble Biz, Bumble BFF, and its secondary dating app Badoo operate in 150 countries with 2.8 million paid users as of March 2021.

Robyn Jones  No. 21

Robyn Jones, the vice chairmen and co-founder of Fort Worth-based Goosehead Insurance, ties for No. 21 with Whitney Wolfe Herd with $1.3 billion.

Jones is an Alberta, Canada, native that founded a property and casualty insurance agency in 2003 while also raising her six children.

Her husband joined her company in 2004, and the couple took Goosehead public in 2018. The company now owns 46 percent of the $739 million in Goosehead's 2019 written premiums business, which has nearly 1,000 franchises, according to Forbes.

The company is named after her granddaughter, Lucy "Goosehead" Langston.

Kendra Scott  No. 35

Rick Kern/Getty Images for Kendra Scott

Her name really needs no explanation, but for those who don't know Kendra Scott, she is the founder of the Austin-based jewelry brand of the same name.

Scott comes in at No. 35 on the Forbes list with a net worth of $800 million, a fortune that comes from her majority stake in the company that has annual sales of about $360 million, according to Forbes.

She started making jewelry out of her spare bedroom in Austin in 2002, and the company now has over 100 stores and is sold in retailers across the country.

Scott stepped aside as CEO in February 2021, but continues her role as executive chair.

April Anthony  No. 37

Coming in at No. 37 is April Anthony, founder of Dallas-based Encompass Health Home and Hospice, who has a net worth of $760 million.

Anthony founded Encompass in 1998 and then later sold the company for $750 million to publicly traded HealthSouth in April 2021, when she also stepped down. From 1998 to 2021, Anthony built up Encompass by acquiring 17 home health care providers, according to Forbes.

Before Encompass, she bought her first home health company, Liberty Health Services, in 1992 while just 25 years old.

She also started enterprise software provider Homecare Homebase that was bought by Hearst at a valuation of $625 million in 2013.

Other Texans in the top 100:

Coming in at No. 52 is Lisa Su. The Austin-based CEO of semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices has a net worth of $600 million, according to Forbes.

With a $480 million fortune is No. 66 Kathleen Hildreth, who cofounded aviation-maintenance company M1 Support Services in 2003. Hildreth is based in the DFW area.

Rounding out the top 100 is Gwynne Shotwell at No. 69. President and COO of SpaceX, Shotwell has a net worth of $460 million, and is based in Jonesboro.
Twenty months into the pandemic, the latest wave of the face-mask culture war is in full swing.

Parents are protesting in school board meetings from Virginia Beach to Stafford County, Va., demanding their children be allowed to attend school maskless. In Congress, Republicans are revolting, defiant after the Capitol Hill physician again required masks on the floor.

MASK WARS: Houston mask mandate might violate Texas governor's order

It's just a snapshot of the political climate state and local officials must contend with as the delta variant drives coronavirus caseloads and they consider whether to reimpose restrictions. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser reinstated an indoor mask mandate last week for everyone, vaccinated or not. But Virginia and Maryland governors Ralph Northam, D, and Larry Hogan, R, did not follow. Hogan has left decisions to local officials, who have already started to put mask mandates back in place as cases surge.

Neil Sehgal, a health policy and management professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, said he believed the precipitous rise in new cases in the region made indoor mask mandates imperative as an extra layer of protection alongside vaccination.

The seven-day average of new daily cases is up between 62 and 69% in D.C., Virginia and Maryland compared to last week -- back to levels not seen since April and May. But the reality, Sehgal said, is that widespread political resistance to masks is likely a factor in officials' decisions to avoid new mandates, particularly in Virginia, where the ongoing gubernatorial campaign only intensifies the culture wars.

"The political resistance is palpable," he said. "You have a group of people who never agreed with things like masking, because unfortunately masks became very political very early. And that challenge, combined with the notion that we are in late-stage pandemic, makes it really difficult for a state, local or national leader to do what scientifically is the right thing to do."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week issued new masking guidelines after the latest research showed the delta variant caused more severe illness and could still be spread by vaccinated people who have breakthrough infections. It recommended all vaccinated or unvaccinated people in areas with substantial or high spread -- constituting all 0f D.C., the majority of Virginia counties and cities and more than half of Maryland counties -- wear masks indoors.

Hogan and Northam on Thursday both reiterated that they were not considering reimposing statewide mask mandates, instead emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated -- the tool that public health officials still urge as the most effective protection and fastest route to end the pandemic.

"Mask mandates or shutdowns will not be able to eradicate the threat of the virus or this delta variant," Hogan said, noting the state is at "very low" levels of hospitalizations.

Some Republicans have applauded Northam's decision to avoid a state mandate -- while alleging the decision was political. State Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, for example, told WSET that Northam "doesn't want to hurt Terry McAuliffe's campaign chances by issuing another mask mandate," referring to the Democratic candidate for governor.

David Ramadan, a former Republican state delegate who now teaches at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, said it's now "election silly season -- where politicians relate every move to some political conspiracy." He pointed out Northam is a doctor first and argued his decision aligns with the CDC's guidance focusing on county-level transmission.

Although Northam isn't the one running, GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin has frequently campaigned against Northam's previous pandemic restrictions, arguing they were "arbitrary" and hurt businesses.

After Northam noted on Thursday that state legislation requires schools to follow current CDC guidance -- which recommends everyone over the age of 2 wear masks inside school buildings -- Youngkin on Twitter accused Northam of "overreaching and implementing a mask mandate.

RELATED: Texas Covid-19 wave is climbing more steeply than past waves

"We have to respect parents' decisions about their own children. If parents, teachers, & children want to wear a mask then they can -- but there should NOT be a schoolwide mask mandate," the candidate tweeted.

A spokesman for McAuliffe said the candidate supports following CDC guidance on masks.

Andrew Pennock, a public policy professor at the University of Virginia, said Northam's political quandary is more about compliance than the election. Democrats in Northern Virginia, where vaccination rates are higher than they are in redder parts of the states, likely don't need to be convinced to be more cautious, Pennock said. But places where mask mandates would be most beneficial -- in less vaccinated areas -- are also the most likely to buck them, he said.

That leaves the governor with a challenging array of risk levels and attitudes to balance, he said.

"He has to save not his political capital, but his ability to persuade," Pennock said. "He can only move people marginally. If he tries to move them too far, they won't move at all. But if he tries to move them a little bit, he can move them a little bit."

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Northam, Alena Yarmosky, said Northam is "focused first and foremost on the health of Virginians," stressing that masks help stop the spread but that vaccination is "the only way to put this pandemic behind us once and for all."

An aide in the governor's office added that given transmission rates can vary drastically by community and change daily, "any mandate would be confusing and difficult to enforce."

"Instead, the Governor is making it as clear and simple as possible: Get vaccinated," the aide added.

Cameron Webb, a doctor who is now a member of the White House covid-19 task force after losing a campaign for Congress against Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said the localized approach allows officials to be "nimble" in tailoring restrictions to match conditions on the ground. But the fact that there are no masks required in the 116 counties and cities in Virginia that the CDC has labeled as having "substantial" or "high" transmission is concerning, Webb said.

"I still take care of covid patients in the hospital," said Webb, who practices at the University of Virginia Medical Center. "Overwhelmingly, the hospitalized patients, the sickest patients who have covid, weren't vaccinated and oftentimes weren't adhering to those public health practices that can keep them safer. Or as I say, they let their guard down. And this is not a moment to have your guard down."

Without statewide mask mandates and few county-level rules, school boards have largely become the target of anti-maskers' ire as they continue to consider whether to impose mandates in time for the fall school year in both Maryland and Virginia.

Maryland state education officials "strongly recommended" masks for unvaccinated students in the fall. Northam's administration went a step further, urging elementary schools to require both vaccinated and unvaccinated students and staff to wear masks -- since children under 12 aren't yet eligible for vaccines -- while urging the same for unvaccinated people in middle or high schools.

Northam's mere recommendation had some Republican lawmakers up in arms. In a tweet labeled "misleading" by Twitter, Good linked to a story about Virginia's new mask guidance, argued masks made no significant difference in stopping the spread of covid-19, and then urged Virginia school boards: "JUST SAY NO!"

Anti-mask parents in Virginia Beach drew national headlines while protesting at a school board meeting where masks rules were up for discussion, calling masks "child abuse" and berating board members as "monsters" or "hypocrites" for debating masks guidelines while maskless.

In D.C., the only locality in the region with a full mandate in place, Bowser had to respond to similar accusations of hypocrisy over the weekend after being photographed maskless at a table during an indoor wedding reception just after her new mask order went into effect. Bowser's mask order includes an exception for eating and drinking, which spokespeople said she was doing at the table, although The Washington Post's Fact Checker gave Bowser four Pinocchios after a video emerged of the mayor failing to put on a mask when the meal was over.

MORE COVID: Here's what we know about the delta plus variant

Sehgal applauded D.C.'s decision to return to indoor masking requirements early despite the ongoing political tension and hoped more officials would follow suit. Nine states plus Puerto Rico have reinstated mask orders, mostly for unvaccinated people, with Louisiana becoming the latest on Monday due to the spike in new cases tied to the delta variant.

"If we wait, if we wait long enough for cases to climb, then we're going to have to mandate masks," he said. If officials do it now, he said, "we prevent a lot of illness and potentially death."
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Like a serial murderer in a horror movie, the Texas voter suppression bill will not die. The states Republican lawmakers will hold a third special session of the legislature in the hopes of passing a law that would severely restrict voting in the state, along with a slate of other conservative priorities. Meanwhile, many Texas Democrats remain in the nations capital after fleeing the state to prevent the House from reaching quorum, the minimum number of members who need to be present in order to vote on legislation, a last-resort effort to block the voting bill.

Gov. Greg Abbott this week announced the new special session of the legislature scheduled to begin Saturday at noon. The governor laid out the legislative priorities of the session with a 17-item agenda, much of which reads like a conservative wishlist. On the list is the election bill, which would make it limit voting hours and locations and restrict vote-by-mail. It would also introduce criminal penalties for election officials who do not allow partisan poll watchers access to watch ballots being counted and make it easier for a judge to overturn an election.

Other priorities on Abbotts agenda include bills that would ban transgender children from participating in sports, prevent critical race theory from being taught in Texas classrooms, create legal recourse for people kicked off of social media platforms, and implement bail reform that Democrats say would disproportionately affect black and Latino arrestees and lead to more overcrowding of jails in the state. Abbott also listed a bill relating to legislative quorum requirements, hinting Republicans may be searching for a way to proceed with votes without Democrats by changing the rules of the legislature around quorum.

I will continue to call special session after special session to reform our broken bail system, uphold election integrity, and pass other important items that Texans demand and deserve, Abbott said in a statement accompanying the agenda.

Thus far the more than 50 Democrats who flew to D.C. in July, where they have been advocating for a federal law to shore up voting rights, have not announced their next move. As long as they remain outside of Texas, they are not within state law enforcements jurisdiction to force them to return.

Were discussing whats next, State Rep. Chris Turner, the Democratic leader in the House, told the Texas Tribune. What is certain is that our caucus is unified in continuing to fight against these anti-voter bills and all these other unnecessary red meat issues that are simply designed to help [Abbott] in his next primary election.
SOPA Images/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

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(Natural News) The catastrophic drought in California has forced the state government to shut down one of its largest hydroelectric power plants.

The Edward Hyatt Power Plant is Californias second-largest conventional hydroelectric power station. It is located in the Lake Oroville reservoir in Butte County, northern California. The dam is part of a sprawling system that moves water from the mountains in the northern regions of California for the rest of the state to use for personal and power consumption.

State water officials said the drought caused the water levels in Lake Oroville to fall near 640 feet above sea level. This is the minimum level necessary for the plant to continue generating power.

On Thursday, the water level recorded at Lake Oroville was 641 feet above sea level. This is just 24 percent of its overall capacity, and 34 percent of the reservoirs historical average for this time of the year. To preserve what little water was left in the dam, they shut down the plant.

This is the first time it has been deactivated since it began providing California with power in 1967. (Related: Dozens of California communities running out of water amid a prolonged drought.)

Theres low and then theres low. And now its gone. Its a big deal, said Jim Caldwell, former assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The Edward Hyatt Power Plant is designed to produce up to 750 megawatts of power. Recently, it has only been generating between 100 to 400 megawatts.

Caldwell and other officials have warned that the loss of power from the plant and the ongoing drought raises the risk of rolling blackouts occurring for the remainder of the summer.

The drought California is currently experiencing is not as extreme or as long as previous ones recently experienced by the state. But the modest winter snow and rains during the previous spring failed to generate enough water runoff to keep the water level in the reservoir above the minimum. Much of the runoff that did occur was absorbed by the ground.

Officials said this is the lowest water elevation ever recorded at Lake Oroville. The water level is forecast to reach as low as 620 feet above sea level by the end of October. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) said it is working to preserve as much water in storage as possible.

Though the water level in Lake Oroville is dangerously low, DWR officials said they will continue releasing some water from the reservoir to the Feather River to maintain river temperature requirements.

State officials blame climate change and residents using too much water and power

DWR Director Karla Nemeth said the state has been anticipating the shutdown of the plant since July and that steps have been taken in anticipation of the loss of power generation.

Nemeth attempted to blame the situation in Lake Oroville on climate change. This is just one of many unprecedented impacts we are experiencing in California as a result of our climate-induced drought, she said in a statement.

But scientists have not found any definite relationship between warmer global surface temperatures and precipitation.

It should also be noted that in 2017, when storms slammed northern California, Lake Oroville was filled nearly to its capacity. This also caused an emergency, as the reservoirs main tools to control the water level  its main and emergency spillways  were eroded by the storms. This forced thousands of residents living below the dam to evacuate.

State officials did not blame this disaster on climate change.

Nemeth also blamed the lower water levels on California residents using too much water for personal consumption and for power.

Falling reservoir levels are another example of why it is so critical that all Californians conserve water, she said.

Nemeth echoed statements from other state officials, notably Gov. Gavin Newsom. Back in July, the governor asked California residents to curb their household water consumption by as much as 15 percent to preserve the states dwindling water supply.

Water grid operators have similarly urged residents to limit their power usage to avoid experiencing the blackouts that rattled the state last year.

In 2020, residents had to endure rolling blackouts all throughout the summer because the states renewable power plants  hydroelectric, wind and solar alike  were unable to generate enough energy during a spike in demand for power caused by a statewide heatwave.

Learn more about the deteriorating situation in California, caused by the heatwave and the drought, by reading the latest articles at CaliforniaCollapse.news.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

CNBC.com

MSN.com
(Natural News) (Op-Ed) Mainstream media and the vaccine industry love to accuse every natural health advocate of spreading misinformation about vaccines, which they say has created all of this vaccine hesitancy thats got 50% of America saying no to the Covid jabs. The lead fake news spokesperson for all things Covid, under the medical tyranny umbrella of Fauci, the CDC and the CCP, is Dr. Leana Wen, formerly from Planned Parenthood, who is engaged in the most insidious misinformation campaign ever run, without anything scientific to back up any of her wild claims.

How many vaccine-induced injuries and deaths is Dr. Wen already responsible for, given how much Covid-related misinformation shes already dished out to the American public? Ever since the Covid outbreak, weve heard nothing but hypocritical guesswork about what to do to avoid catching and spreading Covid, and now Delta, all based on ZERO SCIENCE and a bunch of haphazard vaccination theories, including all the false-positive PCR tests, that have all been debunked by truth news and real science.

America is being bombarded with vaccine and Covid misinformation by a communist pharma shill named Wen

Dr. Wens misinformation about vaccines and Covid can be reduced and/or eliminated by requiring her to specify the sources of her wild claims. This is similar to the types of misinformation that eyewitness-memory experts encounter in trials and criminal investigations. Now were getting bombarded by Wen with vaccine and Covid misinformation on TV, on YouTube, and across all social media  the ultimate fake news network for young people.

So-called experts like Dr. Whacko Wen have much influence and the ability to distort the general publics memory, and this misinformation can serve to contaminate that memory. We have seen the science that proves masks, social distancing, and now the Covid vaccines dont work, and theyre doing harm to peoples immune systems. In a legal case, Dr. Wens misinformation is faulty information about a crime that is taking place, and thats injuries and deaths caused directly by the Covid vaccines. The serial killer is not Covid or the new fake Delta variant, but rather toxic injections that clog human blood, lead to myocarditis and deadly blood clots in the capillaries.

Dr. Wen is a conspiracy theorist who believes that any American who rejects deadly medical experiments, namely the Covid vaccines, cant be trusted

Dr. Leana Wen is ranting all over fake news and the Counterfeit News Network (CNN) about how healthy, normal Americans cant be trusted because they dont want experimental shots that cause blood clots and weaker immunity to Covid mutations. Every sentence out of Wens mouth demands total tyranny over the medical state weve all been suckered into. Every day, she contradicts what she previously has said, and uses information to suit her own comfortable life (when she was due to deliver her baby, she questioned stay-at-home orders from her Governor).

Dr. Whacko Wen hates that any American has any personal medical decision-making ability at all. She outright demands nationwide mask-wearing 100% of the time for everyone forever, regardless of vaccination status. She probably makes her own children sleep with their masks on. She plays an emergency physician on television and advises 165 million Americans not to trust the other 165 million Americans that dont believe in invasive, toxic medicine, like her.

She is paid high dollars to coerce the rest of America into getting the deadly China Flu jabs, and shes illegally utilizing misinformation, conspiracy theories, and rants that have zero scientific validation. Could leading Covid propaganda pusher Dr. Wen face jail time and massive lawsuits for spreading misinformation? Will she be banned from the internet and all of social media for spreading misinformation, like so many others (who arent even guilty of that)? Here are a few fanatical blog rant style excerpts coming from the Covid propaganda machine known as her mouth:

Unless there is proof of vaccination, everybody should still be wearing masks

Frankly we know that we cant trust the unvaccinated

They (the unvaccinated) have been walking around without masks (she wants mandatory masks indoors forever for all Americans)

Whats the carrot going to be?

How are we actually going to incentivize people into getting the vaccine?

If youre vaccinated, you can do all these things, here are all of these freedoms that you have.

Having a choice is power (so because shes communist she wants to eliminate that power of personal medical choice for Americans).

Question: Is Dr. Whacko Wen a social worker also, or just a communist? Check out Pandemic.news for updates on these crimes against humanity and the upcoming Delta and Covid booster-vaccine Holocaust. Also, if you know someone who already got pricked with the blood-clotting Covid inoculations, and theyre suffering from lethargy, pain, clouded thinking, or an inflamed heart, thats called CoVax Syndrome, so tell them to report it to VAERS.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org

NBCnews.com

CitizenFreePress.com
(Natural News) The Cuban government has blocked access to the internet and amateur radio frequencies following widespread protests. Cuban citizens took to the streets to express anger toward food and medicine shortages and electricity outages. Given that the protests in Cuba were organized through social media, fears of similar censorship also emerged in the U.S.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that Cubans all across the country marched on July 11. It was the biggest anti-government demonstration since the days of former Cuban President Fidel Castro, the report added. The country underwent its worst economic crisis in decades as a consequence of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. A resurgence of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infections made matters worse for Cuba.

One male protester interviewed by AP said: We are fed up with the queues [and] the shortages. Thats why Im here. He declined to identify himself by name for fear of being arrested by authorities. Cubans who planned to join the protests only discovered where they will be held through social media.

Many Cubans who attended the protests took pictures and video using their smartphones. They then posted these on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

Havana blamed the U.S. for its sanctions that crippled its economy. It also accused the U.S. of helping organize the widespread protests using social media platforms. Thus, it quickly moved to block internet access to prevent future protests.

Alp Toker of the London-based internet monitoring company Netblocks said Cuban authorities blocked a number of social media and messaging platforms on July 12. These included Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram. While Twitter did not appear to be blocked, Toker pointed out that the Cuban government could censor it likewise. This does seem to be a response to social media-fueled protest, he said of the ban.

Cuba had not been connected to the internet until 2008. During that year, Havana allowed citizens to access the internet  albeit with restrictions. Mobile access to the internet only became available in December 2018. The internet only became widely available in the island in July 2019, when authorities began lifting earlier restrictions.

Ham radio frequencies in Cuba also jammed

The internet outages in Cuba made some Cubans turn to ham (amateur) radio to stay updated. Cubans used the 40-meter band to communicate with family members in Florida. But this came to a sudden end as the Cuban government also blocked transmissions on the band.

A number of anecdotal reports claimed that ham radio broadcasts were being jammed. Josh Nass of the Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel confirmed the jamming. Using special tools, he pinpointed the origin of the jamming signal as within the region of Cuba. Nass added that the jamming signals were moving to better focus on intercepting any signal coming out of the country.

N.C. Scout of American Partisan launched Operation Cuba Libre in response to the Cuban governments jamming of ham radio transmissions. The operation aimed to allow Cubans who may not have anything but low-tech AM receivers to listen to amateur transmissions on the broadcast section of 40 meters.

In a July 27 post, N.C. Scout called on all properly licensed American ham radio operators to contact other operators via AM phone and engage in conversations. He added that the conversations should center on current events in Cuba and other relevant information.

N.C. Scout remarked that the operation hit two birds with one stone. First, it legally bypassed broadcasting restrictions imposed by the Federal Communications Commission on licensed ham radio operators. Second, it allowed Cubans to be updated about the latest information in the country.

Repeats by a receiving station of the reports sent by another serve to ensure that the reports are being transmitted accurately. They will also serve to maximize the ability of Cuban listeners to hear the information. Take your time and speak slowly and distinctly, N.C. Scout noted.

Writing for The Organic Prepper (TOP), author Aden Tate warned that the suppression happening in Cuba could happen in the U.S. He cited a number of examples of this suppression  such as TOP itself being labeled a disinformation site and alternative news website ZeroHedge being demonetized by Google. Tate also mentioned Californias decision to remove privately-owned ham radio repeaters on public land. Those who failed to remove the repeaters would face hefty fines, state authorities said.

Despite these negative incidents, Tate also noted some positive developments. He pointed out the growth of ham radio operators and how they organized a local news-sharing network within his community. All members are pro-freedom Americans who set up shop for an hour or so to discuss the collectivist policies by local politicians, Tate said of the group.

Censorship.news has more articles about Cuba cutting off internet access and ham radio transmissions.

Sources include:

TheOrganicPrepper.com

APNews.com 1

APNews.com 2

AmericanPartisan.org
(Natural News) Fox News confirmed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to announce mandatory Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination for all military personnel. The mandate applied to the 1.3 million active-duty service members, the report added. Austins announcement followed President Joe Bidens call to all federal employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Officials told Fox News that Austin would make his recommendation to the White House and ask a waiver from Biden on Aug. 5. His announcement and formal guidance to the Department of Defense (DoD) would follow the next day, they added.

A week earlier, Biden gave the go signal for the DoD to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for service members. According to a Military.com report, he asked the Pentagon to examine how and when to require COVID-19 vaccines. Since many vaccinations are required for active-duty military [personnel] today, Im asking the Defense Department to look into how and when they will add COVID-19 [vaccines] to the list of vaccinations our armed forces must get, Biden said on July 29.

The president defended his decision to mandate vaccines by saying troops are often deployed to places with low vaccination rates and high COVID-19 cases. Biden said: Our men and women in uniform, who protect this country against grave threats, should be protected as much as possible from getting COVID-19.

Biden also asked the Department of Justice (DoJ) to look into the legality of requiring COVID-19 vaccines granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The DoD earlier said that COVID-19 vaccines under EUA would not be mandatory until the FDA grants them full approval. However, DoJ officials said a vaccine mandate would require a presidential waiver  which Austin would request.

Earlier, Biden announced that federal employees and on-site contractors would be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine or undergo regular COVID-19 testing. The mandate applied to the Pentagons civilian employees  but did not extend to active-duty service members. (Related: Biden mulls requiring all military forces to receive coronavirus vaccine.)

Service members have threatened to resign if vaccines are mandated

Austins upcoming COVID-19 vaccine mandate gave a reason for a number of troops to leave the armed forces. Back in July 2021, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said some service members told him they would quit if COVID-19 vaccines were mandated. However, the actual number of troops who quit or planned to do so remained unknown.

Massie tweeted: Ive been contacted by members of our voluntary military who say they will quit if the [COVID-19] vaccine is mandated. I introduced HR3860 to prohibit any mandatory requirement that a member of the [U.S. Armed Forces] receive a vaccination against COVID-19. He added that his proposed bill already had 24 sponsors at the time of his tweet. (Related: Members of the military plan to RESIGN if coronavirus vaccines are mandated.)

Massie referenced a directive made public by the Army Times, which ordered commanders to prepare for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations by September 2021. Commanders will continue COVID-19 vaccination operations and prepare for a directive to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for service members [on or around] Sept. 1, 2021, pending full FDA licensure, the directive said. It added that commanders must provide a backbrief on service member vaccination status and way ahead for completion once the vaccine is mandated.

The DoD did not respond to a request for comment. Army spokesman Maj. Jackie Wren meanwhile told the Army Times: As a matter of policy, we do not comment on leaked documents. The vaccine continues to be voluntary. If we are directed by the DoD to change our posture, we are prepared to do so.

According to the Army Times, it was not immediately clear whether the COVID-19 vaccines would receive full approval in time for Sept. 1. However, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Austins vaccination mandate would depend on the waiver issued by Biden. The way the process works is [Austin] would have to request a waiver from the president  to waive the [EUA] as the justification for making it involuntary, he explained.

MedicalTyranny.com has more articles about mandatory COVID-19 inoculation in the armed forces.

Sources include:

FoxNews.com

MilitaryTimes.com

Military.com

WhiteHouse.gov

TheEpochTimes.com

Twitter.com

ArmyTimes.com
(Natural News) If somehow our founders could come back and see what a mess we have made of the America they literally risked their lives and fortunes to create, they would rebel againfrom us.

Over the generations, Americans have allowed our elected leaders to run roughshod over the Constitution to the point where instead of that document holding them to account, they ignore it and use the power amassed in Washington, D.C., over the past 100 years against We the People.

Everything we say, everything we buy, everything we do is tracked, catalogued and used in a manner to subvert our individualism and liberties  so much so that our framers, if they could be reincarnated for a period of time to check on the republic they bequeathed us, would be aghast at the tyrannical nature of the small central government they envisioned.

Case in point: Massive pieces of legislation that contain thousands of pages filled with tedious language that few outside of the corridors of power understand. The bills are so large, in fact, that even conscientious lawmakers still attempting to preserve our republic as founded cant even read them before they are expected to vote on them.

As such, egregious breaches of the Constitution and fundamental rights like the right to privacy in our persons, papers, and effects that are buried in the text of such gargantuan bills are passed with few outside of the person who wrote the passage ever being aware.

And to that point, the Electronic Freedom Foundation, which advocates for more privacy in the digital age, is sounding an alarm bell for cryptocurrency users  Uncle Sam wants to spy on you:

The forthcoming Senate draft of Bidens infrastructure billa 2,000+ page bill designed to update the United States roads, highways, and digital infrastructurecontains a poorly crafted provision that could create new surveillance requirements for many within the blockchain ecosystem. This could include developers and others who do not control digital assets on behalf of users.

While the language is still evolving, the proposal would seek to expand the definition of broker under section 6045(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include anyone who is responsible for and regularly providing any service effectuating transfers of digital assets on behalf of another person. These newly defined brokers would be required to comply with IRS reporting requirements for brokers, including filing form 1099s with the IRS. That means they would have to collect user data, including users names and addresses.

The EFF noted that the language is overly broad and confusing, which is typical for legislation today in Congress, because it gives the lawyers and the lawmakers an advantage over the more plainspoken masses.

That said, the organization notes that the language nevertheless leaves open a door for almost any entity within the cryptocurrency ecosystem to be considered a brokerincluding software developers and cryptocurrency startups that arent custodying or controlling assets on behalf of their users.

That could also eventually target miners, or individuals who confirm and then verify all blockchain transfers.

Like the social media behemoths, this provision will give the government authority to collect names, addresses, and transactions of customers means almost every company even tangentially related to cryptocurrency may suddenly be forced to surveil their users, EFF states.

The organization admits that it isnt clear how all of this will actually work in practice, but with overly broad language, you can bet it will work however the powers that be want it to work to give them more leverage over average citizens.

EFF also admits that the language may not have been the intent of the drafters of the provision, but the problem is, given the rapid timeline for the bills likely passage, those answers may not be resolved before it hits the Senate floor for a vote.

That said, this is also true: Nothing happens in politics by chance.

Sources include:

EFF.org

BitRaped.com
(Natural News) Many individuals worldwide have completed their Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination schedule. They have touted their fully vaccinated status after getting two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with some joining the category after getting single-dose vaccines. However, a professor said that COVID-19 vaccines may not be enough to provide immunity  and recommended as many as five vaccine doses.

Biomedical analyst Matti Sallberg of the Swedish Karolinska Institute (KI) said individuals inoculated with just two COVID-19 vaccine doses may not have enough protection. He suggested that recurring shots will be necessary to maintain immunity against SARS-CoV-2. We dont know how long the vaccine protects against serious illness and death. This means that you pick the safe before the unsafe, Sallberg said.

Sallberg continued: After receiving the second dose, the immune response slowly subsides. Within a year, many may have lost their protection. We do not know yet, but if you get a third dose, it will be activated again. He added: Biology says that a fading immune response is not unlikely. Then its time to for a third, fourth [or] maybe fifth dose.

Sallbergs comments came as numerous European countries announced a third round of COVID-19 booster shots in September 2021. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also indicated that vaccinated Americans will receive booster shots in the fall.

However, the professors comments in support of booster shots appeared to have an ulterior motive. Alongside his stint at KI, Sallberg also held executive positions at vaccine manufacturer Svenska Vaccin Fabriken (SVF). The companys website named him as SVF founder, chairman of the board and chief scientific officer.

An Israeli doctor seemingly echoed Sallbergs comments regarding vaccine effectiveness. Speaking to Channel 13 News, Dr. Kobi Haviv warned that the effectiveness of the vaccines are waning. He added that 95 percent of hospitalized Israelis with the most severe symptoms are vaccinated.

Haviv also pointed out that 85 to 90 percent of Israelis hospitalized due to COVID-19 were vaccinated. I understand that most of the patients are vaccinated, even severe patients, he told the news channel. According to Haviv, the breakthrough infections set up a scenario where booster shots would become necessary. (Related: IT NEVER ENDS: Anthony Fauci says booster dose of coronavirus vaccine will be necessary in the future.)

No evidence to require booster shots at this time

Despite Sallbergs insistence on booster doses, many scientists have questioned their need as there is still not enough data calling to justify them. Back in June 2021, scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the general population may not need COVID-19 booster doses for the time being.

The scientists however noted that booster doses may be needed when vaccine-induced immunity dwindles or a new variant negatively affects vaccine effectiveness. They also recommended booster shots for more vulnerable groups such as the elderly and organ transplant recipients.

CDC medical epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Oliver said the agency should monitor residents of long-term care facilities, the elderly, health care workers and people with a weakened immune system. She pointed out these groups as the ones who may need booster shots.

Dr. Sharon Frey, a member of the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), also remarked that booster shots may not be needed as of this time. However, she agreed that a third booster dose should be given to organ transplant patients. Frey continued: [If] we start to see an uptick in reinfection in people, or new infections in people who have been vaccinated  thats our clue that we need to move quickly. (Related: If covid vaccines WORK, then why are booster shots needed?)

Dr. Grace Lee, the chairwoman of the ACIPs safety group, mentioned that more evidence of breakthrough cases is needed before COVID-19 booster shots are recommended for the general population. I would want greater clarity on the safety data if were talking about boosting before its clear what the risk data will look like. If were seeing severe breakthrough cases, then I think the decision-making moves forward even if theres uncertainty with the safety data, she said.

Back in May 2021, Former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden insisted that annual inoculations with COVID-19 vaccine booster doses were unnecessary. There is zero  and I mean zero  evidence to suggest that that is the case, he said. Frieden continued: Its completely inappropriate to say that were likely to need an annual booster, because we have no idea what the likelihood of that is.

VaccineDamage.news has more articles about COVID-19 booster doses.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

SvenskaVaccinFabriken.se

HealthImpactNews.com

CNBC.com

TheEpochTimes.com
(Natural News) In 1991, Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel laureate from Peru, caused a firestorm on Mexican television by calling Mexico the perfect dictatorship, a phrase that has since become iconic. He pointed out that the one-party rule in Mexico had become entrenched: the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional in Spanish, or PRI) held uninterrupted power in the country for 71 years, even though the name of the presidents changed every five years (whereupon they were automatically amnestied by their successor for any criminal activity).

Criticismup to a pointwas permitted, even encouraged, to maintain the illusion of Mexico being democratic. Opposition parties were allowed, but they often found that the means for an effective election campaign was controlled by the ruling party. As Vargas Llosa explained, a special kind of political rhetoric had been created to justify Mexicos political system by recruiting intellectuals who were too willing to prostitute themselves. In short, it was a deviation from the traditional style of brutal military dictatorship, but it was a dictatorship nonetheless.

(Article by Armando Simon republished from HumanEvents.com)

Vargas Llosas interview had an impact. Vicente Fox, running on the National Action Party (PAN) ticket, was elected president in 2000, followed by Felipe Calderon (also PAN) in 2006. In 2012, PRI returned to power with the election of Enrique Pena Nieto, but lost it again in 2018 with the election of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (of the center-left progressive populist party, Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional). By pointing out what everyone knew, Vargas Llosa had effectively altered Mexican politics.

Criticismup to a pointwas permitted, even encouraged, to maintain the illusion of Mexico being democratic.

With reflection, it is evident that the template for a perfect dictatorship has also been applied in other countries such as Turkey, Venezuela, and Russia: either the same leaderErdogan, Maduro, Putingets re-elected while opposition candidates are hamstrung. Alternatively, as in the case of Iran, clones of the same kind of leader cycle through the office. Though these regimes are a deviation from the traditional style of brutal military dictatorship (where power is seized by force), they are dictatorships nonetheless: despite the performance of periodic elections, power is nevertheless held by a single leader or group with little or no tolerance for political pluralism or independent media.

Upon further reflection, it is also clear that many western (ironically, democratic) countries now face a similar conditionnot necessarily in terms of their elections, but in terms of other freedoms that democratic electorates have grown accustomed to. Western democracies are now under perfect censorship. This process has been going on for many years, and is on the verge of being perfected in the United States.

THE DANGEROUS TREND TOWARD PERFECT CENSORSHIP

Perfect censorship has already been perfected and is in full operation in many of our western counterparts: the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, and Swedenall countries where freedom of speech has vanished. Gone. In those countries, anyone who makes jokes will at best be fined and, at worst, jailed.

When these views are combined with the power of left-leaning institutions, censorship isnt far behind.

In Great Britain, through section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000, people can now be sent to prison for 15 years just for viewing far-right propaganda, which is a vague and undefined phrase (much like Germans and Dutch were jailed for listening to the BBC during WWII, and Russians and Hungarians could be sent to the gulag for listening to Voice of America). In 2019, journalist Caroline Farrow, a devout Catholic, was threatened with prison for misgendering a transgender person, accused of violating the UKs Malicious Communications Act.

Jokes, meanwhile, are practically illegal in Scotland (actually, in all of the UK), as Mark Meechan, known online as Count Dankula, found out when he tried to irritate his girlfriend by teaching her pug dog the Hitler salute. When he posted the prank online, it was deemed not only offensive, but threatening, as if people were going to be converted to National Socialism because of a pug doing a Hitler salute. He was taken to court and fined. (Meechan subsequently praised Americas First Amendment after Britains Prince Harry called it bonkers.) Meanwhile, police are on the lookout for a loud man who talked of his dislike of Muslims on a train from York to Leedsa heinous hate crime, according to British Transport Police.

Then, there is climate change. Those who deny global warming should be murdered, according to at least one British actorbut murdered humanely, he insisted. One actors opinion doesnt rise to the level of censorship, of course, but when these views are combined with the power of left-leaning institutions, censorship isnt far behind. Climate activists have lobbied social media platforms in the UK to designate speech critical of the climate change narrative as misinformation, even going as far as to call for the de-platforming and demonetization of these views. The mainstream media, meanwhile, has fallen in line: in February, the Press Gazettes Charlotte Tobitt declared that the UK press has moved from denial to acceptance and now action on climate change.

In Europe, Books critical of Muslims, like Hege Storhaugs Islam: Europe Invaded, America Warned, and Sabaditsch-Wolffs The Truth is No Defense, are being attacked, along with their authors. For all intents and purposes, criticizing any aspect of Islam is officially verboten in many European countries (but attacking Christianity is permitted). The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Islamic religion should not be criticized in any way, even when simply pointing out historical facts regarding the religions central figure, the Prophet Mohammed.

I could continue, but you get the picture. In short, Europeans (and Canadians) may have democracy, but, paradoxically, they do not have freedom of speech. They have been told, and they have accepted, that such restrictions are for their own good and so certain select groups wont feel offended. In fact, the majority of the citizens of those countries are even unaware that they are living under a regime of censorshipthat is how effective it has been.

It is a dangerous trend, one that is making its way to the United States.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT HANGS ON BY A THREAD

Just as the perfect dictatorship deviates from the traditional violence of a military coup, the perfect censorship deviates from more traditional styles of state censorship in that it is not instituted by the government. Instead, it is a kind of control that has been slowly, subtly, and systematically imposed over the years by ideologically driven fanatics who, almost without notice, have established a wide presence within institutions, and who instinctively gravitate towards positions of power within those institutions, no matter how seemingly insignificant (like student governments in universities). They have a hive mind: they think alike, they speak alike, they act alike, they feel alike. It is as if they were NPCs.

Whether one wants to admit it or not, the fact of the matter is that American censorship is being carried out not by libertarians or conservatives, but by liberals. The very same people that so fiercely advocated free speech decades ago are now equally fiercely advocating censorship.

The very same people that so fiercely advocated free speech decades ago are now equally fiercely advocating censorship.

In order to present an illusion of tolerance, American editors will occasionally hire a conservative who is anything but a conservative. Occasionally, they will even hire a real conservative as long as he/she hates Trump. However, when one of these token conservatives steps out of line for expressing views that are anathema, he/she finds themselves instantly out on the street (as happened to Kevin Williamson in 2018 with The Atlantic, when the editors realized that Williamson was much more conservative than they had anticipated, having once posted on Twitter that women who have abortions should be hung).

Another instance is Bret Stephens, formerly of Wall Street Journal, now working on borrowed time at The New York Pravdasorry, The New York Times. He was brought over to the Dark Side immediately after the 2016 election simply because of his intense hatred for Donald Trump, and he has pleased his new masters by occasionally writing pieces like the one where he defended Sarah Jeong, despite her unapologetic anti-white racism. (However, deviation from the party line sends leftists into a hysterical frenzy, as Stephens has learned on a number of occasions.)

The United States has one advantage that the supposedly democratic countries of Europe and Canada do not have: the First Amendment of the US Constitutionthe highest legal authority of the United Stateswhich forbids any governmental body or bureaucrat from usurping the free speech rights of its citizens. This is not to say that there are no politicians who would love to strip us of those rights. Or try to, rather. And as expected, they all happen to be from the Democratic Party.

During a 2018 CNN interview, California Democratic Representative Ted Lieu declared that he would love to be able to regulate the content of speech, while the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee and presidential candidate Howard Dean declared in a Tweet that Hate speech is not protected by the first amendment. David Chipman, President Joe Bidens pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, recently showed his contempt for not one, but two fundamental American rights, saying that those who use hate speech on the internet should not have the right to bear arms.During a 2018 CNN interview, California Democratic Representative Ted Lieu declared that he would love to be able to regulate the content of speech, while the former Chair of the Democratic National Committee and presidential candidate Howard Dean declared in a Tweet that Hate speech is not protected by the first amendment. David Chipman, President Joe Bidens pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, recently showed his contempt for not one, but two fundamental American rights, saying that those who use hate speech on the internet should not have the right to bear arms.

Hate speech is not protected by the first amendment. https://t.co/DOct3xcLoY  Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) April 21, 2017

Most of the 2020 Democratic primary candidates advocated regulating hate speech and white nationalism speech. As early as 1974, then-Senator Joe Biden had bragged that politicians could take away the First Amendment while, during the Democratic presidential debate, Kamala Harris called on Twitter to delete President Trumps account. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the socialist Senator from Vermont, wants to control all facets of journalism, which is not surprising since there isnt a communist regime that he doesnt like. In 2019, Sanders published an op-ed for Columbia Journalism Review to share his vision for a government-managed Fourth Estate: We need to rebuild and protect a diverse and truly independent press so that real journalists can do the critical jobs that they love, and that a functioning democracy requires, he writes.

Glenbrook Souths chapter of Turning Point USA was canceled by orders of Democratic politicians because the group put up a poster criticizing Chinas Communist Party.

The enthusiasm that leftist leaders have for censorship is trickling down to the local level as well. It speaks volumes that this year Glenbrook Souths chapter of Turning Point USA was canceled by orders of Democratic politicians because the group put up a poster criticizing Chinas Communist Party. That tells you everything there is to know about the future of free speech in a Democrat-controlled world. Its a little scary to think what all these individuals would do if it wasnt for the First Amendment. Its likely one of the reasons that Democrats are desperate to pack the Supreme Court with totalitarian-minded progressives. After eliminating hate speech, they would then outlaw the Republican Party (even though it is mostly composed of eunuchs), something that they have openly advocated.

Nor is it just politicians. American universities are teeming with sophists who have argued in favor of censorship; so have journalists. (The irony being that these two groups have been strong opponents of censorship). Just look at the catalog of acts of censorship in schools found in The College Fix, Campus Reform, and Samizdat 2020. It is fascinating reading the intellectual gymnastics undertaken by the intellectual left to justify censorship.

The First Amendment protects Americans from censorship by the government, but has no say in preventing censorship by private institutions, such as social media (YouTube, Google, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook), newspapers (e.g., New York Times, The Boston Globe, Washington Post), and network news (CBS, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC). In the past four years, I have personally collected hundreds of instances of censorship by these entities, ranging from outright deliberate falsehoods (fake news) to news blackouts to removal and demonetizing internet channels. After I finished writing this essay, President Biden called on Facebook to censor misinformation on its site, even more aggressively than it already does, just like YouTube. Since the politics of the Democratic Party and Silicon Valley are congruent, Facebook and its peers will no doubt comply.

We may have the First Amendment, but free speech in America is hanging by a thread.

WE, THE MODERN-DAY CASSANDRAS

It is not just censorship that is worrisome. And here we truly come to the crux of the problem. Present-day censorship is a manifestation of totalitarianism. Only someone who is very obtuse will fail to recognize that we are in the midst of a totalitarian movement.

I come from Cuba, and I have Russian and Ukrainian friends; what is happening in the United States has a disturbing familiarity.

In schools and universities, ideological indoctrination and rigid conformity are taking place. Everything has become politicized, from television to businesses to advertisements to the military. People are afraid to speak their minds. Comedy is under attack (and isnt it interesting that the Soviet Union never had comedy? In my research, I have never come across any comedy in Soviet films or television. There was never any comedy in Communist countries, which I guess is why circus clowns were so popular in the Soviet Union). The Radicalization Awareness Network recently published a report attacking humor, as it is applied to dogma, to political parties, to governmental policies, or any of an assortment of leftist sacred cows. It makes recommendations on how to eliminate humor.

Meanwhile, resistance to censorship is minimal and ineffective.

I come from Cuba, and I have Russian and Ukrainian friends; what is happening in the United States has a disturbing familiarity. We are experiencing deja vu. We who have lived in communist countriesVietnamese, Poles, Ukrainians, Russians, Cubans, Chinese, Romanians, Czechoslovakiansrecognize all the signs. We have seen it before. We are frantically sounding the alarm to an unresponsive citizenrythe barbarians are inside the gatesbut we are dismissed as alarmists, as engaging in hyperbole. We are modern-day Cassandras, who are disturbing the tranquility of the readers.

In the words of Pastor Artur Pawlowski, We were warning Americans and CanadiansWesternersabout what is coming. We could smell it for many years. People were laughing at us. Oh, youre just making this stuff up. Youre blowing this out of proportion. You conspiracy theorist. However, its here.

I wonder if Winston Churchill felt the same way.

Read more at: HumanEvents.com
Over 35 horses have been killed in outback Queensland and the police described this as a "horrific" scene. The horses were discovered lifeless on the side of a main road at Yanburra Station, which is around 60km north of a town in Australia - Longreach.

The corpses of colts, foals, mares, and geldings, have been discovered on the side of a highway 60km north of Longreach. Some were found with multiple gunshot injuries.

A "Horrific" Scene

Animals that were shot include pregnant mares, mares with foals at foot, colts, and geldings, some were found with multiple gunshot injuries, police said. Allan Cook, a detective sergeant told the ABC he has been a police officer for more than 30 years and the scene was chaotic and horrendous.

Allan Cook said: "It's tourist season at the moment, anyone driving past that road would have seen those carcasses ... You've got stallions, colts, pregnant mares, aborted foals, they've shot the foals at the foot, it's horrific."

The animals were found along Cramsie Muttaburra Road. It is believed that these animals were killed this week, between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Also Read: Dying Vietnam Veteran Sees His Horses One Last Time In an Emotional Reunion

The Investigation

Police said they anticipated discovering more corpses on the 5,000 acre property. They requested that anyone who has noticed any strange activity on the highway should report. There is a possibility occurrence like this could have a devastating effect on rural communities, said Cook.

He said in a statement: "That is why the Queensland Police Service is working extremely closely with partner agencies to identify the person or people responsible. We are strongly appealing to anyone with information to talk to police immediately."

Police said the incident does not seem to have been an authorized cull. The owner of the station was not around when the horses were killed. Also, the horses were not shot in a way that shows humane euthanasia.

Police with the help of the Queensland department of agriculture and fisheries is carrying out an investigation. There is no RSPCA inspector in Longreach. A person working within RSPCA Queensland told Guardian Australia such a large unauthorized killing of stock animals had never been heard of.

Anyone who noticed any suspicious activity on the station has been urged to inform the police by calling 131 444 or anonymously contact crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Herbivorous Mammal

Horse (Equus caballus) is a hoofed herbivorous mammal that belongs to the family Equidae. It comprises only one species called Equus caballus.

The numerous varieties of Equus caballus are referred to as breeds. Before mechanized vehicles came into existence, this animal was generally used as a draft animal.

Riding on the back of a horse was one of the major means of transportation. Horse and humans have a unique relationship and the animal is both a partner and a friend.

Related Article: Horse Hair Reveals Hidden Clues of Behavior, Ecology

For more news, updates about horses and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
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One Chicago police officer is dead and another is fighting for his life after they were shot while conducting a traffic stop Saturday night, officials said.

Three suspects are in custody, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference Sunday.

"These officers put the safety and lives of others above their own, serving with courage and honor despite knowing the cost," he said in an earlier statement. "We will never forget the sacrifices these officers made to protect this city. We cannot forget."

Three officers assigned to the department's Community Safety Team were conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle with three occupants near 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue at around 9 p.m. Saturday when they were fired upon, Brown said at the news conference.

The officers returned fire, and two officers were struck in the exchange of gunfire, Brown said. One of the "offenders" was also hit and taken to a local hospital, he said.

The officers were rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where one of them -- later identified as 29-year-old Ella French -- died. The other officer, who has been with the department for six years, is in critical condition and "fighting for his life," Brown said.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared Sunday a day of mourning in the city, requesting all flags be flown at half-staff.

"Tragedy has struck again," she said. "We mourn the loss of a young officer."

A weapon was recovered at the scene, Brown said. All three occupants of the vehicle were in custody Sunday morning after police located the female suspect, who was initially missing.

Based on preliminary information, Brown said, police believe it was a male passenger who opened fire on the officers. The suspects don't have extensive criminal backgrounds, Brown said.

Police were interviewing the suspects Sunday morning. None of them had yet been charged.

The officers were wearing body cameras and the department is reviewing footage of the incident, Brown said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the incident, police said in a statement. Officers involved "will be placed on routine administrative duties for a period of 30 days."

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Fallen officer mourned: 'We cannot forget'

French had more than three years with the Chicago police force, according to Brown.

"Our collective hearts are broken by this tragic and senseless death of PO Ella French," Chicago Police spokesperson Tom Ahern wrote in a tweet Sunday evening.

"Her life was taken in service to others. Please hold Officer French, her critically wounded partner and their loved ones in your prayers," Ahern wrote.

Early Sunday, Chicago police officers lined the road leading to the Chicago Medical Examiner's Office as a trio of bagpipers and a single drummer escorted the procession for her.

In a solemn show of support, the waiting officers stood silently at attention, saluting the ambulance as its lights flashed, slowly passing before turning into the facility.

Once the vehicle was inside the driveway, the officers moved closer to the parked ambulance sitting in a receiving area at the office.

"We will never forget the sacrifices these officers made to protect this city," Brown said in an earlier statement. "We cannot forget."

According to Brown, 38 Chicago police have now been shot at or shot in 2021, and 11 of them have been struck.

In Sunday's news conference, Brown praised the officers of the Chicago police force, saying, "They went to work today after last night's tragic events."

"Officers are at work now, right now, continuing this brave, courageous work of protecting the people of Chicago," he said. "It's in the honor of our lost officer that we work, that we sacrifice, that we serve, that we risk everything."

The-CNN-Wire

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Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds. Low around 60F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds. Low around 60F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Write local superintendents Lindsey Hall and Vic Zimmerman: "Gov. Pritzker has now taken local control away with a statewide mandate and we are hearing from parents and community members that we should violate the executive order (which is akin to a state law). As leaders of our school districts, we cannot recommend that our school boards approve violating a state law. This would be reckless and irresponsible."
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Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
(Newser)  A story at Outside magazine suggests that the pandemic has threatened to bring an end to a way of life, that of the modern ski bum. And it could be a big problem for ski towns around the US, which rely on such workers to staff their businesses. The piece by Lily Krass begins by noting a sign on a bar in Jackson, Wyoming, that advises patrons, "Sorry, closed until 5 p.m. due to lack of staffing." Of course, small businesses of all types in the US are struggling with that issue, but the problem in Jackson has an added wrinklehousing. Mountain towns such as Jackson have seen an influx in new residents during the pandemic, often in the form of wealthy "big-city refugees" willing to pay top dollar. That has pushed real estate pricesand rental pricessky high, well out of reach of most restaurant workers or ski lift operators.

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"I can't get anyone to bus tables because you need to be making a ridiculous amount of money to live here," says Josh Hirschmann, general manager of the Local Restaurant and Bar. Krass notes that the classified section of one local paper had no fewer than 183 job postings but only three listings for long-term rentals, and one of those was asking $3,500 a month for a one-bedroom condo. Part of the solution might come in the form of housing developments that set aside units for lower-income residents, writes Krass. That idea had been in play before the pandemic, particularly in Aspen, Colorado, but the pandemic has intensified the problem. "We need to find a way to keep the ski bum," says Hirschmann. "That's the heart of Jackson." (Read the full story.)
(Newser)  In an example of the summer surge in COVID cases wreaking havoc in pockets of the US, a baby girl suffering from acute COVID symptoms had to be airlifted 150 miles because of a hospital bed shortage in Houston. Per KXAN, the 11-month-old named Ava Amira Rivera was suffering seizures when she was transported to Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center in Temple on Thursday for lack of pediatric beds in Houston. Ava had to be intubated but has reportedly since been taken off a breathing machine and is "looking great" according to the hospital.

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While the seriousness of Ana's condition is uncommon for young kids, her story underscores the recent spike in COVID cases and the subsequent surge in hospitalizations, per CNN. The surge in pediatric cases follows a similar uptick in adult COVID, blamed largely on poor vaccination rates in some areas and the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. As in central Texas, concerns have recently arisen in Tennessee that children's hospitals will soon find themselves at capacity. Cases are also surging in Florida and Louisiana. Just yesterday, the US returned to averaging 100,000 new daily coronavirus infections for the first time since last winter. (Read more COVID-19 stories.)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks on the phone while walking with his dog Captain outside New York's Executive Mansion on Saturday. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks on the phone while walking with his dog Captain outside New York's Executive Mansion on Saturday. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
(Newser)  Shane Goldsby asked for a new cellmate. Goldsby, 25, was in prison for a stabbing, stealing a police car, and injuring a state trooper in Washington state. His cellmate, Robert Munger, 70, was in for child rape, child molestation, and possession of child pornography. One of Mungers victims was Goldsbys little sister, who is still a minor, the Seattle Times reports. Washingtons Department of Corrections didnt approve the housing change. Goldsby said living with his sisters rapist was torture. I wasnt stable at that point. I wasnt. I was getting to that point because he kept wanting to give me details about what happened, he told KHQ.

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Now, Goldsby has been sentenced to 25 more years in prison for killing Munger. Court documents say Goldsby hit Munger in the face several times, stomping on his head when he fell. He says he didnt mean to kill Munger, and that he wanted him to spend his whole life in prison. In a statement in court, read by his lawyer because he was too overcome to read it himself, Goldsby said, I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a loved one in this kind of way.  I am so sorry and I hope you are able to heal from what I caused, KHQ reports. In an interview a year ago, shortly after Mungers death, Goldsby addressed his little sister. I hope to God that I see you again. I hope to God that if I dont see you again, then you know why I did what I did. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
Charlie Dexter is a professor of applied business emeritus at the UAF Community and Technical College. He can be reached at cndexter@alaska.edu. This column is brought to you as a public service by the UAF Department of Applied Business.
Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. This year is the institutes 75th anniversary. Ned Rozell ned.rozell@alaska.edu is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute.
Patrick Druckenmiller is director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North. For more information about the museums programs and events, visit www.uaf.edu/museum or call 474-7505.
Serving in the military is a daily reminder that we are being trained to face a physical enemy, foreign or domestic. We subject ourselves to c
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Egypt will start the vaccination process for all Bahraini citizens and students. The initiative is in line with the implementation of the royal directive issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to start vaccinating Bahraini citizens residing abroad to preserve their health and safety, and support the national efforts led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in combatting the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Bahrain Ambassador to Egypt Hisham bin Mohammed Al Jowder, who is also the Permanent Representative to the League of Arab State, lauded the Kingdoms success in dealing with the virus, saying that the royal directives affirm that Bahraini citizens at home and abroad are a priority.

Bahraini citizens have started signing up for free vaccination at the Embassy in Cairo through its e-platform to complete the necessary procedures. Embassy staff contacted them to inform them of the time and place of receiving their vaccination.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company (gig Bahrain) announced launching its revamped mobile application gig-GO as well as website www. gigbh.com redesigned completely with new features and a seamless user experience.

Dr Abdulla Sultan, CEO at gig Bahrain, said, As we move towards the digital world rapidly, we at gig Bahrain are improving our digital platforms to meet the digital demand.

Dr Sultan also added that the CBB is instructing all insurance companies to have their business digitally ready before the end of the year, and we at gig Bahrain aim to distinguish our services in the local market. The revamp, he said, is the resultant of the outcome of various customer feedback and Beta Testing to ensure that all our customer requirements are clearly reflected.

Ali Noor COO at gig Bahrain said they have added unique features to the new app and the website which is first for Bahrain, such as tracking your Motor Claims Status. This feature will allow our customers to know exactly at which stage their Motor claim is at.

Moreover, you can now add and remove benefits from your insurance policy and recalculate the price through the app or click on the virtual branch icon for a live call with one of our agents and many more other features, Noor said. The gig GO app is available on Google play store, Apple Appstore and Huawei AppGallary
At the COVID-19 pandemics outset, local governing bodies, boards and committees had to quickly pivot to remote meetings, learning the word Zoom at the same time as they started transferring all business to a computer screen.

Budgets were debated in home offices, selectmen argued with each other in small virtual squares, and motions passed or failed while members muted their kids howling in the background.

Then, this spring, as vaccines were injected into more arms and the virus seemed to slow its rapid pace, towns began to bring back in-person meeting options. Some opted for hybrid meetings  meetings that were in-person but accessible through a livestream or broadcast  while others recorded discussions to post later or even dropped their virtual offerings all together.

But with the delta variant increasing Connecticuts COVID-19 case load once again, some towns may start to reconsider virtual options  or at least the possibility of permanent virtual options.

In Brookfield, First Selectman Steve Dunn left the decision to stay virtual or return to in-person meetings up to boards and committees but said that hybrid is really hard to do because of technological issues with microphones and feedback.

Most major boards in Brookfield are back in person, with some, including the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Board of Education continuing to stream and record their meetings.

In New Milford, major meetings, like those of the Town Council, some Board of Finance and public hearings, are back in person and still offering recordings and livestreams. The Board of Education posts recorded videos on the district website.

Mayor Pete Bass said due to the towns new municipal building mask mandate, all attendees and town council members will be masked at an upcoming council meeting regardless of vaccination status.

For now, the town council will continue to meet in person, but Bass said he plans to recommend using some of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to bring video technology into the two main meeting rooms at Town Hall.

There is no formal plan to expand Brookfields meeting coverage to include streaming for all boards and committees, although Dunn expressed support for the idea.

I would like to see more of our committees recorded and streamed, but that involves expense, he said.

He called permanent virtual capabilities an aspirational goal for now.

By the numbers

Experts say the ability to conduct virtual meetings, or even allow virtual attendance, has expanded access to local constituents across Connecticut.

I think all our towns agree that the remote option allowed more people to participate in town meetings and monitor other municipal board and commission meetings, said Elizabeth Gara, executive director of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns.

Gara said many towns noticed an uptick in attendance during the pandemic, which has since dropped off somewhat as the world opened up this summer.

But access does not always equate attendance.

In New Milford, Mike Sennello, who owns a media company that administered the Zoom side of Town Council meetings and currently oversees the meetings broadcasting, said there was a massive uptick in subscribers to the towns YouTube channel during the pandemic, but only a mild uptick in actual meeting viewership on the streaming site since last summer.

That could be because more people subscribed and were notified when meetings streamed, he said.

For both virtual and in-person meetings, Sennello said attendance correlates with the level of outrage the topic generates.

In Brookfield, virtual meetings didnt have a significant impact on attendance, and volume continues to depend on the issue at hand, Dunn said.

Wed like to see that number higher. Wed like more public participation, he said.

Providing virtual options allowed residents across the state more flexibility to attend meetings, noted John Filchak, executive director of the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Government.

It really opened up things in terms of access and availability and participation, so I think thats been a huge positive, Filchak said.

While Filchak doesnt know if a virtual broadcast option is necessary for every small commission meeting he used the example of a library meeting  it allows options for increased resident participation and can even make someone more willing to volunteer their time to sit on a board.

Its just so convenient to tune in, and you can also go in and re-see it again, he said. A lot of people [may be] saying, You know, I cant really come home from work, have dinner, and race up to the town hall and sit down for two hours, but I can open up my laptop on the kitchen counter, and Ill do it.

Still, Filchak said the interaction at in-person meetings can be hard to replicate.

Nyesha McCauley, senior director of communications for Everyday Democracy, a Hartford-based non-profit that promotes civic engagement, said the public has been interested in the groups webinars teaching people how to testify in front of governing bodies.

But McCauley hears anecdotally that virtual meetings can have drawbacks.

In some ways, virtual attendance options have made access better, but the lack of in-person contact can make people feel less connected to their elected officials, McCauley said.

Its two sides of a coin and I dont know which one is weighing out in this time, she said.

Abiding by the rules and regulations

Providing a streaming or virtual option is not as simple as turning a camera on. With virtual meetings come further standards and access requirements for towns to meet.

Some of Connecticuts larger towns and cities already broadcast their meetings, but smaller towns had to start from scratch. Technological issues abounded at first.

There are a lot of moving parts that towns need to comply with in order to supply remote access, Gara said. There have also been meetings that have been forced to shut down because people participating remotely could not hear the board members comments during the meeting, because the audio was not sufficient.

The meetings would have to be terminated and rescheduled.

Filchak said in some very small towns people used one laptop and twisted it around depending on who was speaking.

Towns were a little nervous about whether they would inadvertently violate some of the laws, Gara explained.

With remote and hybrid meetings, towns run into accessibility and equity issues those who didnt have broadband, the hard of hearing or hearing impaired, and language barriers. Town video streaming has to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Thats something that, unfortunately, this system is learn as you go to some degree, Filchak said.

In New Milford, a deaf resident requested closed captioning at town meetings. The woman, a mother to a 5-year-old girl in the local school district, struggled to understand decisions that were being made during Board of Education and Town Council meetings.

The schools and town moved quickly to make their meetings ADA compliant.

Closed captioning should probably be a standard whether someone requests it or not, Filchak said.

Gara said there is value in efforts to continue providing remote options.

We do want to make sure, however, that these issues are addressed so that it doesnt become a huge burden for our small towns going forward, she added.

The cost of going virtual

Setting up livestreams and broadcasts can be time-consuming and costly.

Sennello said in New Milford, his own equipment that he brings to Town Hall for livestreaming the meeting costs between $15,000 and $20,000.

To have a full set-up with a control room and hardware would be a colossal, colossal cost, he said.

It also can take many hours for Sennello to set up, oversee the meeting and then eventually pack up his equipment after the meeting ends.

For smaller towns where leadership positions are sometimes held by volunteers, Gara said it can be burdensome ensuring equipment is available to record or tape at each of the many municipal boards and meetings.

The cost is no doubt an issue depending on how elaborate you want to go, Filchak said of remote or hybrid options. And thats something I think were going to have to look at as well.

However, Filchak noted there are more cost-effective gadgets and methods to livestream or record meetings, including the Meeting Owl Pro system, a 360 degree camera that was designed with hybrid meetings in mind.

The technology will continue to evolve, Filchak said, but it may well be that we are going to have to ask for some grant funds for towns in the future if they want to really embrace this.
NEW FAIRFIELD  With the highly transmissible delta variant driving an increase in COVID-19 cases, students and staff returning to school at the end of this month will once again be required to mask up.

New Fairfields public schools will reopen Aug. 30, with all students and staff wearing masks, Assistant Superintendent Julie Luby said last week.

The mask policy, Board of Education Chair Peggy Katkocin said, is for the protection of both students and staff.

Students are our primary focus, and most of them are not eligible for the vaccine. Were also an employer, and our staff has to be protected as well, she said. We have an obligation to see that these people are protected and to put some things in place so that they (are).

Whether people choose to accept the science is up to them, Katkocin said, but you cant deny the reality that this (delta) variant is extremely dangerous.

The scary thing about this virus is it attacks all age groups, she said. I think as the adults in the room, we have to be careful and protect these children.

While the policy brings relief to residents worried about not-yet-vaccinated youngsters, it brings frustration to others  like those who support the Unmask Our Kids movement, which calls for the unmasking of children.

Of the nine residents who commented on the school districts mask-wearing policy during Thursdays Board of Education meeting, Amy Johnson was the only one opposed.

Johnson  who was recently endorsed by the Republican Town Committee to run for a seat on the school board this November  said she does not support requiring students to wear masks in school.

She not only claimed that masks have been proven not effective, but that children are not transmitters of COVID-19 and its not healthy for them to not breathe fresh oxygen inside and outside.

We need to stop and unmask our children, Johnson said. There are many people that are advocating for the kids not to wear masks  We need to stop and evaluate and do whats right for the kids, and unmask the kids.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended wearing masks even for those who have been vaccinated to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19, including the delta variant.

Contrary to Johnsons claims, resident Jorge Aguilar-Zanatta said the science does indicate that masks are effective and children are vectors of this disease, and he believes its imperative to hold tightly onto the CDC recommendations.

Amanda Lombard was one of several parents of New Fairfield students who expressed support of in-school mask-wearing.

I have three children who cant be vaccinated yet and if Im going to send them into the schools, I need to know theyre protected, she said.

Elisa Beckett-Flores, a parent of a Consolidated School student, said she is in favor of in-school mask-wearing  not only for the protection of her child, but for that of an elderly relative.

I have a 95-year-old grandmother who cannot be vaccinated and we are trying to keep her safe, she said. The science shows that masking does help reduce the risk of bringing it home to other family members, so I feel that the Board of Education is making the right choice with masking  especially considering that children under 12 cannot be vaccinated yet.

Until everyone is protected from COVID-19, Beckett-Flores said mask-wearing is important to help prevent transmission not only among only students and staff, but to those outside school.

School board member Stephanie Strazza said it would be negligent and reckless of the Board of Education to ignore CDC and Department of Public Healths advice on mask-wearing.

I know theres talk about healthy kids not being hospitalized or sick  but we do have kids with preexisting conditions, as well as staff members with preexisting conditions, she said. We simply cannot exclude those children from an in-person education because we chose not to follow the safety guidelines that could allow them to be in school.

I know theres talk about healthy kids not being hospitalized or sick  but we do have kids with preexisting conditions, as well as staff members with preexisting conditions, she said. We simply cannot exclude those children from an in-person education because we chose not to follow the safety guidelines that could allow them to be in school.

Board member Samantha Mannion said she is adamantly in favor of mask-wearing in schools and doesnt understand why the necessity of such measures is even debated.

Yes, children do get this (virus). Yes, they do transmit it. Yes, they can bring it home to your elderly and immunocompromised family members and yes, people you love could die, said Mannion, whose mother died last year after contracting COVID.

I can honestly say that I dont at all understand the logic of anybody that would even suggest that thats a risk worth taking, she said. The pandemics still out there. Its very real.
DENVER (AP)  When Dzabahe was 11 years old, she went to her first government-run boarding school in rural Arizona around 1953. She left everything she knew on the Navajo reservation where she grew up..

You became an orphan on that day, she said. My life was a shamble because everything that I was, everything that I believed in, my language, everything, I learned I was doing it all wrong.

At the school, she was told not to speak her Navajo language. Her Navajo clothing and moccasins were sent back home with her parents. Her hair was cut, something that is taboo in Navajo culture. And even though she didnt speak English or understand American customs, she was punished for not doing things the way the school wanted her to.

I stood in a corner a million times until I was ready to faint, she recalled. And then the spanking and the harshness, and if youre being punished you couldnt eat dinner or breakfast or any meal. And then theres a lot of shame that came with it.

Dzabahe was also given a new name: Bessie Smith, which she still uses today.

Smiths parents sent her to the school after state officials came to the reservation and told families with children who were not in the school that they had to send them. Her father also realized that she would need an education even if that went against what was traditionally done in the Navajo culture.

In May, 215 childrens bodies were discovered in a mass grave at an Indigenous Boarding school in Canada, prompting U.S. officials to look at the legacy of such schools in the U.S.

We just want to make sure that families today get the information that theyve wanted for decades and decades, said Deb Haaland, secretary of the interior.

And so were gonna work to identify every single boarding school in the country and absolutely find a way to make sure that we are assisting local communities that will involve a lot of tribal consultation, she said.

Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary in U.S. history, visited Colorado in July and announced the new federal program but did not yet have a timeline. In Colorado, there are at least three Indian boarding schools, the Teller Indian School in Grand Junction, the Southern Ute Boarding School in Ignacio and a school that is now Fort Lewis College in Durango.

The Teller Indian School, later known as the Teller Institute, opened in 1886. At the turn of the century, there were a couple hundred students enrolled in the school. It was one of more than 350 federally run schools in the nation to assimilate Native American children, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

The schools were created out of the 1869 Indian Peace Policy, which was introduced by President Ulysses S. Grant to create permanent peace, through what he believed were non-violent alternatives. The boarding schools were intentionally created to assimilate children and eliminate Native cultures.

The first was the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, which opened in 1879, and was a model for subsequent schools. While some Native families chose to send their children to boarding schools, many more were forcibly removed from their homes.

By 1900, there were 20,000 Native children in boarding schools and by 1925, that number was more than 60,000.

In 1926, nearly 83 percent of all Native children of schooling age were in boarding schools, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.

When children returned to their communities, they were unable to communicate with their loved ones and were sometimes ostracized by their own communities, said Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council Chairman Melvin J. Baker in a statement. This traumatic experience produced intergenerational trauma that continues to manifest itself in numerous ways throughout Indian country, such as abuse, such as substance abuse, as well as psychological and emotional disorders, which result in lower graduation rates, poverty and lower life expectancy.

The Teller Institute closed in 1911 and was transferred to the state of Colorado, which turned the facility into a home for people with intellectual disabilities in the 1920s. Over time, the original school buildings were remodeled or torn down. A cemetery, if there was a marked one, was also lost to time.

Archaeologist John Seebach, who works at Colorado Mesa University, has studied the Teller Institute and discovered death notices in archival newspaper clippings of 21 children who died while attending the school.

We cant be sure that every single person who died and was buried was mentioned by the newspaper, he said. So there could be many more out there than we know of and in fact thats probably the case.

The federal government kept records on students who attended the schools, but after the school closed the records were sent to Leavenworth, Kansas, where they were destroyed in a fire. Seebach plans to search for more information in federal records kept in Washington, D.C., but its not clear how many children might be buried on the grounds.

In 2019, Seebach and a team of cadaver dogs explored part of the grounds of what is now the Grand Junction Regional Complex, still home to people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Seebach picked part of the grounds based on aerial photographs and his research into where the cemetery for children might be. He said the dogs picked up a scent but more research is needed.

Earlier this year, the state started a Teller Institute Task Force.

Seebach is on the task force with 8 other people, including tribal representatives and state officials.

Its not an archeological site in a lot of ways, really what were doing is more akin to like crime scene investigation, said Holly Norton, the state archaeologist. And using my archeological training, not for science, but for helping to find these children and help return them in some fashion to their communities, and to their, to their tribes, I think is a really important part of what Im doing here.

Once the task force has determined next steps, Norton said its likely they will conduct searches on the grounds of the complex to locate a cemetery and remains.

Eleven people with disabilities still live at the Grand Junction Regional Complex. In 2016, state lawmakers decided it was too expensive to maintain, and passed two bills requiring the sale or transfer of the complex.

Were approaching this in a very sensitive manner for everyone that is involved. Our goal here is to get our individuals that have intellectual and developmental disabilities relocated into a community and integrated into community because thats our first priority, said Yolanda Webb with the Colorado Department of Human Services who oversees the complex. And to work with our Native American partners that are part of this task force in really getting to some closure on that very painful history.

Seebach argues that the sale or transfer of the land is in violation of the original agreement between Colorado and the federal government when the land was transferred to the state.

The main stipulation was that the campuses would be maintained in perpetuity, Seebach said. I dont think theyre valid law because of a prior agreement at the federal level.

Fort Lewis College in Durango was also the site of a federal boarding school, originally in Hesperus. When the state took over the land it had to meet two conditions: that the land would be used for an educational institution, and was to be maintained as an institution of learning to which Indian students will be admitted free of tuition and on an equality with white students in perpetuity, according to Fort Lewis College. Seebach said the same conditions would have applied to the Teller Institute.

There was another boarding school in Ignacio on the Southern Ute reservation. The tribe is considering its options for preserving what remains of the school and memorializing the history of boarding schools.

Its not yet clear what will happen to the land that was formerly the Teller Institute. In a statement, Chairman Baker said the lands future is best guided by the communities who were and continue to be affected by the U.S. governments ethnocide initiated during the Indian Boarding School era.

In order to heal from the generational trauma, we must confront the past and shed light on the hidden cruelty, Baker said.

Smith, now 79, said she learned over time how to talk about what she experienced at the federal boarding schools and how those experiences impacted the way she felt about herself and the world around her. She said she struggled while working, for example, to not question herself constantly.

There is more emotional and psychological damage that we have been dealing with, she said. It is so strong that nobody can see it. It is so strong that many people dont even want to talk about it.

But her struggle and pain isnt her whole story.

After going through multiple schools in her teens, she left Arizona to attend Fort Lewis College. There she met her now husband and had children. Shes lived in Denver ever since where she worked as the director of patient admissions at the University of Colorado health science center. After retiring in 1994, she worked as a Navajo translator for the state, which she still does alongside making jewelry with her daughter.

We want to focus on how we can wake up and get back on our feet, Smith said.
DENVER (AP)  When the delta variant started spreading, Gina Welch decided not to take any chances: She got a third, booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by going to a clinic and telling them it was her first shot.

The U.S. government has not approved booster shots against the virus, saying it has yet to see evidence they are necessary. But Welch and an untold number of other Americans have managed to get them by taking advantage of the nations vaccine surplus and loose tracking of those who have been fully vaccinated.

Welch, a graduate student from Maine who is studying chemical engineering, said she has kept tabs on scientific studies about COVID-19 and follows several virologists and epidemiologists on social media who have advocated for boosters.

Im going to follow these experts and Im going to go protect myself, said Welch, a 26-year-old with asthma and a liver condition. Im not going to wait another six months to a year for them to recommend a third dose.

While Pfizer has said it plans to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for booster shots, health authorities say that for now, the fully vaccinated seem well protected.

Yet health care providers in the U.S. have reported more than 900 instances of people getting a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines in a database run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an Associated Press review of the systems data found. Because reporting is voluntary, the full extent of people who have received third doses is unknown. Its also unknown if all of those people were actively trying to get a third dose as a booster.

"I dont think that anyone really has the tracking in place to know how widespread it is, said Claire Hannan, executive director for the Association of Immunization Managers.

One entry in the CDC database shows a 52-year-old man got a third dose from a California pharmacy on July 14 by saying he had never received one and by providing his passport, rather than a driver's license, as identification. But when the pharmacy contacted the patients insurance provider, it was told he had received two doses in March.

In Virginia, a 39-year-old man got a third shot from a military provider on April 27 after he showed a vaccine card indicating he had received only one dose. A review of records turned up his previous vaccines. The patient then told the provider that the time between his first and second doses was more than 21 days, so they spoke to their provider, who authorized them to get a third shot, an entry states.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said at a recent news briefing that he knew of residents who had received third dose by using fake names, but neither his office nor the state health department could provide any evidence.

Despite a lack of FDA approval, public health officials in San Francisco said Tuesday that they will provide an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for people who got the single-shot Johnson & Johnson variety  referring to it as a supplement, rather than a booster.

Several studies are looking at booster shots for certain at-risk groups  people with weakened immune systems, adults over 60 years old and health care workers. But the verdict is still out on whether the general population might need them, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director for infection prevention at UCHealth, a not-for-profit health care system based in Aurora, Colorado. She said the best data in favor of possible boosters is for people whose immune systems are compromised.

Israel is giving boosters to older adults and several countries, including Germany, Russia and the U.K. have approved them for some people. The head of the World Health Organization recently urged wealthier nations to stop administering boosters to ensure vaccine doses are available to other countries where few people have received their first shots.

Will Clart, a 67-year-old patient services employee at a Missouri hospital, got a third dose in May by going to a local pharmacy. Clart said he gave the pharmacist all of his information, but that the pharmacist didn't realize until after administering the shot that Clarts name was in the vaccine system.

It sounded like there was a benefit to it. And theres also been talk that eventually well need a booster  mine was five or six months out and so I thought well Ill go ahead, thatll give me a booster, Clart said.

Ted Rall, a political cartoonist, explained in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that he got a booster because of a history of lung problems, including asthma, swine flu, and repeated bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia.

I made up my mind after reading a report that states were likely to toss 26.2 million unused doses due to low demand. My decision had no effect on policy, and I saved a vaccine dose from the garbage, Rall said.

Welch, the graduate student from Maine, put the blame on people who have refused to get the vaccine for political reasons. About 60% of eligible people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated.

Their absolute demand and screeches for freedom is trampling our public health and our communal health."

___

Nieberg 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.
One policeman was killed, while two were injured on Saturday after terrorists opened fire at a police party at Poshwan area in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Kulgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 8 (ANI): One policeman was killed, while two were injured on Saturday after terrorists opened fire at a police party at Poshwan area in Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district, the police informed.

In this terror incident, three police personnel sustained gunshot injuries and were evacuated to hospital for medical treatment, the police, in a release stated. The deceased policeman has been identified as Constable Nisar Ahmad.

The injured personnel are stable and have been discharged from the hospital after medical treatment, the police informed.

As per the release, the preliminary investigation revealed that a group of terrorists fired upon a police party who were busy managing the traffic at Adijan Crossing after providing safe passage to MLA Ab Majid Padar up to his residence.

It is pertinent to mention that taking undue advantage of huge traffic jam and presence of a large number of civilians, the terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the SHO and his escort party and managed to escape from the spot, the release mentioned.

The area has been sealed. A case under relevant sections of law has been registered, and the area has been sealed.

Investigation is in progress, and officers continue to work to establish the circumstances which lead to this terror crime. The area has been cordoned off and searches in the area is going on, police said. (ANI)
Seven members of the University of Hong Kong governing council has urged the ruling body to reverse its ban on several students from campus for sympathising with a police attacker.

Hong Kong, August 8 (ANI): Seven members of the University of Hong Kong governing council has urged the ruling body to reverse its ban on several students from campus for sympathising with a police attacker.

In an open letter on Thursday, the group denounced the councils decision, which did not follow regular disciplinary procedures, as improper according to legal principles.

As members of the council, we believe this decision is improper according to legal principles. By not hearing from the students themselves, it runs contrary to the principles of due process and natural justice the letter read.

The council on Wednesday barred 32 students from entering the campus after they attended a student council meeting last month which passed a sympathy motion for a man who killed himself after stabbing a police officer.

Though the students apologised, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has urged further action.

The 50-year-old man stabbed himself in Causeway Bay on July 1 after he knifed a police officer outside the SOGO mall.

The authorities condemned the attack as a lone-wolf terrorist act, while those who paid tribute to Leung were said to be glorifying violence.

The HKU Council ordered all students who attended the July 7 meeting to be denied access to the campus in Pok Fu Lam, as well as being prohibited from using the facilities and services at the university until further notice.

The continued presence of the group of HKUSU concerned on campus would pose serious legal and reputational risks to the University and have a negative impact on its other members, the HKU Council said in reference to the Hong Kong University Student Union (HKUSU) students.

On July 9, the HKU student union leadership stepped down, apologised, and withdrew the seriously inappropriate motion, after they faced strong criticism from the government.

The university management also condemned the student bodys decision to whitewash violence and violent attacks.

China, with the help of local authorities, has been ruling Hong Kong with an iron fist. Authorities have also begun clamping down on pro-democracy activists.

As China has strengthened control over Hong Kong through varieties of laws including the draconian National Security Law, the people of the semi-autonomous city are facing increasing policing and crackdown. (ANI)
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GREENWOOD, Miss. (AP)  For more than a century, one of Mississippi's most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood, a Black-majority city with a history of civil rights protests and clashes. Protesters have demonstrated at the base of the towering pillar with six Confederate figures  some residents demanding removal amid a racial reckoning across the country, others advocating for the statue's protection as a piece of history.

Now, after years of debate, a new statue will be erected in Greenwood  one of Emmett Till, the Black 14-year-old brutally beaten and shot in 1955 by white men 10 miles from the city. The likeness of Till, whose death is still under federal investigation, will be one of only a handful of statues of African Americans in Mississippi, where dozens of Confederate monuments dot the landscape at courthouses, town squares and other prominent locations.

Greenwood is one of hundreds of cities and towns nationwide grappling with painful, expensive questions: What should be done with these tributes to the Civil War and the Confederate soldiers who fought in it? And, what monuments should go up in their place to represent the community?

Across Mississippi, multiple places have voted to remove monuments; the few that have followed through found it costly, with a $1 million bill at the University of Mississippi. In Charlottesville, Virginia, a Gen. Robert E. Lee figure was recently carted away  nearly four years after a deadly, racist rally there. Dozens of Confederate statues fell nationwide during the 2020 protests sparked by George Floyd's death  many in liberal-leaning urban centers.

But far fewer cities have solidified plans for new tributes or monuments in their place.

In Greenwood, as in many places, change has come slowly.

The Leflore County Board of Supervisors voted in June 2020 to remove the statue, erected in 1913 by the Varina Jefferson Davis Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy. The board  where four of five members are Black  stipulated that the monument not be replaced by any piece honoring the civil rights movement.

The vote followed a yearslong debate about what to do with the monument, after a Black public schoolteacher and his father, Troy Brown Jr. and Troy Brown Sr., began petitioning for removal in 2017. The county initially considered leaving the Confederate statue and building a civil rights monument on the lawn for balance.

But community members pushed for removal. The Black board members voted 4-0 to remove the statue. The lone white member didn't attend the meeting. He told the local newspaper he'd have voted to keep the statue.

Member Robert Collins said the statue didn't bother him, but that if it caused pain for others, it should go. He was vocal in his opinion that another monument shouldn't replace it, regardless of meaning or intent.

The courthouse belongs to the people of Leflore County," he said. "If were going to remove that monument, we shouldnt put no monument on the property.

Still, the statue stands, the process slowed by bureaucracy with no concrete plan for removal.

Board members didn't return Associated Press calls inquiring about an update. A Mississippi Department of Archives and History spokesperson said the county attorney reached out for a consultation in November, but said the agency hasnt heard from her since.

In April, Democratic state Sen. David Jordan of Greenwood reignited a conversation about a Till statue in the city of 13,500. Hes one of the last people alive locally who attended the trial for Till's killers.

Till was visiting Mississippi relatives from Chicago. He was accused of whistling at and making sexual advances on 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant at a grocery store. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother J.W. Milam abducted Till from his great-uncles home at gunpoint.

Till's brutalized body was later pulled from the Tallahatchie River  the same river that claimed the Union merchant ship The Star of the West during the Civil War 90 years earlier. The ship is memorialized on Greenwood's monument, its pilot wheel etched into one side.

Sen. Jordan said it'd be poetic justice to erect the Till statue in front of the courthouse  where dogs were set on Black residents trying to register to vote, in a city where racist Citizens' Councils maintained regional headquarters.

If we can show that change can happen here, it can happen anywhere, Jordan said.

But the board wouldn't budge. Collins said in April that allowing the Till statue at the courthouse would be a double standard.

To move one statue and put another statue up, I wouldnt be representing all the people Im supposed to be representing, Collins, who's Black, said during a meeting.

Jordan was hurt, given that the Confederate statue also hadn't budged.

Let the Emmett Till statue be there for 100 years, he said. Then, it would be balanced.

Ultimately, late last month, the council voted unanimously in favor of erecting the Till statue, just not at the courthouse. Instead, the statue will go up in a park a half-mile away.

Jordan's decided to be optimistic about the location. The park is by railroad tracks that once separated where Black and white residents lived and worked in racially segregated Greenwood. He hopes the statue unites the community.

For now, residents on both sides of the issue are frustrated with progress.

Larry McCluney said he considers the statue a tribute to Confederate soldiers who died in battle. Hes also in favor of the Till statue  even at the courthouse  as long as the Confederate statue stands.

Its the same thing if I went out to the graveyard and knocked over one of your family members headstones, said McCluney, commander-in-chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization for male descendants of Confederate veterans that spans 30,000 members. Thats how people feel about these things: You are removing the only thing I have that I can go to as a family member and remember my ancestors.

Brown Sr., who petitioned for removal, said Greenwood needs to show what it stands for.

"Im not saying we shouldnt talk about the Confederacy, but we definitely should not celebrate it in a sense that we have that statue looking over the town," Brown said. That young boys life  thats a story worth being told.

___

Leah Willingham 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.
BRIGHTON, Mich. (AP)  Thirteen years ago, the cemetery behind St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Brighton was invisible. The grass and trees were overgrown and many of the grave markers were buried after 150 years of wear.

Now, over a decade later, almost every headstone is standing again, the Livingston Daily Press & Argus reports.

The Old Village Cemetery is the resting place for nearly 600 people who lived in Brighton in the 19th century. The oldest gravestone, which is made of marble, was erected in 1838.

The state of the cemetery in the late 2000s was depressing, said Jim Vichich, who is president of the Brighton Area Historical Society. So Vichich made an offer to the city of Brighton, which owns the plot of land: He and a group of volunteers would restore the cemetery to its former glory with some financial help from the city.

Once he got the green light in 2009, Vichich organized monthly trips to the cemetery. He and other historical society members worked on clearing the brush and vegetation that had overtaken the land.

A few years later, in 2012, they decided to begin fixing headstones. Vichich said he wanted to do it right, so the historical society called in a consultant from Connecticut to train the volunteers in the basics of repairing and preserving headstones.

Vichich said volunteers have logged 2,800 hours digging up, repairing and cleaning gravestones in the cemetery.

A headstone for Civil War veteran John Platt and his brother George is broken and discolored after 150 years of wear in the Old Village Cemetery in Brighton.

The group meets on the fourth Monday of each month between May and October to pour cement bases and glue broken pieces together. Vichich said each meeting averages 18 volunteers, many of whom have been coming since the beginning.

I was involved in that first year and worked on that first row of stones right when you come in the gate, and gee, it looks so good now, said David Pettigrove. He was recruited to help with the project by a friend who was a member of the Brighton Area Historical Society. After seeing their hard work pay off, he continued coming.

Its nice to see the results. You know youre accomplishing something, Pettigrove said.

In the past eight years, the group has reset 250 stones that were leaning and has pulled 160 out of the dirt.

In year eight of headstone restoration, Vichich said almost every one is standing again. But there are possibly still a few in the ground, which he is on a mission to find.

This cemetery is basically full. But the question is, if its full, then whats in all these voids, Vichich asked, gesturing toward the gaps between clusters of grave markers.

At some point, Vichich wants to employ a ground-penetrating radar system, which he said works similarly to an ultrasound machine, to see if there are more gravestones beneath the surface.

Vichich estimates it will take a couple more years to get every stone lined up and repaired. Once that is done, he wants the Brighton Area Historical Society to carry on the project by cleaning the headstones and resetting them when they begin to lean again.

This headstone may be the only record on Earth that this person walked on this planet, Vichich said. It might be the only record of their life, of having done something.

The Old Village Cemetery is the final resting place for several prominent people in Brightons history, including Michigans 11th governor, Kinsley S. Bingham, who died in 1861. Before becoming governor, Bingham ran a law practice in Green Oak Township.

Vichich said John McKinney, a slave who escaped and arrived in Brighton in the 1850s and died in 1892, is also buried in the cemetery.

The Old Village Cemetery is open to the public, and Vichich wants people to feel comfortable visiting the site. Once all the gravestones are found, he wants to install benches for visitors to sit and reflect.

The cemetery is the final resting place for 48 veterans, including 45 Civil War soldiers, two World War II veterans and a man who fought in the War of 1812. The historical society added blue posts next to each veterans gravestone with a medallion and a flag holder.

Each post also has a number, which corresponds to a walking tour booklet available at the entrance. The booklet was written by history aficionado Judith Coebley and includes biographical information about each veteran buried in the Old Village Cemetery.
STRATFORD  Andy Kosch is on a mission.

The Fairfield resident and retired science teacher has spent nearly four decades of his life trying to prove that Connecticuts Gustave Whitehead achieved manned flight in 1901, two years before the Wright brothers famously did in North Carolina.

And on the 120th anniversary of Whiteheads alleged achievement, a replica Kosch built of the German immigrants No. 21 Condor aircraft will be on display Aug. 14 and Aug. 15 at the Connecticut Air and Space Center at Sikorsky Airport in Stratford.

Kosch said he first became interested in Whitehead after a lecture at the Fairfield History Museum.

There was a guy talking about the history of aviation. I thought it was going to be the Wright brothers, Kosch said during an interview at the airport Tuesday. So I go and Im listening to this guy and hes showing pictures, and theres a bunch of old people in the audience  70s, 80s, and 90s  saying My grandmother saw this guy fly or My uncle helped him with his airplane.

It was then Kosch became aware of Whitehead  and his journey to right what he and others see as a historical wrong began.

I said These people have no reason to lie, he recalled.

Whiteheads accomplishments went nearly unknown until 1937, when Stella Randolph published a book, The Lost Flights of Gustave Whitehead, in which she interviewed 14 eyewitnesses to his early flights, which took place in Fairfield, Bridgeport and elsewhere.

In 1949, Harvard professor John B. Crane published a defense of the Whitehead flights in an article published in the magazine Air Affairs titled Early Airplane Flights Before the Wrights.

The effort to credit Whitehead picked up steam in 1966 when the late historian and Air Force squadron leader William J. ODwyer wrote his book History by Contract, which revealed the existence of an agreement between the Wright Family and the Smithsonian Institution in which it was agreed that the Wright Flyer on display in the Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C., would only remain there as long as the Smithsonian agrees to take the position that the Wrights were the first to fly.

A hang-gliding instructor, Kosch offered to build a replica and fly it to lend credence to the claim after attending the lecture in Fairfield.

Morgan Kaolian, then the manager of Sikorsky Memorial Airport, introduced Kosch to Kaye Williams, the founder of Bridgeports Captains Cove Seaport, who built a garage for the project and financed it with a $10,000 budget.

I thought Id do it in a couple weeks, he said. It took me a year and a half altogether.

Even that timeline was only possible because he had a lot of help, Kosch said.

He credited Bill Wargo, a former carpentry instructor at Bullard Havens Tech and a model airplane builder, for technical expertise. Bills brother Jim Wargo, who worked at Lindquist Hardware, helped acquire materials.

He said engineers from Sikorsky drew up blueprints based on pictures of Whiteheads aircraft.

We were very, very accurate in what we did, Kosch said. As accurate as we could be.

The replica has a 36-foot wingspan and is 36 feet from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail, with a 16-foot main body 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep. It weighs about 400 pounds and can be powered by two ultralight 20 HP engines.

The wings are made of bamboo and silk, and the body and propellers are made of Sitka spruce.

After he finished building it, he first tested it by towing a trailer it was tethered to, when Kosch said it would lift up about two feet.

The tests didnt garner any publicity. But a July 1986 flight by the same method with actor Cliff Robertson in the replica did.

After more fine-tuning, Kosch took the replica back to the airport that December.

I didnt think I was going to fly it, he said. I was just driving along, maybe 20, 25 miles per hour, and the thing leaped up about five feet in the air, scared the hell out of me. I knew this thing was going to fly. All it wants to do is leap up into the air and go.

The aircraft went farther and farther during more test flights later that month  before Kosch hit Connecticut Post photographer Wayne Ratzenberger, who was on the runway taking pictures of the tests.

When I finally hit him, it was at 330 feet, Kosch said. I had been as high as six feet off the ground. Thats a lot further than the Wright brothers went on their famous (first) flight.

Kosch said there is no doubt in his mind that Whitehead flew.

This plane flew so easily I know he flew, he said. If it jumped off the ground like that for me, it surely did for him.

As certain as Kosch is, the controversy remains  especially since no contemporary photographs of the Whitehead 1901 flight exist, despite a detailed, but disputed, account published days afterward in the Bridgeport Sunday Herald.

I stuck with it because I feel like the guy got screwed, Kosch said. I would like to see him get some credit. The Wright brothers did more important stuff, I dont doubt that, but if this guy got off the ground and did what he did, he shouldnt be pooh-poohed.

An article in Janes All the Worlds Aircraft  an authority in the field  officially backed Whitehead as the first man to build and fly a powered heavier-than-air aircraft in 2013. The publication walked back the claims in the piece in subsequent years, saying they were the opinions expressed by the author.

Fresh scholarship is also appearing. This month Australian aviation historian John Brown published a three-volume history of source documents spanning the years 1874 to 1904 he says contain fresh evidence to bolster the Whitehead claims.

I work in airplane construction, Brown said in an email Thursday. My side job is as a court-appointed witness/expert on aviation matters. For me, its clear that Whitehead flew in 1901. The evidence rises to the highest standard: clear and convincing. But there are still people in the historical community who dispute these clear facts.

One thing that isnt disputed: Those visiting the air and space center for Whitehead Weekend Saturday and Sunday shouldnt expect to see the replica take to the air.

We could make this thing fly. We just put the ultralight engines on it again and we could fly it right here, Kosch said. I just dont know if Sikorsky Memorial wants to take a chance again after what I did last time.

But seeing the No. 21 in the air again is a dream Kosch said he wants to see realized, especially now that hes retired and has more time to spend on the project.

Id like to fly it on the Smithsonian lawn, he said. If I dont Ill have my stepson or my grandson fly. Im 82 now, so I think my flying days might be over, but you never know.
NEW HAVEN  Damian Morales supports himself and his extended family both in Greater New Haven and back home in Mexico, largely with the living he and other family members make at three food trucks parked most days along Long Wharf Drive.

All of Morales Santa Ines trucks on the highly-visible stretch of the Interstate 95 frontage road that has become known as Food Truck Paradise were shut down  like all the other food trucks and carts in the city  for three or four months last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But theyre back, along with Morales Santa Ines Taqueria at 691 Howard Ave. near Yale New Haven Hospital in the citys Hill section. Morales mother runs one truck, his brother runs one and his aunt runs another.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Both the food trucks and the restaurant are named after Santa Ines Zacatelco, the town in the state of Tlaxcala in east central Mexico where Morales, who lives in West Haven, grew up. Part of his family still lives there.

On any given day, and especially on weekends down at Long Wharf, you can find everything from hot dogs to Mexican tacos, enchiladas, cocteles de camarones and elotes (roast corn); to Puerto Rican pinchos; Cuban sandwiches; southern-style barbecue, and even Caribbean-accented pizza.

Like everyone else with food trucks and carts at Long Wharf, on Cedar Street opposite Yale New Haven Hospital and downtown, theyre all trying to make a go of it during tough times.

Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media

But while business often rages on Long Wharf Drive on weekends, it generally is down  especially during the week  and some of the citys rules have changed, requiring trucks to close by 6:30 p.m.

Some trucks used to stay open until 9 p.m. or even 10 p.m. in the pre-COVID days.

Some of Morales colleagues at Long Wharf said their business is one-half to one-third of what it was pre-pandemic, though Morales said hes doing a little better than that.

Its growing, little by little, said Morales, who bought his first truck eight years ago, opened at Long Wharf about five years ago and opened his little restaurant three years ago.

He and his 15 family members and other employees have managed to stay healthy through the pandemic, but it was hard, he said. Now its better.

Meanwhile, since COVID, everything went up  the prices, said Morales, 44. But people dont want to spend a lot of money, he said.

In a competitive situation at Long Wharf  with at least three or four owners owning multiple trucks  Morales was charging $8 for certain dishes, but had to drop his price by $1 after a competitor started serving the same item for $7, he said.

The city Health Departments inspectors, who used to stop by only occasionally, now come by just about every week to check temperatures, cleanliness and procedures, although Morales and other truck owners realize the importance of what the inspectors do and dont seem to mind.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

A few trucks to the east of the bright yellow truck Morales was working in on Friday, Robert Sweeney, 81, and his brother, Ed, 83  the deans of the Long Wharf food truck folks  were getting their Sweeneys Hot Dog King truck ready for another day.

The Sweeneys have had a hot dog truck at Long Wharf since 1960  and if you forget it, Robert Sweeney will remind you.

I started this  I was the number one, Sweeney said. When I started, I couldnt park here. It was water.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

I watched them build the Q Bridge right from that traffic light, he said, pointing toward Canal Dock Road and what used to be called the Quinnipiac River Bridge  now officially known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge  in the distance.

When Sweeney, who now lives in Woodbridge but works every day at Long Wharf, first drove his truck out there, this was all dirt, he said.

All that said, the pandemic destroyed  his business, Sweeney said. Totally destroyed it all.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Because of the pandemic, the city had to shut down the parking areas adjacent to many of the trucks, and reopened them a few weeks ago, limiting parking for months, he said.

He said the city also has ticketed people who park nearby to buy food.

Sweeney asked, Do you think that guy is gonna come back?

Karla Lindquist, the citys new director of transportation, traffic and parking, defended the ticketing, saying there often are so many vehicles parking along Long Wharf Drive that it presents a safety issue.

Anytime someone is going to get a citation its because theyre parking illegally, she said. Theres also a (bicycle) track down there and people are obstructing the cycle track.

Obstructing a cycle track or a cross walk ... is a safety issue, Lindquist said.

Director of Health Maritza Bond said that while the city slowed down its ongoing inspection program in recent months, the trucks at Long Wharf and trucks and carts elsewhere in the city are likely to get new visits from health inspectors after the citys indoor mask mandate goes into effect Monday.

The health department will work with neighborhood specialists to make sure that people working in the trucks are properly masked and to make sure that everyone is aware of the changes, Bond said.

I think were basically just reinstating the mask wearing, which everyone is accustomed to, Bond said. The mask mandate doesnt apply to customers outside the trucks, who will not be required to wear masks.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Geraldo de Leon, a native of Tapachula in Mexicos southernmost state of Chiapas, works hard in his Sabor Mexico truck and said that while his business is about 40 percent of what it was pre-COVID, its a little better than before.

Unfortunately, the ingredients de Leon buys to make his food are a little more expensive, he said.

De Leon, who has lived for 17 years in New Haven, said he has owned the truck for about two years and works it with his wife and a friend, while continuing to send money home to his family in Chiapas, he said.

Just a little farther east of the Sweeneys and DeLeons trucks, Norma Feliciano was busy almost from the moment her familys Winn Pinchos truck, which serves Puerto Rican pinchos (grilled meat on a stick), mofongos and salads  including conch, or carrucho, salad  opened in the morning.

While there definitely are fewer people than there were pre-COVID  Feliciano estimated business is down by 25 percent  the Winn Pinchos truck, one of the few trucks that serves solely Puerto Rican food, seems busier than most.

Its the Puerto Rican food, Feliciano said. Everyone loves Puerto Rican food.

Over time, not coincidentally, some of the Mexican food trucks that make up the majority of the lineup at Long Wharf have added pinchos to what they serve. There even is one truck, Sandwiches El Cubano, that serves Cuban sandwiches, tacos and other Mexican treats as well as pinchos  one-stop shopping for any mixed groups or people who cant make up their mind.

Winns Pinchos is only open from March through October, Feliciano said.

Mark Zaretsky / Hearst Connecticut Media

She, too, has had complaints from customers about parking issues, but theres nothing we can do, she said.

But the customers on Friday  some of whom were local and some passing by from at least as far away as New Jersey  werent complaining.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Long Wharf Drive is a very popular place for quick, inexpensive eats.

Back at Morales Santa Ines truck, Kauaneekee Hernandez and three of her co-workers from the New Haven Public Schools systems Head Start program, were picking up some tacos from Santa Ines, which Hernandez said they love for its huge vat of horchata  cool, cinnamon-spiced Mexican rice drink  as well as for its food.

The food is good, said Hernandez, who lives in Meriden.

While Hernandez, Ashley Negron of New Haven, Jennifer Luna of New Haven and Lissette Andrade of Hamden all work at different schools, We try to all take lunch at once so they can meet down there, Hernandez said.

When they do make it to Long Wharf, usually during the week, they always go to Santa Ines because of its horchata, she said.

Meanwhile, Karen and Tom Corell of Fairfield were sitting in the tailgate of their SUV eating tacos from one of the Ixtapa food tricks. They said they make Long Wharf a regular stop when theyre driving through New Haven, in this case on their way to Massachusetts.

The food is so fabulous, said Karen Corell.

We make a point to leave the house with the idea of having lunch at Long Wharf, she said. We think the trucks are fabulous.

They did think the city could do more to make it an inviting place for people to stop.

They need picnic tables. They need shade, said Karen Corell.

They should make this a permanent draw, said her husband.

While Long Wharf has the high-traffic visibility, there is even wider food diversity along Cedar Street, which is food cart row for people who work at the hospital and study and do research at Yale School of Medicine.

Maggie Wei, 72, who has run her Peking-Edo Chinese food cart for 22 years in more or less the same location, said the carts in her neck of the woods were shut down for about 21/2 months last year, but she chose not to come back immediately.

Now that its all back open, its still slow, although right now, its getting a little better, said Wei, a native of Taiwan who runs the cart with her husband, Gino.

Since reopening, Weve been following the guidelines, Wei said, although there are still fewer carts than before.

A few blocks away, downtown, Steve Williams, who had his Jacks Hot Dogs cart for 40 years  setting up most of the time outside the Superior Court building at Church and Elm streets  said that for the most part he didnt work from the time the city shut everything down on March 13, 2020, until this past March.

He tried to come back last September and October, but found he was only doing 30 percent of his regular business. So I chose to close, Williams said.

He collected unemployment for several months and got a Paycheck Protection Program loan, he said.

Luckily, everything came back and Williams now is doing about 75 percent of his pre-COVID business, he said.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP)  Pakistani counterterrorism police said Sunday they killed five people involved in the abduction for ransom and subsequent death of a nationalist political party leader.

The raid took place overnight in the southwestern city of Pishin, according to the Baluchistan province Counter Terrorism Department.

Malik Ubaidullah Kasi, leader of the secular Awami National Party, was abducted for ransom from his native Kuchlak area near the provincial capital, Quetta, in late June. His body was found Thursday near an Afghan refugee camp in Pishin district.

A statement issued by the CTD said investigators arrested a man after Kasis body was found. The suspect subsequently led investigators to the hideout in Pishin.

Officers killed five men allegedly involved in Kasi's abduction late Saturday night in a gun battle. Machine guns, hand grenades and hand guns were recovered from the abductors hideout, police said.

Kidnappings for ransom have been reported frequently in Baluchistan. Criminal gangs have abducted physicians businessmen and others in recent years for sometimes huge ransoms. Kasi, a prominent political leader, was the first political figure abducted for ransom in the province

Also on Sunday, counterterrorism police in eastern Punjab province said they killed three militants in a gun battle during a raid on their hideout near the eastern city of Lahore.

The raid took place after police received information that the alleged militants belonged to the banned group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, according to a brief statement issued by Punjab province's Counter Terrorism Department. The banned group is also known as the Pakistani Taliban.

The three men were hiding in a rented house in the city of Ferozwala, a Lahore suburb, police said.

Lahore is the capital of eastern Punjab province, which has seen several militant attacks in recent years, including one in June near the home of a militant leader that left three people including a police officer dead.

The CTD statement said the militants killed Sunday were planning attacks on security forces and Shiite mourning processions.

It said there was an exchange of gunfire during the raid in which three militants were killed and officers seized weapons from the hideout including an explosives-filled vest, two assault rifles, three hand grenades and two pistols. The militants were identified as Afghan nationals.
Paul E. Lederhouse , age 69, formerly of Ransomville entered into rest on August 11, 2021, in Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. Born in Niagara Falls, NY on February 9th , 1952 to the late Chester and Edith Williams Lederhouse Paul attended Wilson H.S. He was a laborer for many years on
Abdul Abiola, a son of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, said Ibrahim Badamasi Baban...

Abdul Abiola, a son of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, said Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida annulled the election because he was scared to lose power.

Abdul made this known in an interview with Punch while reacting to the claims by Babangida that his annulment of the historic poll prevented a violent coup.

Abdul Abiola said:

Its a kind of funny claim since after the annulment, there was still a coup. So, I dont understand what he is talking about when the same thing that he was supposedly worried would happen still happened. Its very funny. Anyway, let me start by saying this: most people might not know, but my name is Abdul Abiola and when I was born on December 18, 1984, my godfather happened to be Babangida himself. Apparently, when I was born, there was a big party at the house (in Lagos); we had about three bands. Even when he spoke about the ideal candidate, he was basically talking about Abiola. I just find it very odd that a person knows that the country needs somebody who is accepted across the country, and yet, this person found it hard to hand over to my father because my father was accepted across the nation. That is my take on the aspect of who should be the next president.

I also want to say that I do not believe that the people who put us in the present situation we are in today in Nigeria should even be providing any solutions. The fact that he is not languishing in prison for the damage he has caused to the nation should be enough for him to just be quiet, as far as Im concerned. What we lost in 1993 was the basis of a nation, that was the breaking point. When you want to create something that is beyond ethnic and religious divisions, that was the birth of the nation that he destroyed. So, for him to now say there would have been a coup if he didnt do what he did, I would say for a fact that there wouldnt have been a coup, what would have happened is he would have lost his own power and hold on the nation as we have it today. And I think that was what was scaring him, that he would lose power.

They say power corrupts, and everybody knows that. He never wanted to lose power. He never expected Abiola to win, and the fact that Abiola did win, he then thought that his legacy would be that he handed over to a Yoruba person, so he, as far as Im concerned, is the one who is ethnically biased because Abiola did not care if he was Yoruba or Igbo, he didnt even think about such things. He was Nigerian first.

Abiola was further asked if he thinks Babangida still has political influence today. He said:

I will tell you for a fact that, ever since he left power, he has remained in the corridors (of power), tweaking and moving things around. I dont understand why people just think that when you do the same thing over and over again, you will get a different result. That is the recipe for madness. So, in my submission, I will say this: Like I said, he was my godfather and I give him all the respect because even when my father was being herded to jail, he said, Babangida is my friend, because my father knew that what youre doing is not going to end well. And I think people are seeing the lies in what he is saying now.

He talked about the Structural Adjustment Programme, everybody knows that it was a strategic programme by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to subjugate Africa. But maybe when you are at the top of the pyramid, you dont see all these things. Remember that before SAP, we had the Import Substitution Strategy, where we would stop importing certain goods because we could make them here, indirectly creating our own industries and that was going to build our own capacity. That, I believe, was even a better way because Nigeria was moving up during that time.





When he talks about corruption during his time when he got in, it was N1 to $1. If youre talking about corruption, stealing is stealing. These people want to destroy this country. I would urge my Nigerian people because were the youths; this man is talking about a time that has passed. As a matter of fact, if COVID-19 will do something good for us, it would be to address some of the issues we are facing in Nigeria.

Babangida had on Friday disclosed that some unnamed 2023 presidential contenders were on his radar.

However, Abdul Abiola believes men like Babangida should never be trusted again.

He said:

Let me tell you this for a fact if we allow them (political elite) to decide who will become president in 2023, we are going to be in the same position, if not worse. As a matter of fact, there might be no country to talk about anymore. When I watched his programme, first of all, I was amazed that this is the person that we are calling Maradona. He even used his own mouth to say he had to do a Maradonic handling of society. This is why we are in the position we are today. People that should not be listened to at all are the ones making decisions for us, its a big problem. I believe the Nigerian people are smarter now than they were in 1993, they will not be bamboozled by any Maradona that doesnt understand what being a Maradona is.

I believe that if he had taken a stance in 1993, when he was being approached by some of our so-called elite, to annul the election and forego this democratic idea; if he could have just captured those dissenting voices that did not want problems for the Nigerian people and just wanted their own personal progress, his name would have been written in gold.

But for as long as I am alive, I will make sure that enough people understand that the greatest problem we have in this country is the five babas that are on hilltops. We know where the hilltops are. Anybody that I see that goes to meet them on any of those hilltops for their permission to be president, I have already written those people off because those people have shown that they are not with the Nigerian masses, but they are with a select few who have ruined the nation and they feel they have the right to continue to ruin what we are trying to build.

The Nigeria of today is not the Nigeria of 1993. We are not doing well, but you can see that we are using 97 percent of our income to service debts. We cannot continue this way. For the past 30 years, we listened to them diligently when they came to us to request our votes, but nothing came out of it. I urge Nigerians if its only this one time you take my advice, to shun anything you hear from these five babas. Enough is enough!
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Last week, the Rolling Stones announced that drummer Charlie Watts would not perform at the 2021 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this fall.

As it turned out, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wont either.

Nor will anyone else.

The 2021 Jazz Fest, like 2020s, has been canceled after first being postponed because of surging rates of COVID-19 infections. The loss of the festival, and the thousands of visitors that it would have attracted, is another economic and psychological blow not just for musicians, music venues and festival workers and vendors, but for New Orleans larger tourism economy.

Jazz Fests producers announced the cancellation Sunday, only nine days after putting tickets on sale for the Rolling Stones scheduled Oct. 13 appearance at the Fair Grounds. The first fall Jazz Fest was to have run Oct. 8-17.

Beyond the Stones, many hundreds of local musicians lost what is one of their highest-profile, and best-paying, gigs of the year.

"I am upset but not surprised," said Rob Mercurio, the bassist in Galactic and a co-owner of Tipitina's. "It feels like we are heading back to square one."

Jazz Fest now plans to revert to its normal spring timeframe in 2022. The dates are April 29 to May 8.

By then, three full years will have elapsed between Jazz fests. In its first half-century, the festival never missed a year.

The decision to cancel follows a dramatic increase in COVID-19 infections throughout Louisiana due to the highly contagious delta variant. New Orleans and state officials both recently reinstated indoor mask mandates as hospitalizations surged. Louisiana set a new record for COVID-19 hospitalizations four days in a row this week. Meanwhile, students are set return to school in coming days.

+2 New Orleans restores mask mandate in COVID surge, requires vaccines for employees Alarming speed of fourth wave has mayor restoring rule she revoked two months ago

"As a result of the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region and the ongoing public health emergency, we must sadly announce that the 2021 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell...will not occur as planned," the festival's producers said in a statement.

The statement urged "everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials, so that we can all soon experience together the joy that is Jazz Fest."

Jazz Fest is co-produced by Quint Davis' Festival Productions Inc.-New Orleans and international entertainment powerhouse AEG Live. The festival is owned by the nonprofit New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

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Ticket holders will receive an email this week about how to get a refund or roll over tickets to next year. All tickets for the Rolling Stones show on Oct. 13 will be refunded automatically.

COVID-19's fourth wave  and Jazz Fest's cancellation  does not bode well for other fall events. The Saints' first preseason game at the Caesars Superdome is in two weeks. The postponed 2021 French Quarter Festival is slated to open on Sept. 30. A spokesperson said Sunday that, for now, French Quarter Fest is still on.

And after sparking back to life throughout late spring and early summer, the New Orleans music scene once again finds itself bedeviled by COVID-19.

Tipitina's, d.b.a. and the Maple Leaf Bar recently started requiring patrons to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from the previous 72 hours. But the delta variant has nevertheless interfered. The Maple Leaf and Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro canceled all shows through mid-August after employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Faubourg Brewery also pulled the plug on its live music through August, and City Park canceled its "Thursdays at Twilight" concert series in the Botanical Garden as a precaution.

The decision to cancel Jazz Fest was apparently made quickly. With less than nine weeks until the gates of the Fair Grounds would have opened, the producers faced looming deadlines. If they had to cancel, they likely wanted to do so before the weekslong process of building the festival site commenced.

And contracts with headlining artists often require that nonrefundable deposits be paid a certain number of days before a scheduled show.

Beau Tidwell, a spokesperson for Mayor LaToya Cantrell, said the festival's cancellation was "appropriate but really disappointing. We believe that the Jazz Fest organizers made the right call, heartbreaking though it is. The delta variant has created an extremely dangerous environment."

Still, the loss of another Jazz Fest is a setback to the city's economic recovery, with many business owners and hospitality groups saying they worry that a hoped-for rebound in the coming months now feels much more uncertain.

"It's a huge disappointment for everyone, not only locals but for the tourist industry, for travelers looking forward to Jazz Fest, and for the economy and our employees," said Mavis Early, executive director of the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association. "Plenty of our hotels were already fully booked for Jazz Fest two weeks ago."

Lorettas Authentic Pralines has sold pralines and beignets at Jazz Fest for many years. A good year at the festival could net over $100,000, owner Loretta Harrison said. Losing the festival again this year hurts, especially because her business did not get any federal assistance through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

Were going to hang in there, and by staying safe, we can come back another day, Harrison said.

The bistro Boucherie in the Carrollton neighborhood always has its busiest season around Jazz Fest time, said chef/owner Nathanial Zimet, who sees a surge in diners every year as well as an increase in his catering business.

Its massive for us, he said, noting that planning was already underway to handle the expected Jazz Fest boost. Now that boost isn't coming.

Its like that carrot weve been chasing just got ripped away, Zimet said.

Staff writers Anthony McAuley, Ian McNulty and Emma Discher contributed to this report.
Louisianas youth prisons have halted family visits as pediatric coronavirus infections spike inside and outside the lock-ups.

Six of the 205 male youths inside Office of Juvenile Justice prisons have tested positive for COVID-19, including four at the Bridge City Center for Youth in Jefferson Parish, a spokeswoman said Friday.

Meanwhile, the adults guarding the facilities have a dismal vaccination rate. Only 36% of staffers are immunized against COVID-19, compared to the 46% of Louisiana residents age 18 and older. Nine juvenile prison staffers are currently infected with the virus.

None of the youths in state custody have required hospitalization. But the outbreaks are happening as a multitude of government officials, including Gov. John Bel Edwards, have voiced increasing concerns about the uber-contagious delta variant's threat to young people. Last year, by contrast, officials cited the original outbreak's relatively minor impact on children as a reason to limit furloughs from youth prisons.

+2 Federal judge denies request to free Louisiana youth prisoners because of coronavirus outbreak A federal judge in Baton Rouge has rejected a request from advocates who asked him to free or furlough youths because Louisianas juvenile pri

This current surge affects all Louisianans, including our younger people, Edwards tweeted on Friday. Children and young adults make up the largest share of new cases and the amount of young people with critical cases in the hospital continues to grow.

In response to the surge, the Office of Juvenile Justice cut off visitation to its facilities on July 27. Theres no set timeline for a return to visitations, but the officials will continue to consult with health authorities, said Elizabeth Touchet-Morgan, a spokeswoman for the agency.

The visitation shutdown is a repeat of a practice first implemented last year, which advocates warned might leave lasting mental scars. Dozens of youths and guards at what the state calls secure care facilities tested positive for coronavirus, and the agency banned visitors and quarantined youths in response.

JPSO responds to youth detention center Monday after inmates refuse to return to their rooms More than a dozen juvenile offenders at Jefferson Parish's youth detention center refused to return to their dormitories Monday night and Sher

The Promise of Justice Initiative, a non-profit law firm, sued the state seeking to force the release of more youths to family members and guardians. However, a federal judge denied the request, siding with state officials who said they were doing all they could to protect the detainees. He also cited the relatively few deaths and hospitalizations in youths during the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

Even though the juvenile justice system may not have violated the law, a May report from the state Legislative Auditor found that oversight and care deteriorated during the pandemic.

Turnover for the "juvenile justice specialists" who interact directly with youths in the lock-ups soared from 50% to 73%. One out of five shifts were below staffing levels required under the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act. All of that likely contributed to the escapes, riots and fights that plagued the system, the agency admitted.

Meanwhile, restrictions meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 cut youths off from family members and counselors. The young offenders missed 52% of counseling sessions in 2020 compared to 18% the year before.

In response to the riots and fights, and also to medically isolate youths, the Office of Juvenile Justice expanded its use of what it calls behavioral intervention, or confining youths to rooms. During 2020, 104 youths were transferred into room isolation, according to the auditors report.

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5 of 6 youths in custody after escape from Bridge City correctional facility; staffer injured Five of the six juvenile offenders who escaped overnight from the Bridge City Center for Youth were back in custody as of late Wednesday after

Previously, the practice was supposed to be used for no more than eight hours at a time, but the agency increased that limit to seven days. Even that rule was frequently ignored, according to the report. The average length of stay in room isolation was 9.6 days, and 11 youths were confined to a room for more than a month.

While the state says it uses behavioral intervention sparingly, and returns youths to general population as soon as possible, critics decry it as a form of solitary confinement that can leave mental and emotional scars.

During this surge, the state should do everything it can to maintain education programming and counseling, while limiting the use of isolation, said Aaron Clark-Rizzio, the executive director of the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights.

"While some isolation may be necessary at times given COVID, it should be minimized as much as possible. Its a traumatic experience," said Rizzio, whose group represents youths in juvenile court.

+2 Why Jason Williams' move to charge juveniles as adults in killing is angering some groups Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams rode into office earlier this year on a wave of enthusiasm from liberals, including many forme

The COVID-19 vaccines once seemed like they would provide a path to normalcy, but so far only a fraction of youths and their minders have been inoculated.

Fifty-five male youths have been vaccinated, representing 27% of the population in custody.

That number compares favorably to the 6% of Louisiana 5- to 17-year-olds who are vaccinated and the 24% of 18- to 29-year-olds. However, coronavirus can spread much more easily within congregate facilities like prisons.

So far, COVID-19 vaccinations have not been mandated for staffers in either adult or youth prisons. Touchet-Morgan said her agency has continued to offer the vaccines since they became available to all employees.

It may be time to explore making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for staffers, said Clark-Rizzio.

"It would be something to consider," he said. "The children have no choice but to be there, theyre in the custody of the staff. So the state needs to be doing everything in its power to keep them safe."
The New Orleans Police Department said it has arrested a 17-year-old in the Bourbon Street shooting that occurred early Sunday that left five people with gunshot wounds.

Earlier, the police had said there had been four victims but added another male victim, who they said had been shot in the left calf.

+11 Five injured in Bourbon Street shooting Sunday morning, New Orleans police say Five people were injured in an early morning shooting Sunday on Bourbon Street that sent scores of revelers running for cover, marking the sec

NOPD said there was no further information on the suspect or the status of the victims.

The incident occurred shortly before 2 a.m., while the street was still busy with revelers, when a male wearing a black shirt pulled out a gun and started shooting.

Can't see the video below? Click here.
Soil subsidence and rising seas are expected to reduce the height of New Orleans area levees and floodwalls by almost 2 feet in the next half century.

Just to keep up the current standard of protection, the Army Corps of Engineers now proposes to spend about $1.7 billion raising 99 miles of levees and building or replacing almost 4 miles of floodwalls.

The estimate comes from two studies released Friday for the hurricane protection systems on both sides of the Mississippi River in the New Orleans area. It's $1.5 billion less than the Corps first calculated in December 2019, when the agency proposed elevating 102 miles of levee and building or replacing 20 miles of floodwalls, mostly on the east bank.

Still, it reflects the enormous public cost simply to maintain today's level of risk reduction in the face of sinking land and human-caused climate change.

The studies cover most of New Orleans and parts of Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Charles parishes. They were authorized by Congress in 2018 amid concerns that subsidence and rising seas would make parts of the levee system - as early as 2023 - too low to be certified as meeting National Flood Insurance Program standards. The legislation also requires the federal government to pay 65 percent of the project's cost.

The updated reports also adopt new Corps language defining what must be provided: protection against flooding caused by levee topping that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year.

Gone are past comparisons of that risk level to surge created by a "100-year storm," or to past storms such as Katrina, the costliest hurricane in U.S. history.

This terminology is no longer used because it falsely conveys a sense of time and lowers public risk perceptions, the report said.

A Hurricane Katrina today could cause $175-200 billion in damages, major insurer says If a Hurricane Katrina-like storm were to hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast today, it would likely cause more than $175 billion in damage to 

Instead, the 1% flood event in the Corps' book now represents the chance that water topping the levees would violate the National Flood Insurance Programs base flood elevation standards for construction inside the levee system. The insurance program still refers to as a 100-year event.

The revised reports also reject Louisiana's request to increase the protection to a 0.5% level, which used to be equated to a 200-year event. Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East sought the higher standard, saying 1% was not adequate. The Corps itself has rated the levee systems in the New Orleans area as "high risk", its second-worst level, because of the billions of dollars in damage that a flood event greater than 1% would cause.

The new reports say the added costs of 0.5% protection are not as economically beneficial as the 1% level. And they say Congress authorized only 1% protection level, based on flood insurance standards in place in 2005 when Katrina struck.

The reports also say the Corps improvement plans take into account only the effects of topping, and did not consider other issues such as whether segments of the levee system could fail for other reasons.

On the east bank

The new east bank report calls for elevating the height of 50 miles of earthen levees in 10-year intervals over the next 50 years. Individual lifts would increase levee heights 1 to 3 feet each time, but not each levee segment would be included in the later years.

There also would be a mile of floodwall replacement and almost 2 miles of new floodwall, some along the Mississippi River levee in an area where an earthen levee would not fit. The river levee improvement is aimed at reducing the chance that a combination of storm surge and high river water doesn't top the levee.

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The project also calls for restoring foreshore protection  large rocks that reduce the size of waves  in Lake Pontchartrain as levee improvements are made. That might require dredging to allow barges carrying the rocks to reach the worksites.

+12 Photos: Levee system reconstruction and redesign nearly complete 15 years after Katrina Fifteen years after Hurricane Katrina $14.6 billion of reconstructed and redesigned levees is nearly complete, with only a few stretches of ar

The east bank project would have a first cost of $1.1 billion, with a positive benefit-cost ratio of 7.3. Even with the improvements, the Corps estimates that flood damage from levee topping will average $53 million a year. Without the lifts, the estimate is $246 million a year.

The Corps estimated the east bank project would result in 292 more jobs over 50 years, representing $1.1 billion in labor income, and $1.3 billion in gross regional product.

The state would pay $387 million of the construction cost, and would be responsible for the $479,000 annual cost of operating and maintaining the improvements. The operation and maintenance costs likely would fall to the east bank levee authority, which is funded by property taxes in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard parishes.

On the west bank

The west bank project calls for 49 miles of levee lifts, replacing 268 feet of floodwalls and building 1 mile of new floodwall. It also includes almost 5 acres of new foreshore rock protection. Included in the levee lifts are 10 miles of Mississippi River levee, again to account for the potential combination of storm surge and a high river.

The west bank earthen levees would see individual lifts of 1 to 3 feet over five decades, but each segment would be lifted only once or twice during that time.

The projects first cost estimate of $602 million would result in a benefit-cost ratio of 4.7. The Corps estimates the improvements would reduce west bank economic damage by $8 million a year, compared to $84 million without the improvements.

The project is expected to result in 158 jobs, representing $609 million in labor income, and $702 million in gross regional product.

The state's share of the west bank construction costs would be $211 million, and operation and maintenance costs would be about $400,000 a year, likely picked up by the west bank levee authority.

How much each levee segment will be raised will depend on local rates of soil compaction and underlying subsidence, combined with the effects of global warming-induced sea level rise. Across the entire system, the Corps estimates that the average combination of sea level rise and subsidence through 2078 will be 1 to 2 feet. More rapid subsidence rates will require more height in some locations and the repeated addition of clay to keep up.

A Corps spokesman said the west bank project does not include elevating the western end of the west bank levee system even higher to take into account higher storm surge levels if the proposed Upper Barataria levee system is approved for construction. That levee is to run south from the western side of Davis Pond to Raceland, to protect parts of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes.

A decision on adding height to that part of the west bank levee won't be made until the Upper Barataria levee is approved by the Corps and authorized by Congress, possibly by the end of this year.

The public may view the east bank reports and the west bank reports. The Corps is accepting public comments on the two studies through Sept. 5. Comments or questions may be sent:
A mask mandate is obviously a good idea, but a gag order would make things even better. And it need only apply to one person.

Louisiana would be forever indebted to Gov. John Bel Edwards if he could just make Attorney General Jeff Landry shut up. Sadly, a muzzle order is not within Edwards' constitutional powers, so Landry, clearly unconstrained by any sense of shame or decency, will no doubt continue to assist the spread of the coronavirus.

Louisiana would have been in dire straits even if Landry hadn't peddled legal and medical fallacies that undermine confidence in public health measures of proven efficacy. But he is certainly entitled to take some credit for our overflowing and critically understaffed hospitals as the bodies pile up.

Landry's latest contribution to the cause of ignorance and unreason took the form of two memoranda to Justice Department employees. They provided pretexts for parents to block requirements that schoolkids mask up or get vaccinated. Landry's the ideal boss if you're into child abuse.

His timing is perfect too. Even while doctors report large numbers of children seriously ill with COVID-19, Landry repeats the discredited old yarn that their tender years leave them at minimal risk.

Surely, by now sane and responsible Louisiana residents must be running out of patience with the unvaccinated majority who accept the twisted and immature concept of individual liberty that the likes of Landry promote.

They seem to assume a right to gratify your every whim and to hell with everyone else. But that is a recipe not for a free society, but a state of anarchy, as the U.S. Supreme Court has long made clear.

Even a lawyer of Landry's caliber must have heard of the Supremacy Clause. It may be true, as he assures his employees, that Louisiana law offers broad and robust protections of students' and parents' religious and philosophical objections to certain state public health policies, but that does not confer a right to disregard federal law.

The rubric of religious and philosophical objections will incorporate many cockamamie notions, but, regardless, they cannot trump the right and duty of the state to promote the health and safety of its citizens by means, for instance, of vaccination. As the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1905, Upon the principle of self-defense, of paramount necessity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members.

Sure, parents can ignore a vaccine requirement. But they must accept in return that their kids are liable to be excluded from school for the sake of the general welfare. Other parents have rights too, and that includes keeping your kid away from theirs if you refuse to take protective measures.

In casting himself as the refuseniks' champion, Landry writes in one of his memoranda, I support your religious liberties and right to conscientiously object. That is presumably supposed to sound noble, but nobody's rights or liberties are threatened when the government employs its legitimate powers to safeguard the public health.

Americans remain free to pray for good health but still need terrestrial protection.

Landry certainly won't provide it. He put his employees at risk by falsely assuring them that cloth masks do not arrest the virus and by mischaracterizing lifesaving vaccines as a medical experiment.
Norman, OK (73070)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms developing late. Low near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms developing late. Low near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Norman, OK (73070)

Today

Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Bradford, Pa. - Journey Health System awards annual college scholarships to children and grandchildren of employees, as well as employees, from all of their affiliates such as Beacon Light Behavioral Health.

The scholarship program was established in 2017 to assist students in furthering their education, especially those in the healthcare field.

In order to qualify, interested students submitted applications, letters of acceptance from accredited institutions, and an essay on the topic: "What person or event had the greatest impact on your life and chosen topic of study?"

The selected students each received a $1,000 check. This year's recipients are:

Alexandra Asp, daughter of Julie Henneman at Beacon Light Behavioral Health System, who will be attending her first year at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and majoring in psychology.

Stephanie Hetrick, RN, an employee at Dickinson Center, Inc., who will be attending Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania to continue her pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Chloe Shaw, daughter of Dianna Shaw at Beacon Light Behavioral Health System, who will be attending her first year at Houghton College in Houghton, New York and majoring in English education.

Congratulations to the scholarship recipients! Journey Health System said they would like to thank all of this year's applicants.
Wellsboro -- The Practical Nursing Program at Penn College Wellsboro will host an information session at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 26 for those who are interested in pursuing nursing as a career. The session will take place at the Penn College Wellsboro campus and will be livestreamed to the Potter County Education Council at 5 Water Street, Coudersport.

Lauren M. Scheetz, coordinator of the program, will discuss admission requirements; application, tuition and financial aid processes; licensure; and job opportunities for graduates. There will be an opportunity to ask questions following the presentation.

The next practical nursing class is scheduled to begin September 20, 2021; graduation will be September 8, 2022.

The Test of Essential Academic Skills and a minimum passing score are required for entry into the program. Before taking the TEAS, an application must be submitted to the Wellsboro office. Completed application materials and pre-entrance requirements must be submitted by August 30 to be considered for admission to the September class.

Classes for the 12-month, full-time practical nursing program are held at Penn Colleges Wellsboro campus, with clinical experiences at UPMC Wellsboro, UPMC Cole, the Green Home, and Broad Acres Health and Rehabilitation Center, as well as other local facilities.

The practical nursing program is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. Those who complete the program will be prepared to take the National Council Licensure Exam for licensure as an LPN. Educational opportunities for advancement to registered nurse are available.

This is a clock-hour program, eligible for Pell grants and Stafford loans, designed specifically by Workforce Development at Penn College in Williamsport.

For more detailed information and to register, call (570) 724-7703, email northcampus@pct.edu or visit the Penn College at Wellsboro website.
Reprinted with permission from FIRST News Now

Morris, Pa. - Morris fire and ambulance crews responded to a report of a missing kayaker that got separated from a nighttime kayaking group that was to meet at Rattlesnake Rock in Morris, Pa.

The individual had been missing just over an hour before anyone called in for help.

The call for help was made around 9:45 p.m. as Morris fire personnel responded to a parking area near 23020 Route 414 to meet up with the person who had requested help.

By 9:50 p.m. Department 35 out of Lycoming County was requested by Morris fire personnel to join in the search of the missing kayaker.

Fire personnel arrived at Rattlesnake Rock around 10:05 p.m. The missing individual was believed to be in the area between Darling Run and Blackwell. Once that information was obtained, Morris firefighters brought in UTVs and other needed equipment and a group staged in Blackwell around 10:15 p.m. Additional personnel from Brown Township and a boat from Jersey Shore were next to be requested from Morris fire personnel.

News that the missing kayaker had been located was received around 10:30 p.m. By 10:32 p.m. all Lycoming County crews and personnel were able to be recalled from the search.

At 10:55 p.m. Morris ambulance was able to return to their station as the individual did not need transported to a hospital for treatment. A few minutes later all Morris firefighters and searchers were cleared from the search at 10:57 p.m.

Remember to support your local fire and ambulance departments in 2021.
Business

Redmond sale to AdventHealth awaiting regulatory approval

John Quinlivan Mike Murrill dwalker / Doug Walker Redmond Regional Medical Center in Rome is being acquired by the AdventHealth system in a deal valued at more than $600 million. File AdventHealth Gordon is a 69-bed short-term, acute care hospital in Calhoun.

With the first of two major hospital deals impacting Rome  the Floyd-Atrium deal  signed, sealed and delivered, the local medical community is waiting for the second one to close.

Plans for the $635 million sale of Redmond Regional Medical Center to AdventHealth were announced in May.

At that time, officials with AdventHealth and Redmonds parent company Hospital Corporation of America indicated they expected it to be finalized by the end of August. But President Joe Biden issued a July 9 executive order directing the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to review and revise their healthcare merger guidelines to ensure that patients are not harmed.

It is unclear what kind of impact, if any, the revisions will have on a nonprofit hospital company such as AdventHealth acquiring a for-profit entity such as Redmond HCA.

Already this year there have been more than two dozen health system mergers and acquisitions, including the Floyd Medical Center merger with Atrium Health out of North Carolina.

The pending deal would include the 230-bed hospital on Redmond Road along with Redmonds related physician clinics, outpatient services and all existing equity interests.

AdventHealth is a faith-based hospital system headquartered in Florida. It operates more than 40 hospital facilities spread across Colorado, Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Locally, AdventHealth operates hospitals in Calhoun and Chatsworth.

The HCA business model has focused in recent years on its major metropolitan hospitals with the idea of being the No. 1 or No. 2 provider in those markets. Redmond CEO John Quinlivan said the Rome market has never really fit that model.

So it made perfect sense for HCA to sell Redmond, and I think it makes perfect sense for Advent to buy Redmond, Quinlivan said.

Advent has been in the Greater Rome community for many years at Gordon Hospital. Quinlivan said they know the market, they know the people and have had a close relationship with Redmond through the years.

They want to be here. They want to expand the services theyre offering and will continue to build on the great foundation that HCA has laid here in Rome with this hospital, Quinlivan said.

In the past, Redmond has been partnered through HCA with Bartow Countys hospital. In this round of deals, Cartersville Medical Center was spun off to Piedmont Healthcare System of Atlanta.

Now well be partnered with Gordon under Advent, Quinlivan said. Gordon is slightly smaller than Cartersville but if you look at the services they offer, were fairly similar.

Mike Murrill, CEO at the 69-bed AdventHealth Gordon, will be the CEO for Redmond as well. Hell also become president of the regional alignment for AdventHealth.

His region will include the 42-bed Murray County hospital, and two short-term acute care facilities  AdventHealth Hendersonville near Asheville, with 109 beds and the 49-bed AdventHealth Manchester in Kentucky.

A statement issued from AdventHealth on Wednesday highlights a long legacy of excellence at Redmond as one of the factors that attracted their interest, along with its status as a nationally recognized cardiac care center.

We are committed to working with HCA Healthcare to ensure a seamless transition for team members, physicians and consumers, it reads, adding that the company will share more information about its plans once a closing date is set.

Of primary concern to government and school leaders in Rome and Floyd County is what the sale will mean to the tax base, since AdventHealth is a nonprofit.

Floyd County Tax Commissioner Kevin Payne said Wednesday that, as best as he can tell, Redmond Regional Medical Center contributed $1,387,214.82 to local tax coffers in 2020.

The tax on real estate listed under the name Redmond Park Hospital Inc. was $799,093.90 and another $588,120.92 came from the levy on personal property, the equipment in the HCA-owned hospital.

Rome City Schools Superintendent Lou Byars said he hopes that the growth of the tax digest will be able to offset the loss of the Redmond/HCA revenue.

We wont really know until next year, Byars said. We know its going to be a hit.

The countywide tax digest as a whole grew by about 10% in 2021 so the loss has been at least partially absorbed by increased property values. However, many of those property assessments are still under appeal.

Quinlivan said he does not expect the public to see much difference at the hospital when the acquisition is finalized.

Really, I think changes will be minimal. And what changes there are will all be positive, he said. I expect AdventHealth to invest to build on the strong foundation Redmond (HCA) has built.

Redmond initiatives such as the Heart of the Community program are expected to continue under AdventHealth. Funds from that annual awards event each February have been pumped back into the community in a variety of ways.

The hospital has purchased defibrillator units for public buildings and exercise equipment for fitness stations along the trail through Ridge Ferry Park. A guest house for families of critically ill patients was constructed on the Redmond campus thanks to the Heart of the Community program.
Cedartown, GA (30125)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
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Rome, GA (30161)

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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly clear. Low 71F. Winds light and variable..

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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly clear. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

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A few clouds. Low near 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

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A few clouds. Low near 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Mainly clear. Low around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
1st Source Bank plans to open a new loan production office in Fort Wayne.

The South Bend-based bank, which has a major footprint in Porter and LaPorte counties, is opening the new office at 2513 S. Calhoun St. on the southeast side of Indiana's second-largest city. It will offer the community small business loans, consumer loans, mortgages and other lending services.

After spending a considerable amount of time visiting with community members, it was clear the southeast Fort Wayne area could benefit from a 1st Source Bank location dedicated to loan production, and the credit and financial wellness needs of businesses and individuals throughout the community, said Larry Mayers, Fort Wayne Region president for 1st Source. Our Missions has always been to help people achieve security, build wealth and realize their dreams, and we are confident this loan production office and financial wellness outreach will help us do just that for the businesses, entrepreneurs and families in southeast Fort Wayne as they continue to invest in and grow their neighborhoods.

1st Source's new loan production office is located in the Penta Group Entrepreneurial Center building. Initially, it will be open by appointment only.
Golden Corral is preparing to reopen its buffet restaurants in Schererville and Merrillville.

The popular buffet chain is now hiring to fill a range of positions at the restaurants at 8215 Broadway in Merrillville and 915 Eagle Ridge Drive in Schererville.

The eateries closed last year when franchisee William C. Niemet was arrested in late February after he was charged with killing a teenager in a cold case from 1991.

The Missouri resident, who owned more than half of dozen buffets across the Midwest, has since bonded out of jail in central Missouri, but still faces a Class A felony charge of murder in the first degree for the shooting death of a 15-year-old classmate, whose body turned up months later in a drainage ditch with two bullets in the head.

Niemet owned at least seven Golden Corral restaurants in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, according to prosecutors and Secretary of State records.

It was not immediately clear whether Niemet was still involved with the operation of the Northwest Indiana restaurants, or if they were reopening as corporate locations or under new franchisee ownership. Golden Corral's corporate headquarters did not respond to messages, and Niemet could not be reached for comment.
Staff Photographer

John began his career as a photojournalist at The Times in 1985. He was a late bloomer at the age of 29 and sometimes has to laugh because many of his colleagues were not even born when he started working at the paper.
Silich, a lifelong Democrat, has served as Hobart Township trustee since his first election in 2010. He administers poor relief to township residents in need.

The township includes the City of Hobart, the City of Lake Station and the Town of New Chicago.

Petition seeks removal

Zimmerman, a former Democratic precinct committeeman, said he has been an opponent of Silichs since 2018.

Zimmerman said he has recently collected about 200 signatures of township residents on a petition seeking Silichs removal from public office over ethical violations.

Zimmerman said he is prepared to submit his petition to the Lake Circuit Court.

Lake County Elections Director Michelle Fajman said such a petition has no legal standing.

She said Silich could only be removed if convicted of a felony, a crime punishable by up to one year in prison or if he is voted out of office.

The charges Silich now faces are only misdemeanors and traffic infractions.

Silich would next face the voters in the 2022 spring Democratic primary. The trustee is getting no support from his three-member township advisory board.
U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon told Fox59 last weekend, Im concerned in Indiana because the vaccination rate is relatively low. I think nationally, its about 58%. In the Congress, its over 85%. In certain areas of the country its high. The delta variant spreads more rapidly."

In May, Bucshon joined other doctors of the House urging vaccination. Getting the shot is the best way to end the governments restrictions on our freedoms, Bucshon, an Indiana Republican and heart surgeon who donned a white lab coat and stethoscope, said when he spoke into the camera in a Facebook video.

I know the facts and I think its the right choice to make," Bucshon said. Each vaccine was tested on tens of thousands of people. They cut red tape, not corners. While I am a doctor, I am also Republican member of Congress and I fully respect that this is your decision to make with your doctor. Talk to your doctor.

In Bucshons 8th CD, vaccination rates are higher than the 3rd, suggesting that even at the congressional level, leadership matters: Vanderburgh County 47%, Warrick 52%, Pike 47%, Perry at 45%, Dubois at 46%, Vigo 41%, Knox 40%, Posey 38%, Gibson 37%, Spencer 36%, Vermillion 37%, Daviess 26%, and Martin 39%.
The impact of the current fires is uneven across the Western states. Tourism boards have tried to communicate this to potential visitors who may be deterred by news reports.

Allison Keeney, a spokeswoman for Travel Oregon, the states tourism commission, said that wildfires in one location often have no impact outside a limited area and rarely cause major travel disruptions. This is the case with the fires happening right now, which are located in remote wildland areas. She added that the state has implemented tools visitors can use to track air quality before or during their stay.

In Washington, the scenic Walla Walla Valley has seen very minimal, if any, tourism impact from smoke related to fires, said Justin Yax, a spokesman for the areas tourism board.

If anything, the Walla Walla Valley has seen an uptick in visitation in recent years when other popular wine regions were dealing with the effects of wildfires and smoke, he said, referring to Californias Sonoma, Napa and Santa Barbara counties, which in recent years have been hit hard by fire.

But in the Methow Valley, which is also a tourism reliant region, two nearby fires have prompted an evacuation in several towns. The mayor of Winthrop, Wash., called the fires a season-ending event for tourism at a community meeting in July.

After Sun Mountain Lodge evacuated its current guests, the resort called those with upcoming reservations to encourage them to rebook for later in the year and blacked out availability online through Aug. 31. The resort is temporarily closed.

In Montana, Maria Caputo, the manager of Lamplighter Cabin & Suites in the states capital of Helena, said that shes had numerous guests call to cancel their reservations this month because of the smoke.
Dennis Dee Tee Thomas, a saxophonist and a founding member of the band Kool & the Gang, died on Saturday in New Jersey. He was 70.

Mr. Thomas died in his sleep, according to a statement by his representatives, who did not specify a cause or say where in New Jersey he died. He lived in Montclair, N.J.

Mr. Thomas was a co-founder of the long-running band Kool & the Gang, which drew on soul, funk, jazz, pop and R&B in recording hits like Celebration, Get Down on It and Jungle Boogie. He was with the band through numerous lineup changes.

Mr. Thomas was a huge personality in the band, his representatives said, and he helped style the performers wardrobes to ensure that they always looked fresh.
French colonization and Moroccos struggle for independence, which came in 1956, form the background of the novel, and Slimani dives into the complex identities that emerged from that era. Aicha, Mathildes biracial daughter and an outcast at her Catholic, majority-French school, is based on Slimanis mother.

For inspiration, Slimani turned to American western movies and the novels of William Faulkner, Carson McCullers and Flannery OConnor. There is a lot Moroccans can identify with in Southern literature, from the relationship to nature  at once hostile and sensual  to racial tensions, even if theyre not the same as in the United States, she said. I wanted to build my own Alabama.

Mathilde and Aicha will be back: In the Country of Others is the first installment in a trilogy. The second, which Slimani said last month she was one scene away from completing, will focus on her parents generation. Her mother was among the first women to practice as a doctor in Morocco, while her father, a former minister of economics, was implicated in an embezzlement scandal and left jobless and in disgrace in the 1990s. (He was jailed briefly in 2002, but posthumously exonerated in 2010.)

His plight deeply wounded the family, and added to Slimanis teenage detachment from her country. At home, her relatives spoke French and valued womens financial and intellectual independence, even as Moroccan society at large didnt: Everything that happened on the outside went against what I was being taught, she recalled. Like her parents and many upper-class children from the Maghreb region of northwest Africa, Slimani was then sent to Paris to study. The third book in her planned trilogy will pick up around the time she moved there, in 1999.

She only got to know Morocco better, she said, between 2008 and 2012, when she worked as a journalist for the magazine Jeune Afrique (Young Africa), covering the Maghreb and, later, the Arab Spring. It was wonderful, but I also realized how indifferent the Moroccan bourgeoisie is to the country, Slimani said. People know all about France and the United States, but they dont care what happens two streets away.

Her reporting on youth and sexuality at the time was a steppingstone to Sex and Lies, a nonfiction book she wrote in 2017 about womens sex lives in the Arab world.

Slimani has made a point of defending womens rights in Morocco and elsewhere over the years  especially their right to sexual freedom, and to wear what they please. She acknowledges a difficult relationship with her own body. My editor told me that the word I use most often in my books is shame, she said. In Arabic, we say that someone who is well educated is someone who feels shame.
When he is right, he is right with the same intensity. In 2009, he could see the strategy and incentives of the modern Republican Party: If you have safe Republican seats in a party dominated intellectually by rigid ideologues, then your path of least resistance is total political warfare. Substitute rigid commitment to Trump for rigid ideologues, and you have the same dynamic today.

Its hard for anyone to read Sullivans words and not feel provoked. However, he is no troll. He does not write for the purpose of inflicting pain. And even his most passionate arguments are thoughtfully delivered, deeply rooted in his philosophy and faith.

In one of the most interesting (and likely most contentious) essays in the book, Sullivan addresses head-on what was probably the most controversial moment of his career. The book contains his open letter to Ta-Nehisi Coates in response to continued criticism of Sullivans decision, many years ago, to publish an excerpt from Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murrays The Bell Curve in the pages of The New Republic.

His letter isnt an apology for his previous work. Not exactly. A writers core loyalty, Sullivan says, must be to the truth as best as he can discern it. At the same time, however, he both articulates this loyalty and laments it. He walks his way through the friends hes lost and the people hes hurt  in the Bell Curve controversy and the many controversies before and since  and he even wonders if his Christian faith is compatible with the work he does.

In the end, he asks Coates for forgiveness; not as a writer, where good faith and honesty alone matter, but as a friend and human being, where empathy counts.

The last person to argue that Sullivan has always been right in both substance and tone is Sullivan himself. He puts his own mistakes on the page. He places them in his own curated collection of essays. Its an act of remarkable humility in an age when humility is often derided as weakness.

But the essay collection is no compendium of wrongs. Sullivan at his best is very powerful indeed. He could see the looming threat of American authoritarianism. In 2005 he wrote this prescient warning: An ideologically polarized country, in which one party uses big government for its own moral purposes and the other wields it for its own, is not one that can long maintain a civil discourse. The consequence? Politics becomes war.
1. For the first time since February, the U.S. is averaging more than 100,000 new cases a day.

Infections and hospitalizations are increasing rapidly as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads. The outlook is especially dire in the South. Louisiana is leading the nation in an explosion of new cases, and hospitals are overflowing and admitting more young people than before. But the crisis is also driving some to get vaccinated.

Right behind Louisiana is Florida, which is averaging more than 19,000 new cases a day. Gov. Ron DeSantis has been unyielding in his resistance to mask mandates. Now record Covid hospitalizations are raising the stakes  and could affect his political perch as a Republican Party front-runner.
The Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group told staff members in a memo on Monday morning that it would fire a male employee who was accused of raping a female colleague.

A day earlier, the female employee published an essay on the companys internal website in which she said her boss had raped her while she was unconscious after a drunken night entertaining clients on July 27 in Jinan, a city in eastern China. She said she initially reported it to the company, but got no recourse.

Her essay was widely shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the latest #MeToo moment in a country where the movement has struggled to gain traction. On Sunday afternoon, seven of the top 30 trending topics on Weibo focused on Alibaba, with some people raising concerns that her superiors tried to silence her and others pushing for a transformation of the treatment of women in the workplace.

On Monday, Alibabas chief executive, Daniel Zhang, wrote in the early-morning memo, a copy of which was seen by The New York Times, that in addition to the firing of the male employee, two senior managers had resigned for failing to respond appropriately after the woman reported the incident.
The economic rescue plan that Mr. Biden signed in March sent hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to state and local governments, which public sector unions, increasingly the face of the labor movement, considered a lifeline.

But the cornerstone of Mr. Trumkas plan to revive labor was a bill still awaiting enactment: the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act. The legislation would make unionizing easier by forbidding employers from requiring workers to attend anti-union meetings and would create financial penalties for employers that flout labor law. The federation invested heavily in helping to elect public officials who could help pass the measure.

During an interview with The New York Times in March, Mr. Trumka characterized the PRO Act as, in effect, labors last best hope. Because of growing inequality, our economy is on a trajectory to implosion, he said. We have to have a way for workers to have more power and employers to have less. And the best way do that is to have the PRO Act.

Ms. Shuler echoed that point, arguing that labor will be primed for a resurgence if the measure becomes law. We have everything in alignment, she said. The only thing left is the PRO Act to unleash what I would say is the potential for unprecedented organizing.

But so far, placing most of labors hopes on a piece of legislation strongly opposed by Republicans and the business community has proved to be a dubious bet. While the House passed the bill in March and Mr. Biden strongly supports it, the odds are long in a divided Senate.

When asked whether the A.F.L.-C.I.O. could support Mr. Bidens multitrillion-dollar jobs plan if it came to a vote with no prospect of passing the PRO Act as well, Mr. Trumka refused to entertain the possibility that he would have to make such a decision.
One day in March of 2020, Rosemary Bily suddenly grew so tired she could barely get out of bed. She slept a lot, said her son-in-law Rich Lamanno. She was wiped out for most of a month. Ms. Bily, now 86, also developed nausea and diarrhea, along with a slight cough, and subsisted mostly on Tylenol and Gatorade.

A few days later her husband, Eugene Bily, 90, started coughing and became lethargic as well.

Had it not been for a family gathering a few days earlier, the children of the Bilys would not have suspected the new coronavirus. They might have blamed the flu, or simply advancing age. What we heard on TV was high fever, cant breathe  and they had neither, Mr. Lamanno recalled.

But about a dozen guests had gathered at a restaurant in Rockville Centre, Long Island, earlier that month to celebrate a nieces birthday, and one by one most of them fell ill with Covid, including Mr. Lamanno and his wife.
Mr. Cuomo would routinely run his eyes over Ms. Commisso in a sexual manner, she told investigators.

Starting around November 2019, she began to assist Mr. Cuomo at the Executive Mansion, and the governor continued to take an intense interest in Ms. Commissos appearance, the report said.

He told her she looked good for her age and for being a mother, encouraged her to show some leg, and took issue when she wore her hair up, the attorney generals report said.

Mr. Cuomo also took a strong interest in Ms. Commissos personal life  including the state of her marriage and whether she had ever cheated on her husband, the report said.

At one point, he said to her something along the lines of, If you were single, the things I would do to you, according to the report.

Mr. Cuomo would also pull Ms. Commisso into intimate hugs that she found uncomfortable, she said.

I could feel him pushing my body against his and definitely making sure that he could feel my breasts up against his body, she told investigators. And was doing it in a way that I felt was obviously uncomfortable for me and he was maybe trying to get some sort of personal satisfaction from it.

Mr. Cuomo told investigators that Ms. Commisso was a hugger and the initiator of the hugs. He said he went along with the hugs because he did not want to make anyone feel awkward about anything.
The first time Karen Hastie Williams remembered encountering racism was at a meeting with her junior high school guidance counselor.

Mrs. Williams attended an integrated school in Philadelphia in the 1950s. She had white friends and came from a long line of distinguished Black lawyers and judges; Thurgood Marshall was her godfather. It didnt occur to her that someone might stand in her way because of her skin color.

So when the counselor asked about her career aspirations, she didnt think twice before saying she wanted to be a lawyer. But instead of encouraging her, the counselor said she would someday make a really good store clerk.

And I thought to myself, Not quite what I had in mind, Mrs. Williams said in recalling the incident in a 2006 interview for the American Bar Association. But that was the first time that I really got struck by the fact that there was, among many in the white population, a low expectation of what Blacks have the intellectual capability to achieve and had the drive to go after.
Riding around town earlier this year, my 3-year-old daughter shouted, Look, a church! It took me a second to understand what she meant. I didnt see any churches. All I could see was a parking deck. Then I realized my daughter couldnt remember our church building. Since last summer our church has been meeting under the cover of a parking deck so that we could still assemble in person without wilting in Alabamas summer sun.

No doubt our church could have saved money and hassle by offering only livestreamed preaching and music. I could have been spared a wicked sunburn on Easter when we switched to the top of the deck. But the body of Christ, or church, isnt the same when you separate its members (1 Cor. 12:27). The hands and feet and ears and eyes need to be assembled for this body to work for the good of all.

Christians need to hear the babies crying in church. They need to see the reddened eyes of a friend across the aisle. They need to chat with the recovering drug addict who shows up early but still sits in the back row. They need to taste the bread and wine. They need to feel the choir crescendo toward the assurance of hope in what our senses cant yet perceive. My daughter needs to know the church members, even if it means wearing masks and setting up lawn chairs in a parking deck.

This all would seem to suggest that virtual church is an oxymoron. But when Covid-19 forced congregations to go remote and turned pastors into tech gurus, some churches even welcomed the change. You can understand the logic. Even the biggest church buildings could never accommodate a fraction of the potential audience for livestreamed services. Early in the pandemic, pastors touted online viewer numbers that dwarfed even their best-attended Christmas and Easter services.
Meanwhile, YouTube touts its transparency efforts, saying in 2019 that it launched over 30 different changes to reduce recommendations of borderline content and harmful misinformation, which resulted in a 70 percent average drop in watch time of this content coming from nonsubscribed recommendations in the United States. However, without any way to verify these statistics, users have no real transparency.

Just as polluters green-wash their products by bedecking their packaging with green imagery, major tech platforms are opting for style, not substance.

Platforms like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok have good reasons to withhold more complete forms of transparency. More and more internet platforms are relying on A.I. systems to recommend and curate content. And its clear that these systems can have negative consequences, like misinforming voters, radicalizing the vulnerable and polarizing large portions of the country. Mozillas YouTube research proves this. And were not alone: The Anti-Defamation League, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have come to similar conclusions.

The dark side of A.I. systems may be harmful to users, but those systems are a gold mine for platforms. Rabbit holes and outrageous content keep users watching, and thus consuming advertising. By allowing researchers and lawmakers to poke around in the systems, these companies are starting down the path toward regulations and public pressure for more trustworthy  but potentially less lucrative  A.I. The platforms are also opening themselves up to fierce criticism; the problem most likely goes deeper than we know. After all, the investigations so far have been based on limited data sets.

As tech companies master fake transparency, regulators and civil society at large must not fall for it. We need to call out style masquerading as substance. And then we need to go one step further. We need to outline what real transparency looks like, and demand it.

What does real transparency look like? First, it should apply to parts of the internet ecosystem that most affect consumers, like A.I.-powered ads and recommendations. In the case of political advertising, platforms should meet researchers baseline requests by introducing databases with all relevant information that are easy to search and navigate. In the case of recommendation algorithms, platforms should share crucial data like which videos are being recommended and why, and also build recommendation simulation tools for researchers.

Transparency must also be designed to benefit everyday users, not just researchers. People should be able to easily identify why specific content is being recommended to them or who paid for that political ad in their feed.
FRONT PAGE

An article on Thursday about a debate over presidential war powers misidentified which Senate committee voted on legislation repealing two authorizations for use of military force. It was the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, not the Senate Armed Services Committee.

An article on Friday about the response by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York after women accused him of sexual harassment described incorrectly Roberta A. Kaplans connection to the Times Up Legal Defense Fund. Ms. Kaplan is a founder of the fund, but does not run it.

Two picture captions with an article on Friday about worsening famine conditions caused by the pandemic misidentified a location in South Africa. The photos were taken in Duncan Village, South Africa, not Douglas Village.

Because of an editing error, an article on Friday about the restoration and strengthening of tailpipe emissions regulations from the Obama era described incorrectly Washington States timeline for transitioning to low-emissions vehicles. While the states legislature set 2030 as the year when only the sale of low-emissions vehicles would be permitted, the measure was vetoed by Gov. Jay Inslee. State officials are currently drafting new requirements.
Dr. Marc Lieberman, an ophthalmologist and self-proclaimed Jewish Buddhist who, when he wasnt treating glaucoma, organized a dialogue between Jewish scholars and the Dalai Lama, and who later brought sight back to thousands of Tibetans stricken by cataracts, died on Aug. 2 at his home in San Francisco. He was 72.

His son, Michael, said the cause was prostate cancer.

Dr. Lieberman, who called himself a JuBu, retained his Jewish faith but incorporated aspects of Buddhist teachings and practices. He kept kosher and observed the sabbath, but he also meditated several times a day. He studied the Torah, but he also led efforts to build a Buddhist monastery in Northern California.

If it seemed like a contradiction to some, he was OK with that, seeing in both religions a complementary pursuit of truth and path away from worldly suffering.

Im a healthy mosaic of Judaism and Buddhism, Dr. Lieberman said in an interview with The Los Angeles Times in 2006. Is that fair to either religion? Fair schmair! Its what I am.
Mr. Vances adherence to some of the most extreme views of Trump supporters shows how the former president, despite losing the White House and Congress for his party, retains the support of fanatically loyal voters, who echo his resentments and disinformation and force most Republican candidates to bend a knee.

Yet Mr. Vances flip-flops over policy and over Mr. Trumps demagogic style may not prove disqualifying with Ohio primary-goers when they vote next spring, according to strategists. Although Mr. Vances U-turn might strike some as too convenient in an era when voters quickly sniff out inauthenticity, it is also true that his political arc resembles that of many Republicans who voted grudgingly for Mr. Trump in 2016, but after four years cemented their support. (Mr. Vance has said he voted third-party in 2016.)

Will he be able to overcome his past comments on Trump and square that with the G.O.P. base? Maybe, said Michael Hartley, a Republican strategist in Ohio who is not working for any of the Senate candidates. He added that Mr. Vance had the lived experience to address policies that lift working-class people in a way that others cannot.

Mr. Vance, 37, who lives with his wife and two young sons in Cincinnati, has carefully seeded the ground for his candidacy, appearing frequently on podcasts and news shows with far-right influencers of the Trump base, including Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka.

In interviews, speeches and on social media, he has become a culture warrior. He threatened to make Big Tech pay for putting conservatives in Facebook jail, and he mocked Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after the four-star general said he sought to understand white rage in the wake of the assault on the Capitol.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas said on Sunday that he had made a mistake in signing a law banning mask mandates in his state.

It was an error to sign that law. I admit that, Mr. Hutchinson, a Republican, said on the CBS program Face the Nation.

Arkansas, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, has seen cases approach last winters surge counts. It now has a seven-day rolling average of 2,351 new daily cases.

Facts change, and leaders have to adjust to the new facts and the reality of what you have to deal with, Mr. Hutchinson said. Whenever I signed that law, our cases were low, we were hoping that the whole thing was gone, in terms of the virus, but it roared back with the Delta variant.
KABUL, Afghanistan  The Taliban seized a major strategic and propaganda prize early Sunday, capturing the crucial northern commercial hub of Kunduz and then breaking through in two other regional capitals later the same day.

The rapid fall of Afghan cities on Sunday  including Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul and Taliqan, all northern capitals  comes just weeks before U.S. forces were set to complete a total withdrawal from Afghanistan. It is a crucial challenge for President Biden, who in recent weeks has insisted the American pullout would continue despite the Talibans advances.

After sweeping through the countrys rural areas, the insurgents military campaign has shifted to brutal urban combat in recent weeks. They have pushed into the edges of major cities like Kandahar and Lashkar Gah in the south and Herat in the west.
Taliban fighters captured another northern provincial capital on Sunday afternoon, local officials said, marking the third city to fall to the insurgent group in a single day.

The fighters had been contained at the gates of Taliqan, the capital of Takhar Province, since June. But as the Kunduz city center fell to the Taliban on Sunday, the insurgents moved into Taliqan, just a few miles away, pushing back government forces there in a bout of vicious fighting.

By sunset, the Taliban had seized the police headquarters and the provincial governors office, said an Afghan official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation.

Keramatullah Rustaqi, a Takhar provincial council member, said that the city had fallen to the Taliban and that security forces left Taliqan to retreat to Farkhar, a neighboring district.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been canceled, officials said Sunday, citing the exponential growth of new Covid cases in New Orleans and the region.

The festival, normally held in the spring, had been rescheduled for Oct. 8 to 17 in the hope that vaccinations would make the event possible. Ticket holders will receive emails soon outlining refund options.

Reported cases hit a record high this month in Louisiana, with the state reporting an average of 4,600 new cases a day in the past week, according to a New York Times database. Hospitalizations are up 140 percent to a daily average of 2,037, and deaths have risen 193 percent to an average of 30 a day.

Louisiana reinstated indoor mask mandates this month to try to help contain the infections that have been fueled by the states low vaccination rate and the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus. Only 37 percent of the states population has been fully vaccinated, according to New York Times data.
ATHENS  Huge wildfires raged for a sixth day on Sunday in several parts of Greece, forcing thousands more people from their homes and razing vast tracts of forestland, with even more countries having stepped in to help the Greek firefighting effort.

Wildfires were also still blazing in nearby Turkey, where at least eight people have died, as well as in other parts of Europe, which is enduring a protracted heat wave and drought that have created tinderbox conditions.

On Sunday morning, the Greek authorities ordered the evacuation of four more villages in northern Evia, an island northeast of Athens, but many residents stayed behind in a desperate effort to protect their homes. State television aired video footage of residents and firefighters using water hoses and tree branches to try to put out the advancing flames.

Hundreds more people were evacuated from Evia by ferry on Sunday, with televised images showing large clouds of gray smoke hanging over the island and blotting out the sun. Coast guard vessels remained on standby to move residents and vacationers to safety. And bulldozers were being used to create firebreaks on the outskirts of thick forests, in an attempt to stop the flames from overtaking them.
New Deal Makes Belgian Players Eligible for World Series of Poker 2021

Published August 7, 2021 by Lee R

The Belgium market will get a diverse boost from GGPoker's new online poker deal.

GGPoker has announced its entry into the Belgian market via a regulated ggpoker.be site set to launch July 31.

The Deal

The new licensed site enables registered players to play on the GGPoker Network.

The Dealmakers

Belgian Gaming Commission DebaSquare will operate the GGPoker.be site, with GGPoker's partnering on the project with Belgian poker company Concept Booth, operator of both poker clubs and GGP marketing events in Belgium.

WSOP Opportunity

Participation gives Belgian players the opportunity to win a World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet in the upcoming WSOP Online Series 2021, and enter the Las Vegas-based WSOP Main Event a first-time opportunity for Belgian players.

It will also allow them to qualify for the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas from their home country.

GGPoker Rep Speaks

GGPoker Head of Europe Marco Trucco expressed his happiness at bringing our poker product and innovation to the underserved Belgian market. Our partnership with a local company run by experienced poker event organizers...connecting with people and genuine communities who share our passion for poker.

Concept Booth Rep Speaks

Concept Booth BV Founder Kristof De Deken expressed delight at partnering with GGPoker in Belgium. Our company has been active in live and online poker for many years. The Belgian market is more than ready to welcome a new and attractive online poker provider.

Organisational Goal

De Deken looked forward to the deal strengthening the Belgian market and making it more appealing for Belgian players, identifying the highlights of the new site's brand as "safe and controlled player environment, a premium user experience and local integration.

Belgium Market Grows

This deal fits in with Belgian market growth, as the regulator revealed that total active licensees in the country for 2020 was 15,997, up from 15,607 in 2019.

Gross gaming revenue for casino games for full year 2020 were up 16.1% year-on-year to 326.5m, with iGaming leading the contributions at 205.1m compared to a 121.4m contribution from Belgium's land-based operators.

Outlook

The inclusion of the new ggpoker.be site clearly bolsters the Belgium market expansion, with the access to the global WSOP network directly paving the way for shared liquidity pools, representing a whole other avenue of expansion and engagement for Belgium's players.
Ronette Hodges Collins, age 80, of Salado, Texas went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, the 7th of August, 2021. Ronette was on born on Valentine's Day in 1941 in Crosbyton, Texas, along with her twin brother Ronald. Ronette and Ron were the last born of eight children to Talmage H
The McLean County Museum of History continues its work to preserve the photographic history of McLean County with the introduction of the Public Life in McLean County Collection in the Illinois Digital Archives (www.idaillinois.org).

This new collection holds over 15,000 images (and still growing) of schools, clubs, civic organizations and other aspects of public life. With the addition of Public Life, the historical image collections now total more than 100,000 images, and include the Pantagraph Negatives Collections, the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project and Architecture in McLean County.

Over $300,000 has been spent in the preservation of our photographic history in the past three years, but just a small part of the work has been completed. The negatives freezer (built with grant and museum funds) holds hundreds of thousands more images waiting to be digitized.

Several museum employees are involved in this work, writing grants, preserving the physical and digital artifacts, and creating records for each image. The generosity of the public in supporting the museum with donations, bequests and memberships is essential for this work to continue.

Within every image held by the museum is the story of a life, place or organization that can be teased out into the light, giving new dimension to our understanding of McLean Countys past. Among the dozens of images preserved from the Bloomington 1925 Pageant of Progress is that of a man standing beside a card table filled with candy and a placard: Will Gibbons Candy Stand. His table stands out in contrast to the elaborate booths of local manufacturers and stores for its simplicity.

Our question today is: Why did a candy seller have a booth at the Pageant of Progress?

Will Gibbons was born in 1893 in Lee County, the son of Edward and Jennie Gillespie Gibbons. Jennie Gibbons died in 1902, and Edward remarried two years later. In 1908 Gibbons came to live with a relative in Bloomington, but within two years Gibbons was homeless after the death of this relative. Thrown out upon the world, this teenager began his life as a small-business owner in Bloomington.

Gibbons worked as a newsboy in Bloomington in the 1910s. He may have taken on this work because of physical impairments he was born with. His condition affected his ability to speak and walk. He called himself crippled, as did the people around him. Perceptions of his abilities would affect his life in Bloomington for bad and for good.

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In 1917 Mayor Edwin E. Jones received several letters from citizens who were disturbed by Gibbons work as a newsboy. Newsboys in Bloomington, like newsboys everywhere, called their papers or shouted out the headlines. The complaining citizens said his grimace and his wailing call were a menace to unborn children. Their demand was that he be removed from the streets and silenced.

Rather than call out this superstitious humbug and callousness, Jones told Gibbons that he could no longer call his newspapers. Even when a petition signed by 622 people was presented to Jones by the Park Methodist Church minister, Jones refused to allow Gibbons to call his newspapers.

In the following years Gibbons operated newsstands and candy stands in various downtown locations. He lived for many years in downtown hotels like the American, at 210 W. Washington St., and the Phoenix Hotel, at 312 N. Main St. Living in a hotel, Gibbons would have eaten all his meals in local restaurants, where most likely he would meet and socialize with other people.

He attended Holy Trinity Church and at the farewell service for Father Thomas Muleady of St. Patricks in 1927, Gibbons was one of several speakers. Unlike the citizens who objected to Gibbons voice and mannerisms, people who knew Gibbons found traits to admire in him.

Gibbons attended the Catholic grade schools in Dixon, Illinois, and was a business man in his own right, selling tonics in a basement stand at the Bloomington Hotel, operating a newsstand at the Corn Belt Drug Store and selling candy and novelties from a cart in downtown Bloomington. He would have dealt with suppliers, kept his accounts, and planned his business strategy. In other words, Gibbons had the skills necessary to run a small business.

In 1927 Gibbons threw his hat into the political ring and ran for city treasurer. He won handily, with 4,784 votes, and the Pantagraph noted the large number of boosters who promoted his candidacy. The second Republican candidate, William Orendorff, had just 2,682 votes.

Gibbons ran three more times for public office (coroner, treasurer and superintendent of streets) and was elected treasurer again in 1931. Gibbons had gone from being a man chased from the streets to being the man who collected the taxes at City Hall.

In 1939, Maj. Edward L. Dyer, a veteran of the Spanish American War and World War I, gave a speech in Washington, D.C., advocating for euthanasia of the aged poor and incurable cripples as a solution to the relief problem. This speech was reported in newspapers all over the United States. Letters criticizing this speech, given so far away, were received at the Pantagraph for days afterward, most disputing the morality of his suggestions.

Another letter came from Gibbons, who spoke in very simple language advocating for the value of his own life: "I read the article in your paper about Major Dyer. A man or woman wants to live as long as possible regardless of age. I am 45 years old and was born a cripple and I like life. No matter how handicapped the individual may be, a life is a life."

Two years later Gibbons died at the age of 47 at St. Josephs Hospital. The Pantagraph remembered him as a man admired for his indominatable (sic) will to make his own way in the world . . . (with) a keen mind and keen sense of humor.

Pieces From Our Past is a weekly column by the McLean County Museum of History. Rochelle Gridley is archivist assistant at the museum.

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SPRINGFIELD  The state's unclaimed property program reunited $226 million with its rightful owners last year.

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced last week that an estimated 174,000 people were beneficiaries of the program in 2020 despite a sagging economy and the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The treasurer's office controls the property when it's discovered until the owner can be found. Property can include unpaid life insurance, forgotten bank accounts and even rebate cards.

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"Too many people unknowingly are separated from their money and other valuables," Frerichs said in a prepared statement. "It is our job to fix that."

The average amount returned during the 2021 fiscal year, which ended June 30, was $1,000.

The program, made law in 1961, was assigned to the treasurer's office in 1999. Since Frerichs took office in 2015, the state has returned $1.2 billion in 790,000 claims.

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Photo: (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Ahead of her criminal trial for wire fraud, Elizabeth Holmes, the CEO and founder of the biotech company Theranos, has welcomed her first baby with partner Billy Evans.

The boy, named William Holmes Evan, was born on July 10, per records obtained by ABC News. In March, the Theranos CEO's lawyers requested the courts to move her criminal trial for 12 counts of wire fraud from July 13 to late August because of the pregnancy.

In a statement, the lawyers said that they have met with the parties concerned and have agreed to a new date for the jury selection on August 31. Holmes' trial was supposed to have been underway earlier but the pandemic has delayed the process several times.

If the businesswoman is convicted, she could get a 20-year prison time. However, during the arraignment, Holmes told the judge that she was not guilty of the charges.

Read Also: Paris Hilton Pregnancy: Heiress Admits Babies Good To Go After Having IVF Procedure

Elizabeth Holmes' Multimillion-Dollar Scheme

In 2003, Holmes launched Theranos, which offered a breakthrough technology that would "democratize healthcare." Her idea was to provide a system that will make blood tests less invasive on patients but significantly helpful to medical workers. Despite doubts about the invention, Holmes became a celebrated media darling as a woman leading a company making an innovative leap in medical diagnostics.

With Theranos' promise, Holmes was able to secure billions in investments to boost Theranos' operations. The company partnered with established medical agencies like the Cleveland Clinic and Capital BlueCross, and forged patents in the U.S. and across the world. But a story broke about the company's fraudulent activities that triggered investigations from the authorities.

In March 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Holmes and Theranos president Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani for organizing years of fraudulent activities. The CEO denied any wrongdoing but reached a settlement with the SEC. After paying half a million in penalties, Holmes was also barred from holding office as company officer for 10 years.

After the settlement, the San Francisco's U.S. Attorney's Office then filed a lawsuit against the Theranos' bosses for 12 felony charges of wire fraud. Holmes' trial was originally slated for early 2020 while Balwani's day in court will not start until January 2022.

Motherhood: Another Manipulation?

However, upon learning of Holmes' pregnancy and the birth, the prosecutors expressed frustration and disappoinment. Lawyers of the defense, on the other hand, said that they plan to provide a "quiet room" for Holmes during the trial so she could breastfeed and tend to her newborn.

Caroline Polisi, a defense lawyer following and analyzing the case, said that Holmes' new baby could "really help her" case. In the podcast The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes on Trial, Polisi shared that being a new and young mother who will be needed by her son will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the trial.

Fellow defense lawyer Jose Baez thinks that this is another manipulation that will backfire on Holmes. He said that the jury does not like being manipulated. John Carreyrou, the Wall Street journalist who broke the story on the fraud, said that there have been allegations Holmes timed her pregnancy so she could get the sympathy of the jury and the judge.

Related Article: High School Principal Told To Take Down Photos Where He's Kissing His Wife
The Minister for Transport, Hon. Kweku Ofori Asiamah, made history on Thursday, July 29, 2021, by becoming the first Ghanaian to be elected Chair of the prestigious Maritime Organization for West and Central Africa (MOWCA).



He took over from Hon. Khouraichi Thiam from the Republic of Senegal.



The historic election took place during the 8th Bureau of Ministers and 15th General Assembly of MOWCA held in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.



His Excellency Hon. Bai Lamin Jobe, Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure of The Gambia emerged as First Vice-Chairman while the Minister in charge of Transport and Maritime in the Republic of Congo emerged 2nd Vice-Chair.



The Central African Republic was also elected as the Rapporteur.



Following his election, Mr. Asiamah is expected to oversee the affairs of the 46-year-old organization which is made up of twenty-five (25) countries.



One of the main challenges he has to fix immediately upon assumption of office is the election of a Secretary-General as the Kinshasa conference failed to elect one following the confirmation of the end of tenure of Mr. Alaine Michelle Luvambano.



Mr. Luvambano served as Secretary-General of MOWCA from 2011 to 2021. He was mandated to hand over to an Interim Secretary-General soonest. The MOWCA Rule and Procedures provides that the position of Secretary-General is held for a term of four years and renewable only once for another four years.



It is anticipated that a new Secretary-General will emerge at an extraordinary meeting expected to be convened by Mr. Asiamah within the next six months to man the day-to-day activities of the organization.



The Maritime Organization for the West and Central Africa (MOWCA) was established in 1975 (Charter of Abidjan) as the Ministerial Conference of West and Central African States on Maritime Transport (MINCONMAR). The name was changed to MOWCA as part of reforms adopted by the General Assembly of Ministers of Transport, at an extraordinary session of the Organization held in Abidjan, the Republic of La Cote DIvoire from August 4-6, 1999.



The Objective of MOWCA is to serve the regional and international community for handling all maritime matters that are regional in character.



MOWCA unifies 25 countries on the West and Central African shipping range, inclusive of five landlocked countries. These countries comprise of 20 coastal states bordering the North and South Atlantic Ocean, and to explain the maritime link for landlocked countries the ports of the Ocean interfacing countries provide the seaborne trade of those that are landlocked.



At the Kinshasa conference, the 25-member country organization discussed how best to harness their potentials for member states and regional economic growth even in the face of a ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.



Countries were unanimous about forging a stronger front for enhanced maritime security while still considering matters relating to the establishment of a Regional Maritime Development Bank for ease of access to financing maritime assets and infrastructure.



Ghanas delegation to the Kinshasa conference was led by the Ag. Chief Director at the Ministry of Transport, Mrs. Mabel Sagoe, who received the staff of office on behalf of Mr. Asiamah.

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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National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, is set to continue in his role as chairman of the seven member board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).



Freddie Blay served in the same role during the first term administration of President Akufo-Addo, between 2017 and 2021.



Kwabena Kwakye, who also served on the seven member GNPC board through the first term government of President Akufo-Addo, is expected to remain on the board.



Noted absentee



Noted absentee on the GNPC board this time round would be Nana Adjoa Hackman, Managing Partner of Africa Legal Associates (ALA), and a Director at Asaase Broadcasting Company Limited (owners of Asaase Radio). She served as the chairperson of the legal & governance sub-committee on the GNPC board.



As a result of her outstanding performance, she received high praises from the CEO and head of the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA), Stephen Asamoah Boateng, for her dedication to the course of GNPC.



Recent GNPC Achievement



The state-owned oil company in the areas of transparency and accountability was recently ranked the best governed national oil company (NOC) in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as the fifth (5th) best governed NOC globally.



Furthermore, GNPC according to the 2017 Resource Governance Index (RGI) of the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) is adjudged the 8th best state-owned enterprise globally out of 74 state-owned enterprises assessed by the RGI.



GNPC, Aker Energy, AGM partnership



Government through the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has initiated the process expected to lead to the acquisition 37% interest in the Deep Water Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) operated by Aker Energy Ghana Limited and 70% stake in the South Deepwater Tano (SDWT) operated by AGM Petroleum Ghana Limited which will ultimately result in the establishment of a joint operating company between Aker Energy, AGM and GNPC Explorco.



GNPC acknowledges that it will need some capacity building in order to become an operator on its own. The process requires a major oil company willing to travel on this learning route with GNPC. Partnership with AKER Energy and AGM, with proven deep water capabilities, provides such opportunity for the national oil company to develop operator capabilities.



GNPC proposes to partner with Aker Energy/AGM to jointly develop the DWT/CTP and SDWT blocks. The two companies, with a wealth of deep water experience and the requisite technology, are keen to entering into this arrangement with GNPC.



The existing discoveries by Aker Energy and AGM (the Pecan and Nyankom fields) are by far the largest discoveries in Ghana, and the only ones that can be developed as stand-alone developments. This partnership has the potential to add more than 200,000 barrels of crude oil to Ghanas current production within the next 4 to 5 years.



The mission ahead



The Freddie Blay board is expected to support the management of GNPC, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Dr K.k. Sarpong, to ensure that the mandate of the GNPC which is to undertake the exploration, development, production and disposal of petroleum and their objectives which are to promote the exploration and the orderly and planned development of the petroleum resources of Ghana, to ensure that Ghana obtains the greatest possible benefits from the development of its petroleum resources, to obtain the effective transfer to Ghana of appropriate technology relating to petroleum operations, to ensure the training of citizens of Ghana and the development of national capabilities in all aspects of petroleum operations and to ensure that petroleum operations are conducted in such a manner as to prevent adverse effects on the environment, resources and people of Ghana, are achieved.



GNPC



The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is Ghanas National Oil Company (NOC), established in 1983 by PNDC Law 64, to support the governments objective of providing adequate and reliable supply of petroleum products and reducing the countrys dependence on crude oil imports, through the development of the countrys own petroleum resources.



The Petroleum [Exploration and Production] Law, 1984, PNDC Law 84, was subsequently enacted to provide the regulatory framework for the exploitation of the countrys hydrocarbon resources. PNDC Law 84, establishes the contractual relationship among the state, GNPC and prospective investors in upstream petroleum operations.



This law also grants GNPC the right of entry into any open acreage to undertake exploration activities. The corporation, which started operations in 1985, is partner in all petroleum agreements in Ghana. GNPC is also the national gas sector aggregator in Ghana, and aims to supply efficient fuel to meet Ghanas increasing energy needs.



After the inception of GNPC in 1983, technical assistance was sought from Braspetro, the international subsidiary of the Brazilian National Petroleum Corporation (Petrobras) under UNDP sponsorship in 1985 for the preparation of a strategic organizational plan and recommendations for institutional capacity building.



The organizational plan approved by the Board of Directors involved five main functional divisions and four staff departments. Reviews of the structure have since taken place and currently incorporate a wider scope of activities consistent with our current strategy.



The current staff strength is 300. GNPC has a seven-member Board of Directors, appointed by the Ghana Government, which exercises oversight responsibility over the corporation, giving it policy direction.



Frederick Blay



Frederick Armah Blay, popularly called Freddie Blay, is a Ghanaian lawyer and a politician. He was a Member of Parliament for the Ellembele constituency in the Western Region for years, and served as the First Deputy Speaker in the Fourth Parliament of Ghana.



He lost his seat in the general elections held on 7 December 2008 to Armah Kofi Buah of the NDC. He was a member of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), but resigned to join the New Patriotic Party after being criticized by some CPP stalwarts for not campaigning for the CPP flagbearer Paa Kwesi Nduom, instead endorsing the NPPs presidential candidate then, Nana Akufo-Addo. Between 2017 and January 2021, he served as the board chair of GNPC even though issues were raised over a party chairman chairing the national oil company.

Source: asaaseradio.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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Sascha Heist is a Penticton gamer. He has reviewed video games for The Herald since 2009. Feel free to contact Sascha at: sggall@telus.net with gaming questions and more.

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The State Ports Authority is leasing additional space near its inland cargo hub in Greer to handle the overload of imported goods moving through that facility.

The maritime agency's board of directors agreed Aug. 6 to spend $711,400 in rent for two properties near the Upstate Inland Port where empty import containers will be stored, freeing up space on the terminal so loaded boxes can be moved more swiftly.

The lease term for both sites is for one year, with a month-to-month extension option afterward.

Imports at the Port of Charleston are spiking because consumers are buying more overseas-made goods from online retailers. Barbara Melvin, the SPA's vice president of operations, said the port isn't expecting a slowdown until at least Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 1.

The Greer site will also undergo a $28 million expansion in the coming months that will include more space to stack containers, improvements to the rail track, a bigger chassis yard and construction of a third rail line where Norfolk Southern trains can be marshaled before theyre loaded.

Part of the expansion will be funded from about half of the proceeds from a $25 million federal grant. The rest will come from port revenues.

The Inland Port in Greer is along Interstate 85. It set a record in fiscal 2021, which ended June 30, by moving 157,852 20-foot cargo boxes between trucks and trains  a nearly 13 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.

Along with retailers like Dollar Tree, the site serves manufacturers such as tiremakers Michelin and Continental and the BMW automotive plant in Spartanburg County.

The SPA's other Inland Port in Dillon also set a record for moving cargo along the Interstate 95 corridor. The Pee Dee site moved 35,002 containers between trucks and CSX Corp. trains last fiscal year, for a nearly 8 percent gain.

Retail therapy

Increasing interest in Camp Hall Commerce Park has owner Santee Cooper looking to fill out the development's retail side that will cater to workers at the 3,950-acre property.

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The state-owned electric and water utility has hired commercial real estate firm Lee & Associates to market the site's village center. The project is described as "a collection of small businesses designed to help balance work with the necessities of daily life  connecting the workforce to everyday errands, to nature and to each other."

The village center is expected to include a convenience store, health care providers, a gas station with electric vehicle chargers, a bank, a fitness center and wireless internet connectivity.

The business park's fire station and emergency management services will also be located in the development. Other planned amenities include a park, a playground and walking and biking trails.

More cargo at the Port of Charleston combined with a dwindling number of industrial sites along the Interstate 26 corridor is putting Camp Hall on more developers radar. Santee Cooper recently gained approval to sell 217.6 acres to a pair of businesses looking to build speculative warehouse space.

Camp Hall is in Berkeley County adjacent to the Volvo Cars manufacturing campus, where S60 sedans are built. The park's tracts range from 7 acres to 700 acres and all have zoning and wetlands permits, with utilities in place or underway. The site is expected to be home to as many as 10,000 jobs when fully developed.

It's a runaway?

Federal safety regulators are looking into reports that some Sprinters built at the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant in North Charleston can slip out of park and roll away.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said last week it's fielded 11 complaints about the issue, including eight crashes and one injury, according to the Associated Press. One Sprinter rolled into a house in Salt Lake City and the injury occurred in Pittsburgh, but the complaint did not include additional information, according to the AP report on Aug. 6.

All of the vans were from the 2019 model year.

The safety administration said it will investigate the cause of the problem and might issue a recall. Mercedes said it's cooperating in the investigation.
There are "three C's" that reliably play well with readers of the lifestyle magazine Southern Living: Charleston, Christmas and cake.

A new holiday-themed, weekend-long event that makes its debut this December will pair at least two of them.

"I'm sure we're going to find a way to throw a cake in there, too," said Doug Warner of Explore Charleston, the tourism marketing group that, along with the nonprofit Historic Charleston Foundation, is working with the magazine to host "Illumination Charleston" Dec. 25.

Charleston's Meeting Street visitor center, which reopened last fall after a major renovation, will be the central venue for the weekend. The front parking lot will be tented, and a stage will be put there to host cooking demonstrations, Warner said.

Inside, part of the center will become a holiday pop-up market with goods picked by "tastemakers" featured in the magazine over the last few years.

The annual "tastemakers" list features women who, in the publication's words, "make the South a more beautiful place." They include business owners, designers, artists and bloggers.

This year, Stephanie Summerson Hall of Summerville, founder of Estelle Colored Glass, was named on the list. Their 2020 lineup included Molly Fienning, a Charlestonian who founded the Red Clay Hot Sauce food brand.

More than 30 of those honorees plan to be at the market, according to Southern Living's recent announcement, and the items being sold will have been "curated and created" by them.

Behind the visitor center under the bus shed, the Charleston-based, Grammy-winning band Ranky Tanky will perform a concert that Saturday. Tickets will include barbecue and local beverages.

"This is just the kind of event we had in mind when we took on renovating the building," said Warner, who led that project.

Prior to the renovation and before the impact of COVID-19, foot traffic at the center had been going down even as the total number of travelers who were coming to Charleston was going up. Part of the goal of the remodel was to bring more tourists to the hospitality hub.

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The center is meant to be a resource for visitors, but it's also a tool for "tourism management." More tourists coming to the center means more opportunities to get the right information into their hands, such as where they should park and where to find public restrooms.

The trio of organizing groups had tourism management in mind when they were mapping out this event weekend, Warner said. Events will mostly be concentrated in and around the center.

The Aiken-Rhett House Museum, where Historic Charleston will host the opening night party, is a short walk away. The Second Presbyterian Church, where talks will be held with architecture and design experts, is also nearby on Meeting Street.

Historic Charleston will also offer a Sunday morning tour at the Nathaniel Russell House, which will be decorated for the holidays.

All of the events require tickets, which start at $75. Tickets can be purchased a la carte or in packages.

There will be an element of the event that's free for the public to enjoy, though, Warner said.

Southern Living is helping to sponsor an "elevated holiday light experience" for King Street, along with other "lighting vignettes" at a few downtown spots, including the S.C. Aquarium, the Cistern at the College of Charleston, Marion Square and the visitor center, Warner said, all aligning with the theme of "Illumination Charleston."

"It's going to be an elevated lighting package for King Street we have not had in a long time  if ever," he said.

Warner said they're hoping this can become an annual event.

Early December falls in the window that's typically slower for tourism in Charleston, he said, so the sector could use the boost that a successful special event can give, especially as it recovers from pandemic-related losses.
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COLUMBIA  The coming years have the potential to take the historic Five Points neighborhood and quickly remake it with new residents and businesses.

A set of redevelopment and street projects, combined with tighter rules for most of its bars that attract a college-aged crowd, seem to promise a very different neighborhood than it has been in the past decade.

The big projects could help fill some of the more than 30 vacant smaller storefronts in the district, which includes some closed college bars. At the same time, a major revamping of its streets and intersections is intended to make it more safe and friendly for pedestrians.

"In five years you are going to see a completely different place," said state Rep. Seth Rose, whose district includes Five Points.

Others see more changes needed to transform one of Columbia's oldest neighborhoods.

I think were putting the pieces of the puzzle together," said City Council member Daniel Rickenmann, who has been outspoken about the need for a more business-friendly approach for the neighborhood.

The key for several people involved in its future: bringing more people to the neighborhood in the daytime, whether in apartments, offices or a new hotel. Right now, the district is retail-oriented during the day and becomes University of South Carolina's major bar draw at night.

I believe that we need people living and working in this community to take it to the next level," said Amy Beth Franks, owner of The Gourmet Shop and former director of the Five Points Association.

Two major developments in the area in the next few years could do that.

New apartments and a hotel

One is at the former Wells Fargo bank site at Blossom Street and Saluda Avenue, one of the few available large real estate parcels in the neighborhood at 1.2 acres.

A proposed development plan for the site would include a hotel of more than 100 rooms, plus office space and a parking garage that includes spaces for the public.

The other is at 2221 Devine St., a six-story office building that is owned by the city. It has been working with a developer who is considering converting the building into apartments and retail space.

Neither developer for the project have been identified publicly.

Adding hotel guests, workers and more residents to the daytime mix in Five Points in the next few years would be a boon for the neighborhood's restaurants and shops, said Steve Cook, owner of Saluda's restaurant and a president of the association's board.

That just makes lunch so much more viable, it makes all the retail more vibrant, and they are going to stick around and have dinners or cocktail hours," Cook said.

Those people would fix what Franks called "the ecosystem" of Five Points, the balance between its daytime retail side and its nightlife. That balance got out of whack in recent years, she said.

Those big investments in the next few years might prompt more landowners to invest in their smaller properties in Five Points.

Open storefronts

Out-of-town tenants that seem to put no effort into their vacant properties are a problem, Cook said. There are more than 30 unoccupied retail sites in the neighborhood.

He points to one property within view of his restaurant that has been vacant for years. It's one of the spaces that is owned by disengaged landlords that don't seem very interested in finding a tenant or even returning calls, he said.

They might be hoping for a big offer to buy them out.

I think theyd rather squat on it and wait on a big check someday," Cook said.

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An owner has to spend some money to invest in their property, such as revamping a bar to work as a restaurant. Many owners don't want the risk of spending that money on the line, he said, but getting big projects to launch in the neighborhood could spur that to change.

Will Brennan, who represents the neighborhood on city council, said he has seen more spending on vacant properties lately.

"The owners are starting to reinvest in their buildings," he said.

There has to be more effort in the next few years to market those spaces, Rickenmann said. Someone wanting to convert a store space for a restaurant has to spend at least $40,000, and that's a high barrier on top of other new business expenses, he said.

For years, Cook said, it's seemed easier for owners to just lease their space to be a bar for the college crowd than deal with the trouble of a restaurant, which requires much more equipment and staff.

That could well change in the next few years as the S.C. Department of Revenue puts in tighter restrictions on how bars can operate as part of license renewals.

New world for bars

Eleven bars faced objections from residents of nearby neighborhoods to their license renewals. Two prominent places, Pavlov's and Moosehead Saloon, have closed, while most of the rest have been relicensed but with much tighter rules.

Those restrictions include installing high-tech identification scanners that are designed to detect fake IDs, which bar owners say are a problem of epidemic proportions. Other restrictions include limits on drink specials.

The new rules should cut down on binge drinking, which should be a major improvement, Rickenmann said.

Five Points always will have bars for the college crowd, Cook said. The next few years might see a return of places that are both restaurants and bars, in the style of now-departed neighborhood staples Yesterdays and Monterrey Jack's.

The owners of the side-by-side Breakers bars on Harden Street have said they intend to make their business more of a daytime restaurant, including lunch service. Another bar, Pinch, has been relicensed after telling neighbors it has similar plans.

Another major project that is likely to change Five Points is being led by the S.C. Transportation Department. Plans were unveiled Aug. 3 for a $4.85 million streetscaping project to improve pedestrian and bike safety.

Ideas rolled out in the plan include narrowing Harden Street to two lanes from four and using fencing down the middle of Harden to discourage risky jaywalking.

Some lanes would be switched to turn-only lanes, and intersections would be re-engineered for pedestrian safety with brighter crosswalks and revamped pedestrian signals.

While some early response to the streetscaping plan was enthusiastic, there's some concern about the fencing messing with the neighborhood's village vibe.

Parking and walking

Importantly for the Five Points merchants, the plan does not remove any parking spaces. As ever, said Katy Renfroe, association manager for Five Points, parking remains a issue.

Franks sees the public parking boost possible if a parking garage is built at the Wells Fargo site as a major asset for the neighborhood.

It's hard to get someone to start a new business in Five Points if they fear that parking will be a problem, she said.

There are so many things to worry about, parking doesnt need to be one of them," she said.

Rose believes the streetscaping, which is expected to be launched in 2022 and take less than one year, is vital to making the neighborhood more inviting, both to new businesses and those who might consider visiting the district during the day.

The neighborhood's streets can feel more like crossing an interstate than strolling through a village now, he said.

Instead, he hopes, the streetscaping and new investment can make Five Points a neighborhood where families with kids in strollers want to spend their time and dollars.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I MEAN. By Joan Didion. Knopf. 149 pages. $23.

Joan Didion, who is now 86, has not written a completely new book since Blue Nights in 2011. The essays collected in Let Me Tell You What I Mean did not make it into the Collected Essays of 2018. Still, second-best Didion is worth anyones while. Bring on the B-sides!

During the years when Didion was publishing these outtakes, she was also publishing her major early work, Slouching Toward Bethlehem as well as The White Album. Whatever her subject, Didion swings freely, as she always did and does. The only difference in the early pieces collected here is that she had no reputation yet to live up to or lose.

A few things everyone should know by now about Joan Didion: First, shes a native Californian, a child of the frontier. Her relatives were part of the Donner Party, but they broke away before the cannibalism. In her essays, she tells us about a non-progressive frontier. Things are not getting better. Instead, she spotlights a trail of unfinished business and broken promises. Society as she sees it is in a state of breakdown, best expressed in a fragmentary narrative.

Didion gives readers chunks of information and parts of stories but she does not pull the pieces together. As a young woman she wrote in The White Album, I began to doubt the premises of all the stories I had ever told myself. She leaves it to us readers to make a whole, if we can, out of these fragments. The through line is ours to discover, not hers to impose.

Half of the 12 pieces collected in Let Me Tell You What I Mean first saw print in the Saturday Evening Post, where Didion and her husband John Gregory Dunne shared a column (Points West) from 1964 to 1969. It might seem a strange publishing gig for Didion, given her early reputation for reporting on 1960s counterculture and dramatizing it in unforgettable scenes. Whats clear in these pieces is that she has a gift for straddling party lines and fitting in where you least expect to see her.

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The first essay is Alicia and the Underground Press. She begins by admitting that shes never read anything she needs to know in the underground press. One underground paper is much like another and none has much utility by Didions lights. But heres the nub of her admiration: It is the genius of these papers that they talk directly to their readers. They assume that the reader is a friend, that he is disturbed about something, and that he will understand if they talk to him straight. Underground papers are strident and brash, but they do not irritate.

Whatever her subject matter, Didions crisp, take-no-prisoners voice is unmistakable. We always know that an I is speaking to us. The 1968 essay A Trip to Xanadu takes on Didions home-state mythology, specifically William Randolph Hearsts California castle, San Simeon. Didion remembers as a child being told to watch for it from the highway and catching a glimpse of its Moorish towers and battlements, shimmering in the sun or floating fantastically just above the coastal fog.

Thinking of it now, she considers the frontier accessibility of the Hearsts and their "every man a king" promises. The Hearst castle is now owned by the state of California and hosts as many as four million visitors a year (this in 1968), and Didion finds the magic dimmed. Being physically available, it is no longer available to the imagination.

Why I Write is the most famous  and quoted  of the pieces collected in Let Me Tell You What I Mean. It is also the most confessional and self-critical. Writing is, Didion says, an aggressive, even a hostile act. ... It is the tactic of a secret bully, an invasion, the imposition of the writers sensibility on the readers most private space. The writer is always saying I, I, I. How bracing and strange it is to find that the young Didion, whose collage-like style leaves so much space for the readers imagination, should question her right to impose.

In his excellent introductory essay, Hilton Als calls Didion a carver of words in the granite of the specific. She is the girl who studied the famous first paragraph of Hemingways A Farewell to Arms when she was 12 or 13, hoping that one day she might herself arrange 126 words into four equally thrilling sentences. That girl grew up to write, Grammar is a piano I play by ear.
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Every year, property tax breaks doled out as economic development incentives cost the Berkeley County School District roughly the price of building a new high school.

Think around $80 million.

School districts across South Carolina collectively lost $472.3 million to economic incentive deals in 2020, and none lost more than Berkeley, according to district financial reports analyzed by The Post and Courier. Those incentive deals can last for decades, and the revenue losses have been growing.

The losses come about because South Carolina counties approved property tax breaks to attract large businesses, but most of the money comes from school districts that have no say in the decision making.

For example, tax incentive deals cost Berkeley County government $11.9 million last year, but those same county-approved incentives cost the Berkeley school district $79.5 million.

National watchdogs have taken notice. A report by the nonprofit Good Jobs First, which tracks subsidies, concluded that school districts in South Carolina lost more property tax revenue to economic development incentives than those in any other state. The report labeled the Palmetto State the top "loser" in the nation, based on school districts losing $422.9 million in 2019.

The reported losses jumped to $472.3 million in 2020, The Post and Courier found after reviewing the most recent annual financial reports from every district in the state.

Schools lose the most when businesses get incentives because school districts rely heavily on commercial property taxes and have far higher tax rates than cities and counties. Economic development officials argue that the foregone tax money isn't real because companies wouldn't have come if they had to pay those tax bills.

What I would say is, county government uses these incentives so that the county and school district will get additional revenue," said Berkeley County attorney and Deputy Supervisor John O. Williams II. I think the analogy thats used sometimes is that half a loaf of bread is better than no loaf of bread."

Critics agree that lots of bread is involved, but argue that local governments are just shifting the property tax burden from big businesses to small ones, and to renters and homeowners.

This whole system is a very demeaning message for public officials," said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First. "Like, 'we dont care about your infrastructure, quality of life or public universities  we just care about your tax breaks'  and of course, thats not true."

What's inarguably true is, under national accounting standards, the impact of those property tax incentive deals is counted as revenue lost, not gained.

And in South Carolina, it's relatively affluent, growing counties  not counties with high unemployment and shrinking populations  that have been giving away the most.

Many districts silent on issue

Steve Dykes, Charleston County's economic development director, said the county's use of economic incentives since the mid-1990s has helped create more than 36,500 new jobs. Those companies, he said, have paid $204.5 million to the Charleston School District since 1998.

Considering that the district's new Lucy Garrett Beckham High School cost $104 million, that suggests all the companies Charleston County attracted with tax breaks  over more than two decades  paid not quite enough in taxes to build two high schools. Meanwhile, county residents are paying extra sales tax to fund school construction.

So which is the correct perspective? According to Charleston County, the school district has collected an average of about $20 million yearly in new revenue, but according to the district's certified annual financial report it lost $32.5 million in 2020 alone due to economic incentives.

Both can be true, to a point. As long as counties choose to share the reduced tax payments with public schools, then schools receive tax money that didn't previously exist. However, because of tax breaks, the schools receive far less than they would have normally been owed. And it's all but impossible to prove that a company would have gone elsewhere if they didn't get the tax breaks.

Politically, school districts are in a difficult position. They have no say over the economic incentives counties approve, and counties have the power to decide if the school districts get a fair share of the money that remains after tax breaks are approved, or less, or none at all.

The Charleston County School District avoided taking a position.

Even though school districts dont have a seat at the decision-making table, we recognize the complexities of developing a tax structure that works for all segments of our states economy," district spokesman Andrew Pruitt said in a written statement. "We depend on our county government and state officials to balance economic development and the recruitment for new jobs with the revenue to provide the needed services that follow, including quality public education."

According to the national Good Jobs First study, the amount for foregone tax money reported by the Berkeley, Greenville and Charleston school districts put all three of them among the top 10 "loser" school districts in the nation.

In 2020, The Post and Courier found, the amount of foregone revenue grew.

The Berkeley school district, despite multiple requests over several weeks, would not substantively comment on the issue. The district declined to support or challenge Berkeley County's position that the school district benefits financially from the businesses that received tax breaks.

In 2019, Berkeley County Council approved rules that do guarantee the school district a large share of the fees paid instead of property taxes. So the businesses the county attracted with tax breaks do provide revenue for the school district, but last year it amounted to nearly $80 million less than the businesses would have owed the district otherwise.

Behind the Berkeley school district's nearly $80 million in 2020 lost revenue, Greenville lost $44 million and Charleston lost $32.5 million, followed by the Spartanburg, Anderson and Aiken districts. Statewide, 14 of the 79 school districts reported more than $10 million in foregone revenue.

"We are fortunate that Greenville County has divided the FILOT (fee in lieu of tax revenue) proportionally with the school district," said Tim Waller, spokesman for the Greenville district. "This is not the case in every county in the state."

The room where it happened

The economic incentives at issue all began in the 1980s, and Harry Miley Jr. was in the room where it happened.

Miley, the chief financial officer in the Richland 2 School District, was a senior assistant to Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr. when the state approved fee-in-lieu-of-tax incentives and multicounty industrial parks. Those incentives eliminate property taxes for large businesses, and put counties in control of the reduced fees that are paid instead.

"We helped write those," said Miley, who chaired the Board of Economic Advisors under Campbell and Gov. David Beasley.

They had good intentions, but they morphed over the years," he said.

Here's how the combination of property tax breaks awarded by county governments can work together:

First, a fee-in-lieu-of-tax deal is approved for the business property. That eliminates all property tax, replacing it with a fixed fee that's much lower than the property taxes would have been, for decades. School districts are supposed to get a proportionate share of the fee.

Next, the business property can be designated as part of a multicounty business park. Doing so gives the county government control of all the fee money. School districts could receive a proportionate amount, or none at all, at the county's discretion.

Finally, businesses that pay the reduced fees can get some of the money back through another incentive called special source revenue credits, to help them pay for the development for which they are receiving the tax breaks. The rebates can pay for infrastructure, such as roads and sewer lines to serve the development. For example, $6.5 million of the fees paid by Volvo in Berkeley County are being used for Volvo's development-related infrastructure.

As the system has evolved, its like theres a room full of tables with money sitting on them, and the companies get to walk through and take what they want," said LeRoy.

Miley said the property tax incentives were prompted after an Upstate paper company moved to Georgia in the 1980s, ostensibly because of South Carolina property taxes, which hit manufacturers particularly hard. Statewide, manufacturers have been taxed on 10.5 percent of what their property is worth, compared to 6 percent for most businesses and rental housing, and 4 percent for owner-occupied homes.

The incentives were aimed at leveling the playing field, in terms of property taxes, so that manufacturers wouldn't be assessed at higher rates than other commercial properties. But as years passed, the incentives have grown both more generous and more common.

These days, hardly a month goes by without counties approving tax breaks for new or expanding companies, and the combination of tax breaks can result in a manufacturer effectively paying rates lower than a homeowner.

Statewide, the property tax loss for all school districts climbed from $323.9 million in 2017 to $472.3 million in 2020.

There is a good argument that if you take all the economic incentives away, there would be less investment in the area," said Miley. "That is a legitimate statement.

The counter argument is, did you really need to give them a 100 percent tax credit where nobody collects a dime for 20 years?" he said. When you give a tax incentive, youre basically shifting the burden to someone else for a while."

Quite a long while

The FILOT deals that replace property tax bills with lower, fixed fees last for up to 40 years and are available to new or expanding businesses investing as little as $1 million, according to the S.C. Department of Revenue. Very large companies can get a deal that lasts for 50 years.

"Fees in lieu of taxes are inherently problematic for school districts," said Waller. "The practice allows one elected body to bargain away the taxes that would be due to another elected body without the involvement of the second body in the name of economic development."

He said such agreements tend to shift the tax burden to small businesses while raising costs for school districts. That's because new businesses tend to bring more people to an area and their children need schools, but owner-occupied homes are exempt from school district operating taxes in South Carolina.

If there's only a FILOT deal, the school district gets a proportionate share of the money. There's less tax money, but if the school district accounted for 60 percent of a property tax bill, it would get 60 percent of the reduced fee paid instead.

When the FILOT deals are paired up with the multicounty business park tax break, counties get control over all the money. Officials in Greenville and Berkeley counties said their school districts still get a proportionate share, but that's not true everywhere and has been the subject of litigation.

The school district actually receives the bulk of the revenues from the multicounty industrial park in Berkeley County," said Williams.

Typically, there's no actual business park. Rather, local governments simply designate a business property as being part of a multicounty park. They are called multicounty parks because the concept was promoted as helping struggling rural counties, which usually get 1 percent of the fee money.

School districts stand to lose the most property tax revenue when deals are made, but towns and cities, technical colleges, park and recreation boards, and even the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia  any government branch that collects a property tax  can also lose money to tax incentive deals.

While financial statements count the economic incentives as lost tax revenue, Williams and others argue that the governments are getting more revenue than they would have otherwise.

Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb said that in recent years the county has been selective about which companies get tax breaks, favoring those that provide high-paying jobs or boost the tax base without putting demands on schools  Google's data center being one example.

We would characterize it as industry coming in and helping the school district and the county," said Cribb. "In the 2.5 years Ive been here, there hasnt been a project awarded that all parties wouldnt be happy with."

Counties hold all the cards

In 2001, the state Supreme Court decided, in a lawsuit involving Horry County Schools, that counties alone get to decide how the fee money is divided up in a multicounty business park scenario.

"The MCBP scheme allows the county to determine unilaterally what percentage of revenue derived from the fee in lieu to allocate to schools," the court's majority wrote. "Certainly nothing in the ballot question authorizing the constitutional amendment alerted voters that this result was possible. On the contrary, voters were assured by public officials that school funding would not be affected."

It was a ballot question approved by voters, the court noted, that made the tax scenario possible.

A county can negotiate a districts share of the pie down to zero percent," said Scott Price, executive director of the South Carolina School Boards Association.

About the only positive thing that's happened in recent years, he said, is that accounting standards changed to require school districts to report how much revenue those deals are costing. The rule, known as GASB-77, doesn't cover all economic incentives, but covers tax abatement deals, including FILOTs, multicounty parks and special source credits.

It doesnt make sense to us that another entity can negotiate away tax revenue," said Price.

Schools used to face the same challenge in South Carolina with another property tax scheme, the "tax increment financing district," or TIF. The way those used to work was a local government could draw lines on a map and declare the area a TIF district, and for many years any property tax revenue in that area, due to increases in property value, would be controlled by that local government.

Most of the money was property tax revenue that would have gone to the school district, and school districts were not allowed to opt out. In theory, the money was supposed to be used for improvements within the TIF districts  supposedly blighted areas  that would attract businesses and increase property values and therefore taxes. In practice, TIF districts allowed towns and cities to vacuum up property taxes that would have gone to school districts.

For example, the town of Mount Pleasant created a large TIF district in 2002 that included the site of the then-proposed Towne Centre shopping mall, and many other business districts in the town. Over 15 years, the town collected tens of millions of dollars in property tax that would have otherwise gone to the Charleston School District, and used it for things including roads, parks and building a new Town Hall.

In 2005, a change in state law allowed school districts to opt out of new TIF districts  a substantial shift in power that gave schools a seat at the bargaining table. In 2019, the Charleston School District used that power to negotiate down plans by the city of Charleston for a large TIF district supporting the development on and around Laurel Island.

With FILOT deals and multicounty business parks, districts have no power to negotiate over revenue or shape the deal-making.

Economic development is a good thing, but schools have to deal with that somehow," Price said. "If they are not getting the revenue they should be getting because of economic incentives negotiated by the counties, how are they going to make up for that?"

Berkeley County has not only bargained away more property tax revenue than any other county in the state, and most in the nation, but in at least one case  the Google data center  signed a non-disclosure agreement that keep the public from learning the details.

Williams said the data center is a key reason Berkeley County's tax incentive numbers look so high in the school district financial reports. Data centers full of computer server equipment can add lots of value to the tax base but don't create large numbers of jobs.

"Those are heavily incentivized, but they contribute a large amount of taxes and dont demand many public services," Williams said.

He said the county doesn't offer incentives to every company, but he could "probably count on two fingers" how many companies have come without them.

Cribb, the county supervisor, said people questioning the tax breaks should ask themselves one question: "Would everyone involved say were better off having a data center than not? I think everyone would say we are," he said.

Most pro-incentive arguments rely on something that cannot be proven  the idea that business would have gone somewhere else but for the tax breaks. That's a gamble counties are often unwilling to take, but they are mostly gambling with school districts' money.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Lets pretend, for the sake of argument, that theres something ambiguous about the law that says S.C. colleges cant have different masking standards for vaccinated and unvaccinated students, so we can explore Attorney General Alan Wilsons conclusion that the Legislature actually meant to prohibit mask mandates on campus and USCs mask requirement was therefore illegal.

Mr. Wilson said Thursday that he got his understanding of legislative intent from Rep. Stewart Jones, which would have been a pretty significant error (hold that thought; we'll come back to it later) even if Mr. Jones knew what he was talking about.

But as I discovered when I did a little legislative time travel, Mr. Jones explanation of what the Legislature intended when it approved his amendment isn't just at odds with the words of the amendment; it doesnt even square with what he told his colleagues the amendment did. It also ignores what happened when he actually asked the House to do what he and Mr. Wilson now claim it did.

It's all there for anybody who cares to see it, on the video of the House's June 9 debate of the state budget bill.

Rep. Jones proposed four COVID-related amendments, starting with Amendment 4a to prohibit colleges from requiring COVID testing. He spent less than a minute explaining the amendment, and the House adopted it 78-35, with no debate. Senate negotiators stripped it from the final version of the budget.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Jones returned with Amendment 7a, which he quickly and accurately described as ensuring that public school and college officials cannot force vaccines or masks in those schools. Again no debate. The House voted 58-47 to table the amendment. Read that again: The House tabled the amendment that actually would have prohibited colleges from requiring masks.

Skip forward 50 minutes, and Mr. Jones is back at the podium, with two amendments that attempt to do parts of what he had just failed to do. First up was Amendment 18A, which eventually became the proviso, 117.190, that Mr. Wilson and Mr. Jones now say prohibits colleges from requiring students to wear masks. The amendment says a state-funded college cant require that its students have received the COVID-19 vaccination in order to be present at the institutions facilities without being required to wear a facemask. Yes, its badly written, but read it in three sections, pausing after "vaccination" and again after "facilities."

Heres what Mr. Jones told his colleagues the amendment did: It prohibits state funds from being used for COVID-19 passports at our higher-learning facilities, any state-funded college. Thats it. He didnt even say the word mask. The key word there is "passports," which has become a shorthand for having different rules for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. Yet his explanation was closer to reality than what he now says his proviso does, because it does in fact prohibit having a rule (in this case a mask requirement) thats different for vaccinated and unvaccinated students.

Again no one asked any questions, no one spoke against the amendment, and it passed 72-42. That suggests that legislators who voted against it realized it wasnt a big enough problem to waste their time arguing over.

He told the House that Amendment 19A, which eventually became Proviso 1.108, does the exact same thing for K-12: It makes sure that they dont have to have a vaccine in order to not wear a mask in K-12. That too was inaccurate; the proviso actually prohibits any mask mandates in K-12 schools. But if you change "K-12" to "colleges," you have a perfect description of what his previous amendment did.

When the House is debating an amendment, the text is displayed on two screens and available on the laptops on representatives desks, so Democrats realized what Amendment 19A really did, knew it was an awful idea and argued against it; they lost, and the House approved Mr. Jones final amendment 71-37.

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Now, as I said earlier, relying on Mr. Jones personal interpretation of legislative intent would have been a problem even if Mr. Jones were a reliable witness.

Thats because the S.C. Supreme Court only allows courts to interpret the law to say something it doesnt say when its ambiguous, which this law isnt. The court has spelled out rules for when courts can and can't engage in this "statutory construction," as well as how it can and can't be done.

One way the court says you can determine legislative intent is by reviewing the official legislative record  for instance, reading the adopted and rejected amendments and watching the debate, as I did.

But as all five justices said in a 2001 opinion, quoting a 1942 ruling that still stands to this day: "It is a settled principle in the interpretation of statutes that even where there is some ambiguity or some uncertainty in the language used, resort cannot be had to the opinions of legislators or of others concerned in the enactment of the law, for the purpose of ascertaining the intent of the legislature."

The quote is a little stilted, but its pretty clear: You cant use what legislators say today to determine what the Legislature meant yesterday. I used to find that rule counter-intuitive, but as we see with Rep. Jones, it does protect against inaccurate reports from legislators who later wish they had done something different or dont have a clue what they did.

Beyond that, its the courts rule  a settled principle. Which ought to be the primary concern for an attorney general whos telling people that the law means something other than what the words of the law say.

Want to check it out for yourself? You can watch the debate by going to the Legislatures video archives, and selecting the June 9 meeting of the House. The amendment on mandatory testing is explained 2 hours and 3 minutes into the video, the failed amendment to prohibit masks and vaccinations in public and higher education is at 2 hours and 15 minutes in, and the other two amendments start at 3 hours and 7 minutes in. You can read the text of the amendments  4A, 7A, 18A and 19A  here.
The mysterious murders of Maggie Murdaugh and her son, Paul, put an end to the criminal case against Mr. Murdaugh, who was facing a felony boating under the influence charge in the 2019 death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach. But it didnt put an end to questions about how state and local law enforcement officials handled the investigation of the boating accident.

To the contrary, Paul Murdaughs death seems to have released a treasure trove of evidence that officials had been able to hide from the public while the case was pending.

Although there are legitimate reasons to temporarily withhold certain types of investigative material that could be used in a criminal trial, the information about the Murdaugh investigation paints a deeply disturbing picture of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. And in so doing, it once again demonstrates how law enforcement sometimes benefits most from the secrecy, by keeping its missteps out of the public view.

Consider this damning introduction to last month's article by The Post and Couriers Stephen Hobbs and Thad Moore:

Within hours of the early morning boat crash that killed Mallory Beach, an officer investigating the incident spoke with the missing teens boyfriend. The man said the boats driver was Paul Murdaugh, a 19-year-old from a line of prominent lawyers who long held sway over the South Carolina Lowcountry. The officer did not write in his report that Murdaugh was implicated. Instead, he wrote that Beachs boyfriend said he didnt know who was driving. And he told his supervisor he suspected someone else entirely.

The article went on to explain that, Some evidence was apparently not collected, statements werent documented in reports and incomplete information was passed along to supervisors.

For example: Beaufort County deputies, who arrived first at the scene of the accident, did not conduct a sobriety test on the obviously drunk Mr. Murdaugh or any other passengers  the sort of thing police ought to do automatically in an automobile accident; one later told investigators that was the job of the Department of Natural Resources.

But by the time a DNR agent arrived, all but one of the surviving passengers had been taken to the hospital. The agent said he did not attempt to test Mr. Murdaugh's sobriety, but a separate agent, and the lead investigator on the case, said Mr. Murdaugh refused to be tested. Investigators might not have been able to bring charges but for the fact that the hospital staff was so worried about the level of Mr. Murdaugh's intoxication that they conducted a blood test.

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The officer who wrote in his report that Ms. Beachs boyfriend said he didnt know who was driving later testified that he didnt know why he put that clearly incorrect information in his report, but a military officer on the scene said he heard Natural Resources agents discussing how prominent and powerful the Murdaugh family was.

The wife of one DNR officer had been employed by the Murdaugh law firm until eight months prior to the crash. One of the Beaufort County deputies who failed to gather evidence at the scene had received a $750,000 settlement in a lawsuit the Murdaughs filed on behalf of his mother and him.

At the very least, the new documents suggest that the Natural Resources Department has not properly prepared its officers to conduct criminal investigations of this type. This is particularly troublesome since the officers involved are part of a special team trained to investigate boating accidents. As ever more people flock to our beaches and rivers and lakes and as boating becomes ever more popular and boaters become ever more reckless, its ever more important for the agency to make sure its officers are properly trained to investigate deadly accidents.

The documents also suggest that local police give too much deference to the state agency in criminal investigations. Although there are significant differences between boating accidents and traffic accidents, there are some basic principles that apply in both cases  starting with the importance of preserving evidence that might not be available later. That includes conducting field sobriety tests on the driver  or on multiple people if its not clear who the driver was. DNR needs to make it clear to local police  and sheriffs and police chiefs need to make it clear to their officers  that they should start gathering evidence when theyre the first to arrive on the scene.

Those are the easy fixes.

The more difficult one involves the close ties between investigator and investigated. Certainly the Murdaugh family is an outlier: a powerful and even feared family that has cultivated close ties with small-town law enforcement that, whether intended or not, increase the likelihood of favoritism, even if that favoritism is only a matter of giving the benefit of the doubt to a family member.

But there are less extreme examples in every community in our state, and South Carolina needs better policies in place to ensure that potential conflicts of interest are identified immediately and procedures put in place to keep those conflicts from interfering with justice being done.
I recently read about plans for the ambitious new Mount Pleasant Way bicycle/pedestrian project.

Theres much to love about this project. Not only will it make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists, it will reduce traffic by encouraging people to get off the road and make use of these new paths for shorter trips.

I dont have any problem with this project and others like it throughout the Charleston region. Quite the contrary.

My only qualm involves the discourse surrounding them.

The promotional video for the path describes it as an incredible public amenity. Its certainly incredible, but its much more than simply an amenity.

Its an essential piece of transportation infrastructure.

I dont mean to single out this project as particularly careless with its language because, mostly, the plans communicate precisely the immense public value it will provide.

Rather, I want to highlight the way that this language can color public perception of bike-ped improvements.

Calling such projects amenities makes them seem like, at best, recreational facilities and, at worst, superfluous government spending. But theyre infrastructure, just as much as roads are for cars.

They provide safe pathways to work for people who cant afford a car and offer an alternative to sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic just to run a quick errand.

They help build a world where transportation is healthier physically and mentally, more sustainable and much safer while creating conditions to transform parking lots and auto-dependent roads into places youd actually want to be.

ALLEN DUGGAR

Bull Street

Charleston

Statues lessons lost

I read with interest Robert Behres July 11 column comparing the fate of long-standing well-known structures in the Charleston area, specifically the downtown smokestacks and the Mount Pleasant water tower.

Mr. Behre refers to the smokestacks as visible symbols of the peninsulas past, calling them educationally interesting.

He also states most preservation battles are won because of the size and strength of the army of advocates who speak out.

What I find interesting is that the debates over possible removal of the smokestacks and the water tower have gone on for many months.

Backtrack to last year and the city of Charlestons decision to remove the more than century-old John C. Calhoun statue from Marion Square. The decision was rushed through in less than a week with virtually no allowance for community input.

To apply Mr. Behres quote to this issue, we will never know the size and strength of the army of advocates because they were not given the chance to speak out.

Whether the statue was liked or hated, it still held the opportunity to offer lessons from the citys past.

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BILL STOVALL

Johnson Road

Charleston

Group test for virus

School boards across South Carolina should convene in emergency meetings to initiate inexpensive COVID-19 testing for all students.

While weekly individual testing for COVID-19 is preferable, doing group testing of about 20 students at a time is a relatively inexpensive way to reveal whether any are infectious. If so, individual testing can be done.

The sound scientific evidence for school mask mandates from the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the South Carolina superintendent of education is that even the fully vaccinated can infect children.

But rules enforcing the wearing of masks would cause school boards to be in violation of state law, which prohibits school mask mandates.

The risk of infection is much higher with the delta variant, which is spreading fast and is highly contagious. Our dream of herd immunity is now a mere mirage. We may not want to cast off pandemic countermeasures until a milder variant emerges.

It could be next summer before a safe vaccine can be developed, tested, manufactured and distributed to most children under the age of 12.

JOHN NICHOLAS HAYES

Dupont Way

Summerville

Clear storm drains

I live in the Air Harbor neighborhood and share a drain in my backyard. I called the city several months ago about cleaning the drain. Ive lived here since 1994, and I have never seen it cleaned.

When the pond on Cessna Avenue is blocked from draining after heavy rains or a high tide, the overflow is through that drain.

After Hurricane Elsas early July visit, I had standing water in my yard for almost a week. You could have floated a boat in the yard. Other streets in the neighborhood flooded, including Piper Drive, Cessna, Beechcraft Street and others.

Shouldnt the city maintain the drains as well as the drainage ditches? Property owners surely cannot.

ELLEN BECKMANN

Beechcraft Street

Charleston
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable.
Prompted by an alarming increase in COVID-19 cases, Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank and Territorial Savings Bank announced Aug. 6, that effective Sept. 30, they will require employees to show proof of full vaccination or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing, according to a joint media release from the three banks.

Under the new policy, the financial institutions will cover the COVID-19 test cost for unvaccinated employees undergoing weekly testing.

Employees may submit requests for exemptions due to legitimate religious or medical reasons. Individuals granted exemptions will be required to comply with regular COVID-19 testing and other preventive requirements.
Attorney Edwin H. Caldies letter stated recently that the creditors are not asking to be compensated for the full value of the Archdioceses Read more
Guam has done its part to keep COVID-19 under control but it still could take some time for tourists to return in numbers that would sustain the reopening of many businesses, public officials said Wednesday as they reassessed the island's pandemic recovery.

Tourism officials also announced the delay of the $500 shopping incentive for tourists, which had been expected as early as September.

The reasons for the slow return of tourism are beyond Guam's control, said members of the Guam Recovery Task Force. These include fresh spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases in the main tourist markets of South Korea and Japan, and the 15-day quarantine for returning Taiwanese tourists, they said.

Nevertheless, the task force said Guam should continue to increase its full vaccination rate beyond 80% among adults, mandate masks and offer more COVID-19 testing to prevent spikes in the number of cases and a return to lockdown.

"We cannot afford for the local population to kind of have a big setback because then we're just back to square one, which is not anywhere anybody wants to be, with so much effort by everybody to get us to where we are. It's going to be a slow climb for us," said Guam Recovery Task Force Chairman Sam Shinohara of United Airlines.

'We can't really blame them'

The Guam Visitors Bureau identified more than 1,200 businesses directly related to tourism prior to the pandemic.

Of 110 businesses so far contacted for a GVB survey on their willingness to reopen, only 63 responded.

GVB Vice President Gerry Perez said, of the 63 respondents, 47, or 74.6%, indicated they are open or are working to reopen, while 16 remain closed.

"A lot of it is wait-and-see attitude in terms of the number of visitors coming in," Perez said. "We can't really blame them because they need a high level of arrivals to be financially viable as an operation."

The good news, he said, is that these businesses are "still around" and are just waiting for big numbers of tourist arrivals to reopen.

Guam's No. 1 tourist spot, Two Lovers Point, is open, GVB said, but not other popular attractions. Dive spots, tours and other businesses remain either on limited operations or are still closed.

Empty airline seats

More than 1,000 tourists from Taiwan visited Guam via Eva Air charter flights in July, mostly to get their COVID-19 vaccinations while vacationing, but that's a fraction of what Guam was used to welcoming every month.

Military exercises helped boost the arrivals, tourism officials said.

Of 1,017 seats available for the Aug. 12-26 charter flights from Taiwan, only 80 seats have been sold so far, Perez said.

Korean Air resumed its regular flights Aug. 6. The first flight carried 82 passengers, who appeared to be a combination of tourists and returning residents.

Visitor safety and convenience

Perez said the $500 shopping incentive for 2,500 or 5,000 tourists will be offered at a much later time.

"The management decided to delay this gift card perhaps for a later campaign, several months down the road, but in the meantime, devote some of this funding to something that's more urgently needed like the trolley services to support the reopening of local businesses and especially also for visitor safety and convenience," Perez said.

Perez said this includes the possibility of extending the free trolley rides beyond Aug. 30, or expanding the covered routes to include Hagatna, so that tourists also can visit the Guam Museum, the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, Latte Stone Park, the Agana Shopping Center and similar destinations.

The GVB vice president said the bureau noticed that tourists from Taiwan walking up and down the hill between Kmart and Tumon hotels were being followed by "people we don't really know," so, for their safety and convenience, as well as those of others, trolley services were provided.

GVB paid Lam Lam Tours & Transportation $18,000 to provide free trolley rides to the public from July 30 to Aug. 30.

The bureau is working with major shopping malls to possibly share the cost of the trolley service so the free rides can be extended for a longer period.

Free PCR testing

GVB is moving forward with its offer of paying for the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test for tourists before they return to their home country.

Perez said GVB will be inviting private providers to participate.

Under the plan, GVB will issue a certain number of test kits to each participating provider so they can provide PCR testing to tourists with required documentation.

The return PCR testing is estimated to cost $150 to $200 per person.

Electronic health declaration form

Chima Mbakwem, the medical operations chief at the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, told the task force that the Guam electronic health declaration form is now "live," or available online for travelers to use.

Arriving travelers can provide the electronic HDF information for themselves and their family members who reside with them and are traveling together on the same flight.

This will help ease the processing of arriving passengers at the airport.

The HDF is available online at dphss.guam.gov.
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The New York Post seems skeptical that Barack Obamas 60th birthday bash at his $12 million Marthas Vineyard mansion was actually scaled back  the Post employs scare quotes in its headline over the story on the big event  as advertised in light of the panic over the Delta variant. The Post cover holds that they partied like its 2019 while the story drily adds: This while President Biden, Obamas ex-veep, warned the nation about a possible coronavirus resurgence.

I dont see any masks visible in the stealth pics the Post has published in a second story on the bash. Obama himself is pictured dancing without a mask. The Daily Mail has much more here.

Obama isnt too shaken up or chastened by the panic. Perhaps he secured a waiver from the fallacious Anthony Fauci.

Taking a close look at the pictures, the Post observes that bathroom amenities included antiperspirant wipes, a lint roller and Advil, according to the pictures. In the cover story linked at the top the Post names a few of the guests: Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Jennifer Hudson, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Bradley Cooper, Don Cheadle, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Bruce Springsteen, Erykah Badu, Steven Colbert and John Kerry were just some of the celebrity guests at the seaside affair.

Obamas bash brings to mind Michael Harrington influential 1962 book about poverty in the United States. He called it The Other America. Someone could write a good book about the other America on display at Obamas birthday bash.

Culminating in the birthday bash, an exposition of Obamas path to success, wealth, and fame would be a tale for our time with more true lessons than Harringtons exposure of poverty in the United States ever had. Here is one courtesy of Rep. Elise Stefanik: The liberal elites are laughing at us, attempting to sell this as a scaled-back party. Stefanik drove the point home: The two phony people most certainly crossed off the invite list: Andrew and Chris Cuomo.

Stefanik is also quoted telling the Post in another story: Democrats are imposing forced vaccine mandates, unscientific masks mandates, and are openly discussing lockdowns, while President Obama gathers with hundreds of maskless liberal elites who flew in on private jets with no vaccine requirement to attend. I could listen to her all day.
The beautiful role interpreter, Nafesat Abdullahi, is no push over when it comes to her craft.

As one of Kannywoods leading actresses, Abdullahi has starred in some of the biggest movies in her industry, including Dan Marayan Zaki( 2018).

Beyond acting, the soft-spoken actress is also building a career in filmmaking.

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, she speaks more about her love for acting and showbizness.

PT: We understand that you are studying Photography. What inspired this decision?

NAFEESAT: Photography is in line with what I do already, I love to capture the moment, whatever it is, so I decided why not turn it into a career, too; that was what motivated me. Im currently studying Photography in London, but Im not done yet.

PT: You are one of Kannywoods finest actors. What is the secret behind your success?

NAFEESAT: There are no shortcuts to success, Ive worked really hard to get to where I am today, so Ill say hard work, determination and persistence are the key, and for me, those are not secrets.

PT: What else are you passionate about, aside from acting?

NAFEESAT: I practise my photography skills; I have a lot of pictures Ive taken. I dont even know how many, or I go on a vacation or maybe just stay home and do homely stuff.

PT: What do you think of the Kannywood industry at the present and in the near future?

NAFEESAT: The Kannywood industry has always been one that gets through every hardship just like other industries. The only difference is: we mostly dont get to know whats happening in other industries.

So, Ill say were doing so well even without help from the government or anyone, and about the future, lets just hope for the best. We need more funding and intervention from the federal government.

PT: What do you think of the role you play in the popular drama series, Labarina?

NAFEESAT: Labarina is a very special film to me. Although Ive played similar characters, this one tops it all because of how people really love it. I enjoy playing roles like that.

PT: Which of your colleagues do you enjoy starring alongside in movies? Any favourite yet?

NAFEESAT: Ive been asked this question before, I really enjoy working with actors who get into characters without much delay and I work with pretty amazing actors; So, I cant choose.

PT: Do you have a favourite vacation spot?

NAFEESAT: I cant really say. Each place Ive been to has its own uniqueness, and for someone, like me, who likes to explore, I find everywhere I go fascinating.

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PT: Who is your best friend in your industry?

NAFEESAT: I am my best friend; isnt that obvious?

PT: What makes you happy?

NAFEESAT: My most amazing moment is when I see kids who really like what I do; it gives me so much joy. When youre alive, you cant really decide your sorrowful moment, I mean, every day comes with its package, lets just hope for the best always.

PT: Tell us about your recent TPUMPY ambassadorial deal?

NAFEESAT: TPUMPY Concept is a real estate company Im currently working for (Im their ambassador, Ive acquired multiple lands from them since I signed with them, Ive even bought for my family. This is in addition to other amazing packages Ive got from them, Like getting a brand new luxury car every year from them, monthly allowances and special payments for social media campaigns
If there is a provision of the electoral act that most political parties in Nigeria, including the front-running APC and PDP, as well as reforms-touting ones, have perpetually breached unchecked, it is the financial disclosure to the electoral commission, INEC.

Before its amendment, section 93 of Nigerias electoral law provides that a political party sponsoring the election of a candidate shall, within three months of the announcement of the results of the election, file a report of the contributions made by individuals and entities to (INEC).

In clear violation of the provision, only four parties, of the 73 that sponsored candidates for the 2019 general election, had submitted the financial details as of August of that year, six months after the announcement of the results.

The compliant parties were Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Liberation Movement and YES party, documents seen by this medium showed at the time.

Lax laws

Two years on, a source in INEC familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES that some political parties who participated in the last elections are yet to submit one or more of their financial reports as stipulated by the constitution.

Between you and I, the truth is that only a few of those parties have submitted the reports you are asking for. Some are still collating fragments of their spending, the official said.

With INEC still uncertain about how to compel parties to comply, as the current electoral law does not state any punishment for defaulters, the topup of the campaign spending benchmark in the revised version of the electoral act by the National Assembly last month means that the commission has its work well cut out for it.

The new campaign spending ceilings in the bill passed by lawmakers has been jacked up from between 150 per cent to 400 per cent.

The spending limit, if signed into law by President Buhari, will now allow presidential candidates to increase their cash haul from the current N1 billion to N5 billion (400 per cent increase), while governorship candidates will be able to rake in N1 billion from the current N200 million.

For senatorial candidates, they are poised to be able to legally raise N100 million from the previous N40 million (150 per cent increase), while candidates to the House of Representative are set to accept N70 million from the current N30 million (133 per cent increase). And for the State Assembly, candidates would be free to fork out N30 million from the previous N10 million (200 per cent increase).

One of Africas largest think-tank, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) had said increments like this may congeal the problem of moneybag politics and highest bidder.

The group also noted that it may relegate citizenry with little means and dwarf inclusiveness in the political process. Marginalised groups like women, youths and persons with disabilities would potentially find it more difficult to run for office.

It said that its experience has shown that the expensive nature of politics in Nigeria is a major hurdle to the political advancement of women and young candidates.

Where such high limits on campaign financing are maintained, the group said, major political parties are highly likely to be disinclined toward nominating individuals deemed incapable of making significant contributions to their campaign or attracting heavy donations to fund the campaign.

While the increment, in a way, has unsettled election monitor groups, it puts more financial regulatory tasks around the neck of INEC, although with less prosecutorial power.

In the past, there have hardly been any sanctions for erring parties.

Even though a retired director of political party monitoring and liaison of INEC, Regina Omo-Agege, told PREMIUM TIMES sister organisation, PTCIJ, during a webinar in June that there was this year that over 28 parties were deregistered in a day because they were not keeping to the rules, which included financial rules, such are not pronounced.

Nonetheless, she noted, political parties resolve to cover their expenses track makes it difficult for INEC to adequately monitor them and as a result unable to determine and sanction erring parties.

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Why parties would rather not comply

Defaulting is cheaper, this is why political parties would rather default than comply, another panellist during the PTCIJ webinar and former member of the House of Representatives, Sani Zorro, said.

He added in June that because it was more profitable for somebody to exceed or break the law than staying within the law, the buck lies on the table of the National Assembly to make laws that are clear and decisive.

Perhaps, this may change. Section 87 of the amended electoral law stipulates a maximum fine of N10 million and forfeiture of the amount donated for defaulting parties, and a fine five times the excess amount donated for erring individuals.

Also, unlike in the past where an individual donated billions of naira to parties, donations from individuals can now no longer exceed N500 million, else candidates risk forfeiture or a year jail term, or both.

Parties are expected to turn in their audited report within six months of the election as failure could amount to N5 million fine upon conviction, or N200,000 daily from due date till submission, when an accurate report is not submitted within the stipulated period.

Narrow definition of election expenditure

Section 89 defines election expenses as expenses incurred by a political party within the period from the date notice is given by INEC to conduct an election up to and including the polling day in respect of the particular election.

Again, this serves into the hands of candidates due to, as CDD described it, the narrow definition of election expenditure.

This, experts say, is likely to plunge the electoral process in the country into legal loopholes, as candidates could spend considerable amounts of money before the official start of the campaign period without any known law breach.

Third-party spending

Putting parties in check becomes even dire when full-fledged campaigning begins as candidates can use third parties to campaign on their behalf without these being included as part of the candidates expenditure.

CDD said this could have a far-reaching effect on the nations elections by aggravating the unwholesome and corrupting effect of big money on competitive party and electoral politics while also mainstreaming already rife vote-buying.

The money that politicians spend under the table in Nigeria is much more than what the electoral act contemplates, Mr Zorro said.

If you are going into the House of Representatives, in some states or parts of the country, and you dont have a war chest of N1 billion, dont try it, irrespective of your popularity or what you can contribute to the countrys development.

Forget about it, if you dont have that N1 billion, they will stone and ridicule you in your village.

(This report is a partnership between Premium Times and the Centre for Democracy and Development focused on strengthening Nigerias electoral system)
The United States government has submitted a 97,000-page material in court as part of evidence of alleged fraud against Abidemi Rufai, a suspended aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

The voluminous material was produced at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, on July 26, a court filing obtained by PREMIUM TIMES stated.

Discovery in this case is voluminous and complex, the prosecution and the defence said in the document they jointly filed to ask for the postponement of the August 31 trial date.

The agreed application filed on August 3, 2021, apparently based its assessment of the complexity of the case on the volume and nature of the evidence filed by the prosecution.

On July 26, 2021, the government produced approximately 97,000 pages of material.

In addition, the government is in the process of executing two additional electronic search warrants.

The discovery includes electronic documents in a variety of formats, the document stated in part.

It added that much of the material contains personal identifying information or sensitive financial information.

Considering the nature of the material, both parties agreed that a protective order is required to restrict defendants review of the material to certain authorised places.

Further, much of the material may need to be redacted before it can be provided to the defendant, the document added.

Charges

Mr Rufai is part of many Nigerians charged with cybercrime-related offences in the U.S.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how he was arrested in the Eastern District of New York while trying to jet out of the U.S. on May 24, 2021.

He is accused of using the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

He is said to have bypassed security systems at the Washington ESD using a simple feature of Googles free Gmail service.

On May 26, 2021, a grand jury approved an indictment charging the defendant who has remained in custody since his arrest with 15 offences.

The charges filed at U.S. District Court for the Western Washington at Tacoma, comprise conspiracy to commit wire fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, and five counts of aggravated identity theft.

He was arraigned before the court on June 25, 2021 when he denied the charges by pleading not guilty to all counts.

The court then scheduled trial for August 31, 2021, and set a pretrial motions deadline of July 23, 2021.

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Making case for trial postponement

Both the prosecution and the defence have asked for a postponement of the trial date.

The agreed application is based, principally, on the concerns expressed by Mr Rufais lawyers about their need for more time to prepare for the defence.

The defence requires additional time to review and analyse the governments discovery production, to consult with its client, and to conduct its own factual and legal investigation before it can prepare pretrial motions or prepare for trial, the document reads, partly.

It reads further, Defendant and his attorneys believe that the failure to grant a continuance of the requested length would unreasonably deny the defense the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence.

The document added that while the defendants New York-based attorney has met with him in person on multiple occasions, his Seattle-based attorney has not.

It added that Mr Rufai, was presently in transit from New York to Tahoma, Washington, where the trial is to be conducted and might not arrive until August 13.

Why Rufai remains in custody since May

He has been in custody since his arrest on May 14, 2021 while trying to fly out of the U.S.

A federal magistrate in New York granted him a $300,000 bail bond but he could not get a surety.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that his brother, Alaba Rufai, initially presented to the court, declined to be his surety.

Defence lawyer, Michael Barrows, on May 21, subsequently presented Nekpen Soyemi, a registered nurse, whose family comes from Nigeria, as the new proposed surety.

But the U.S. government later exposed her as a suspect in an investigation into an email impersonation scheme. Her husband, Idris Soyemi, is also said to have been convicted for wire fraud in 2014.

The U.S. also accused him of indulging in surety fraud by presenting Mrs Soyemi as his surety when they never knew each other before, although his lawyers denied the allegation.

While he was still struggling to get a surety, the U.S. government on May 24 filed an emergency motion of stay release order before the United States District Court at Tacoma, Washington.

In a ruling delivered on June 25, the U.S. District judge, Benjamin Settle, in Tacoma, granted the order of stay of release, agreeing with federal prosecutors that Mr Rufai represented a flight risk.

The judge ruled that Mr Rufai should remain in jail for his trial.
Nigerian human rights and international law expert, Adeola Oyinlade, has been declared the 2021 American Bar Association International Human Rights of the Year Laureate by the American Bar Association (ABA).

ABA gave Mr Oyinlade the award at its ongoing annual meeting in Chicago, United States of America.

The associations president, Patricia Lee Refo, said in a statement that the award presentation took place at ABA first ever Hybrid Annual Meeting which was broadcast live on Thursday.

Mr Oyinlade is said to be the first Nigerian, and second African after Abdelrahman Al Gasim, a Sudanese lawyer, to receive the annual award.

Ms Refo said Mr Oyinlade was considered for the award because he has advanced solutions to human rights issues across Africa, including the South Sudan political crisis, the Central African Republic crisis, the Congo Democratic Republic armed conflict and Libyan peace talks.

She also praised his contribution to the African Union on the implementation of the African Youth Charter.

In an earlier statement, Jinny Choi on behalf of the association said the award was being presented to Mr Oyinlade in recognition of his exceptional commitment and contribution to the advancement of human rights in Nigeria.

Other recognitions

In October 2018 in Rome, Italy, the world body of lawyers, International Bar Association (IBA), named Mr Oyinlade the IBA Human Rights Lawyer of the year for his outstanding contribution as a legal practitioner to human rights advancement.

This is thus the second time the Nigerian lawyer, who doubles as the Principal Partner of Adeola Oyinlade & Co; a law firm based in Lagos and founder of Constitutional Rights Awareness and Liberty Initiative would be recognised by global legal professional community for his human rights work in three years.

Mr Oyinlade, a member of the National Committee against Torture (NCAT), pioneered and unveiled the first ever human rights empowerment app in multiple languages called Know Your Rights Nigeria in 2016 in order to reach more people and break barriers posed by language and location.

On the Know Your Rights Nigeria app, there is an option to chat with the lawyer and his team of 50 lawyers on human rights issues daily and they respond to all inquiries and follow up on complaints. Users of the app report abuse of rights anonymously, and even choose to access the content in English or Pidgin (widely spoken in West and Central Africa), and in major local languages like Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba spoken by over 100 million people in Nigeria with over 280,000 issues responded to on all the organisations platforms over the years.

His simplifying of rights and safeguards to the understanding of the ordinary people on the streets, thereby making it accessible in languages of choice for users with mere tap of buttons in the palms, has proved effective for its free access, speedy dissemination of information and free legal support with thousands of people empowered.

His rights empowerment app in major local languages has made a real difference for the situation of women and the poor as the platform which people use to report abuse has been instrumental in uncovering systemic violations of rights in Nigeria.

In 2019, Mr Oyinlade was engaged by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a German foundation promoting democracy in Nigeria, to train some senior government officials nationwide on human rights and social justice.

Aside inspiring university students within and outside Nigeria on human rights and public interest careers, he has set up a training unit for young lawyers and volunteers to enhance the quality of the empowerment offered locally to victims of human rights abuse in Nigeria.

At the regional level, through advocacy, the Nigerian international law expert has proffered solutions to armed conflict issues in African countries including the South Sudan Political Crisis, the Central African Republic Crisis, and the Congo Democratic Republic Armed conflict among others with impact.

While Mr Oyinlade has contributed his expertise to the African Union Commission by delivering papers on the implementation of African Youth Charter and made recommendations on reforming national laws in compliance with the regional youth charter, he has equally graced the United Nations speaking platforms on his human rights work and social innovation across many countries of the world.

Awardee speaks

While accepting this years American Bar Association International Human Rights Award, Mr Oyinlade expressed his appreciation to the American bar and everyone involved in his recognition.

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In the last 13 years, I have seen that all I needed to contribute to expanding the frontiers of human rights was courage, he said.

It is by courage that speaking truth to power and standing for the oppressed can keep hope alive.

Courage that super power that we all have but only few decide to use. It is only courage that can make one believe in a vision when it appears that one is alone.

It can only take courage to fight injustice even in the face of danger. Only the courageous act when others look away. Mine is a journey of standing for human rights, offering pro-bono legal services to the poor, pioneering new ideas and developing new methods for human rights empowerment to help prevent destabilization of societies and for non-violent interrelation in Nigeria. Mr Oyinlade said.

He charged lawyers to play more roles in advancing human rights across the globe.

He said, Just like I emphasised in Rome, Italy in October 2018 when I was receiving the IBA Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award, the world is looking up to we lawyers in using our legal expertise as tools of problem-solving.

The world, more than before, needs our collective efforts to sustain peace and ensure inclusive sustainable development and respect for human rights for all.

Let us remain courageous individuals and groups committed to shining the light on the dark corners of the globe, whenever human rights violations occur.

His selfless and tireless human rights work has gotten global commendation. In 2018, the U.S. Consul General, F. John Bray, while giving remarks at the U.S. Consulate Lagos said, I want to acknowledge Mr. Oyinlade and the work he has done to strengthen respect and support for the protection of human rights in Nigeria.

The U.S envoy said he sees Mr Oyinlades work as very key as to the protection of human rights in Nigeria.

In May 2021, Adeola Oyinlade was honoured in his home state, Ondo, as the Young Man of the Decade alongside Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Man of the Decade) by Trace News Magazine in recognition of his human rights activism, pro bono legal services to the less privileged, sensitizing the people on their rights, selfless commitment to nation building in the last ten years and performance as a United Nations Peace Ambassador.
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A Nigerian broadcaster, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly called Daddy Freeze, has explained why he dined with alleged internet fraudster, Ramon Abass, also known as Hushpuppi.

The controversial broadcaster, who recently said he is ready to defend himself should the FBI invite him for questioning concerning his relationship with Hushpuppi, has once again defended his infamous visit to the alleged internet fraudsters home in Dubai in 2019.

During an Instagram live video on Saturday which he titled quick question and answer session, Daddy Freeze said, The church abandoned me in my difficult situation.

The love that people like Huspuppi have shown me, if I had gotten it from a church, if the church stood by me at my trying times, would I have answered Huspuppi when he said there was a cab to come to take me to where he was?

U-turn

Daddy Freezes latest remark appears to be a deviation from his June 2020 statement wherein he claimed he never knew Hushpuppi to be a criminal but a social media influencer and that if he knew, he would not have hung out with him.

PREMIUM TIMES reported Daddy Freezes statement shortly after he came under intense criticism for promoting Hushpuppi on his (Daddy Freezes) YouTube page in June 2020.

At the time, Daddy Freezes fans argued that he was simply cashing in on Hushpuppis soaring popularity and social media influence.

They also said Daddy Freezes visit to Hushpuppis mansion afforded him the perfect opportunity to increase his (Daddy Freezes)/YouTube rating and subscribers.

They also said because very little or nothing was known about Hushpuppis palatial mansion and lifestyle at the time, the visit was justified.

On Saturday, Daddy Freeze described Hushpuppi as a lovely, warm person who showed him love at a point in his life where he said he was surrounded by wickedness from the church.

We have built a church of God that has become a house of Satan. Im not in any way supporting fraud. If I saw Huspuppi tomorrow, I would tell him what you did is nonsense, he said.

Background

Since the recent announcement by the FBI that it was seeking Nigerian police officer Abba Kyaris arrest over allegations that he abetted a $1.1 million transnational cyber-fraud initiated by Hushpuppi, Daddy Freeze has addressed controversial topics in a series of Instagram Live.

In a recent episode, he featured controversial Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Mompha, who was named in a N157 million fraud charge filed against a popular auto dealer, Sarumi Babafemi, alias 606, in February.

Mompha has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Nonetheless, some Nigerians on social media have continued to reference Daddy Freezes 2019 visit to Hushpuppis home in Dubai saying it was only a matter of time before the FBI came after the controversial broadcaster.
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The Police Command in Delta says it has arrested two suspected female drug peddlers at Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area of the state.

The acting spokesman of the Command, Edafe Bright, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Warri.

Mr Bright, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspects identified as Elo Edinburh and Joy Edinburh were arrested on August 5 by a surveillance team attached to the Crack Squad, Asaba, at Ozoro community.

On Aug. 5, 2021 at about 2030hrs, a surveillance team attached to Crack Squad, Asaba, raided the hideout of suspected drug dealers in Ozoro community.

Two suspects; one Elo Edinburh and Joy Edinburh, were arrested during the raid.

Exhibits recovered from them include 700 wraps of substance suspected to be Indian hemp, 29 wraps of Loud and one packet of Loud.

Others are 33 ties of cocaine ice, six pieces of moly hard drugs, two sachets of tramadol, 13 capsules of Swinol and 14 packets of Rizlers, he said.

Mr Bright investigation into the matter was ongoing.

(NAN)
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The Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria has announced the death of its former General Overseer (G.O), Wilson Badejo.

He was 74.

The National Secretary of the church, Yomi Oyinloye, said in a statement that Mr Badejo, who was the churchs G.O between 1999 and 2009, died on Saturday after a brief illness.

He was a great achiever, an accomplished servant of God, a role model, a bridge builder, mentor, teacher par excellence, an apostle and respected family man.

Dr Badejo served the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in several ministerial capacities, crowning his stewardship at the apex as the General Overseer of the Church from 1999 for 2009.

He was a man of many parts who was able to unlock socio-cultural gateways, and in the process successfully endeared several friends and loved ones from all walks of life across the divide, the church said.

Mr Oyinloye said the church was greatly saddened by the loss but encouraged members to take solace in the fact that the late cleric lived a fulfilling, God-fearing and impactful life.

According to him, Mr Badejo left behind an indelible mark in the heart of everyone who came his way.

Mr Oyinloye called for prayers for the family of the deceased and the Foursquare Gospel Church in this trying time.

(NAN)
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On Saturday, Nigeria confirmed new 473 cases of coronavirus and four new deaths from the disease.

The new infection figure raised the total number of cases in Nigeria to 177,615, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said in an update on its Facebook page Saturday night.

The recent spike in infections that has been linked to the highly transmissible Delta variant has continued to claim lives.

In a trend that began on Monday, the four deaths on Saturday raised the total deaths in six days to 36, the NCDC data revealed.

A total of 2,185 deaths have been recorded in Nigeria since 2020 when the index case was recorded in the country.

However, the situation could get much worse especially as the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) enters the seventh day.

Breakdown

The 473 new cases were found in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, according to the NCDC data.

The disease centre said Lagos recorded 323 of the new cases.

Akwa-Ibom State came second in the tally with 46 cases while Rivers State followed closely with 41 cases. The FCT registered 20 cases and Ekiti State recorded 12.

Osun and Oyo States reported nine new cases each while Ogun State recorded six, and Bayelsa, three.

Anambra, Edo, Nasarawa and Plateau States reported one infection each.

Meanwhile, according to the NCDC data, of the more than 177,000 total cases, 165,472 people have recovered and have been discharged from hospitals across the country.

The centre added that Nigeria has tested over 2.5 million samples out of its estimated 200 million population.

Active cases in Nigeria is nearly 10,000 as of Saturday
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Any hopes that Lionel Messi and Barcelona could find some wriggle room to ensure the Barcelona talisman could elongate his stay at the Now Camp was extinguished on Sunday.

A tearful Messi, at a press conference, confirmed his departure from Barcelona after 21 years. In recent days, I have been thinking about what I can say. The truth is I cant think of anything.

This is really difficult for me after so many years being here my entire life. I am not ready for this, Messi said.

This year my family and I were convinced we were going to stay here, at home, that is what we all wanted. We thought we would be staying here in Barcelona. The time we have had here has been amazing. Today I have to say goodbye to all this.

READ ALSO: Messi sent off first time in Barcelona career

After 21 years I am leaving. In a few years, I cant tell you we wont come back because this is our home. I have promised my children that. So many beautiful things have happened, some bad things but all of this helped me to grow and improve and make me the person I am.

Messi did not confirm his next destination, which many have postulated to be PSG.

Nothing is confirmed, Messi said. I received many calls after the Barca statement went up. There are talks, he added.

Messi leaves Barcelona as the record appearance maker, assist maker, and goal scorer.
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The security forces in Kaduna State on Saturday shot dead three suspected bandits on Saturday why repelling an attack in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state.

The States Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, stated this in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Aruwan said a 9-year-old boy was killed and another resident, Faisal Abdullahi, 15, suffered burns.

The deceased (name withheld) was burnt beyond recognition while five houses and three cars were set ablaze during the attack, the official said in the statement.

The troops engaged the attackers, effectively repelling them and neutralising three in the process. Others escaped with gunshot injuries, Mr Aruwan said

According to the statement, the troops recovered a locally made rifle, one smoke grenade, 33 empty cartridges and 16 live cartridges from the incident.

Also recovered were 25 empty cases of AK-47 ammunition, eight live rounds of AK-47 ammunition, one live pistol round and some machine gun links, Mr Aruwan said.

Troops are sustaining vigorous patrols in the area to forestall further attacks, as investigations into the attack are ongoing, the statement added.

Kaduna and neighbouring states in the North-central and North-west regions are under incessant attacks by bandits killing and abducting people.

The state government on Friday announced an indefinite postponement of the resumption of schools in the state.

The schools were scheduled to reopen on August 9 months after many were shut to keep the students away from the grasp of the insatiable bandits.
The Abia Government has asked residents of the state to disregard the sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The governments directive was contained in a statement issued in Umuahia by the Commissioner for Information, Okiyi Kalu.

IPOB on July 30 ordered sit-at-home in the South-East every Monday, until its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is released from the custody of the Department of State Services.

It threatened to shut down economic activities in the region, adding that violators of the order would be visited with violence.

Reacting to the order, Abia government advised law abiding citizens and visitors to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation.

Mr Kalu stated that adequate security had been provided to ensure the safety of lives and property in all parts of the state.

He added that it made no economic sense to order traders to sit at home, while they are struggling to fend for their families under COVID-19 and the attendant harsh economy.

He further warned that compelling children to stay away from schools would be counterproductive and capable of retarding their progress academically.

The commissioner, however, noted that it would not compel anyone wishing to sit at home for any reason whatsoever not to do so.

Mr Kalu pointed out that as citizens have freedom of movement under the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we wish to strongly advice that nobody should also compel or enforce any sit at home order from any non-state actor.

He said that doing so will does not serve any known interests of the people of the state.

The commissioner stated that government was actively monitoring the situation with Kanu, who is an indigene of the state, currently undergoing trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

We remain in touch with his family members, other relevant persons and institutions, and receive regular updates through them on the situation.

The Abia Government is confident that the judiciary will ensure a free and manifestly fair trial for him and others, the commissioner further stated.

He admonished residents and visitors to continue to be law-abiding and avoid any acts that might lead to a breakdown of law and order.

He further charged parents and guardians to monitor the activities of their children and wards to ensure they did not engage in unlawful activities that would put them in harms way.

The IPOB leader, Mr Kanu, was recently rearrested and brought back to the country in continuation of his trial by the Nigerian government.

(NAN)

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The Federal Government says it has introduced a N250 billion intervention facility to stimulate finance and motivate investors in the gas value chain for sustainable business development in the country.

Bitrus Nabasu, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

Therefore, in an effort to stimulate finance to this critical sector, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), introduced a N250 billion intervention facility to help motivate investment in the gas value chain.

A description of the intervention facility can be found on the CBN website www.cbn.gov.ng and the ministrys website at www.petroleumresources.gov.ng, he said.

He said the large-scale projects under the intervention would be financed under the Power and Airlines Intervention Fund (PAIF) in line with existing guidelines and regulations of the fund.

According to him, the small scale projects and retail distributions will be financed by NIRSAL Micro Finance Bank and other participating institutions under the Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Schemes (AGSMEIS).

He said the facility was designed to improve access to financing for private sector investment in the gas value chain and stimulate investment in the development of infrastructure to optimise the domestic gas resources for economic development.

He listed other objectives of the facility to include providing a platform to fast track the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the fuel of choice for transportation and power generation and Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) for domestic cooking, transportation and captive power.

It will also fast track the development of gas-based industries, particularly petrochemicals (Fertiliser, Methanol, etc), to support large industries such as agriculture, textile and related industries.

Provide leverage for additional private sector investment in the domestic gas market and boost employment across the country, he said.

The Permanent Secretary said the facility would also finance gas processing, small scale petrochemical and gas cylinder manufacturing plants, and LCNG regasification modular systems.

Mr Nabasu said it would equally finance AutoGas conversion kits or component manufacturing plants, CNG primary and secondary compression stations, micro-distribution outlets and service centres for LPG.

In addition, the facility will service the development and enhancement of autogas transportation system conversion and distribution infrastructure, enhancement of domestic cylinder production and distribution by manufacturing plants.

Also; LPG wholesale outlet and many other mid to downstream gas value chain related activities recommended by the ministry, he said, adding that parties with the capacity to develop and operate any of the fore listed projects are expected to demonstrate project development experience.

According to him, interested parties will need to demonstrate technical and commercial capacity and show evidence of experience and capacities to engage in their proposed businesses to access the fund.

At a minimum, interested parties shall provide general information of interested parties, experience and evidence of technical capabilities and organisational structure, he said.

He added that interested parties should be responsible for planning, preparations, engineering and execution of the project, including CNG compression and storage facilities for online stations and virtual pipeline networks.

He said the ministry had invited proposals from interested parties such as manufacturers, processors, wholesale distribution, SMEs and retail distributors in the gas value chain business.

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Details of submission criteria could be found at the ministrys website.

All proposals shall be submitted to the ministry for endorsement and evaluation into the confidential box provided on the 10th floor, Room 3, Block D, NNPC Towers, Abuja, he said.
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Wale Oke, president, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has described the death of Wilson Badejo as a shocking and significant loss to the Christian community.

Mr Badejo, a former general overseer of the Foursquare Church, died on Saturday at 74.

The PFN president, in a condolence message in Ibadan on Sunday, said Mr Badejo gave his all to the service of the Lord while alive.

He noted that his dedication enhanced the spread of the gospel to nations of the world.

Mr Oke, the presiding Bishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, said Mr Badejo lived a worthy life and would remain a challenge to the living.

Rev. Wilson Badejo was a strong-willed man who pursued righteousness till he breathed his last.

For everyone, death is a garb that will be worn by all at the appointed time.

Though humanly speaking, one wouldnt have wanted him to go now; however, God is the ultimate decider of when for everybody, he noted.

He said that death should always serve as a lesson of reminder that nobody would live in the world forever.

Mr Oke lamented that many in society still behave as if they would never leave the earth.

In the case of Rev. Badejo, our joy and solace is that, having fought a good fight of faith, he has gone to rest with our Lord Jesus Christ.

And thats what every Christian should work toward and crave for, the renowned cleric said.

While commiserating with the family, Foursquare Church and the Christian body in the country, the PFN president prayed that God would grant everyone concerned the fortitude to bear Mr Badejos transition

to glory.

(NAN)
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A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has promised to build an Islamic University in Daura, President Muhammadu Buharis hometown.

Mr Okorocha, a senator and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Rochas Okorocha Foundation would build the university.

The former governor was recently conferred with the traditional title of Maga Alherin Kasar Hausa by the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruk.

The University.

Isa Halidu, who represented Mr Okorocha at an event in Daura on Saturday, said students would enjoy free tuition and accommodation at the university.

Because the Emir of Daura made me a traditional titleholder, I am going to give a gift, perhaps, that would never be forgotten. I will build an Islamic university with modern facilities under Rochas Okorocha Foundation and to be commissioned by myself in Daura town, he said.

ALSO READ: Rochas Okorocha given chieftaincy title in Ogun

He said this is because the emirate and Katsina State, in general, had shown him tremendous affection.

Mr Okorocha noted that his Foundation has built schools and undertaken many developmental projects in other states, hence paying back Daura town for what President Buhari had done for Nigeria.

The federal government had previously announced a plan to build a university of transportation in the town with major contributions from Chinese contractors executing projects for the government.
In 1964, the Nigerian Tribunes editorial comment, entitled Where do we go from here?, a scurrilous attack on the Premier, Ladoke Akintolas government of the Western Region, published on April 16 of that year, landed its editor, Ilobu, now Osun State-born Ayo Ojewumi, alias Pen Atalanta, in a hot soup of sedition charges. The comment contained one of the newspapers most mordant strictures ever. It labeled the Akintola governments actions awful, stinking, disgraceful and ugly, and accused it of reckless squandermania and abuse of office.

Last Friday, while fielding questions from the Arise TV, self-styled military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, attempted to borrow the tool of satirists to analyze the decay in Nigerian leadership and the Buhari governments love to go the way of traducers of Ojewumi. IBB, mostly likely accidentally, then zeroed in on satire to critique the government of Buhari while ostensibly dwelling on the maneuvering, undulating curve of Nigerias leadership. His most subtle but profound pillory of Buhari in that interview was his largely satirical analysis of the persona of Nigerias widely vilified president from Daura. If you discover the satire in that analysis, you would realize that, not for nothing did the Nigerian media nickname Babangida the evil genius.

Ministers in the Akintola government, including the Minister of Agriculture, that Nigerian Tribunes editorial comment alleged, deployed government farm equipment to plough their fields and same ministers, numbering over 50, collected 1000 and 3000 respectively in bonuses during the Republic and Christmas day celebrations. It also accused the Premier of hiring an Apala musician for personal fancy, at the public expense, for 20 a day, during the census celebration. Charged for seditious publication, upon a raid of the newspaper and discovery of the manuscript of the editorial, Ojewumi was found to be the direct writer of the offending editorial. In a previous raid on the premises of the newspaper, police claimed they were looking for Indian hemp in the editors office.

On October 16, 1964, Justice Atanda Fatayi-Williams of the Ibadan High Court sentenced Ojewumi to a six months prison term and fined the newspaper the sum of 500. The editorial, said Fatayi-Williams, was an action calculated to bring the Western Nigerian Government into hatred and ridicule, and goes beyond the scope of fair comment because it was not intended merely to point out the errors of the government. Another firebrand journalist, Folarin Adeeko, with penname Taku Onibaje, was immediately appointed acting editor of the newspaper. Ojewumi was only released on February 16, 1965 after serving out his term. His jailers never saw the next anniversary of his release from imprisonment.

President Buhari and his sidekick, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Boss Mustapha and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, never seem to learn any lesson from Ojewumi. Largely frozen in the Antarctica since 1903 when British colonialists promulgated it, Buhari recently furtively brought out the Newspaper Ordinance Act No. 10 from the glacier. In 1984, he similarly brought it to the sun to thaw in the form of Decree No. 4 of 1984, (Public Officers Protection against False Accusation Decree).

Yola, Adamawa State, was its place of reincarnation and Dimas Gwama of the Magistrates Court IV, momentarily morphed into Justice Fatayi-Williams. Gwama had sentenced Ikamu Hamidu Kato, a youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to two years imprisonment. Katos crime was his temerity to insult two budding emperors  Buhari and his sidekick, Mustapha in a Facebook viral video. Kato had condemned the attack on his native Hong by armed men suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents. Kato, who shared his Hong nativity with Mustapha, was riled that, after the attack, Boss flew in and out of Hong, with scant empathy for casualties and their families. He alleged that similar calamities, traceable to governments failure, had befallen his people without a word from Mustapha. In the Facebook post, he called Mustapha a bastard. This was, of course, a harsh one to use.

Still on IBBs It is silly to attempt to muzzle freedom of speech, in May, 2020, the Katsina Police equally arrested three persons on allegation that they insulted Buhari and state governor, Aminu Masari, on the social media. In a statement issued by Gambo Isah for the Katsina Police Command, entitled Conspiracy and intentional insult against the President and Governor of Katsina State, the police accused Lawal Abdullahi, 70; Bahaje Abu, 30 and Hamza Abubakar, 27 of committing the said offence.

As repressive as his government got against the media, Babangida couldnt stand the Buhari governments attempt to enact laws curtailing media freedom as the sedition law that imprisoned Ojewumi, maintaining that the media and the people would resist it. The media and the people will not allow that to happen. They will talk, they will make noise. It is silly to attempt to muzzle the press, he had told his interviewer.

Satire is a literary device often employed when there is foolishness, wickedness and evil to be censured in an indirect way. Samuel Johnson, the great English lexicographer, said it is a poem in which wickedness or folly is censured. Hurtful and fatal most of the time, like one who hurls his spear at an enemy, satirists weaponize words, so much that early Irish literature was renowned to be the turf of extraordinary poets who deployed their verses like Generals do in war. They brought death and disgrace the way of their victims. Seventh century Greek literary satirist and poet, Archilochus, renowned to be the first to use satire in Greece, had composed verses that attacked his future father-in-law, Lycambes. So potent were these verses that both Lycambes and his daughter hanged themselves. Satire was viewed as powerful.

In Africa, satires were and are also deployed to censure governments, especially vengeful ones that can come after the work of literature and its author. Ayi Kwei Armah used his The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born to talk about the rage and disgust of Ghanaians towards the rottenness and decay in Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah. So also did Chinua Achebe satirize the decadence in the politics of the First Republic with his A Man of the People.

Asked what caliber of persons he envisaged in a Nigerian leader, IBB replied: I have started visualizing a good Nigerian leader. That is a person who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with. That is a person who is very vast in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties. If you get a good leadership that links with the people and tries to talk with the people; not talking on top of the people, then we would be okay. I believe so if we can get him.

Now, begin to break down these qualities, one after the other. There is no doubt that a divided country like Nigeria needs every inch of those qualities outlined by IBB. No doubt too that if Nigeria does not have one who possesses those qualities post-2023, she will wallow in stagnation. Of all Nigerias leaders in time past, none suffers an austerity of persona that is national as much as Buhari does. Even Shagari, shot to the presidency from his school teacher world, was more national in orientation than him.

The Daura-born soldier is known, even among his restricted coterie of admirers, to be hugely circumscribed, limited in horizon and network and inhabits the cell of a world whose affiliation is sparse. Recall that IBBs coup day broadcast on August 27, 1985, following Buharis overthrow, said that much. He had said: Regrettably, it turned out that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was too rigid and uncompromising in his attitudes to issues of national significance. Efforts to make him understand that a diverse polity like Nigeria required recognition and appreciation of differences in both cultural and individual perceptions, only served to aggravate these attitudes.

No, IBBs prescription of a leader who links with the people isnt necessarily a leader who has a wealth of rich repertoire of associates, the like of which Shehu Musa YarAdua paraded; one who was able to eat amala in Lamidi Adedibus Ibadan home; eat ofe onugbuin Enugu with Jim Nwobodo and dance dadakuada with Olusola Saraki in Ilorin. He was talking of somebody passably national in outlook and network. Not only is Buhari largely provincial and a closet president with shrunken horizon, one can count his friends and associates on fingertips. This is why the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) became Buharis identifier and marker for association immediately he became president in 2015. It was also why membership of that political party was the umbrella he hid under to determine who got what on his assumption of Nigerias presidency. Babangida knew this; knows that no divided country like ours should have such restricted mind as leader. This was why he satirized it as his foremost prescription for Nigeria to get out of the hole it has been plunged into in the last six years.

Nigerias president must travel wide; so said IBB. Those close to Buhari know that even as president, travelling is an anathema to him, except his predilection for frequenting his infirmary in the UK, where he is recorded to have travelled for 200 days since he became president. Sources claim that once the president locks himself inside the fortress of Aso Rock, not even his fura and nunu can stampede him out of his closet. Villa sentries would be glad if they ever catch a glimpse of him by the gate of the fortress. If travelling is indeed education, you can then imagine the ounce of education that our president has scooped up or his knowledge of the life lived by the over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. Yinka Odumakin, God rest his soul, once told me that while he was publicist to Buhari and he was holed up with him in Kaduna, Buharis most prized intellectual property was his daily New Nigerian newspaper. He was so dismissive of reading books or scooping any other piece of knowledge outside of the Kaduna-produced pamphlet. That is why when you pin him down extempore, Buharis oft riposte is to West Germany, grazing route and allied knowledge of a distant yore. His thinking is in a glazier.

Vastness in economics and politics is another leadership criterion, a la IBB. Nigerians should be able to decide whether Buhari fits this bill. Even as a military leader, IBB was a delight to behold in micro and macro-economic policies. The profundity of his economic and political policies was simply marveling. That Arise TVinterview shows that, about at two weeks shy of 80 years on earth, IBB is still the old warhorse. In submitting these as indices of leadership, IBB knows Buharis limitations. He decisively satirized it in his usual Maradonic mien.

Now, Nigerians know that Buhari ranks the least among leaders who talk to them. The presidency says it is his style. The truth, however, is that, Buharis queer taciturnity is so counterproductive and barren that it has caused several untold havocs in Nigeria. On few occasions when he journeys out of his shell, Buhari, to borrow IBBs word, talks on top of the people. Imagine if IBB was presented with characters like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho to manage. He would deploy the Gramscian model of co-optation, so much that these two fellows would be eating from his table and there would be less seismic shake as we have now in the polity.

Antonio Gramsci, intellectual and politician, founder of the Italian Communist Party, whose ideas remarkably influenced communism in Italy, dismissed systems of coercion that reigned for centuries before him. Coercion as a system of rule, he said, was outlandish, outdated, ineffective and archaic. You can administer same people more effectively by subtly meandering into their subconscious. Buhari, comparatively, is so heady, stubbornly self-opinionated that a nation of millions of accomplished people in the Nigerian nation-state was a dot in a circle, in his rather queer estimation.

Take for instance the issue of corruption, amply raised by IBB in the said interview. Political scientists have long submitted that Babangidas government set up the first official incubation machine for corruption in Nigeria. But listen to Babangida, notorious for his ice fish slippery maneuvering which landed him the sobriquet, Maradona: Corruption under the military, when comparatively placed beside successive civilian governments, is childs play. You cant compare it with the facts on the ground now. From what I read, from analysis, I think we are saints when compared to what is happening under a democratic dispensation. I sacked a governor for misappropriating less than N313,000. Today, those who have stolen billions and are in court are now parading themselves on the streets. The humongous corruption under Buhari is IBBs satiric weapon here as well. Though IBB was dead right, he was patently mischievous. Corruption isnt strictly in amount or number. It is the mindset of the corrupt. The IBB governments mindset was patently corrupt as Buharis.

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Even when it was obvious that he was marshalling cants and sophistry to rationalize the greatest political chicanery in modern Nigeria he inflicted on Nigeria  the annulment of the June 12 election  you still cannot but marvel at IBBs capacity to quell impending uprising.

To colour this silliness in a Decree No. 4 of 1984 complexion, the complainant in the Adamawa Kato matter was the Department of State Services (DSS). DSS had earlier invited Kato and kept him in its custody for four days, after which it transferred him to a correctional centre. Witnesses against him were a DSS operative, Zayyanu Adamu and Chairman, Adamawa State Concerned Citizens, Husseini Gambo Nakura. Nakura not only testified against him but tendered a confessional statement by Kato. Hong council PDP even sided with Buhari, promptly suspending Kato as its youth leader, for gross indiscipline against leaders of opposition political parties.

Though sedition is said to have been expunged from the Nigerian law, its portents still hide in some of her laws, like the Penal Code under which Kato and the Katsina crew might have been tried. About this same time, Guwahati, biggest city in the Indian state of Assam, largest metropolis in northeastern India, was struggling to free itself from the hold of this 1903 Ordinance. India had similarly been colonized like Nigeria and one of the bequeathals of Britain to it was this sedition law. Journalists Ms. Patricia Mukhim, Meghalaya-based columnist and editor of the Shillong Times and Ms. Anuradha Bhasin, also editor of the Kashmir Times, had stormed the Guwahati Supreme Court to challenge the constitutional validity of this 1903 sedition law. Manipur-based activist, Leichombam Erendro, had then just been arrested in May of this year on sedition charges. Erendros crime was that he had written on his Facebook wall: Cow dung and cow urine dont work, and when charged, argued that his detention (was a) violation of (his) personal liberty.

Indian journalist, Kishorechandra Wangkhem, who got arrested by the Guwahati authorities on same charges as Erendros, is currently in jail. The contention of the two editors was that the use of sedition to intimidate, silence and punish journalists has continued unrestrained and that if the maintenance of public order was the sole aim of government in wielding sedition charges against free speech, same objective can be attained by more civil and less restrictive means in a democracy. Wrapping their argument up succinctly, they said sedition casts a pall of chilling effect on the exercise of the right to free speech and expression. India, one of the most repressive countries of the world, is in bed with sedition. In the editors averments, they brought up data which showed that there had been a steep increase in sedition cases from 2016 to 2019  roughly 160 per cent. To show that sedition was going out of fashion, the journalists established that, conviction rate in 2019 was less than 3.5 per cent. It is noteworthy that, upon hearing the journalists application, the Indian Supreme Court submitted that, in a significant manner, sedition was an archaic colonial relic and wondered if the Indian government still needed it, 75 years after it gained independence from Britain.

Minister Lai Mohammed, apparently a prisoner of his boss highhandedness, admires the manacles of jailers and is fascinated by the sedition law. All over the world, this law is seen as a serious threat to the functioning of democratic institutions. It is so especially due to its stranglehold and enormous power for abetting power misuse. It also renders public accountability of no effect. Muhammed has shuttled into antiquities to clone remnants of the sedition law.

In this Katos case, it is obvious that the Sedition Act, which even Britain, author of the draconian law, has done without, was brought back to life, tucked from attention in the Penal Code. Buhari and his boy, Boss, will do well to realize the saying that, if you cant take the heat, dont go in the kitchen or, as Bob Marley said, dont jump in the water if you cant swim. In exchange for the free house they sleep in, the free meal, the sickening allowances they scoop at the expense of the state, all the people require of them is the right to say it the way it should be said. It may be unpleasant or scathing. If they feel offended, they can sue for defamation in their personal capacity rather than unfreeze the Newspaper Ordinance Act No. 10 of 1903 from where it is kept in the Antarctica. Sedition has been found to have a chilling effect on press freedom and freedom of expression. It has no place in a democracy. Even in the UK which brought this repressive law, has long been abrogated. What Boss apparently caused the DSS to do, which was activated by the Yola Magistrate Court, is analogous to a shameful act of the 16th century when, precisely in 1534AD, King Henry VIII married a second wife on the pretext that his first was barren and was rightly vilified by the London press for what it called the kings chicanery.

On the whole, after listening to the interview, the question you will ask yourself is why leadership gets this progressively worse and charlatans of old become heroes of today? To put a functional tag on this statement, let us take a few shuttles backwards. An avid student of Nigerian history who has mopped up huge bits about the villainous and acrimonious politics of Bauchi-born Nigerias first and only Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, would be shocked seeing a viral photograph of him and his sons sitting on bare floor in his Balewa village, needling their teeth into sugarcane sticks during a vacation. Again, place same Balewa, who received standing ovation for his oratory prowess and depth while on a state visit to the United States, with Buharis passably accessible communication and Goodluck Jonathans waffling ex-tempore speeches. You will be alarmed at this mathematical regression. Now, use these as premise of a deductive logic. The conclusion will be that, perhaps, when Buhari leaves office in 2023, Nigerias lot would be a far lower-quality leadership, something leaner in size and quality than the texture of the gang which currently occupies Aso Rock Villa today.

Did Buhari or the presidency get the satiric drift from the Prince of the Niger?

Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist.
Introduction

Broadly defined, Nigerias civil society landscape is one of the most expansive in the world, encompassing religious bodies, ethnic and subethnic associations, village cooperatives, occupation-based groups, student and alumni entities, charities and foundations, as well as a broad range of advocacy and development-focused NGOs, both international and domestic.1 Even during long periods of military rule, the countrys NGO sector remained surprisingly resilient and independent of government control. Since the end of military rule in 1999, it has grown into what is now the strongest part of the countrys shaky democratic life.

Yet Nigerias civic space has shrunk in recent years as its government has become increasingly illiberal, heavy-handed, and self-serving.2 Its kleptocratic elites have grown less tolerant of civil society voices, especially those pushing for better governance, greater accountability, and respect for human rights. In a bid to shore up their legitimacy, silence their critics, and expand their patronage networks, Nigerias ruling elites have fueled the rise of pro-government NGOs: sycophantic surrogates masquerading as civil society groups. In doing so, they resemble their uniformed predecessors who, in the 1990s, tried to stymie democratization using pro-government NGOs as a tool.

In recent years, at least 360 different pro-government NGOs have made headlines with their anti-democratic rhetoric and vocal praise for the regime. They constitute a substantial fake civil society operating alongside legitimate civil society. Roughly 90 percent of these groups started operating after President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015, suggesting a strong correlation between his ascension to the presidency and their explosive growth.3 The vast majority are briefcase NGOs: unregistered entities that lack any discernible track record and frequently make only one or two appearances (such as a press conference or a public protest) before evaporating. Moreover, most are controlled by a small number of pro-government NGO masterminds, who are linked to each other and to the Buhari regime by overlapping personal networks (see Figure 1).

Although no two pro-government NGOs are the same, many have certain trademark characteristics. First and foremost, they are sycophantic, quick to praise senior government and military officials and to attack their critics. Pro-government NGOs also frequently champion illiberal causes, pushing back against calls for reform, defending state repression, and absolving the government of responsibility for human rights abuses. Yet they also try to appear legitimate by adopting the mannerisms and lexicon of mainstream NGOs. Pro-government NGOs are also, by definition, opaquely funded, most likely by political appointees close to senior officials who seek to generate media attention for their views.

Comparing Mainstream and Pro-government NGOs

The terminology this paper uses to describe NGOs is tailored to the Nigerian context and does not necessarily apply to similar groups operating in other countries, many of which are easily recognizable as government-organized NGOs. It is informed by extensive in-country research and two dozen interviews with academic, civil society, government, military, and media sources both in and outside Nigeria. That said, the general issue of fake civil society is relevant to many national contexts, and unfortunately is part of the larger global trend of democratic backsliding. It is hoped, therefore, that this paper may provide insights about the phenomenon in one important country case that will help analysts, activists, aid providers, and policymakers grapple with the problem as it appears elsewhere.

Much of the analysis herein is deliberately normative, separating mainstream NGOs (those that seek to advance democratic values and defend human rights) from pro-governmentNGOs (those that, in the context of contemporary Nigerian state behaviors, exist to praise officials and champion illiberal causes). This analysis assumes that the activities of mainstream NGOs are typically constructive and contribute to good governance, sustainable development, and economic prosperity. It also assumes that pro-government NGOs generally behave problematically by parroting official talking points; undermining efforts to hold government accountable; and defending corrupt, insensitive, or abusive acts.

This paper also makes a normative distinction between briefcase NGOs (those that exist only on paper) and legitimate NGOs (those with a discernible track record and real-world presence). It acknowledges, however, that these distinctions are not always clear. Many pro-government NGOs are briefcase entities, and yet a few are not. Likewise, some mainstream NGOs may operate only intermittently or serve as vehicles for individual activists. Across Nigeria, many one-person or unregistered NGOs do important work, deriving legitimacy from their local impact or niche focus. In other words, little-known or small and personalized NGOs are not, by definition, suspect.

Indeed, many of Nigerias civil society startups exist precisely because the barrier for entry is so low. As one observer notes, most [Nigerian] NGOs are self-starters, and self-appointed advocates of their targets.4 Unlike under military rule, todays newly formed NGOs are relatively free to operate, build relationships, and seek support with international donors. They are also now able to leverage transformative outreach and fundraising tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp.5 By the same token, however, Nigerias civil society sector is equally accessible to those who form pro-government NGOs for political and financial gain. These enduring incentives, along with pro-government NGO industrys deep historical roots, help explain why it continues to thrive and weigh down Nigerias democratic development.

A Brief History of Nigerias Pro-government NGOs

As ubiquitous as pro-government NGOs have become in recent years, they are not a new phenomenon in Nigeria. In the 1990s, under military rule, pro-government NGOs were not merely noisy competitors in civil society spaces, but instead were formidable antagonists able to affect real-world politics. Several such groupsmost notably Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA) and the Association for a Better Nigeria (ABN)played a prominent role in blunting grassroots opposition to authoritarian rule. Suspiciously well-resourced and amplified by state-run media, these entities acted as a counterweight to pro-democracy NGOs like the Civil Liberties Organization, Constitutional Rights Project, and the Transition Monitoring Group, many of whom were sustained by international support.6 In the words of one scholar, as the Nigerian state became increasingly resentful of these NGOs efforts, it tried simultaneously to pacify and co-opt the phalanx of social forces that were ranged against it.7

Association For a Better Nigeria

The ABN was a civilian organization that advocated for the continued rule of General Ibrahim Babangida, Nigerias head of state from 1985 to 1993. Led by business owner Arthur Nzeribe, the ABN functioned as a proxy for senior officers seeking to forestall Babangidas promised 1993 transition to civilian governance.8 Allegedly bankrolled by Nigerias security services, the ABN first attempted to derail the transition, obtaining a court injunction to stop the 1993 presidential election.9 Although the polls proceeded, the ABN sought to discredit them, criticizing the conduct of the electoral commission and obtaining another court ruling to prevent the release of full election results.10 The ruling provided cover for Babangida to annul the election, a decision that led to the appointment of a weak interim civilian government that was toppled by defense minister General Sani Abacha shortly thereafter. Five years later, as he defended Abachas self-succession bid, Nzeribe doubled down on the role he and the ABN played, arguing that the climate was not ripe for democracy.11

The ABN functioned like todays pro-government NGOs in many respects. Opaquely funded and anti-democratic, it acted as a civilian surrogate for Nigerias authoritarian rulers. As such, it was able to operate one step removed from its uniformed paymasters, lobbying and bribing newly elected legislators, planting stories in newspapers, and co-opting civil society activists.12 Along with other pro-government NGOs like Third Eye and New Breed, Nzeribe and his ABN developed a set of strategies that he and other second-generation groups would reprise and refine during the Abacha period.

Youths Earnestly Ask For Abacha

Perhaps Nigerias best-known pro-government NGO, YEAA flamboyantly championed General Abachas 1998 self-succession bid. The groups leader, Daniel Kanu, was a Nigerian American fitness enthusiast who parlayed a contract to supply gym equipment to the presidential villa into a more expansive political relationship with Abacha and his inner circle.13 YEAA quickly became a multimillion-dollar operation, handing out goods branded with Abachas nameincluding rice, soap, jewelry, and even televisionsas part of its campaign.14 Kanus refrain that Only Abacha can hold the country together made him a frequent guest at government functions and gave him privileged access to the villa.15

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In March 1998, Kanu organized a Two Million Man March to persuade Abacha to run for president. Together, Nigerias thirty-six states collectively spent up to 9 billion naira ($414 million in 1998) to each send 50,000 attendees to the rally.16 In addition, YEAA spent more than 800 million naira ($36 million in 1998) on alterations to the parade ground where it held the march, erecting eleven towers that held twenty-five loudspeakers each and building ten stages on which popular musicians like King Sunny Ade performed.17 Kanu claimed that unnamed organizations, groups, and individuals had helped finance the rally, though he also admitted that the government paid for at least half of the cost.18 He later contradicted himself by claiming during a CNN interview that he received zero . . . absolutely nil for promoting Abachas candidacy.19 The rally culminated in an early morning speech by Abachas civilian political adviser, who told the crowd that this spontaneous and sincere outburst of affection solidarity and support is, no doubt, indicative of appreciation of General Abachas achievements.20

Other Pro-Abacha NGOs

YEAA was not the only pro-Abacha NGO-like entity. In the run-up to Abachas 1998 self-succession bid, more than 150 other such groups sprang up all across Nigeria, including the National Mass Movement of Nigeria, 21st Generation, Vision 98, the National Movement for Peace and Stability, and the Northern Elders Forum.21 Similar to YEAA, none registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as required by law.22 Some sought to improve Abachas image and delegitimize pro-democracy activists, while others undertook barely disguised electoral campaigning or attempted to penetrate the civil society movement in order to undermine its organizing capacity.23 According to one journalist writing in February 1998:

All the groups have now converged on Abuja with lorry loads of hired crowds. They get permits to hold rallies anywhere in the country and are adequately protected by law enforcement agents. They organise symposia and workshops on why Abacha should continue in office and pay visits to state military administrators, ministers, traditional rulers and those that matter in government. Such visits are given prominence in state-owned media. . . . Last week, eight such associations had emerged with some form of presence in Abuja.24

Pro-Abacha groups also attacked potential dissenters. In May 1998, one such group, the Northern Nigerian Youth Christian Association, slammed former civilian vice president Alex Ekwueme and other former politicians who opposed Abacha. According to the association, the opposition criticized Abacha because his candidacy frustrated their personal ambitions to rule Nigeria.25 Another pro-Abacha groupProject New Nigeriapiled on, dismissing Ekwueme, author Wole Soyinka, and other pro-democracy figures as dollar and sterling critics who did nothing for their fatherland.26 With Abachas carefully orchestrated self-succession all but inevitable, Nigerias vociferous pro-government NGOs were riding higher than ever before. Then Abacha died suddenly in June 1998.

Return To Civillian Rule

With Abacha gone, Nigerias pro-government NGOs lost both their reason for existing and their source of financing. Most groups evaporated overnight; others tried to reinvent themselves as the countrys political power networks rapidly realigned. Some of their leaders ran for office. The ABNs Nzeribe, for example, joined the Peoples Democratic Party and served two terms in the Senate.27 YEAAs Kanu ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives, and later served as a special assistant (SA) to a governor of Imo State.28

Under presidents Olusegun Obasanjo (19992007) and Umaru YarAdua (20072010), the activities of pro-government NGOs reached a low ebb. In 2010, however, several briefcase NGOsincluding Ali Abachas Northern Patriotic Front and Ikenga Ugochinyeres Alliance for Defense of Democracymaterialized to defend Maurice Iwu, Nigerias discredited elections chief.29 A partisan figure who once told U.S. diplomats that the worst election is better than no election, Iwu presided over the countrys disastrous 2007 general election, which was characterized by political violence, voter intimidation, and evidence of widespread fraud.30 Under intense pressure from both domestic civil society groups and Washington, then president Goodluck Jonathan ultimately ignored Iwus supporters and sacked him ahead of the 2011 vote.31

Another factor fueling the creation of briefcase NGOs since 1999 has been the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accredit little-known groups as official domestic election observers. In-depth analysis of the 120 domestic groups accredited by the INEC to observe the 2019 elections reveals that a minorityonly fifty-fourare legitimate NGOs with a discernible public profile, whereas forty-three are briefcase entities, fifteen are pro-government NGOs, and nine are government parastatals or associations of government professionals.32 This finding suggests that INEC conducts minimal due diligence on entities it accreditsor worse, that it knowingly allows pro-government entities to masquerade as unbiased election observers.

The Buhari Era

After a fifteen-year lull, pro-government NGO activity has reached new heights since Buhari took office in 2015. Of the more than 360 pro-government NGOs identified in this research, 90 percent began operating in and around the capital, Abuja, since 2015. This surge is unlikely to be coincidental, given that pro-government NGOs rely on senior officialsalbeit often indirectlyfor guidance and funding. It may also be the result of a deliberate but unspoken strategy on the part of a handful of ruling party and military elites to resuscitate a familiar political tool, used during previous periods of democratic retrenchment to dilute civil society and international criticism.

In addition to toleratingand perhaps incentivizingthe growth of pro-government NGOs, the Buhari government has tacitly supported legislative efforts to shrink Nigerias civic space. Since 2015, ruling party legislators have twice introduced bills to strictly regulate NGOs, even though they are already subject to corporate laws such as the Companies and Allied Matters Act.33 Claiming that some NGOs solicit funds for selfish motives and [fund] the activities of insurgents, the House deputy majority leader introduced the first such bill in 2016, but it failed to pass before the legislative session ended in 2019.34

Reiterating these unfounded assertions, House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila championed a similar bill in 2019, declaring that NGOs needed stricter regulation because some were aiding the Boko Haram insurgency.35 This second bill aimed to create a civil society regulatory agency with just four civil society representatives on its nineteen-seat board.36Two of those four would be nominated by the National Youth Council of Nigeria, an organization whose president, Solomon Adodo, operates several pro-government NGOs.37In early 2020, the bill stalled amid sharp criticism from civil society and some legislators, one of whom reminded his colleagues how, under military rule, pro-democracy NGOs gave their blood, sweat and resources to win democracy for the country.38 Nevertheless, legislators amended the Companies and Allied Matters Act in 2020 to increase state influence over civil society groups, empowering the government to remove trustees from the board of an NGO when, for instance, it deems that doing so is in the public interests.39

Instead of making it harder for briefcase NGOs to operate, increased government regulation of civil society groups likely would have the opposite effect. Skewed by partisan bias, government NGO regulators almost certainly would focus their attention on monitoring mainstream civil society groups and deregistering those critical of government policy or the security sector. The Buhari governments failure to enforce existing corporate rules that would preclude briefcase NGOs from operating as prolifically as they do now suggests that new regulations would be implemented in an equally selective manner. Indeed, the creation of a civil society regulatory agency could be the culmination of pro-government NGOs long-running efforts to silence pro-democracy, good governance, and human rights groups.

Pro-government NGOs: A Recognition and Guide

What distinguishes Nigerias pro-government NGOs from its many legitimate non-governmental and civil society organizations? Certain key characteristics and behaviors are specific to pro-government NGOs, and can be used to identify them. These traits include sycophancy, a readiness to use ad hominem attacks, illiberalism, a penchant for holding identically staged press conferences, ephemerality, legitimacy-seeking, opaque funding, overt partisanship, and ties to little-known news platforms and think tanks. The majority of pro-government NGOs active since 2015 also share another surprising characteristic: links to the southern part of Benue State, in central Nigeria.

This collection of common identifiers does not mean, however, that all pro-government NGOs look and act the same. Some specialize in defending the governments track record on particular issues (for example, human rights or corruption), while others activities are more opportunistic and disjointed. Some seem more attuned to the news cycle than others, swiftly leaping to the defense of scandal-hit officials or government entities. It is unclear whether this responsiveness stems from their existing ties to those officials or is part of an attempt to cultivate high-level demand for their services by demonstrating a capacity to draw attention.

Sycophancy

Nigerias pro-government NGOs are not subtle: their effusive, over-the-top praise of senior government officials and the military sets them apart from mainstream civil society groups. Although legitimate NGOs sometimes commend the Nigerian government for taking constructive policy decisions, appointing respected technocrats, or passing legislation that aligns with their values, they generally strive to ensure such feedback is substantive and nonpartisan. Pro-government NGOs, in contrast, signal their loyalty and support for the government, ruling party, and military as loudly and frequently as possible.

Since 2015, pro-government NGOs have showered Buhari, his government, the military, and its service chiefs with adulation. In late 2020, for example, one such group issued a press release to applaud the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari for the giant strides recorded in the improvement of security in Nigeria and make the false claim that the military has been able to restore normalcy in North West and has incapacitated Boko Haram in almost all the states in North-East Nigeria.40 In early 2020, another briefcase NGO network lauded Buhari for his courageous and fearless posture in speaking the truth no matter the situation. His commitment is unwavering and an indication that, in a matter of time, the menace of Boko Haram would come to an end.41 Around the same time, a third pro-government NGO likewise hailed the Nigerian Armys widely criticized super camp strategywhich entailed a withdrawal from a wide network of forward operating bases to a smaller number of highly fortified compoundsas a magic wand in the fight against Boko Haram.42

Pro-government groups also sometimes couch their effusive praise as policymaker recommendations, copying the tone and format of statements made by legitimate NGOs. For example, one group that held a press conference to laud Nigerias corruption-prone National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) recommended that [Buhari] continue in this fashion with regards to the operations of NEMA, that the agencys director-general does not rest on his oars, and that [Buhari] commends the director-general . . . for the excellent job he is doing.43 In 2018, following a series of military defeats, another pro-government NGO held a press conference to advocate that the Nigerian Army should maintain its winning spirit in the fight against Boko Haram, assessing that the Nigerian military has continued to rout the terrorists albeit with the occasional sacrifice to the fatherland.44

Fake awards are another tool that pro-government NGOs use to ingratiate themselves with prestige-hungry senior officials or, in some cases, help scandal-ridden individuals launder their reputations. In this way, pro-government NGOs emulate opportunistic media organizations, professional groups, and charitable foundations that frequently bestow such spurious awards.45 By presenting awards, briefcase NGOs demonstrate their utility as surrogates for senior officials, particularly their ability to generate positive press coverage for them. Award-giving also provides new entrants to the briefcase NGO industry with a pretext for meeting and expanding their relationship with senior officials and their SAs.

Examples of this tactic abound. In early 2021, one briefcase NGO presented a government agency head with an award for being The Most Outstanding and Distinguished Director-General of the Decade in Nigeria.46 In 2019, another unknown NGO presented a Best Governor award to a state governor who had just weathered a major corruption scandal.47In another instance, a pro-government NGO presented a Nigerian Army battalion commander with a Peace Award for Excellence and National Unity and Professionalism.48Although these manufactured awards seemingly are harmless, for pro-government NGOs they are part of a broader set of behaviors that help themand senior officialsappear more legitimate and respectable.

Ad Hominem Attacks

Even as Nigerias pro-government NGOs praise key members of the current regime, they also direct stinging ad hominem attacks on the critics or perceived opponents of Buhari, the military, or senior government officials. This rhetoric has three main aims. First, it is used to discredit and delegitimize outside criticism by painting it as partisan, unpatriotic, or driven by ulterior motives. Second, it is employed to intimidate and silence legitimate activists, credible domestic and international NGOs, foreign governments, and the media. Finally, it helps to shift responsibility for Nigerias worsening security situation and other governance failures away from top officials onto malign external influences.

Pro-government NGOs attacks, whether independently initiated or guided by top officials, provide a useful window into the zeitgeist of Nigerias ruling elites, revealing which critiques they find most unsettling. They tend to target a similar set of perceived adversaries. These include Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for their work on human rights abuses in Nigeria; Transparency International, especially its annual Corruption Perception Index, in which Nigeria consistently ranks poorly; international media organizations such as CNN, the BBC, and Reuters; and anti-government groups such as the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Pro-government NGO protest against Amnesty International. Source: Civil Society Group Calls for Expulsion of Amnesty International, Television Nigerian, YouTube video, 1:19, May 23, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Dq0nOaMXw.

In some cases, pro-government NGOs attacks verge on incitement, painting respected, reform-minded organizations as enemies of the state. In early 2021, for example, one pro-government NGO accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Amnesty International of conspiring to overthrow the Nigerian government, asserting that:

The ICC, Amnesty International and their associates are collaborating with the opposition in this devilish pursuit . . . jostling for an illegal and possibly a forceful regime change to plant elements of the opposition in positions that will enable them to destroy the country from within. . . . It is most unfortunate that the ICC and Amnesty International . . . have now constituted themselves into pro-terrorist organizations simply because of their desperation to implement the evil agenda they have in the country. They have also committed themselves to actively sabotaging Nigerias hard-won democracy, which qualified them as the countrys leading enemies. . . . [We] unequivocally demand that the Federal Government takes decisive actions to counter the threats posed to Nigerias democracy and security by the ICC and Amnesty International. Things have gotten to the point where these organizations, irrespective of their now abused international status, must treat [sic] in the manner they deserve. . . . [We are] warning the ICC and Amnesty International that they must now be prepared to meet the masses of Nigeria, whose lives they are jeopardizing with their subversive activities.49

Another pro-government NGO issued a similar threat:

Nigerians must rise up and disown Amnesty International and all it stands for. They must take their future into their hands and send this demonic NGO out of their country in order to have peace. . . . The organization and those who implement its evil plans in Nigeria will now be treated in the same measure they have treated our dear country. They cannot expect to enjoy peace and tranquility where they have sponsored terrorists to flood parts of the country with human blood.50

Likewise, the ironically named Citizens Against Fake Activistsa staunchly pro-military NGOwent a step further, calling for the Nigerian government to

prescribe death by hanging for anyone that supports Boko Haram in any way, including those that hide behind the nomenclature of activists to offer assistance to terrorists and those who collude with foreign entities to undermine the national interest of Nigeria. . . . It is our view that if they can be callous to the point of sabotaging Nigeria for foreign interests and help them to empower Boko Haram then they should also be ready to get what is coming to them as repercussions for their treachery.51

Over the long term, pro-government NGOs increasing use of hateful rhetoric could radicalize a few unwitting Nigerians, inciting them to conduct politically motivated attacks against domestic civil society groups, international NGOs, and journalists. In this respect, Nigerias pro-government NGOs and their associated online platforms could become like far-right media outlets in other countries around the world: breeding grounds for intolerance, conspiracy theories, and political violence.

Illiberalism

As the aforementioned attacks show, pro-government NGOs tendency to rail against, rather than promote, values championed by their legitimate counterparts is one of their most defining characteristics. Their dissonant stances on core issues held by mainstream civil society groupshuman rights, democracy, good governance, and the protection of civil libertiesare significant red flags.

Pro-government NGOs reactions to the 2020 #EndSARS protests, which decried the brutal, abusive practices of the Nigerian Polices Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), illustrate their anti-democratic tendencies. Even as other domestic and international NGOs supported Nigerians right to peacefully protest against police brutality while also condemning incidences of looting and attacks on security personnel, pro-government NGOs opposed the protests in their entirety. They also criticized international media coverage of the Lekki shootings (in which soldiers killed at least ten unarmed protesters), with one group calling the incident fake news.52 Another organization slammed CNNs coverage of the Lekki killings, saying it resorted to concocting fresh lies with its fantasy movie production and that its coverage was patently racist and part of a campaign of demonization against the authorities in Nigeria.53 In one notably ironic instance, a pro-government NGO defended security agencies handling of the #EndSARS crisis by accusing the international media of pay-for-play journalism:

CNN should wake up from the blind hatchet jobs it is contracted to do. Truth fights back. It goofed in Nigeria terribly and the world is increasingly frowning at their public media mercantilism. It should accept the reality that some disgruntled elements are out to destabilize the country and recruited it to consciously water this agenda to fruition. We know CNN as satanic agents, but Nigeria is a forbidden land to practice their trade. Let them look elsewhere.54

For their part, mainstream civil society groups view pro-government NGOs and their illiberal agenda with deep mistrust.55 Reputable civil society forums such as the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, a decade-old platform for civil society groups to coordinate and collaborate on election issues, does not include any pro-government NGOs.56 This state of affairs suggests that Nigerias more credible and well-established NGOs are able to identify and marginalize pro-government NGOs, even if many media platforms are not. Although this members club approach could be seen as exclusionary, it does ensure that pro-government NGOs illiberal rhetoric does not contaminate legitimate civil society narratives.

A Penchant For Press Conferences

All NGOs convene public events, such as presentations, workshops, and report launches, from time to time. However, Nigerias pro-government NGOs specialize in holding identically staged global press conferences. Hosted at the same two or three Abuja hotels and bedecked with the same style of banners, these events serve as a platform for readingoften verbatimsimilarly structured press releases that many media outlets then print word-for-word. Since 2015, pro-government groups have convened well over 500 such press conferences, ensuring that their anti-democratic attacks and pro-regime paeans frequently make headlines.57

Ephemerality

Many of Nigerias pro-government NGOs exist only in name, popping up for a few weeks before disappearing altogether. Out of the 360-plus pro-government groups identified through this research, more than 290 held just one or two press conferences in total.58Fewer than 7 percent are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, as all NGOs are legally required to do.59 Likewise, very few possess any discernible digital footprint (website, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile) or operate from a brick-and-mortar address.

Despite their ephemerality, pro-government NGOs are quick to label those who criticize government policies and actions as fake activists. In one such statement, a briefcase group lamented that:

[We are] baffled at the eagerness some Nigerians housed under Nigerias reigning modern camps for idlers parading as CSOs [civil society organizations]/activists. They easily render themselves as personality attack dogs and weapons of blackmail for equally dubious characters for peanuts. They flaunt the emblem of disgusting, unscrupulous and unconscionable characters. Outside their overt partisan proclivities is the tendency of unbated exhibition of unrestrained hatred against the anti-corruption campaigns of President Muhammadu Buhari and any of his appointee [sic] who toes this path.60

Even as this rhetoric seeks to delegitimize those civil society activists who question the conduct of Nigerias often venal and increasingly authoritarian ruling class, it draws attention to the fact that most pro-government NGOs are themselves ephemeral constructs.

Legitimacy-Seeking

Even Nigerias shortest-lived pro-government NGOs go to great and often obvious lengths to appear legitimate. Their leaders may give themselves dubious honorifics, such as comrade, high chief, sir, or prince, or misuse real-world professional titles like ambassador or professor. Some groups attempt to bolster their credibility by presenting themselves as the voice of particular professional or social groups, such as lawyers, unemployed youth, or Nigerians living in the diaspora.61 To convey a corporate identity and make their press conferences more eye-catching, pro-government NGOs may employ matching, branded, or color-coordinated clothing for public events (as seen in Figure 2).

Pro-government NGOs also seek to exaggerate their importance by impersonating genuine stakeholders or portraying themselves as nationwide coalitions of dozenseven hundredsof unnamed civil society groups. In doing so, they seek to attach more credibility and legitimacy to their statements, implying that they represent the views of a wider social or geographical constituency. Out of the more than 360 pro-government NGOs identified for this paper, 96 had coalition in their name.62 Identifying as a coalition also imitates a strategy used by legitimate civil society groups, who sometimes form temporary coalitions to speak collectively or lobby the government on specific issues, especially during elections.

Opaque Funding

Murky financing is another common feature of Nigerias pro-government NGOs. Legitimate NGOs of all sizes need funds to operate, organize events, conduct training and research, pay staff, and rent office space. Most legitimate NGOs are supported either directly by grants or task-specific contracts from international development agencies and charitable foundations, or indirectly via partnerships with larger NGOs.63 Many disclose their funders on their website, at their events, or in their annual reports. Most international donors likewise publish details of the projects and organizations they fund.

Pro-government NGOs, by contrast, do not reveal their funding sources. Since these groups activities run counter toand often explicitly opposethe values of international donors and legitimate domestic NGOs, it can be assumed that they do not receive funds from these sources. Instead, they almost certainly are bankrolled by government entities, the military, or ruling party supporters. Although the scope and scale of this funding is a mystery, some of it likely originates from security votescorruption-prone slush funds budgeted for the use of top federal, state, and security officialsor through public relations spending by SAs attached to top officials.64

According to sources interviewed for this paper, SAs play a key role in doing business with pro-government NGOs. Most senior officials have several such SAs, all of whom are working-level staffers. Sometimes, briefcase NGO entrepreneurs will approach an SA to market their services.65 In most instances, however, an SA will seek out briefcase NGO operators, having convinced their principal that they have a public relations problem that can be countered using surrogates.66 SAs most likely to engage with surrogates include those whose portfolios cover political affairs, media, digital/new media, domestic affairs, public relations, and legal matters.67

SAs typically use funds gleaned from their ministry or agencys operating budget to pay surrogates to generate positive media attention or wage attacks on behalf of their principal.68 In some cases, they will look for individuals who have a reputation for creating and effectively mobilizing briefcase pro-government NGOs and negotiate a fee for their services.69 Thus, in many respects, SAs use of pro-government NGOs is akin to their use of public relations consultants, sympathetic journalists, or social media warriors to help shape narratives and refute accusations of corruption or underperformance.

The military uses similar methods to engage pro-government NGOs, according to defense sector sources interviewed for this paper. Like SAs, uniformed aides to Nigerias service chiefs also are unofficially tasked with protecting their principals from bad press.70 Yet unlike civilian officials, Nigerias service chiefs have a dedicated official mechanismtheir Directorate for Public Relationsresponsible for influencing media narratives and pushing back on outside critics, especially international human rights organizations.71 The military pays for the services of outside surrogates such as briefcase NGOs using both off-budget cash payments and inflated contracts for human rights training, media consulting services, or digital promotion.72 To gain access to these lucrative opportunities, pro-government NGOs must leverage their personal connections to lobby senior officers and cultivate allies within the chain of command as well as demonstrate their ability to disseminate pro-military propaganda in the press and on social media.73

Overt Partisanship

Outright politicization is another element that distinguishes briefcase NGOsboth pro-government and opposition-backedfrom their legitimate counterparts. Before Buharis election in 2015, Nigerias briefcase NGOs engaged primarily in a partisan context, attempting to confer legitimacy on candidates via well-publicized endorsements or claiming to vindicate politicians accused of corruption or poor performance. Once Buhari entered office, pro-government groups made efforts to burnish his reputation and secure his hold on power.

Ahead of the 2019 elections, for example, a generically named Coalition of Civil Society Organizations held a press conference to endorse Buhari for a second term, citing his excellent performance in securing the country.74 Claiming to consist of over 300 groups, the coalition was led by Okpokwu Ogenyi, a Benue South native (see below) and aspiring APC politician linked to at least ten other pro-government NGOs.75 To justify its endorsement, the coalition pointed to a report by a pro-government think tank that yawningly reechoes that the President has frenetically tackled the insurgency with so much vigor, energy and resources. It stamps that [he] has made the difference in counter-terrorism combat and [is] deserving of loud accolades and commendations.76 Rather than promoting a free and fair electoral process, the purported coalition focused on championing Buharis candidacy.

The partisan political activities of briefcase NGOs occasionally are narrow and parochial in scope, aimed at buoying (or torpedoing) the ambitions of individual politicians. In early 2021, for example, the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awarenesswhich claims, without evidence, to be a coalition of over 100 civil society groupsheld a series of press conferences in support of a senator from Cross River State whose reelection was being challenged in the courts. Couching its rhetoric in talk of electoral integrity and the rule of law, the self-described civil society network pled the senators case under the guise of a roundtable discussion on The Role of INEC and the Judiciary in Our Electoral System.77Its leader, an associate of the well-connected NGO figurehead Ali Abacha (see below), argued that the senator is a vibrant young lawyer and a doctorate degree holder [who] should be let alone to effectively continue the representation of the good people of Cross River North.78 This type of openly political intervention is characteristic of fake civil society groups.

Ties To News Sites and Think Tanks

Pro-government NGOs thrive on the coverage their statements, press conferences, and public protests receive from a dozen or so of Nigerias newest and least-known media platforms. Some of these platforms are owned or operated by the leaders of pro-government NGOs or their close associates. Etuk Bassey Williams, for example, who leads the Coalition of Civil Society Groupsa prominent pro-military NGOis the CEO of Al Jazirah News, a platform that affords generous coverage to his and many other pro-government NGOs.79

Well-established media outlets also print articles featuring the activities of pro-government NGOs. It is unclear why these platforms career journalists do not carry out due diligence on unfamiliar NGOs or ask tough questions about their sponsors or biases. In many instances, mainstream media platforms will publish pro-government NGOs press statements verbatim without placing their remarks in context or seeking opposing viewpoints. Such stories could be the product of brown-envelope journalism, a widespread practice in Nigeria in which reporters accept, or even solicit, cash in exchange for placing stories.80 In a 2013 study, more than 75 percent of journalists surveyed admitted to accepting such gifts, sometimes euphemistically called transport money or kola nut.81

Emulating their legitimate counterparts, pro-government NGOs also draw upon the work of a small number of sympathetic think tanks whose researchinvariably unpublishedvalidates their views. One such entity is the Centre for International and Strategic Studies (not to be confused with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a reputable Washington, DCbased think tank). The organization does not appear to have any full-time staff, a physical address, or a website where its analysis and other information about it and its roster of experts can be accessed.82 In January 2020, it hosted a book launch for Terrance Kuanum, an associate of Philip Agbese (see below) and spokesman for Global Amnesty Watch, a strongly pro-military NGO.83 Another briefcase think tank, the Centre for Counter-Terrorism and Preventive Diplomacy, is linked to a person named as an attorney for the Save Humanity Advocacy Centre, another prolific pro-military NGO.84

The Benue South Connection

Notably, a majority of pro-government NGOs identified by this paper have ties to the southern part of Benue State in central Nigeria (see Figure 3). The reasons behind this geographical linkage are not entirely clear. Benue State is not a stronghold of the ruling APC; in recent years, it has been more of a swing state. Moreover, Benue South has returned only Peoples Democratic Party senators since 1999. The zone is overwhelmingly Christian and home to the Idoma and Igede ethnic groups, which are overshadowed by the larger Tiv ethnic group in state political calculations. One interviewed source did suggest, however, that Benues links to pro-government NGOs may stem from the fact that local politics there are sharper-elbowed, more radical, and more zealous than elsewhere in Nigeria.85

The likelier explanation for the Benue South connection has to do with the role of a few key pro-government NGO leaders and their expansive, intertwined personal and kinship networks. Foremost among these is Philip Agbese, a pro-government NGO entrepreneur without equal. Agbese and many of his kinsmen-turned-associatesincluding Isaac Ikpa, Ogenyi Okpokwu, Solomon Adodo, and Sabo Odehoperate portfolios of pro-government NGOs that vary in size and activity level. Each appears to have cultivated separate personal networks of fellow NGO entrepreneurs, some of whom also have clear ties to Agbese. Nevertheless, the ongoing proliferation and expansion of Nigerias pro-government NGO industry suggests that its ties to Agbese and other pioneers from Benue South may gradually become less salient over time.

Pro-government NGO Leaders: A Closer Look

Given the ephemeral nature of many of Nigerias pro-government NGOs, it makes sense to look at a few prominent leaders linked to some of the subsectors most enduring groups. Analyzing their activities and behaviors will help reveal how pro-government NGOs function and how their harmful impact on democracy, governance, and human rights in Nigeria can be addressed.

Philip Agbese: The Politician

If Nigerias pro-government NGOs were a constellation, Philip Agbese would be its North Star. Dynamic, articulate, and well-networked, Agbese is connected either directly or indirectly to more than forty such groups. An ethnic Idoma from southern Benue State, Agbese obtained a law degree from Middlesex University in the United Kingdom.86 He is also an aspiring APC politician. In 2020, he launched his 2023 campaign for the House of Representatives after abandoning a mooted Senate bid.87 Agbese is also keen to earn a reputation for philanthropy by donating money to his community and pledging to pay to send three top undergraduates from his prospective constituency to earn masters degrees in the United Kingdom.88

When not campaigning, Agbese writes for various media outlets, including his own online platform TheNigerian News. His articles focus on complimenting Buhari and government policies, lauding the military, and needling his own opponents.89 Agbese even wrote an grandiloquent op-ed to deny blackmailing diatribes made by pseudo-activist[s] that accused him of being sponsored by President Muhammadu Buhari . . . and the Chief of Army Staff and leader of the counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, my most admirable Nigerian in recent times[,] of being commissioned to spearhead the campaign against the expulsion of Amnesty International (AI) in Nigeria.90He also claimed that he is not one of those publishers who will send out my reporters or go to solicit for help from anyone because I support the Nigerian Army or President Buharis government. I do it very honestly and from the bottom of my heart.91

Looking at his prodigious output, it is clear that Agbese is a wordsmith at heart. In 2019, he published a book, Integrity vs Power Play: Understanding the Buhari Phenomenonwhich he claimed received over 1 million preordersprofiling Buhari as a transformational leader and an outstanding democrat.92 It was not, he disingenuously claimed, the usual praise-singing or sycophantic stuff on Buharis administration, which is now the creed and penchant of many Nigerians who pencil down anything on public office holders.93 Yet his book evidently was written with a ruling party primary run in mind.

Despite Agbeses assertion, the acknowledgments section of his book reads as a whos who of Nigerian pro-government NGOs. In it, he thanks Okpokwu Ogenyi (a true brother, friend, and partner); Terrance Kuanum of Global Amnesty Watch; Isaac Ikpa of the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, as well as many other briefcase coalitions; and Shuaibu Danfulani of the Centre for International and Strategic Studies.94Agbese also thanked my silent teacher the retired Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, who served as director of the Nigerian Armys public relations from 2015 to 2018.95In a 2019 op-ed, Agbese said of his mentor:

Usman knew, wars are not won with arsenals alone. Propaganda plays an ostensible role. In fact, Nazi Germany wartime propagandist, Joseph Goebbels enunciated a guiding principle of war propaganda. He said, The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative. The retired Army image maker embodied this perfection throughout his service years, wherever he served.96

Something of a propagandist himself, Agbeses admiration for others who work invisibly is noteworthy. If and when it occurs, Agbeses ascension to public office will be a boon to Nigerias pro-government NGOs, many of which are run by his allies and acolytes.

Bosede Ajibola: The Princess

Princess Bosede Ajibola is perhaps one of the most militant and highly specialized briefcase NGO operators in Nigeria. In less than three years, she has made a name for herself by aggressively defending the conduct of Nigerias military, praising its service chiefs, and attacking its perceived domestic and international critics. Nevertheless, Ajibolas background and personal connections are unclear, as she has no digital footprint beyond her media appearances, protest marches, and the occasional op-ed.

Ajibola first appeared in the public arena in early 2019 when, under the auspices of nine different briefcase NGOs, she made a series of partisan, pro-government media forays.97 By early 2020, she had established her brand and settled on her primary mouthpiece: the pro-military Centre for African Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER). Using CALSER as a platform, she subsequently held near-weekly press conferences praising the army, condemning international NGOs, and attacking the governor of Borno State for daring to criticise the militarys conduct in his state.

Ajibola also excels at organizing demonstrations. In December 2019, for example, she used a briefcase group called the Movement Against Slavery and Terrorism to lead street protests against the French government, accusing them of providing logistic support under the cover of humanitarian whatever to the Boko Haram fighters and blaming them for the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria.98 Departing from her prepared script, she also claimed that: A cargo plane was intercepted . . . in Mali, and it was all African children. Some of them were Nigerian children. And they were taken there for what? For their pedophile people to destroy the destiny of these children, and then after these children die, they harvest human organs for their own children. No child is better than any other child! We say no to France!99 This extreme rhetoric echoes that used by other far-right conspiracy theorists, such as Q-Anon adherents, who frequently accuse their opponents of child trafficking and organ harvesting.100

Since adopting CALSER as her primary platform, Ajibola has escalated her rhetoric. In November 2020, for example, she appeared to threaten to harm Amnesty International staffers, saying that her group would carry out protests on the same scale that innocent police men lynched by mobs were treated during the [#EndSARS] protest across the country.101 Likewise, in April 2021, CALSER weaponized the U.S. State Departments 2020 Human Rights Report for Nigeriawhich failed to verify the October 2020 killing of unarmed #EndSARS protesters by soldiers at the Lekki tollboothagainst Amnesty International. In the State Departments hedging, CALSER saw an opportunity to discredit civil society critics of the armys poor human rights record. It swiftly convened a press conference to announce that Washington had vindicated the [Nigerian Army] of any wrongdoing during the protest in Lagos and hail the report as a welcome development for all lovers of democracy because it has indeed exposed the conspiracy against the [army] by Amnesty International and its cohorts.102 Looking ahead, CALSERwhether fronted by Ajibola or some other firebrandis on track to become one of the armys most tireless and vociferous surrogates.

Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah: The Tailor

The story of Ibrahim Kabiru Dallahwho runs a clothing shop and digital printing business in Nasarawa Statedemonstrates the degree to which Nigerias pro-government NGOs operators have to hustle and multitask to make ends meet. From his social media accounts, Dallah appears to be industrious, ambitious, and versatile. He aspires, he says, to become governor of his state someday.103 Yet he also has an alter ego as the vocal leader of several briefcase pro-government NGOs.104

Using these NGOs as a platform, Dallah has aggressively defended the governments poor human rights record and attacked its critics. On October 14, 2020, he led a demonstration by the vaguely named Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Abuja that called on Nigerians to support a new unit formed as the successor to the infamous SARS and end their protests against police brutality.105 At its demonstration, the coalition declared that the #EndSARS protests were totally uncalled-for and unacceptable, not to mention ill-conceived as the advantages and usefulness of SARS in curbing crimes in Nigeria overwhelmingly outweighed their few mistakes, therefore, such protests can be highly demoralising.106 In a stark warning presaging the Lekki killings perpetrated six days later, Dallah himself added that whoever sees the police as an enemy is a suspect.107 Five days after the killings, Dallah appeared unfazed, tweeting: It is time to get all the enemies of Nigeria arrested. Especially those working with the International Community to undermine our Country.108

In April 2020, Dallahunder the auspices of a group called the Coalition Against Fake Activistsforcefully condemned Buharis social media critics. Calling them pay-for-hire activist[s], he asserted that their decision to desecrate the highest office in the land is the height of irresponsibility regardless of how much they have been paid to distract the government of the day.109 A few days later, Dallah held another press conference to say that Buharis critics would be made to pay for their sins and against Nigeria and humanity if they do not desist from such unpatriotic acts.110 Just a few days later, he again spoke out to decry fake activists and fake news agents who, he claimed, along with their proxies as well as affiliated international NGOs [are] escalating the campaign of fake news and unsubstantiated stories to help Boko Haram/ISWAP resist its imminent end.111 By tirelessly assailing its critics as stooges and enemies of the state, Dallah is helping the government shrink Nigerias civic space.

Dallahs rise from provincial clothier to national propaganda warrior illustrates how the proliferation of Nigerias pro-government NGOs is driven in part by hustling opportunists efforts to meet top officials growing demand for civil society surrogates. It suggests that, over time, the number of part-time pro-government NGO operators will increase, making it more difficult to identify them and counter their anti-democratic, authoritarian-friendly messaging.

Ali Abacha: The Old Hand

Ali Abachathe younger brother of former dictator Sani Abachais one of Nigerias most seasoned pro-government NGO leaders. Linked to at least five such groups, one of his most enduring briefcase NGOs is the Northern Patriotic Front (NPF), a group that continues to operate twenty-three years after it first made headlines by advocating in favor of Sani Abachas self-succession bid.112 It occasionally grabs headlines by praising senior officials and government actions. In 2011, for example, Ali Abacha and the NPF fawned over then president Goodluck Jonathans cabinet picks, singling out the reappointment of petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke for special praise by saying that she transformed the petroleum industry.113 Alison-Madueke has since been implicated in multiple corruption scandals, is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation in the United Kingdom, and is being tried in Nigeriain absentiafor money laundering.114

In early April 2014, Abacha and the NPF issued a similar flattery-laden press release saluting the federal government ably led by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for the handling of the Boko-Haram issue and commend the doggedness of the Nigerian military and . . . their ability in restoring partial normalcy to the [conflict] zone despite the huge losses suffered.115 A mere ten days later, Nigerian government and military failures were laid bare when Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students from a school in Chibok, Borno Stateover 100 of whom were still in captivity seven years later.116

In 2019, Ali Abacha weighed inthis time under the auspices of a different briefcase NGOto praise Buhari and urge the House of Representatives to elect a speaker who did not have a questionable past, tinted antecedents, and a barrage of court cases.117 In doing so, he sought to discredit a frontrunner for the post and boost the candidacy of another legislator.118 Yet even as he criticized corruption, Abacha was in the late stages of a long-running legal battlewhich he finally lost in January 2021to unfreeze off-shore accounts traced to him and relatives of his late brother in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Jersey, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg.119 Ali Abachas lingering presence at the fringes of Nigerias NGO sector is a reminder that its ruling elites are still using strategies from the military rule period to simultaneously pacify and co-opt civil society groups and silence calls for improved governance and guaranteed basic human rights.

Policy Implications and Recommendations

Riding higher than at any time since the end of military rule, Nigerias pro-government NGOs are not a harmless nuisance or amusing political sideshow. Instead, they represent a meaningful threat to Nigerias democratic development, social cohesion, and long-term stability. These groups infiltration of one of Nigerian democracys few remaining strongholdsits dynamic and independent civil society spaceis accelerating. Its pace and scope have reached a point that should concern and prompt pushback from legitimate civil society actors, responsible media practitioners, reform-minded government officials, and international voices.

The rise of Nigerias pro-government NGOs matters because it

Emboldens bad actors. Pro-government NGOs illiberal rhetoric undermines domestic and international efforts to press Buhari, his military leaders, and police commanders to improve their dreadful human rights record. Their unstinting praise for the countrys leadership also makes it harder for legitimate civil society groups to hold the government accountable, advocate against problematic policies, and push for greater transparency and public oversight. In doing so, pro-government NGOs help protect Nigerias most abusive, illiberal, and corrupt public officials by attacking their adversaries.

Pro-government NGOs illiberal rhetoric undermines domestic and international efforts to press Buhari, his military leaders, and police commanders to improve their dreadful human rights record. Their unstinting praise for the countrys leadership also makes it harder for legitimate civil society groups to hold the government accountable, advocate against problematic policies, and push for greater transparency and public oversight. In doing so, pro-government NGOs help protect Nigerias most abusive, illiberal, and corrupt public officials by attacking their adversaries. Discredits the NGO sector. The proliferation of pro-government NGOs has had a corrosive effect on Nigerias civil society sector by undermining its collective legitimacy. In this sense, pro-government groups succeed even when they fail, because their very existence validates the cynicism many Nigerians feel toward domestic NGOs. As Daniel Jordan Smith notes, a large proportion Nigerias NGOs of were created in response to the growing availability of donor monies, contributing to the average citizens belief that NGOs were somehow linked to a world of fraud, deceit, and corruption. 120

The proliferation of pro-government NGOs has had a corrosive effect on Nigerias civil society sector by undermining its collective legitimacy. In this sense, pro-government groups succeed even when they fail, because their very existence validates the cynicism many Nigerians feel toward domestic NGOs. As Daniel Jordan Smith notes, a large proportion Nigerias NGOs of were created in response to the growing availability of donor monies, contributing to the average citizens belief that NGOs were somehow linked to a world of fraud, deceit, and corruption. Skews public narratives. Pro-government NGOs partnerships with little-known media outlets and ready access to more established news platforms ensures that their anti-democratic rhetoric can reach a disproportionately wide audience. The verbatim coverage these outlets afford pro-government groups performative press conferences suggests that they may be the result of brown-envelope journalism. Regardless, these groups ability to negatively influence public narratives around democracy, good governance, and human rights is a cause for concern.

Pro-government NGOs partnerships with little-known media outlets and ready access to more established news platforms ensures that their anti-democratic rhetoric can reach a disproportionately wide audience. The verbatim coverage these outlets afford pro-government groups performative press conferences suggests that they may be the result of brown-envelope journalism. Regardless, these groups ability to negatively influence public narratives around democracy, good governance, and human rights is a cause for concern. Negates international assistance. Nigerias legitimate civil society sector is the primary conduit for international assistance focused on democracy, good governance, and human rights promotion. Pro-government groups, in contrast, are authoritarian-leaning and frequently target internationally supported civil society groups. Their activities therefore negate a substantial amount of international assistance, meaning that donors investments have less impact than anticipated.

Feasible Solutions

What can be done to rein in Nigerias pro-government NGOs and disincentivize their activities, given their damaging impact? Increased regulation of civil society groups is not the answer; top government officials have already signaled that they would use any new rules to restrict the activities of mainstream, independent NGOs and allow partisan regulators to turn a blind eye to the activities of unregistered, pro-government groups. Stricter regulations would, in other words, empower sycophantic groups by giving the government new tools to pressure and punish its critics, especially pro-democracy and human rights groups sustained by international donors.

Instead of creating new rules, the Nigerian government should better enforce existing corporate laws, ensuring that all NGOs register with the Corporate Affairs Commission, identify a board of trustees, and submit annual financial reports to the commission.121Currently, very few pro-government NGOs comply with such basic rules. Ensuring they do so would make it more difficult for them to claim legitimacy as they carry out verbal hit-and-run attacks on behalf of government officials. Nigerias tax enforcement and anti-corruption agencies should also investigate briefcase NGOs like those described here, particularly with respect to their sources of funding, tax compliance, and relationships with politically exposed persons.

Donors, diplomats, and development professionals, as well as legitimate domestic and international NGOs, also could do more to call out pro-government groups toxic behaviors and exert pressure on their high-level sponsors. When these self-proclaimed civil society allies see briefcase NGOs championing illiberal and anti-democratic causes, they should speak out against such actions. In their private meetings, Nigerian civil societys international allies should also press senior government officials and military officers to stop covertly mobilizing and funding civil society surrogates. International diplomats could also levy visa bans on those pro-government NGO leaders that issue violent threats or spew hate speech.

For their part, Nigerias mainstream media outletswhich include Premium Times, Vanguard, This Day, NTA (Nigerian Television Authority), and Channelscould undertake more due diligence on the activities of civil society groups. Instead of covering pro-government NGOs cookie-cutter press conferences verbatim, they could ask why an unknown, unregistered group is heaping praise on government officials or attacking their critics. Journalists and their editors should look upon such stage-managed events with suspicion and refuse inducements to attend such events or place stories about them. Established media platforms that wish to maintain their credibility have a strong incentive to shun pro-government NGOs thinly disguised propaganda. At the very least, they should publish such pieces as op-eds rather than factual news stories.

Nigerias legitimate civil society organizations, meanwhile, could work together to adopt voluntary standards or a code of conduct that would help the media, government officials, and everyday Nigerians separate trustworthy NGOs from briefcase and for-hire groups. Nigerian civil societys international partners could facilitate this effort by supporting the establishment of an Open Civil Society Portal that could serve as a mechanism for both new and established NGOs to upload their corporate registration and tax documents, trustee details, and annual financial reports. Longer term, such a platform could also serve as a donor feedback and project monitoring mechanism, giving greater exposure to up-and-coming NGOs that operate according to established good practices.

In conclusion, a sustainable approach to mitigating the threat that pro-government NGOs pose to Nigerian democracy and stability does not require bold diplomatic action, jarring reforms, or expensive programmatic solutions. It can be addressed through a combination of informal strategies, including more assertive counter-messaging by mainstream NGOs, media due diligence, and targeted international engagement. Legitimate civil society groups could also petition the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the most obvious of the fake NGOs and their leaders. From a social norms perspective, calling out pro-government NGOs and exposing their links to top officials will, over time, delegitimize them, defuse their anti-democratic messaging, and diminish their usefulness as surrogates. By doing so, those keen to advance democracy, democracy, good governance, and human rights would prove what the countrys ruling elites already know: Nigerias civil society sector is its strongest counterweight to their corrupt, abusive, and autocratic tendencies.

Matthew T. Page is a nonresident scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an associate fellow with the Africa Programme at Chatham House, and nonresident fellow with the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja.

This article was originally published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Notes

1 Stephen Akinyemi Lafenwa, Civil Society and the Anti-Corruption Struggle in Nigeria,International Journal of Business and Social Science 7, no. 3 (March 2016): 11527, https://ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_7_No_3_March_2016/12.pdf.

2 Jibrin Ibrahim, Nigerias Shrinking Civic Space, Premium Times, May 7, 2021, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/459981-nigerias-shrinking-civic-space-by-jibrin-ibrahim.html; and Chioma Agwuebo, Reclaiming Nigerias Shrinking Online Civic Space: A Collective and Sustainable Civil Society Approach to Protect Liberties (Abuja: Shehu Musa YarAdua Foundation, 2021), https://yaraduafoundation.org/files/Reclaiming%20Nigerias%20Shrinking%20Online%20Space.pdf.

3 Based on analysis of a detailed, author-compiled data set of more than 360 pro-government NGOs.

4 Darren Kew, The Rise of Non-Governmental Organizations in the 1990s, in Nigerias Struggle for Democracy and Good Governance, ed. Adigun A. B. Agbaje, Larry Diamond, and Ebere Onwudiwe (Ibadan: Ibadan University Press, 2004), 103.

5 A 2018 study of social usage by 1,986 Nigerian NGOs found that a small overall percentage of Nigerian NGOs used social media (only 18.4 percent of groups had active Facebook accounts and only 7.6 percent used Twitter). It is likely, however, that the authors findings were skewed by the inclusion of briefcase or one-person NGOs that do not have the capacity to leverage social media. The authors did find, however, that about 40 percent of social media-savvy NGOs tweets were highly interactive (vice one-way communication), a rate higher than the authors were expecting or found in similar analyses of U.S. NGOs social media activity. See Crystal Armstrong and Charity Butcher, Digital Civil Society: How Nigerian NGOs Utilize Social Media Platforms, International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society 31 (2018): 25173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10767-017-9268-4.

6 For more on the activities and structures of pro-democracy NGOs during military rule, see: Kew, The Rise of Non-Governmental Organizations in the 1990s; Ebenezer Obadare, Manufacturing Civil Society: The Abacha Junta and the Struggle for Public Space in Nigeria, in Agbaje, Diamond, and Onwudiwe, Nigerias Struggle for Democracy and Good Governance, 13352.

7 Obadare, Manufacturing Civil Society, 141.

8 Peter M. Lewis, Pearl T. Robinson, and Barnett R. Rubin, Stabilizing Nigeria: Sanctions, Incentives, and Support for Civil Society (New York: Century Foundation Press, 1998), 45.

9 Wole Soyinka, The Babangida Watch, New York Times, July 1, 1993, https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/01/opinion/the-babangida-watch.html.

10 Peter M. Lewis, Endgame in Nigeria? The Politics of a Failed Democratic Transition, African Affairs 93, no. 372 (July 1994): 32340, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a098722.

11 Joseph Ode and Tobs Agbaegbu, We Want Abacha: An Interview with Arthur Nzeribe, Newswatch, June 8, 1998.

12 A. Carl Levan, Questioning Tocqueville in Africa: Continuity and Change in Civil Society During Nigerias Democratization, Democratization 18, no. 1 (February 2011): 13559, https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2011.532622.

13 Kanu lists the 1998 contract to install gym equipment at the Presidential Villa on his companys website: http://www.dkfitnessproducts.com/gyms.html (accessed May 13, 2021).

14 Abdul Raufu Mustapha, The Nigerian Transition: Third Time Lucky or More of the Same?, Review of African Political Economy 26, no. 80 (June 1999): 280, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4006567.

15 Mike Akpan, Ball in His Court: Will General Sani Abacha Succumb to Demands to Succeed Himself?, Newswatch, February 23, 1998; and Tunde Asaju, Abachas Campaigners, Newswatch, February 9, 1998.

16 Calculated using the official March 1998 exchange rate of $1=N22. YEAA demanded that state governments pay each attendee a N5,000 ($230 in 1998) travel stipend to cover the cost of their journey and accommodation. Wale Akin Aina and Tobs Agbaegbu, For and Against Abacha, Newswatch, March 16, 1998.

17 Calculated using the official March 1998 exchange rate of $1=N22. See Aina and Agbaegbu, For and Against Abacha; and Olusegun Adeniyi, The Last 100 Days of Abacha(Lagos: Book House, 2005), 90.

18 Olu Ojewale, Friends and Foes, Newswatch, June 22, 1998; and Mustapha, The Nigerian Transition.

19 Adeniyi, The Last 100 Days of Abacha, 133.

20 Adeniyi, The Last 100 Days of Abacha, 133.

21 Obadare, Manufacturing Civil Society, 14344; and Asaju, Abachas Campaigners.

22 Asaju, Abachas Campaigners.

23 Levan, Questioning Tocqueville in Africa, 144.

24 Asaju, Abachas Campaigners.

25 Mike Akpan, Moves to Stop Abacha, Newswatch, June 1, 1998.

26 Akpan, Moves to Stop Abacha.

27 Where Is Francis Arthur Nzeribe?, Daily Trust, February 11, 2018, https://dailytrust.com/where-is-francis-arthur-nzeribe.

28 Dickson Okafor, I dont regret campaigning for Abacha  Kanu, former coordinator, YEAA, Sun News Online, April 25, 2018, https://www.sunnewsonline.com/i-dont-regret-campaigning-for-abacha-kanu-forme-coordinator-yeaa/.

29 Abbas Jimoh, Iwus Removal Would Threaten 2011 Polls, Daily Trust, April 6, 2010, https://allafrica.com/stories/201004070609.html.

30 U.S. Embassy Abuja, Nigerian Elections: Chairman Iwu Still Bobbing and Weaving, April 10, 2007; and Tom Ashby, YarAdua Declared Winner of Nigeria Poll Charade, Reuters, April 23, 2007, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-election-idUSL2149632920070423.

31 Nigerians Welcome Sacking of Election Head Maurice Iwu, BBC News, April 29, 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8650764.stm.

32 Author analysis of domestic observer groups accredited by Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission. See Accreditation of Domestic and Foreign Observers for 2019 General Elections, Independent National Electoral Commission, accessed May 7, 2021, https://www.inecnigeria.org/resources/accreditation-of-domestic-and-foreign-observers-for-2019-general-elections/.

33 Nasir Ayitogo, House Speaker Dogara Speaks on Controversial NGO bill, Premium Times, September 26, 2017, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/244205-house-speaker-dogara-speaks-controversial-ngo-bill.html. If Passed, the NGO Bill Will Reduce the Ability of CSOs to Hold the Government Accountable and Ensure That Human Rights Are Respected, Civicus, n.d., https://www.civicus.org/index.php/fr/medias-ressources/122-news/interviews/3043-nigeria-if-passed-the-ngo-bill-will-reduce-the-ability-of-csos-to-hold-the-government-accountable-and-ensure-that-human-rights-are-respected.

34 Why House of Rep. Will Pass NGOs Regulation Bill  Jibril, Vanguard, September 22, 2017, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/house-rep-will-pass-ngos-regulation-bill-jibril/.

35 Nasir Ayitogo, Nigerian Lawmakers to Revisit NGO Regulatory Bill  Speaker, Premium Times, September 24, 2019, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/354099-just-in-nigerian-lawmakers-to-revisit-ngo-regulatory-bill-speaker.html.

36 HB 722: Civil Society Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2020, accessed May 7, 2021, https://placbillstrack.org/upload/HB722.pdf. A previous bill proposed in 2016 contained similar provisions; HB 585: Non-Governmental Organizations Regulatory Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2016, accessed May 7, 2021, https://placbillstrack.org/8th/upload/HB585.pdf.

37 Emefieles Reappointment Will Stabilise Naira, Economy  CSOs, News Agency of Nigeria, May 25, 2019, https://www.sunnewsonline.com/emefieles-reappointment-will-stabilise-naira-economy-csos/; Solomon Adodo, The Rage Against Abba Kyari, Premium Times, June 26, 2019, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/promoted/337200-promoted-the-rage-against-abba-kyari-by-comr-solomon-adodo.html; Bayo Wahab, Group Warns Nigerians to Stop Attacks on Abba Kyari, Buhari, Pulse NG, June 27, 2019, https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/group-warns-nigerians-to-stop-attacks-on-abba-kyari-buhari/2q21z52; NITDAs Roadmap Can Save Nigeria $3.8Bn Annually, Nigeria Communications Week, May 3, 2017, https://www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng/nitdas-roadmap-can-save-nigeria-3-8bn-annually/; and Return or Resign: Pro-Buhari Group Launches Stay and Restore Campaign, National Pilot, August 14, 2017, https://thenationalpilot.ng/2017/08/14/return-or-resign-pro-buhari-group-launches-stay-and-restore-campaign/.

38 Leke Baiyewu, Reps Reject Bill to Regulate NGOs, CSOs, Punch, March 18, 2020, https://punchng.com/reps-reject-bill-to-regulate-ngos-csos/.

39 See Section 839 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, accessed June 14, 2021, https://www.movedemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CAMA-2020.pdf.

40 Nigerians in Diaspora Applaud President Buhari, Service Chiefs Over Improvement in Security, Republican Nigeria, September 18, 2020, https://www.republicanng.com/nigerians-in-diaspora-applaud-president-buhari-service-chiefs-over-improvement-in-security/.

41 Group Thanks President Buhari Over Visit to Maiduguri, Al Jazirah News, February 14, 2020, https://aljazirahnews.com/group-thanks-president-buhari-over-visit-to-maiduguri/.

42 Boko Haram: Group Lauds Constant Presence of Buratai on the Field, Republican Nigeria, March 2, 2020, https://www.republicanng.com/boko-haram-group-lauds-constant-presence-of-buratai-on-the-field/.

43 NEMA: Group Lauds Buhari, Maihaja for Restoring Transparency in Disaster Management, Al Jazirah News, March 15, 2020, https://aljazirahnews.com/nema-group-lauds-buhari-maihaja-for-restoring-transparency-in-disaster-management/.

44 Boko Haram: Nigerian Army Charged to Sustain Winning Spirit Against Insurgents, Vanguard, November 11, 2018, https://aljazirahnews.com/nema-group-lauds-buhari-maihaja-for-restoring-transparency-in-disaster-management/.

45 Aanu Adigun, Pantami Bags Most Outstanding Minister of the Year Award, Legit NG, May 7, 2021, https://www.legit.ng/1414818-pantami-bags-most-outstanding-minister-year-award.html.

46 Sunday Okobi, CSO Honours Aisha Dahir-Umar with Award, This Day, February 18, 2021, https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/02/18/cso-honours-aisha-dahir-umar-with-award/.

47 100 Days: Ganduje Gets Best Governor Award, Vanguard, September 8, 2019, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/09/100-days-ganduje-gets-best-governor-award/.

48 Peace Keeping: Nigerian Army Officer Bags Commonwealth Peace Award, Vanguard, February 10, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/peace-keeping-nigerian-army-officer-bags-commonwealth-peace-award/.

49 ICC/Amnesty International: Enemies of Nigeria Must Be Prepared to Meet the Masses  NDF, Republican Nigeria, January 20, 2021, https://www.republicanng.com/icc-amnesty-international-enemies-of-nigeria-must-be-prepared-to-meet-the-masses-ndf/.

50 Boko Haram: Human Rights Group Accuses Conor Fortune, Others of Sponsoring Blackmail Against Nigerian Military, Al Jazirah News, February 14, 2020, https://aljazirahnews.com/boko-haram-human-rights-group-accuses-conor-fortune-others-of-sponsoring-blackmail-against-nigerian-military/.

51 Fake Activists, Promoters of Boko Haram Should Die by Hanging, Group Tells NASS, Vanguard, July 10, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/fake-activists-promoters-of-boko-haram-should-die-by-hanging-group-tells-nass/.

52 Coalition of Oduduwa Descendants Lauds Nigerian Armys Testimony at Lagos Panel, The Leader NG, November 15, 2020, http://www.theleaderng.com/coalition-of-oduduwa-descendants-lauds-nigerian-armys-testimony-at-lagos-panel/.

53 Lekki Shooting: CNN Desperate to Justify Past Errors with Fallacious Report  Nigerians in Diaspora, The Leader NG, November 20, 2020, http://www.theleaderng.com/coalition-of-oduduwa-descendants-lauds-nigerian-armys-testimony-at-lagos-panel/.

54 Lekki Shooting: CNN Is Nigerias Newest Face of Foreign Destabilisation, Coalition Says, The Leader NG, November 20, 2020, http://www.theleaderng.com/lekki-shooting-cnn-is-nigerias-newest-face-of-foreign-destabilisation-coalition-says/.

55 Interview with veteran civil society activist, April 28, 2021.

56 Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room  CSOs List, accessed May 4, 2021, https://situationroomng.org/csos-list/.

57 This is a conservative estimate based on a detailed, author-compiled data set of individual press mentions of pro-government NGOs in Nigeria since 1999.

58 Ibid.

59 Based on analysis of a detailed, author-compiled data set of over 360 pro-government NGOs.

60 NDDC: Allegation Against Nunieh, Another Falsehood to Derail Ongoing Recovery of Looted Funds  Coalition, The Leader NG, January 27, 2020, http://www.theleaderng.com/nddc-allegation-against-nunieh-another-falsehood-to-derail-ongoing-recovery-of-looted-funds-coalition/.

61 Lawyers Vow to Sue Idris Ahmed Over Malicious Publications Against Nigerian Army, The Leader NG, August 26, 2018; http://www.theleaderng.com/terrorism-lawyers-vow-to-sue-idris-ahmed-over-malicious-publications-against-nigerian-army/; Senate Presidency: Civil Society Group endorses Goje, Nigerian Television Authority, May 9, 2019, https://www.nta.ng/news/domestic/20190509-senate-presidency-civil-society-group-endorses-goje/; and Nigerians In Diaspora Hail President Buhari On Buratai, Others Ambassadorial Nominations, The Nigerian, February 5, 2021, https://thenigerian.news/diaspora-news/nigerians-in-diaspora-hail-president-buhari-on-buratai-others-ambassadorial-nominations-2/.

62 Based on analysis of a detailed, author-compiled data set of more than 360 pro-government NGOs.

63 Interview with veteran civil society activist, April 28, 2021.

64 Matthew T. Page, Camouflaged Cash: How Security Votes Fuel Corruption in Nigeria (London: Transparency International, 2018), http://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DSP_Nigeria_Camouflage_Cash_Web2.pdf.

65 Interviews with a technical assistant to a serving minister and a former special assistant to a minister of state, April 2021.

66 Ibid.

67 Ibid.

68 Ibid.

69 Ibid.

70 Interviews with a mid-level Nigerian Army officer and civilian defense official, March 2021.

71 Ibid.

72 Ibid.

73 Ibid.

74 War on Terror: 300 CSOs Endorse Buhari for Second Term, Vanguard, December 18, 2018, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/war-on-terror-300-csos-endorse-buhari-for-second-term/.

75 APC to Ogenyi: Withdraw Allegations in 24 Hours or Face Disciplinary Action, The Nation, November 7, 2020, https://thenationonlineng.net/apc-to-ogenyi-withdraw-allegations-in-24-hours-or-face-disciplinary-action/. In April 2018, a pro-government NGO linked to Ogenyi posted his governorship campaign poster on its Facebook page; see https://www.facebook.com/Conference-of-Minority-Tribes-in-Nigeria-799154823536186/photos/1623315044453489/.

76 War on Terror.

77 INEC Was Compromised in Cross River North Senatorial By-Election  Dr. Nwambu, Republican Nigeria, February 5, 2021, . 2

78 INEC Was Compromised in Cross River North Senatorial By-Election; Michael Adesina, 35 Nigerian Senators Told to Go for Coronavirus Test, PM News Nigeria, April 8, 2020, https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/04/08/35-nigerian-senators-told-to-go-for-coronavirus-test/; Coalition of Civil Societies Knock AI Report on Boko Haram, The Nation, July 2, 2015, https://thenationonlineng.net/coalition-of-civil-societies-knock-ai-report-on-boko-haram/; Kano Emirate Probe: CSO Advises Sanusi to Submit to Anti-Graft Agency, Nigerian Tribune, June 24, 2019, https://tribuneonlineng.com/kano-emirate-probe-cso-advises-sanusi-to-submit-to-anti-graft-agency/; and INEC Is Out to Miscarry Justice in Cross River North Senatorial Re-Run  Democratic Watchdogs, Republican Nigeria, March 15, 2021, https://www.republicanng.com/inec-is-out-to-miscarry-justice-in-cross-river-north-senatorial-re-run-democratic-watchdogs/.

79 Gabriel Ewepu, Newspaper Firm Set to Join Broadcast Industry with Radio Station Launch, Vanguard, April 20, 2021, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/newspaper-firm-set-to-join-broadcast-industry-with-radio-station-launch/.

80 Mudiaga Affe, How Brown Envelope Ruined Nigerian Journalism  Ihimekpen, Premium Times, November 26, 2020, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/428166-interview-how-brown-envelope-ruined-nigerian-journalism-ihimekpen.html; and Nic Muirhead, Bribes and Brown Envelopes: Nigerias Journalists, Al Jazeera, December 27, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2015/12/bribes-brown-envelopes-nigeria-journalists-151227175941010.html.

81 Aderogba Adeyemi, Nigerian Media and Corrupt Practices: The Need for a Paradigm Shift, European Scientific Journal 9, no. 1 (January 2013): 12324, 132, https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/viewFile/698/746. The nut of the kola tree is mildly caffeinated and is traditionally offered as a welcome gift to guests.

82 The Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission records contain a listing for a private limited company with the name Centre for International and Strategic Studies (RC 14938) that was registered in 2002.

83 Book on El-Zakzaky and His Sect Launched in Abuja, The Cable, January 15, 2020, https://www.thecable.ng/book-on-el-zakzaky-and-his-sect-launched-in-abuja; and Boko Haram: Amnesty Applauds Buhari, Biu Emirate on Contribution to Return of Peace in Most Parts of Borno State, The Leader NG, September 8, 2020, http://www.theleaderng.com/boko-haram-amnesty-applauds-buhari-biu-emirate-on-contribution-to-return-of-peace-in-most-parts-of-borno-state/. In 2017, Philip Agbese incorporated a British company, Global Amnesty Watch Limited; see https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10637299.

84 US, Russian Presidents, British PM, Others Asked to Save Nigeria from Terrorists, Vanguard, July 1, 2019, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/07/us-russian-presidents-british-pm-others-asked-to-save-nigeria-from-terrorists/; and Clement A. Oloyede, CSO Petitions ICC Over Taraba Killings, Daily Trust, July 21, 2017, https://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/daily-trust/20170721/281668255033329.

85 Interview with a civil society activist focused on political and human rights, April 2021.

86 Treasure Orokpo, NAIS Honours Agbese, Throws Weight Behind House of Reps Ambition, Idoma Voice, March 11, 2021, https://www.idomavoice.com/2021/03/nais-honours-agbese-throws-weight-behind-house-of-reps-ambition.html.

87 Treasure Orokpo, Breaking: Philip Agbese Drops Senatorial Ambition, Officially Declares Interest for House of Reps, Idoma Voice, November 14, 2020, https://www.idomavoice.com/2020/11/breaking-philip-agbese-drops-senatorial-ambition-officially-declares-interest-for-house-of-reps.html; and Chief Philip Agbese 4 House of Reps (Philipagbese4reps) Facebook page, accessed May 17, 2021, https://www.facebook.com/Philipagbese4reps/.

88 Treasure Orokpo, Enone 2023: House of Reps Aspirant, Philip Agbese to Send 3 First Class Graduates to UK for Masters Degrees, Train 30 Others, Idoma Voice, December 4, 2020, https://www.idomavoice.com/2020/12/enone-2023-house-of-reps-aspirant-philip-agbese-to-send-3-first-class-graduates-to-uk-for-masters-degrees-train-30-others.html; and COVID-19: Philip Agbese Donates 100 Bags of Rice, One Million Naira, Others to Agila Community, Idoma Voice, April 15, 2020, https://www.idomavoice.com/2020/04/covid-19-philip-agbese-donates100-bags-of-rice-one-million-naira-others-to-agila-community.html.

89 Philip Agbese, Insecurity: Financial Times and Its Poor Posture on Nigeria, TheNigerian News, December 23, 2020, https://thenigerian.news/opinion-2/insecurity-financial-times-and-its-poor-posture-on-nigeria/; Philip Agbese, Gen TY Buratai: The General Who Led From the Front, TheNigerian News, January 27, 2021, https://thenigerian.news/opinion-2/gen-ty-buratai-the-general-who-led-from-the-front/; Philip Agbese, Understanding Amnesty International and Nigerias Divorce, Idoma Voice, November 6, 2020, https://www.idomavoice.com/2020/11/opinion-understanding-amnesty-international-and-nigerias-divorce-philip-agbese.html; and Philip Agbese, Monguno; BBC Interview and the Gulfy Confutation, TheNigerian News, March 14, 2021, https://thenigerian.news/opinion-2/monguno-bbc-interview-and-the-gulfy-confutation/.

90 Philip Agbese, My Stand for Nigeria, My Beloved Country!, TheNigerian News, November 9, 2020, https://thenigerian.news/opinion-2/my-stand-for-nigeria-my-beloved-country/.

91 Agbese, My Stand for Nigeria, My Beloved Country!

92 Ben Idah, Author of Book on Buhari Gets Over 1 Million Pre-order 2 Weeks Before Launch, Idoma Voice, December 13, 2019, https://www.idomavoice.com/2019/12/author-of-book-on-buhari-gets-over-1million-pre-order-2-weeks-before-launch.html.

93 Agbese, My Stand for Nigeria, My Beloved Country!

94 Philip Agbese, Integrity vs Power Play: Understanding the Buhari Phenomenon (Abuja: Mojek Dynamic Press, 2019).

95 Agbese, Integrity vs Power Play.

96 Philip Agbese, SK Usman: Idyllic Officer, Iconic Image Maker Bows Out of Service, Leadership, February 8, 2019, https://leadership.ng/sk-usman-idyllic-officer-iconic-image-maker-bows-out-of-service/.

97 Goodness Adaoyichie, Onnoghen: Pro-Buhari Protesters Storm US Embassy Over Ex-CJNs Suspension, Pulse, January 28, 2019, https://leadership.ng/sk-usman-idyllic-officer-iconic-image-maker-bows-out-of-service/; Abel Ogwu, Fraud: Protesters Move for Removal of CBN Deputy Gov Over Corruption, The Signal, April 29, 2019, http://www.signalng.com/fraud-protesters-move-for-removal-of-cbn-deputy-gov-over-corruption/; Seun Opejobi, Zamfara Killings: Civil Rights Group Names Those Behind Insecurity, Warns of Looming Food Scarcity in Nigeria, Daily Post, May 5, 2019, https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/05/zamfara-killings-civil-rights-group-names-behind-insecurity-warns-looming-food-scarcity-nigeria/; $2millon Arms Probe: Concerned Nigerians Want House of Reps Report on Probe Panel Released, Metro Daily, May 28, 2019, https://metrodailyng.com/2019/05/28/2millon-arms-probe-concerned-nigerians-want-house-of-reps-report-on-probe-panel-released/; Adedayo Akinwale, El-Zakzakky  Anti-IMN Protesters Storm National Assembly, This Day, July 17, 2019, https://allafrica.com/stories/201907170117.html; Clement A. Oloyede, Be Wary of Kanu, IPOBs Plots, Group Writes US, Daily Trust, August 27, 2019, https://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/daily-trust/20190827/281728386181300; Boko Haram: Questionable Activities Of International NGOs Very Worrisome  Civil Rights Group, Al Jazirah News, October 7, 2019, https://aljazirahnews.com/boko-haram-questionable-activities-of-international-ngos-very-worrisome-civil-rights-group/; Boko Haram: Rights Group Claims International NGOs Working With Insurgents in Borno, Metro Daily, October 8, 2019, https://metrodailyng.com/2019/10/08/boko-haram-rights-group-claims-international-ngos-working-with-insurgents-in-borno/; and Group Accuses France of Sponsoring Terrorism, Vanguard, December 11, 2019, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/12/group-accuses-france-of-sponsoring-terrorism/. The nine different groups are Lawyers of Conscience, Awareness for Good Governance Group, Citizens Rights Crusade Network, Civil Rights Movement of Nigeria, Concerned Women and Africa Arise for Change Network, Concerned Citizens Forum, Coalition for Civil Rights and Good Governance, Coalition for Good Governance and Change, and the Movement Against Slavery and Terrorism.

98 Boko Haram: Stop Sponsoring Terrorism in Africa, Protesters Tell Macron, Viable TV, YouTube video, 4:06, December 11, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZB15uOBoTQ.

99 Boko Haram.

100 Talia Levin, QAnon, Blood Libel, and the Satanic Panic, New Republic, September 29, 2020, https://newrepublic.com/article/159529/qanon-blood-libel-satanic-panic.

101 Perez Brisibe, We Wont Be Deterred by Malicious Threats in Nigeria  Amnesty Intl, Vanguard, November 6, 2020, https://allafrica.com/stories/202011060463.html.

102 Lekkilies: Group Wants AI, Others Sanctioned as US Vindicates Nigerian Army, Blueprint, April 1, 2021, https://www.blueprint.ng/lekkilies-group-wants-ai-others-sanctioned-as-us-vindicates-nigerian-army/.

103 Dallahs Twitter bio includes the phrase Future Nasarawa Governor. See Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah (@DallahOmogye), Twitter, accessed May 11, 2021, https://twitter.com/DallahOmogye.

104 These groups include the Centre for Leadership and Development Initiative, Citizens Against Fake Activists (aka Coalition Against Fake Activists), One Voice Nigeria, Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Justice, Coalition of Civil Society Groups, and Civil Society Advocacy Groups for the Defence of Human Rights and Democracy.

105 Ibrahim Ramalan, CSOs Declare Support for SWAT, Urge #EndSARS Protesters to Stop Distracting Police, Daily Nigerian, October 14, 2020, https://dailynigerian.com/csos-declare-support-for-swat-urge-endsars-protesters-to-stop-distracting-police/.

106 Ramalan, CSOs Declare Support for SWAT.

107 Salisu Sani Idris, CSO Urges EndSARS Protesters to Stop Distracting Police, NNN News, October 14, 2020, https://nnn.ng/cso-urges-endsars-protesters-to-stop-distracting-police/.

108 Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah (@DallahOmogye), It is time to get all the enemies of Nigeria arrested. Especially those working with the International Community to undermine our Country, Twitter, October 25, 2020, 3:45 PM, https://twitter.com/DallahOmogye/status/1320451371011731458.

109 Abusing Buhari Will Not Bring You Out of Poverty, CAFA Replies Critics, Vanguard, April 2, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/04/abusing-buhari-will-not-bring-you-out-of-poverty-cafa-replies-critics/.

110 Fake Activists Weaponizing Falsehood Against Buhari, Appointees for Personal Gains CAFA, News Headquarter, April 5, 2020, https://newsheadquarterng.net/fake-activists-weaponizing-falsehood-against-buhari-appointees-for-personal-gains-cafa/.

111 Fake Activists, Promoters of Fake News Are Worse Than Boko Haram  CAFA, News Headquarter, April 10, 2020, https://newsheadquarterng.net/fake-activists-promoters-of-fake-news-are-worse-than-boko-haram-cafa/.

112 Adeniyi, The Last 100 Days of Abacha, 195. Despite its longevity, the Northern Patriotic Front does not appear to be registered with Nigerias Corporate Affairs Commission.

113 Hussein Yahaya, Group Hails Jonathans Ministerial List, Daily Trust, June 29, 2011, https://allafrica.com/stories/201106290382.html.

114 Nigerian Ex-Oil Minister Charged with Money Laundering: Crimes Agency, Reuters, April 6, 2017, https://allafrica.com/stories/201106290382.html; Nigeria Seizes $21m Linked to Diezani Alison-Madueke Al Jazeera, August 28, 2017, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/8/28/nigeria-seizes-21m-linked-to-diezani-alison-madueke; and Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, UK Govt Frustrating Corruption Trial of Diezani Alison-Madueke  Magu, Premium Times, January 22, 2020, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/373949-uk-govt-frustrating-corruption-trial-of-diezani-alison-madueke-magu.html.

115 Emergency Rule Okay for North-east, Says NPF, Blueprint, April 4, 2014, https://www.blueprint.ng/emergency-rule-okay-for-north-east-says-npf/.

116 Timothy Obiezu, More Than 100 Chibok Girls Still Missing Seven Years Later, Voice of America, April 15, 2021, https://www.voanews.com/africa/more-100-chibok-girls-still-missing-seven-years-later.

117 Speakership Race: Arewa Progressive Congress Calls for Caution, Vanguard, June 8, 2019, https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/speakership-race-arewa-progressive-congress-calls-for-caution/.

118 Adamu Abuh and Charles Ogugbuaja, Arewa Group Backs Olatubosun for Reps Speakership, The Guardian (Nigeria), June 9, 2019, https://allafrica.com/stories/201906100507.html.

119 Supreme Court Quashes Bid to Unfreeze Abachas Accounts in UK, Others, Leadership, January 23, 2021, https://allafrica.com/stories/202101230020.html.

120 Daniel Jordan Smith. Corruption, NGOs, and Development in Nigeria. Third World Quarterly 31, no. 2 (2010): 24358, https://doi.org/10.1080/01436591003711975.

121 See Part F of the Corporate and Allied Matters Act (2020), accessed May 20, 2021, https://www.proshareng.com/admin/upload/report/13880-Companies%20and%20Allied%20Matters%20Act,%202020_-proshare.pdf.
those who are ignorantly engaged in our usual medieval, ethno-religious sabre-rattling should take a holiday. This is a matter of criminality and legality. Let the law take its course. North or South, justice is the best.

If you must run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, make sure you dont get caught! Once you are caught, dont blame your stars, or your enemies. Always remember that, as the bard says, Theres blood on your lies/The scars open wide/There is nowhere for you to hide/The hunters moon is shining.

Man up! Anyone bold enough to do the crime should be equally brave to do the time.

There was the story of two thieves who specialised in stealing yams from their neighbours farms late at night. After each successful raid, they would compare notes and wonder if they would ever stop stealing. On deeper reflection, however, they both resolved that they would have to stop the practice in the near future.

Then, one night, as they were returning from their escapade with the full moon behind them, one in front of the other on the footpath, the man in front caught the glimpse of a shadow and instinctively looked back. He saw his comrade-in-crime at his rear holding a tuber of yam, which he had stolen from the basket of loot he (the frontman) carried on his head.

Remembering their resolution to quit stealing in the near future, the frontman said, What! A thief robbing a thief? If I ever quit stealing, it is clear that you will be in it for life. Nothing can redeem you!

In real life, if a criminal knows when to stop, he may still live happily ever after. But they hardly do. Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi, was living large like an oil sheikh, benefitting from his criminal network with a web woven round the continents, that he could have remained under the radar for a long time. But the bug of greed bit him and he decided to cheat his co-conspirators out of the agreed formula of loot-sharing. He even employed law enforcement agents to punish them. In revenge, they sang. And the tune was picked up by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), which had been monitoring the criminals for a while. The entire story is out there for the entire world to read.

When Hushpuppi was confronted with the detailed investigation of his crime, and faced with the possibility of several decades in jail, he pleaded guilty and opted to sing too. He confirmed many of the things the FBI already deduced from scrolling through his phone records, text messages, home search, wire trails and other records. That was how the alleged complicity of Abba Kyari was unearthed. It had nothing to do with our perennial ethno-religious sickness.

Mr Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, is alleged to have knowingly conspired with Hushpuppi, together with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

Mr Kyari was not indicted alone. For example, in a $1.1 million fraud coordinated by Hushpuppi and others against a Qatar-based victim between November 2019 and April 2020, others on the list of suspects are: Abdulrahman Juma (aka Abdul and Rahman), Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (aka Morayo), Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (aka Bolamide), and Yusuf Adeyinka Anifowoshe (aka AJ and Alvin Johnson). On social media, Nigerians with gallows humour have interpreted the fact that the suspects hail from the North, East and West of Nigeria as indicative of their respect for federal character.

Details of the allegations against Abba Kyari and other accused persons became public knowledge when Judge Otis Wright of the US District Court for the Central District of California made an order unsealing the docket containing allegations against Kyari and others in July. He also granted the governments request for a detention order and arrest warrant against the accused persons.

Mr Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, is alleged to have knowingly conspired with Hushpuppi, together with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

The grand jury alleged in the second count that they conducted and attempted to conduct financial transactions, affecting interstate and foreign commerce, knowing that the property involved in the financial transactions represented the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, which, in fact, involved the proceeds of specified unlawful activity  namely, wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

He and the others are also accused of aiding and abetting one another and knowingly transferring, possessing and using, without lawful authority, a means of identification that each defendant knew belonged to another person, during and in relation to a felony violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, as charged in Count 1.

Kyari is a much celebrated police officer in Nigeria, where he is regarded as a supercop. He is highly decorated. The FBI allegation against him sent shockwaves round the country. Unfortunately, in a knee-jerk reaction, and probably to steal the thunder from news outlets who had already pounced on the story, Kyari posted his defence on Facebook.

On the allegation that he detained one Vincent Chibuzor on the instruction of Hushppupi and even posted the picture of the detainee in chains to confirm to Hushpuppi that his instruction had been carried out, he explained that he was contacted by Hushpuppi about two years earlier with a complaint that somebody was threatening to kill his family members. He admitted arresting Chibuzor but claimed that he never demanded money from Hushpuppi.

What the FBI says is that Kyari is part of a crime ring and that he needs to come to the U.S. to face justice. That is a grave matter. That is bigger and more serious than our usual North Vs South jostling.

Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save peoples lives that were purported to have been threatened, he said. He denied any serious personal relationship with Hushpuppi apart from introducing him to a cloth seller, who Hushpuppi directly paid about N300,000.

Kyari ought to know that when you are in a hole, you stop digging. His Facebook posting opened up the floodgate of innuendoes and outright condemnation by a section of the public. Since when has policing become a branch of tailoring or of the textile trade?, they wondered. Pictures and videos of Kyari living it up with shady characters are now bubbling on social media.

But several others have risen stoutly to his defence. I note that the ethnicity of his defenders is pan-Nigerian. Many testify that Kyari is a kind man, a compassionate officer and a cheerful giver. Except that that is not what is at stake in the FBI case.

What the FBI says is that Kyari is part of a crime ring and that he needs to come to the U.S. to face justice. That is a grave matter. That is bigger and more serious than our usual North Vs South jostling.

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The Police Service Commission, which has already suspended Kyari and ordered an investigation into the allegations against him, may also have to look into several petitions bordering on extortion, torture, dehumanisation, sale and conversion of the property of suspects, extra-judicial killings, and other allegations against the police officer, which have allegedly remained un-investigated so far.

Senior lawyers have been educating us that the U.S. cannot play the gangsterism card and invade Nigeria to abduct or secure the surrender of Kyari, as it did Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian politician and military ruler from 1983 to 1989, whose country, Panama, was invaded by the U.S. to remove him from power and extradite him to the America to face trial. There is a painstaking legal process for extradition.

As such, those who are ignorantly engaged in our usual medieval, ethno-religious sabre-rattling should take a holiday. This is a matter of criminality and legality. Let the law take its course. North or South, justice is the best.

Happy Birthday, Jamaica!

I was delighted to celebrate with Jamaica recently at its 59th Independence Day Reception hosted by the Jamaican High Commission, Abuja, under the theme, Stronger Together. The occasion coincided with the countrys stelar performance at the just-concluded Tokyo Olympics. Congratulations, High Commissioner Esmond St C Reid. To your sportsmen and women who continue to do us all proud, I say, a bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Fly on, Jamaica!

Wole Olaoye can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com.
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Babaji Sunday, the newly deployed commissioner of police (CP) to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has assumed duty as the 28th CP in the territory.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the FCT, Mariam Yusuf, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Inspector General of Police (I-G), Usman Baba, on Friday approved the deployment of newly promoted CPs to 12 states and the FCT.

Mr Sunday was among the CPs deployed, following their promotion from the rank of Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs).

Mr Yusuf said Mr Sunday took over from Bala Ciroma, who was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), and deployed to Zone 7 Headquarters.

The statement said the new CP was born on April 12, 1963, in Bambam, Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State.

It said Mr Sunday holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on March 3, 1990, as an Assistant Superintendent of Police and has served in different capacities, including Detective, Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, and Sectional Head at EFCC.

He has also served as the Area Commander Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State; Area Commander Dala, Kano State; Deputy Commissioner of Police, Inspectorate DTD, Force Headquarters, and Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, FCT, the statement read in part.

It added that Mr Sunday had attended several professional courses home and abroad, including the International Post Blast Investigation, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Glynco-Georgia, USA.

It said the new CP had pledged to consolidate on the legacies of his predecessor by strengthening the existing collaboration between the command and key stakeholders.

Mr Sunday also pledged his unwavering commitment to the provision of adequate security of lives and property within the FCT, according to the statement.

(NAN)
While officers of the Nigerian Army battle insecurity in different parts of the country, the families they left behind in the barracks suffer poor power supply, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

At the Ikeja cantonment in Lagos, a soldier described the situation as suffering in surplus.

The cantonment gets three hours of power supply every day, even though the neighbourhood, Onigbongbo, and environs enjoy relative steady power supply, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

The problem started since 2016. In fact, it was two hours supply we used to get before a new commander came and they changed it to three hours, Ngozi Udom, a soldiers wife told PREMIUM TIMES.

The cantonment is supplied electricity by the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and gets power supply between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. every day, except for days when the feeder is faulty.

Even when a bomb blast occurred at the barrack, we all thought we would not have light for three years but they brought back light after three days. Now, no bomb blast, nothing is wrong with the light, yet they deny us of good light, Mrs Udom added.

The Ikeja cantonment bomb blast occurred on January 27, 2002, with over 1000 lives lost in the incident.

Soldiers, families lament

Several soldiers and their families resident in the Ikeja cantonment lamented how they have been suffering is silence for over six years with no recourse in sight.

Not only do the residents not have access to a good power supply, they are also exposed to noise from generators which cause disturbance for many of them, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

A soldier, who identified himself as Moses John, said there have been several efforts to improve the electricity situation in the cantonment but to no avail.

I moved to the cantonment about three years ago and the light issue has been on ground, he said.

I spend thousands of naira fueling my generator monthly just to cushion the effect of the bad power supply on my family. It is bad enough that we cannot use certain home appliances due to bad power supply.

Mr John said parts of the efforts made by the soldiers themselves included a suggested monthly contribution for electricity, which was dead on arrival because contributions by soldiers are not allowed by the army authority.

We cannot sleep at night due to excess heat and noise from generators of neighbours from left and right, another resident, who prefers not to be named, said.

Imagine saying you are living at the cantonment and cannot make meaning out of life. This electricity issue is really disturbing. Many of us (solders wives) cannot do business or sell goods that require electricity because we dont have one.

Even the children are affected. Imagine that your children cannot watch creative programmes on the television because there is no light. They bring it when its bedtime, so the children cannot make any use of it, the woman said.

For Muinat Ahmed, another soldiers wife who has been living at the Ikeja cantonment since 1995, the plight is quite different.

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Usually, our husbands give us money at month-end, and we (wives) make contributions, buy foodstuffs and soup ingredients in bulk and share. This is because we had good electricity and can stock them in the refrigerator.

This cannot happen anymore. We cannot cook soup and put it in the fridge. It will get spoilt. Buying things in bulk is cheaper but we cannot do that now. Prices of things have gone up. It is really affecting us, she said.

Mrs Ahmed said the electricity crisis started in the cantonment in 2006 and things are getting harder for residents, especially the women.

We cannot do little businesses we used to do. We cannot sell cold drinks and other things. Things are really bad, she added.

Crippled businesses

Businesses with the Ikeja cantonment also bear the brunt of poor power supply, as many business owners lament how it is crippling their operations.

Uche Achude, who runs a computer/printing business at the Mammy market, the business region of the cantonment, said he is on the verge of quitting because the business is no longer profitable.

The cost of fueling generators and repairing them when they get faulty is way higher than the gains made in the business. We do not get to use the light because, by the time they bring it, we have already closed.

What will I be doing in the shop between 8o clock and 11? They never bring it during the day, so 100 percent of our jobs are done using the generator, he said.

Another business owner, who declined to give her name, said she could not sell cold drinks unless she buys ice block from shops outside the cantonment.

The light is a big problem, but it is like the army is not doing anything about it. How much gain do I make on drinks that I will be using generator every time? Even when I buy ice blocks, they cannot ice too much goods.

Ikeja Electric Reacts

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted a representative of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Akinola Ayeni, on the electricity issue at the cantonment, he said it is due to the outstanding debt owed by the cantonment.

The issue of Ikeja Army is a lingering issue that we have been trying to manage. This energy they are giving us from the national grid, we are paying for it.

The issue of they are not getting light, you should ask why they are not getting regular light. Are they paying? Are they accumulating debt? We cannot continue to accumulate debt at the cantonment. There is nothing that we do that we hide.

We dont ask individuals to contribute money for Ikeja electric. All we ask everybody to do is to pay their electricity bills and in a situation where they cannot pay, we cannot continue to will our energy to where they are not ready to pay electricity bill at all, Mr Ayeni said.

Electricity Bills paid from Army Headquarters

A source at the Ikeja cantonment, who prefers not to be named because he is not authorised to speak, said the cantonment has an outstanding electricity bill that run into billions of naira.

The source said the debt has been accumulated over time and the army authority refused to pay, which is why the electricity company is supplying three hours of electricity per day.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Kolawole Bello, the spokesperson of the 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, he said the army headquarters pays electricity bills of all Army barracks and cantonments across the country.

I believe epileptic electricity supply is not exclusive to Ikeja cantonment alone, said Mr Bello, a major.

Electricity bills in all Nigerian Army barracks and cantonments are always paid directly from the Army Headquarters to the relevant electricity distribution company.

No money to pay bills

Reacting to the complaints by the Ikeja cantonment residents, Mohammed Yerima, the Nigerian Army spokesperson, said the entire nation and army barracks are affected by the epileptic power supply and not only the cantonment.

He said the Nigerian Army has no money to pay electricity bills of all the barracks and cantonments in the country. The Nigerian Army has 75 barracks and cantonments.

You think we can pay the bills, not only Ikeja cantonment but the whole Nigerian Army? We have been begging the National Assembly to look into that, how are we going to get the money to pay? We have the whole Nigerian Army and Armed Forces to pay for, is it only Ikeja that wants good light? he said.

PREMIUM TIMES checks showed that although epileptic power supply is a common feature across other military settlements as well as most parts of Lagos, the residents in the Ikeja Cantonment seem to be the worst hit.

At Bonny Cantonment, Victoria Island, and Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, the residents described the power situation as relatively stable. In the former, for instance, some soldiers interviewed said they have about eight hours or more electricity supply daily, while in the latter, it is between six and eight hours every day.

Mr Yerima said many states in Nigeria do not get more than four hours of power supply daily, and barracks are not an exception.

It affects the whole nation, he said.

Even Abuja, Niger Barracks, where everybody is, we dont get (a) steady power supply. The Army does not have money, but we have made a case and the government is looking into that.
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Ikeja Electric (IE) Plc has installed about 105,000 prepaid meters for customers under its network through the Federal Governments National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).

Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications, IE, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ikeja.

Mr Ofulue told NAN that the figure indicated that the company provided meter for over 99 per cent of its 106,701 customers scheduled for metering under the phase zero of the NMMP.

He said: We have so far metered 105,000 customers under the NMMP and we are appealing to others yet to get their meters to be patient.

The process of installing prepaid meters is ongoing and have not been discontinued as being insinuated by some persons.

We are anticipating that the Phase One of the NMMP will begin soon which will give us opportunity to meter more customers.

Our vision at Ikeja Electric is for all customers to be metered as quickly as possible and those yet to be metered will definitely be metered.

Mr Ofulue, however, advised customers to desist from energy theft through the bypass of their prepaid meters.

He said the company would deal with anybody caught engaged in the act according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) regulations.

Mr Ofulue also appealed to the customers to help the DisCo protect its electrical installations from vandals and energy thieves through its recently inaugurated whistleblower programme.

NAN reports that the federal government had on Oct. 30,2020 flagged off the phase zero of the NMMP targeting to meter one million electricity customers nationwide.

The programme is aimed at meeting the target of closing the metering gap in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry by December 2021.

It would assist in reducing collection losses, while at the same time increasing financial flows to achieve 100 per cent market remittance obligation of the DisCos.

Part of the objectives also includes the elimination of arbitrary estimated billing, improving network monitoring capability and provision of data for market administration and investment decision-making.

(NAN)
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Two people were shot dead on Saturday as gunmen abducted a Swiss expatriate and his driver along Ibese-Itori road in Ogun State, the police have said.

Witnesses said the gunmen exchanged gunshots with a police detachment attached to a farm in the area before the abduction.

The Swiss expatriate was identified as Andred Beita.

The incident happened at about 5 p.m. after the police personnel attached to the Chairman of Olabel Farms, Ola Bello, led by one Hassan Kumode, an inspector, ran into an ambush, a witness, who did not want to be named, said.

On sighting the policemen attached to the man, the gunmen opened fire on them, and in the ensuing shootout, a Swiss expatriate attached to the farm, Andred Beita, and his driver, who was simply identified as Ifeanyi, were abducted by the gun-wielding kidnappers, said the witness, who is a petty trader in the area.

Two staff of the company, Ishaya Ibrahim and Michael Kujore, sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

Mr Kujore died at the state hospital in Sagamu where he was taken to.

Mr Ibrahim, however, is said to be responding to treatment at Hossannah Hospital, Ilaro, as of the time of filing this report.

Witnesses also said no police officer was injured in the shootout.

Reacting to the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the police and the vigilante group were on the trail of the kidnappers.

Yes, it was true, while the victims were coming from their farm, the kidnappers ambushed them and the police escort there engaged them in a gun battle and two of them were gunned down in the process while they made way with the expatriate and one other person, Mr Oyeyemi said.

The police could not engage them further because of those already held hostage but by the grace of God, we shall get them all.

We also got an AK47 with Breech number 56-3775507 loaded with nine rounds of ammunition from them.
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A witness of last years #EndSARS protest in Lekki, Sarah Ibrahim, has faulted portions of the autopsy reports tendered by a forensic pathologist to the judicial panel of inquiry on Saturday.

John Obafunwa, a chief pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), had told the panel investigating the shooting of protesters at the Lekki tollgate in October 2020 that 99 corpses were received at the state morgue between October 20 and 24 last year.

He said that three of the corpses  males  were victims of the October 20 shooting at the Lekki toll gate by soldiers, while the remaining 96 came from other parts of the state, including Surulere Ikorodu, Ajah, Fagba, among others.

The professor then produced the post-mortem examination reports to verify his testimony as ordered by the panel.

Meanwhile, Ms Ibrahim had in April said she witnessed the shooting by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate. She testified before the panel on Saturday. She said at least 10 persons were killed during the October 20 incident.

Cross-examination

While answering questions at the panel last month, Mr Obafunwa had walked back his earlier claim of three corpses being recovered at the Lekki toll gate. He said the bodies were recovered from the Lekki area. Of those three, according to him, two were tagged EndSars and were, therefore, from the toll gate.

During cross-examination on Saturday, the Lagos State counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko, compared Ms Ibrahims account of the Lekki shooting incident with the autopsies done on three of the 99 bodies picked up

from across the state.

The three corpses were identified as 005, 041, and 062. The autopsy report noted that 062 died from rifle shots at around 9 p.m. on October 21.

But Ms Ibrahim disagreed, saying that 062s death occurred on October 20, at 1:23 a.m. She also said one of the three bodies, which the autopsy reported blunt force as the cause of death, was shot in the head.

She also identified one of the dead bodies, stating that his death was confirmed at Reddington hospital in Lekki, Lagos.

ALSO READ: Autopsy report of woman killed during protest counters police account

When probed further, she said the corpse was brought into the hospital the following day, October 21, from the tollgate around 6 a.m. by two people who wished to be anonymous.

The witness also outlined the names of about 12 persons allegedly shot and killed by security forces that night, including one Victor Sunday, whose body is said to be among those still missing, and one Olamilekan

Ajasa, whose body was retrieved by his mother.

The pathologists findings on 041 reveal a skull fracture, sutured scalp laceration, left fifth rib fracture, and hypertension.

But the report also noted that the corpse had been tampered with possibly from the mortician that worked on it, which allegedly hampered an in-depth examination.
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The police in Ogun State have arrested a 37-year-old woman for pouring hot water on the face of another woman during a church programme at Giwa area, Agbado, Ogun State.

Joy Sunday, the suspect, told the police that the victim has been accusing and harassing her of sleeping with her husband.

According to Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Ogun police spokesperson, following an altercation between the two women, the accused boiled water in annoyance and poured on her alleged accuser.

The victim, Justina Ameh, is at Strong Tower Hospital where she is receiving treatment for the burns, the police said.

Mr Oyeyemi said the suspect was arrested following a report filed by the elder sister of the victim.

A 37 years old woman Joy Sunday, a mother of two, has been arrested by men of Ogun state police command for pouring hot water on the face of another woman Justina Ameh who accused her of sleeping with her

husband.

The suspect was arrested following a report lodged at Agbado divisional headquarters by the elder sister of the victim, one Kelechi Samuel, who reported that she went for vigil at the Spring of Life Global Ministry situated at Giwa area of Agbado with her younger sister when the suspect came into the church with a container of hot

water and poured it on her sisters face thereby causing her a grievous harm.

She stated further that while she was trying to hold the suspect, she was also stabbed on her left hand by the same suspect, the statement reads.

Mr Oyeyemi said following the report, police officers were mobilised and the suspect, a mother of two, arrested.

On interrogation, the suspect, Joy Sunday explained that the victim has been accusing her of sleeping with her husband for quite some time now, and all efforts to disabuse her mind from it proved abortive.

On that fateful day, while they were in the church, the victim came as usual and started raining curses on her. While she tried to walk away from her, the victim pulled her back with her cloth and tore the cloth.

ALSO READ: Police arrest five Oro worshippers in Ogun

It was that annoyance that made her go home and boiled water which she brought back to the church and poured it on the victims face, the police said.

Mr Oyeyemi said the suspect denied dating or sleeping with the victims husband.

While the suspect is in police custody, the victim has been taken to Strong Tower Hospital for medical treatment, he said.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police in the state, Edward Awolowo, has directed that the case be properly investigated with a view to charging the suspect to court as soon as possible.
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At least one person has died in a boat mishap in Idiogba community, in Ilaje local government area of Ondo state.

The boat, which left Awoye on Saturday for Igbokoda market, was said to have developed a fault in the middle of the water and capsized.

However, 15 other passengers aboard the vessel were rescued.

A witness said the boat was overloaded with passengers and goods when it capsized.

He said the engine of the boat suddenly stopped working while on the sea and the wave of the sea was hard on the boat, throwing the passengers and their goods into the sea.

It was learnt that it took the efforts of local fishermen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to rescue the others alive.

The Ondo State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps confirmed the development on Sunday.

The Command in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olufemi Omole, called for caution while plying the states waterways.

The statement noted that rescuers made several efforts to prevent the boat from sinking, but could not because sea waves washed off the boat.

The command cautioned boat or ferry transporters in the riverine areas of the state to desist from overloading of passengers and goods which could lead to an unprecedented mishap.

It further stated that the accident would have been averted if the transporter had not overloaded the boat and if the passengers had put on their life jackets.

The command also said that it was fully committed to safeguarding all critical national assets and infrastructure, through intelligence gathering, anti-vandalism, disaster management amongst others.

It warned that any boat transporter caught in the act of risking the lives of innocent citizens by overspeeding and overloading would be arrested and prosecuted under the law.

A boat mishap was also recorded in Ilaje in October last year during the states governorship election which was won by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

The incident involved electoral officers who were on their way to Ilaje to conduct the elections.

INEC later reported that all the officers were rescued unhurt by naval officers and the electoral materials recovered.
PLATTSBURGH [mdash] Elizabeth N. "Betty" Botten, 85, of the Butler Road passed away Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, at her home with her loving family by her side under the care of Hospice of the North Country. She was born in Plattsburgh on Feb. 13, 1936, the daughter of Herman and Marion (Rollie
Deep is a Senior Executive with more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry having spent his career with global companies like HP, IBM & SAP. He has a proven track record of driving enterprise-wide transformations and was instrumental in the success of SAP in India & South Asia for close to two decades. During this period, SAP acquired around 14,000 clients and built a network of 500+ partners. He has been personally involved in some of the largest Digital Transformation projects such as Reliance and Tata.

Deep served as the President & Managing Director of SAP India & South Asia from 2015 to 2020. During his tenure, SAP India was voted as the No.1 "Best Places to Work in India," by Great Places to Work for two consecutive years. Under his leadership, SAP India was one of the fastest growth regions globally, winning the "Top Performing Region of the Year of Asia" in 2016 and 2018. It also won the "Golden Peacock" award by the Ministry of Skill Development in 2019 for its social contribution to improving digital literacy among rural women and youth through the Code Unnati program.

Deep is now a Board Advisor to Venture backed SaaS companies as well as an Early Stage Investor.

Commenting on the onboarding, Soham Chokshi, CEO & Co-Founder of Shipsy, said, "Going forward, we need a strong suite of advisors to drive our growth at a global stage. With a strong command over technology and organization building, Deep will be a valuable asset to our team. We are delighted to have him on board and look forward to building stronger roots and expediting our global expansion efforts."

The Gurugram-based smart logistics management company has been aggressively charging towards its expansion goals. Shipsy has made several leadership hirings and increased its talent pool by almost 25% this year. They have also recently set up their regional headquarters in Dubai.

About Shipsy:

Shipsy is an end-to-end Saas-based supply chain and logistics management platform. Founded in 2015 in Gurugram, the company leverages AI and big data to design and develop low-code SaaS solutions to improve operational efficiency across Manufacturing, QSR, Retail, CEP, and Global Trade. The brand has its regional headquarter in Dubai (UAE). Last year the company raised USD 6 Mn in Series A round led by Sequoia Capital India's Surge and existing investor Info Edge.

Media Contact : [email protected] | +91-9867999866

SOURCE Shipsy
Chennai, Aug 8 : The spread of Covid-19 across the world has increased the demand for nutrition supplements in Europe and the US which augurs well for us, said manufacturers and exporters of the organic Spirulina which is a blue-green algae and is a nutrition supplement consumed as tablets or in a powder form mixed with juice.

Incidentally, American space agency NASA has recommended Spirulina for its astronauts going into space as it boosts the immune system.

Termed as a super food, Spirulina contains around 55 to 70 per cent protein, high levels of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), beta carotene, several essential and non-essential amino acids, nucleic acids and others.

"The coronavirus spread has accelerated the awareness about Spirulina. Globally, Spirulina is slowly moving into other segments like beverages, bars. Some small companies use it in bakery products," S. Srikanthan, Brand Head, Nutraceutical, EID Parry, told IANS.

The EID Parry part of the Murugappa group last fiscal earned about Rs.254 crore from its nutraceutical division.

In India also, there are some players who make nutri-bars with Spirulina, apart from selling it as tablets, capsules, powder, but the market, though now small, is expected to grow and is attracting newer players.

Based in Tamil Nadu's Karur district, Prolgae Spirulina Supplies Pvt. Ltd is soon to hit the market with its Spirulina protein bar and sweetened Spirulina powder.

"We have been exporting our sun dried organic Spirulina to Europe. After Covid-19 there is increased awareness and demand for nutritional supplement food. In India we want to get into the consumer market launching protein bars and sweetened spirulina powder," S. Akas, Founder CEO, Prolgae, told IANS.

According to Akas, an aeronautical engineering graduate, the two products will be launched on August 15 and talks are on with gyms to stock the products.

The products developed by Prolgae will be contract manufactured by the Delhi-based Swasthum.

However, the immunity booster product segment is wide including the age-old chyawanprash and new players have to find a positioning niche.

"We are also talking with the nutritionists about our product and its health benefits. We will launch the products in the four metro cities first and expand to other markets and also have our own e-commerce site," Akas added.

"Globally about 8,000-10,000 tpa of Spirulina is manufactured. In India we are the largest player with about 700-800 tpa production. We produce organic premium Spirulina," Srikanthan said.

According to him, the Parry Nutraceuticals-division of EID Parry- has about 30 per cent market share in the global premium organic Spirulina market.

Tamil Nadu is one of the major producers and exporters of Spirulina with players like EID Parry, Sanat Products part of Schwabe group, Prolgae Spirulina and others.

There are several smaller players whose products go to other sectors like fish/poultry feed and others.

"The high-end product will be about 2,000 tpa of which our market share will be about 30 per cent. In India we are the largest player with about 700-800 tpa production. We produce organic premium Spirulina," Srikanthan said.

According to Akas, Prolgae's sundried organic Spirulina gets about Rs 1,300-1,500/kg in the overseas market.

Though there are players from China and other countries, the issue is to make organic Spirulina free of heavy metals.

"The product is subject to several variables like quality of water, nutrients used to grow the algae, environment near the algae ponds and others," Srikanthan said.

Hence, scaling up the production to a large extent so that Spirulina could be made available in large quantities at cheaper rate is an issue faced by the players.

"We are investing in science, looking at alternate manufacturing processes where it can meet the food industry demand," Srikanthan said.

He expects major beverage players looking at drinks with Spirulina.

On its part, Prolgae is expanding its production to touch about 1,500 kg/month by adding more ponds at its facility.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Aug 8 : As the BJP is gearing up for upcoming polls, Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore claims that both Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) are creating a divide in the society.

In an exclusive interview to IANS, Kishore alleged that as Assembly poll is nearing, they are have started mobilising people on the name of caste and religion by organising caste specific programmes. They are also creating communal hatred among the people and are dividing the society for their small political gains. Below are the excerpts of the interview.

Q: Do you think caste will play an important role in the next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls as it has been noticed that both -- Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati -- have started playing on the caste equation.

A: Both the leaders are instigating people on caste and communal lines and they will not succeed in their mission. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP government at the Centre and State are working for an inclusive society with sole objective of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas'.

Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are not differentiating people on the line of caste and religion. They are working round the clock to make citizens' lives better and happy. The Prime Minister is working hard to make India a global leader.

Q: What do you mean by saying the SP and BSP are instigating people on caste and religious line? A: As assembly poll is nearing they have started mobilising people on the name of caste and religious. They a have started organising caste specific programmes to divide the society. They are also creating communal hatred among the people. Let me explain, Mayawati is only talking about BMD (Brahmin, Muslim and Dalit) to win the Assembly polls. While Akhilesh and SP is dreaming to become the chief minister with the support of BMY (Brahmin, Muslim and Yadav). I simply want to asked don't they need votes of other communities. They are dividing the society for their small political gains.

While concentrating on BMD, Mayawati is ignoring 52 per cent Other Backward Class (OBC) and other communities. I tell you, Dalits have started deserting her and BSP, and she is left with less than 20 per cent Dalit's support. Gaining five per cent support of the Brahmins will be a big achievement for her.

Similarly, Akhilesh is saying that the SP needs votes of BMY. Akhilesh dose not want vote and support of Dalits and non-Yadav OBC.

The BJP is the only party working to bring everyone together, seeking support and their blessings to serve.

Mayawati and Akhilesh are the followers of Dr B R Ambedkar and Ram Manohar Lohia respectively. but why they are not following their icons' teachings. They are creating a divide in the society, while BJP is working to bring everyone together.

Q: What do you mean by Akhilesh and Mayawati not following teaching of Dr Ambedkar and Dr Lohia? A: They keep throwing names of Dr Ambedkar and Dr Lohia but do not bother about their teaching or principles. They just want to get power by using names of Dr Ambedkar and Dr Lohia.

Chanting 'Jai Bheem' has nothing to do with Dr Ambedkar's visions. Dr Ambedkar talked about Jaati vihin samaj (casteless society) but her way of politics, Mayawati creating is a division in the society on the basis of caste. Mayawati's politics is against Dr Ambedkar's basic teaching of caste less society.

'Mayawati Dr Ambedkar ke Sapno ko Haati ke pair ke neeche kuchal rahi hai' (Mayawati is crushing Dr Ambedkar's vision under the elephant's feet).

Lohia in his whole life talked about bringing a smile on the face of the last man of the society, but Akhilesh and his party did nothing to fulfill this vision of the great leader. 'Akhilesh ne Lohia ke vicharo ka cycle se accident kara diya (Akhilesh's cycle ran over Lohia's thoughts).

Together, both Akhilesh and Mayawati ruled the state for over two decades and would they tell the people about what they have done to address the basic needs like water, power, health, etc. They failed to develop the state and improve the lives of the people, including that caste they are talking about.

Q: Are you saying they did nothing during their regimes? A: They did not do anything to provide continuous power or water supply or ensuring housing for all which also includes those communities which support them. The BJP government under the leadership of the Prime Minister ensured all these basic facilities to everyone.

Under 'Saubhagya', the Modi government has ensured electricity connection to each and every households, the Yogi Adityanath government ensured minimum 18 hours power supply in villages from earlier maximum eight hours. The BJP government is ensuring tap water supply to every house, housing for all by 2022, toilet for everyone and there is a long list of welfare initiatives.

During Covid, the Modi government provided free rations to 80 crore people. Apart from infrastructure development, the BJP government has improved law and order situation in the state in last four and half years. We are going to tell people about work of the BJP government at the Centre and state during three days 'Jan Ashirvad Yatra.

Q: What would be the BJP's agenda in the Assembly polls? A: We are going to seek blessing of the people who gave the BJP right to serve them. The BJP government at the Centre and state is working for people after coming into power and will continue to do same in the future also.

In Uttar Pradesh, we will list details of work and also tell people that this work will stop if the opposition parties come to power as the development and welfare is never in their agenda.

We will ask them to bring back the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh so as to continue the ongoing development and bring more new initiatives in future.

We will also tell the people about the government's preparedness for the third wave with an appeal to follow Covid appropriate behaviour.

(Shashi Bhushan can be reached at shashi.b@ians.in)
Lucknow, Aug 8 : The BJP in Uttar Pradesh is now shifting its focus back on 'panna pramukhs' who will be entrusted the responsibility of connecting with at least 60 voters from a page in the electoral rolls.

The party leadership wants the 'panna pramukhs to begin connecting with the voters by visiting their homes personally.

The state's BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh, said: "A sammelan of panna pramukhs would be held around September 25 to coincide with the birth anniversary of party ideologue, Deen Dayal Upadhyay." BJP President J.P. Nadda, who is on a two-day visit to Lucknow, has also underlined the need for establishing a connection with voters in order to nullify the opposition campaign against the party.

The BJP, sources said, has also directed its grassroots functionaries to reach out to local seers and religious teachers to bring their followers closer to the party in order to increase party's influence on voters, ahead of the state Assembly elections.

The seers and religious teachers will help the party to indirectly augment its poll campaign. The decision was taken at a meeting of Nadda with the 403 'Vidhan Sabha Prabharis' (Assembly in-charges) in Lucknow.

The party is also learnt to have decided to reshuffle 'prabharis', a move that comes amid plans to keep its cadre on toes even as the opposition ups the ante to corner the BJP.

The sources said that the Assembly in-charges were likely to be allocated new jurisdictions by August 10.

They have also been tasked to highlight the robust law and order situation in UP and the crackdown of Yogi Adityanath government on land sharks. The move is aimed to focus on the bulldozing of illegal properties of mafia dons.

Senior party functionaries have been asked to ensure that problems faced by local party workers are taken up and promptly addressed.

The state leadership has been categorically asked not to cold-shoulder workers, who are crucial to driving the party's poll campaign.

The state leadership was also advised to keep a close eye on local political equations before rolling out the poll machinery at the booth levels.

Meanwhile, Nadda told senior party leaders, including ministers and MPs, the importance of symbolism and show of solidarity in the run-up to the crucial state elections early next year.

Giving an example to emphasise the role of symbolism, he said that on posters, the size of photographs of MPs and MLAs should be equal.

"It presents a picture of unity which has a great symbolic value. It is seen that MPs downsize MLAs' photographs in their posters and vice versa. It should not be the case as it sends a wrong message among the people, he said.

He also advised MPs and MLAs to go to each other's house and have tea together.

He further hinted that no MP or office-bearer would have a direct say in MLAs' tickets.
Pratapgarh, Aug 8 : A court in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh will hear a petition seeking the registration of an FIR against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 26 to discuss the maintainability of the same.

A criminal complaint had been filed against the Prime Minister at the Pratapgarh court, seeking registration of an FIR against him for permitting the destruction of a temple of Lord Ganesha in Pakistan.

The complainant, Gyan Prakash Shukla, a lawyer and national president of the All India Rural Bar Association, has alleged that the alleged destruction of the temple was wilfully done by an unruly mob in order to disturb the communal harmony of India.

He further alleged that Khan was hand in glove with perpetrators of this crime, as a leader of his party has made a video showing destruction of the temple viral on social media.

He alleged that it is a part of cold war launched against India by Pakistan.

Taking cognizance of the complaint, civil judge, Lalganj, Lalita Yadav fixed August 26 for recording the statement of the complainant and examining the maintainability of the complaint.
Bijnor : , Aug 8 (IANS) A man has been arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) for donning the uniform of a travel ticket examiner's (TTE) and realising fine from passengers.

The arrested man, Govind Singh, stole a bag at the Bareilly railway station and found a TTE uniform and a receipt book of challans.

He conveniently donned the uniform and began 'checking' passengers on board the Punjab-bound Howrah-Amritsar Punjab Mail train and pocketing the fine.

However, when the train pulled into Bijnor's Najibabad station, he was arrested on a tip off given by another TTE.

It was found that the uniform belonged to TTE Jaswant Singh, who had filed a report after the theft of his bag.

Investigations revealed that the accused was in the habit of impersonating government officials and duping people.

According to Najibabad GRP station in charge, Sarvez Khan, "The fake TTE was extorting money from passengers travelling without ticket on the pretext of checking. We arrested him following a tip-off. He has confessed to stealing the hand bag and extorting money from passengers." A case has been registered against Govind under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 170 (personating a public servant) and 380 (theft in building or vessel) at the GRP station based on a complaint lodged by TTE Jaswant Singh.
San Francisco, Aug 8 : Google is reportedly planning to build a campus that will house a huge hardware hub in the Silicon Valley.

According to a report in CNBC on Saturday, the campus called 'Midpoint' will have 20 per cent office space and 80 per cent space focused on manufacturing devices, storage, distribution and other purposes.

Google has bought land in northern San Jose, California, spending more than $389 million for the five-building hardware research and development centre.

"It will sit adjacent to three industrial buildings that will house some operations for its hardware division, including Nest products, according to several planning documents," the report mentioned.

The company's hardware chief Rick Osterloh recently said that Google is geared up make a big splash in the hardware space.

The company currently has an impressive hardware line-up, including smart home speakers Nest, flagship Pixel smartphones and the PixelBook laptops.

Last week, Google announced it has developed its own custom-built chip to power the next generation of Pixel 6 smartphones that will arrive in the market later this year.

Called Tensor, the AI-enabled System on a Chip (SoC) has been developed specifically for Pixel phones.

In 2016, Google launched the first Pixel.

Google previously said its midrange Pixel 5A would arrive later this year. Now, a new report suggests that the smartphone is likely to arrive on August 26 for $450.
Kabul, Aug 8 : At least 11 Afghan civilians were killed and 64 wounded in two provinces in a span of 24 hours, as fighting raged and street battles continued in several cities, multiple sources said on Sunday.

In Kunduz city, capital of northern Kunduz province, 10 civilians were killed and 42 others wounded following early Saturday's clashes, hsanullah Fazli, director of Kunduz Public Health Directorate, told Xinhua news agency.

Taliban militants stormed the city from three directions, trying to capture the whole city.

The Afghan Ministry of Defence claimed that 47 Taliban militants were killed and 39 wounded in the Kunduz clashes.

In Taluqan city, capital of neighbouring Takhar province, several militants and government forces were killed and wounded during Friday night clashes.

Taliban attacked the city and Afghan government security forces backed by the local public uprising forces repelled the attackers. Heavy clashes lasted on Saturday.

The Taliban took control of Shiberghan city, capital of northern Jawzjan province, on Saturday after week-long heavy clashes, reported local Tolo News TV channel.

The militants broke the provincial prison and released all the inmates, according to the report.

Security forces retreated to a local airport. Information about casualties on the side of security forces and Taliban militants were unclear.

Also on Saturday, a 25-year-old medical doctor died of gunshot wounds in Kandahar city, capital of southern Kandahar province, Dawood Farhad, director of Mirwais Regional Hospital, told Xinhua.

"At least 22 wounded, including one woman and six children, were admitted to Mirwais Hospital since early Saturday," he said, adding that "eight people got gunshot wounds while the rest were wounded by bomb and mortar shrapnel".

Six militants' bodies and four wounded soldiers were also shifted to the hospital, according to the source.

About half of the country's 34 provinces have been the scene of heavy battles and street fighting in recent weeks as Taliban militants continued their fighting against security forces.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The historic monument of Red Fort in the national capital is gearing up to host the nation's Independence Day celebrations on August 15. All security arrangements including extra precautionary and preventive measures against Covid-19 are being put in place to ensure a seamless event.

A two-day vaccination camp was organised for all the staff present in the Red Fort in a step towards taking guard against the coronavirus whose first wave last year and the second wave earlier this year went on to create rampage.

The Prime Minister hoists the flag every year on Independence Day and addresses the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

The security personnel and other staff engaged in security near the Prime Minister will be tested for Covid-19 two days before August 15. Also, those who have not been vaccinated will be given the jabs.

Similar to last year's arrangements, limited chairs have been placed this time as well. The chairs of all the leaders sitting around the Prime Minister have been installed, maintaining a distance of two yards.

Students of NCC will be called on Independence Day, although their number will also be limited.

According to the information, athletes who won medals at the Tokyo Olympics will also get a place near the Prime Minister this time. A separate corridor has been made for their movement and arrival.

Meanwhile, tight security arrangements are being put in place.

The Delhi Police have put up containers (around 15-20) outside the main gate of the Red Fort for security reasons.

Security agencies have already issued an alert on August 15. The Delhi Police have taken this step in view of the farmers' agitation and threats from the Khalistani terrorists.

In view of Independence Day, Delhi Police and central security agencies have made strict arrangements.

Apart from this, an anti-drone radar system will also be used, so that no drone of any kind can fly around the Red Fort. The system has a range of up to 5 km.

Delhi Police have also pasted posters of terrorists around the Red Fort. The name and address of six terrorists have been mentioned in the posters.

The police are also wary of the potential challenge posed by the farmers sitting on the Delhi borders, who are protesting against the agricultural laws. On January 26 this year, on the occasion of the Republic Day, things turned ugly and violent as the farmers' agitation was at its peak during that time. Keeping these episodes in mind, all efforts are being made this time to avoid any kind of negligence.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kabul, Aug 8 : Heavy fighting between Afghan security forces and the Taliban is currently underway the three northern provinces of Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Jawzjan with reports of civilian casualties in the clashes, a media report said on Sunday.

Citing sources, the TOLO News report said the clashes in Kunduz have reached the centreof the city of Kunduz and some key government buildings have fallen to the Taliban.

At least 11 people have been killed and 39 more have been wounded in Kunduz clashes that started on Friday evening, the provincial public health directorate said.

A source from the province said clashes have intensified near the police headquarters and the main roundabout in the centre of Kunduz city.

Meanwhile, the sources said that the fighting in Sar-e-Pul has reached the capital of the province and the Sancharak district.

The sources added that Babur Ishchi, head of Jawzjan provincial council, surrounded to the Taliban along with his 20 fighters after hours of clashes against the group in Khawja Do Koh district, which is the hometown of former Vice President Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum and was one of the two areas under government control in the province.

Sources said that Taliban has released Ishchi's fighters but has "taken him and his brother" with them.

The Taliban in a statement claimed that Ishchi and his men have surrendered to the group.

Fierce fighting is also continuing in Takhar and Badakhshan provinces, the TOLO News report said.

In Badakhshan, police said Taliban attacks on the city of Faizabad were pushed back by Afghan forces.
Sanaa, Aug 8 : At least 45 Houthi rebels were killed in multiple airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition and in ground clashes with the Yemeni government army in the oil-rich province of Marib in the last 24 hours, military sources have confirmed.

"In the western district of Sirwah, the airstrikes targeted a rebel makeshift operational room, killing at least 12," one of the sources in Marib told Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

"In the adjacent district of Rahabah, to the south of Sirwah, the airstrikes destroyed several pick-up vehicles carrying rebel combatants, killing more than 20," he added.

Another military source said the army repelled a fierce attack launched by the Houthi rebels from three directions on its positions in the mountains of Al-Bayadh and Al-Abzakh in Rahabah district.

"Thirteen rebels were killed on the ground, while dozens fled," he told Xinhua.

Both strategic mountains and most of Rahabah district were recaptured by the army last week.

Meanwhile, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported 11 Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on the Houthi positions in Sirwah and Rahabah, without providing more details.

The Houthi rebels began in February a major offensive on Marib in an attempt to seize control of the oil-rich province, the government's last northern stronghold.

The UN has warned that the offensive on Marib, which hosts nearly 1 million internally displaced people, could lead to a major humanitarian catastrophe.

Yemen's civil war flared up in late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa.
Brussels, Aug 8 : In order to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular the spread of the Delta variant, European countries are introducing new measures such as requiring the health pass to access public places and making vaccination mandatory for certain professions.

In France, starting from next week, people will have to show a health pass, or "passe sanitaire", which proves the holder has been fully vaccinated, has recently recovered from Covid-19 or tested negative, to get access to bars, cafes, restaurants, gyms, some shopping malls, nursing homes and even hospitals (except for emergencies), as well as planes, long distance trains or bus services, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since July 21, this health pass has been compulsory for gatherings of more than 50 people in cultural and leisure venues such as cinemas and museums.

The extension of its use, proposed by the government and voted in Parliament amid concerns over its impact on personal freedom, got greenlighted from the country's highest constitutional body on August 5.

In Italy, the government has approved a new decree that makes a green pass mandatory for school and university staff, university students, and passengers on long-haul means of transportation such as airplanes, ships and ferries, and trains.

First introduced in June, the green pass has been necessary in order to attend public events, access nursing homes and move around Italy and within the European Union (EU) from June 17.

France and Italy were comparatively late in adopting such measures.

In a bid to prevent the spread of the virus while avoiding lockdowns experienced last year during the first wave of the pandemic, authorities in many reopened countries in the EU have required a health pass, or "green pass", "coronapass," or "SafePass", as it is called in different countries, to enter indoor public spaces.

In Denmark, the "coronapass" has been a must since weeks ago when entering restaurants, cinemas, and gyms. In Austria, the rule has been in place for nearly two months now.

In Greece, as of July 16 until the end of summer, entrance to indoor cinemas, theatres, bars will be strictly allowed to those vaccinated. The government has also imposed mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for some professions.

In Cyprus, restrictions relating to access to hospitality venues resumed since early July. Since mid-July, the SafePass is required to visit all venues, either outdoors or indoors, where there is a congregation of more than 20 people.

From August 2, people aged 12 and over have been obliged to present a SafePass before entering public offices, hospitals and shops where ten or more people are present, including employees.

Such measures are increasingly required across Europe as full vaccination is considered key to protect against the most serious effects of Covid-19, including those caused by the Delta variant.

The pass issued by different countries also contains a QR code of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, which can be verified across the bloc.

A faster vaccination rollout, the extension of the health pass, and barrier gestures could have a significant impact on the severity of the peak expected in September, according to leading French research centre the Institut Pasteur.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) earlier this week strongly encouraged those who are eligible but have not yet been vaccinated to take the recommended vaccination "in a timely manner".

The EU has reached its target of ensuring at least 70 per cent of the adult population receive at least one vaccine dose by the end of July, but the member states hope to see this percentage increase to contain the spread of new variants.

In France, where over 54 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated, President Emmanuel Macron has once again appealed to the still-reluctant citizens to get vaccinated.

The European health agencies also recommended that everyone should adhere to national regulations and continue to take measures such as wearing masks and respecting social distancing.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Los Angeles, Aug 8 : Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't think bathing is necessary as according to him it's helpful for "skin maintenance" to allow the body to naturally clean itself.

"More and more I find bathing to be less necessary, at times," Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair magazine, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He added: "I do believe, because Elvis Costello is wonderful, that good manners and bad breath get you nowhere. So I do that. But I do also think that there's a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves." The 40-year-old actor made the comments after a debate about cleanliness was started by actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, who recently admitted they don't bathe their children until they can "see dirt" on them.

The discussion began during an appearance on the 'Armchair Expert' podcast with co-hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman.

Kunis said that she hardly ever had a shower growing up as a child because they didn't have hot water at home.

"I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway. But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day. I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns - ever." Kutcher then added: "Now, here's the thing: If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there's no point." Shepard later chipped in on the topic with his own wife and actress Kristen Bell, as the couple revealed they also don't bathe their children every day.
Riyadh, Aug 8 : Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has welcomed the appointment of Hans Grundberg as UN Special Envoy for Yemen.

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, the minister said: "I welcome the appointment of Hans Grundberg as UN Special Envoy for Yemen. We wish him success in his new role and look forward to working with him.

"The Kingdom will continue to support all efforts to reach a political solution that helps bring peace and prosperity to Yemen." Grundberg succeeds Martin Griffiths, who has been appointed as UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, reports Xinhua news agency.

In March, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition completed its sixth year of war in Yemen against the Houthi militia in support of the Yemeni government.

On March 22, Saudi Arabia announced an initiative to end the Yemeni crisis.

The initiative includes a comprehensive cease-fire across Yemen under the supervision of the UN.

It was part of a series of initiatives that the militia had rejected over the years.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Titled 'Pages from my diary', an exclusive collection of paintings by 88-year-old French painter Maite Delteil, has gone on view at the Delhi-based Art Alive Gallery. Through these works from the 1960s-70s, the illustrious artist reflects back on her life via art.

Maite Delteil was born in 1933 in Fumel, France. Growing up in a conservative home in the French countryside, Maite Delteil has always claimed herself to be a 'nature's child'. Throughout her practice, nature, flora and fauna has been an intrinsic part of her visual vocabulary. In this collection, Maite captures the intimacies of her thoughts and domestic existence.

At a glance, these artworks appear to be simple displays of still life and portraits but on engaging further, we enter Maite's colourful world that is classified by a distinct poetic warmth.

While the still life paintings capture moments from her childhood and the simplicities of her home, the self-portraits exhibit a sense of intimacy with the feminine energy.

As Anushka Rajendran rightly points out, "In the airy, light-filled spaces in Delteil's world, women lounge in all their nudity, immersed in contemplation. They are pensive dreamers, claiming an agency denied to them by their prescriptive realities. Delteil intervenes with her subjects that are endowed with subjectivity in the tradition of painting where women had always been objects' at the receiving end of the male gaze. But what one sees is not the weight of the world on their shoulders -- suffering in anguish or tormented by existentialist angst -- but lightness and joy. Indoors, all by themselves, they are free to roam the terrain of their own imagination without boundaries. This transgression further acquires the tenor of fantasy through Delteil's vivid colours." "At the end of 1960s, I was mainly working in Japan. Looking myself into these paintings, realized I was very much concerned with the search of vibrant colours simply applied as Matisse was doing. I was also trying to depict intimate interiors to present models in gentle boudoirs, in a contemplative appearance, more than in a banal sentimental vision. At that time, I was impressed by artists like Berthe Morisot, Edward Vuillard or Pierre Bonnard," says Maite Delteil.

The artist claims to have been influenced by Italian Masters like Giotto, Masaccio, and Henri Matisse, among many others yet she has always maintained her unique style. The vibrant nature of her colour palette has been monumental in shaping up her distinct artistic practice.

Ranjit Hoskote writes, "The viewer is seized, immediately, by the sumptuousness of Maite's palette: the glowing reds, pollen bright yellows, candied pinks, lambent blues and succulent greens in which she clothes the natural world, which is her chosen zone. An elan vital throbs in each painting and invests the images with their radiant significance. It is a principle of joy, hope and renewal that carries us forward even in pensive seasons and times of crisis." 'Pages from my diary' is a reminiscence of Maite Delteil's early years, her intimacy with her surroundings, her memory of the past and the evolution of her artistic practice.

Continuing through September 15, the show will be available online on artalivegallery.com.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)
Islamabad, Aug 8 : A Pakistani soldier was killed as terrorists attacked a military checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said.

The military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement that the terrorists opened fire on the post in the Ghariom area of North Waziristan district on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Own troops responded in a befitting manner," said the ISPR statement, adding that during an exchange of fire with the militants, one soldier of the Pakistani army was killed.

Area clearance is being carried out to eliminate the terrorists, the statement said.

"Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," it added.

On Monday, a statement from the ISPR said that a soldier was killed in terrorists' attack on a military check post in North Waziristan.
Amaravati, Aug 8 : Tension prevailed here on Sunday after the police stopped people from taking out rallies to protest against the shifting of the state capital.

Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC) had given a call for the rally from Thullur to Mangalagiri temple on completion of 600 days of its protest over the state government's plans for trifurcation of the state capital.

Hundreds of policemen were deployed to stop the protesters from marching from their protest camp at Thullur. The protesters, including women, entered into an argument with the police. They objected to the police stopping a peaceful rally.

Police also stopped a bike rally by the Amaravati farmers. Some of the protesters ran towards the Andhra Pradesh High Court building.

Police also foiled the attempt by leaders and workers of opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to take out a rally from Tadepalli. The protesters wanted to march towards the High Court. When the protesters tried to head towards Undavalli, police took them into custody.

The police imposed restrictions in all the villages in Amaravati to prevent protest rallies. JAC had called for a large-scale protest to mark 600 days of the protest. It had appealed to people to participate in the march from High Court to the temple. However, police denied permission for the rally.

Large number of police personnel have been deployed in the villages since Saturday evening to foil the protests. They erected check posts and barricades to stop outsiders from entering the villages.

Even the media persons were not allowed into the villages. Only locals were allowed through the check posts after they produced their identity cards.

Farmers and other residents of Amaravati villages have been staging protests for 600 days demanding that Amaravati be retained as the single state capital.

The YSR Congress Party government led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to shift administrative capital to Visakhapatnam and judicial capital to Kurnool while retaining Amaravati as only the legislative capital.
Tokyo, Aug 8 : The United States swept Brazil 3-0 in the women's volleyball final here on Sunday to win their first Olympic gold medal.

The American women, who had lost to Brazil in the Olympic final twice in a row at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, were finally crowned after beating Brazil 25-21, 25-20 and 25-14.

Having swept Serbia 3-0 in Friday's semifinals, the United States jumped to a 15-11 lead in the first set. After Brazil pulled within 15-14, the Americans pulled away again on back of two spikes of Jordan Larson and two errors of Brazil, and held on for the victory in the opener, reports Xinhua.

In the middle of the second set, the United States staged an amazing 8-1 run for an 18-9 lead. Brazil fought hard to cut their deficit to 22-19, but that's the closest they could go. In the third set, the American women raced to a 17-9 lead and never looked back.

Andrea Drews led the United States with 15 points with Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Larson adding 14 and 12 respectively.

Playing without Tandara Caixeta, who had been provisionally suspended for potential anti-doping rule violation, Brazil was led by Fernanda Rodrigues' 11 points.
Dublin, Aug 8 : Ireland's daily Covid-19 caseload has set another record since the breakout of the current wave of infections which started last month, despite achieving a higher vaccination rate.

There were 1,828 new confirmed cases reported in Ireland on Saturday, Xinhua news agency quoted the Department of Health as saying.

This is the second day in a row that Ireland reported a record high of cases in the current wave, according to the statistics from the department.

"The 14-day incidence rate in Ireland has increased to 386 per 100,000 population, that's the highest it's been since early February," said Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer with the Department of Health After the number of daily cases in Ireland surpassed the 1,000-level in mid-July for the first time in more than five months, it has remained above that figure for 22 days in a row.

In the week ending on July 26, Ireland reported over 9,000 confirmed cases, far more than the highest weekly numbers recorded in the first and second wave of infections, which hit the country in April and October of last year.

The resurgence in Ireland comes at a time when the country has made notable progress in vaccinating the population against Covid-19.

Paul Reid, head of the Health Service Executive, a state agency in charge of Ireland's vaccination program, said on Saturday that 77 per cent of adults have been fully vaccinated, an increase of almost five percentage points from the end of last month when Prime Minister Micheal Martin announced that 72.4 per cent of adults in his country had been fully vaccinated.

"The level of uptake (of Covid-19 vaccine) across all age groups in Ireland is high by international comparisons," said the Cabinet Committee on Covid-19, adding that nearly 85 per cent of people aged 16 and over in the country have either registered or received at least one dose of vaccine.

According to the Committee, over six million doses have been administered in Ireland and 3.2 million people out of the country's total population, estimated at five million, have received the first doses while 2.85 million people have been fully vaccinated.

It said that the incidence of serious illness, hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions and mortality in the current wave are lower than the previous waves, and vaccination has played an effective role in lowering these figures.

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Baghdad, Aug 8 : The Iraqi security forces have launched an operation to hunt down members of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the eastern province of Diyala, a police official said.

Based on intelligence reports, a joint force from the provincial police and Sunni tribal fighters launched the operation on Saturday in areas north of the town of al-Muqdadiya, some 100 km northeast of the capital Baghdad, Nihad al-Mahdawi, head of Diyala police media office, told Xinhua news agency.

The operation aimed to clear rural areas in the north of Maqdadiyah from IS militants and destroy their hideouts, al-Mahdawi said.

Separately, IS militants kidnapped in the morning two civilians and wounded three others at a fake checkpoint near the town of Shirqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad, Colonel Mohammed al-Bazi, from Salahudin provincial police, told Xinhua.

During the past months, IS terrorists have intensified their attacks on the Iraqi security forces in the province the group previously controlled, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since retreated to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
Srinagar, Aug 8 : Police in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district said on Sunday that it has arrested a government teacher from whose possession 103 bottles of banned drug, codeine were recovered.

Police said they intercepted a vehicle in the Wadwan area of Budgam district and during a search of the vehicle, 103 bottles of codeine were recovered.

"During questioning, it was revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Syed Irfan-ul-Haq who belongs to the Khayam locality in Srinagar city, is a lecturer in the school education department.

"Both the accused and the vehicle have been taken into possession and a case under the NDPS act has been registered", police said.

It must be mentioned that if proved in the court of law, the accused can be punished for 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine up to Rs one lakh under the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (NDPS) act 1985.
New Delhi/Kabul, Aug 8 : In a briefing to the UN Security Council (UNSC), Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, said that the first six months of this year has been the bloodiest for the war-torn country since 2009, with at least 1,677 civilians, including women and children, dead, while 3,644 others injured.

"If the current rates of violence continue, I am heartbroken to note that there might be a grim new record of civilian harm by end of this year. With districts and now a provincial city falling to the Taliban, millions of Afghans are waiting in terror to see what comes next," Akbar told the UNSC.

"This Council and its members still have the leverage to stop the bleeding of Afghans and prevent catastrophes. This Council can save lives. We will need the council to utilise the full range of political, diplomatic, human rights and humanitarian tools and interventions to save lives and prevent further and more horrific atrocities.

"We urge the Council, the UN and international human rights mechanisms to respond with a greater sense of urgency to the Afghan calls for civilian protection, ceasefire, an end to violence and meaningful and inclusive political process.

"Women in particular remember the past and present abuses of the Taliban against their freedoms and their persons, and dread what is to come. As you know, many are joining the ranks of those trying to flee this worsening storm," he added.

In Spin Boldak, Kandahar, the Commission's findings confirm that the Taliban dragged out and killed at least 40 civilians associated with the government, in a campaign of targeted, extrajudicial killings.

Following media and human rights reporting, Taliban imposed strict restrictions and would investigate people travelling to and from Spin Boldak to prevent full documentation of these atrocities.

In Malistan, Ghazni province, the commission confirmed that at least 27 civilians were murdered in targeted killings by the Taliban.

In one instance, Taliban sought the help of an unarmed guard to move the bodies of civilians and then killed the guard in an attempt to eliminate witnesses.

In Helmand, residents of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah are stuck between Taliban attacks and government airstrikes, fearing for their lives every minute and deprived of access to their basic rights.

In addition to daily violations of the laws of conflict, Afghanistan's human rights gains is under attack and rapidly shrinking as the conflict expands.

One major, deeply concerning example is the rights of women and girls in areas captured by the Taliban, Akbar said while briefing the Council.

"Women's access to education, to markets, to basic health services is limited and shrinking. Their basic human rights denied and repressed. Afghan women across Afghanistan are either reliving the nightmare of Taliban area or live in the fear and trauma of reliving it soon, if the tide doesn't turn and we don't have an opportunity at negotiations and meaningful participation in them.

"We have an equally concerning situation with access to information and freedom of expression. As media are under pressure by both sides to the conflict, independent media in different provinces are shutting down as more districts fall to Taliban," he added.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at sanjeev.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 8 : As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has served notices to e-commerce major Flipkart and its founders over alleged violation of foreign exchange norms, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has said that similar notices should also be sent to Walmart-backed Amazon.

"The notice sent by the Enforcement Directorate to Flipkart is a much-awaited right step. Both Amazon and Flipkart are conducting a preferential seller system on their respective marketplace which is against the FDI in e-commerce policy for which CAIT has been raising its voice since a long time. We demand the Enforcement Directorate to send similar notice to Amazon also since both Amazon and Flipkart are sailing in the same boat," said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

The traders' body lauded the ED's move and said that violation of laws during 2016-2021 by both Amazon and Flipkart needs to be investigated.

Khandelwal said that ED should not only impose heavy fine and penalty but also recommend the government to ban portals of both Amazon and Flipkart till the time they follow the FDI laws both in letter and spirit.

He said that that under the FDI in e-commerce policy, the foreign funded companies could act as a marketplace providing only technology facilitation and cannot sell the goods directly or indirectly whereas these companies were acting in inventory mode, as well which is prohibited under the policy.

The ED issued notices to Flipkart, its founders and nine others in connection with foreign exchange violation case.

According to financial probe agency sources, in the notice they have asked to explain why they should not face a penalty of $1.35 billion for alleged violation of foreign investment laws.

The sources said that Flipkart and its other holding firms including one in Singapore violated Foreign Exchange Magamenet Act (FEMA) while attracting foreign investments between 2009 and 2015.

According to the ED, the investigating agency has found that WS Retail, a firm incorporated in 2009 to transact with customers, was allegedly acting as a front for retail operations of Flipkart Online Services, incorporated in 2008.

The ED investigation started after the RBI had raised the issue.

In 2018, Walmart took a majority stake in Flipkart. Sachin Bansal sold his stake to Walmart during the deal, while Binny Bansal retained a small stake.

Flipkart has said that it has been compliant to the Indian laws and will cooperate with the authorities in the matter which pertains to 2009-2015.

Responding to a query on the notice, the company had said in a statement: "Flipkart is in compliance with Indian laws and regulations, including FDI regulations. We will cooperate with the authorities as they look at this issue pertaining to the period 2009-2015 as per their notice."
Mumbai, Aug 8 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the restrictions on Karnataka-based Millath Co-operative Bank by three months till November 7.

This extension is subject to review, said an RBI statement. The restrictions were last extended till August 8.

"The RBI is satisfied that in the public interest, it is necessary to extend the period of operation of the Directive DCBS.CO.BSD III.D-12 /12.23.096/2018-19 dated April 26, 2019 issued to Millath Co-operative Bank Limited, Devangere, Karnataka," the statement said.

As per the RBI's directions, the co-operative bank shall not, without prior approval of RBI in writing grant or renew any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability including borrowal of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits, disburse or agree to disburse any payment whether in discharge of its liabilities and obligations or otherwise.

The bank would also not enter into any compromise or arrangement and sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets.

Further, the central bank also imposed a withdrawal limit of Rs 1,000 from every savings or current account or any other deposit account.

The restrictions were first imposed in May 2019 and have been extended thereafter.
Lucknow, Aug 8 : If Uttar Pradesh ministers and legislators have their way, nearly a dozen districts and towns will get new names in the coming months.

Minister of State for Secondary Education Gulab Devi has demanded that her home district of Sambhal be renamed as Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar.

"There is a demand for renaming Sambhal in different areas in the district. A large number of people came to meet me and I have assured them to convey their demand to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. I propose to meet the Chief Minister on August 12 and convey the feelings of the people," said Gulab Devi.

The Firozabad district panchayat has already passed a resolution seeking that the name of the district be changed to Chandra Nagar.

BJP MLA Devmani Dwivedi has already been demanding that the name of Sultanpur be changed to Kushbhawanpur.

"I have already raised the demand to rename Sultanpur as Kushbhawanpur in the state assembly earlier. This city was founded by Lord Ram's son Kush. I have requested the chief minister for an early appointment to enable me to place the demand before him," said Dwivedi, who represents the Lambhua Assembly constituency of Sultanpur.

Sultanpur district's official website also supports Dwivedi's claims.

It reads: "The original town was situated on the left bank of the Gomti. It is said to have been founded by Kush, son of Lord Ram, and is said to have been named after him as Kushpur or Kushbhawanpur. This ancient city has been identified by General Cunnigham with the Kushpur mentioned by Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller." Brijesh Singh, the BJP MLA from Deoband Assembly seat of Saharanpur, has also demanded that the name of Deoband be changed to Devvrand.

Deoband is known for the seat of Islamic seminary Darul Uloom. He said the place had been referred to as Devvrand in ancient Hindu scriptures.

"I will meet the Chief Minister during the monsoon session of state legislature commencing on August 17," he said.

Manvendra Singh, BJP MLA from the Dadraul Assembly constituency of Shahjahanpur, said that the people of his constituency want the name of Shahjahanpur to be changed to Shajipur, the other name of Bhamashah, a close aide of Maharana Pratap.

Vir Vikram Singh 'Prince', another BJP MLA from Shahjahanpur said he had raised the demand to rename Khudaganj block of his district.

He said the process to rename the block had already begun.

"I met Chief Mminister Yogi Adityanath recently and demanded that Khudaganj should be renamed after freedom fighter Thakur Roshan Singh who along with Ram Prasad 'Bismil' was hanged for his involvement in the Kakori bank dacoity case," he said.

Alka Rai, BJP MLA from Mohammadabad Assembly constituency of Ghazipur, has sought the renaming of Ghazipur as Gadhipuri, on the ground that it was the capital of Maharishi Vishwamitra's father king Gadhi in ancient India and later renamed after an aide of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq.

"We will also push for change of name of Muhammadabad assembly constituency as Dhara Nagar, as the area is mentioned in ancient scriptures," she said.

There is also a demand to rename Muzaffarnagar as Laxmi Nagar.

The Yogi Adityanath government has already changed the names of Allahabad to Prayagraj and Faizabad to Ayodhya while Mughalsarai has been renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar.

The state government has recently recommended naming the Jhansi railway station after Rani Laxmi Bai.
Lucknow, Aug 8 : Organic cluster farming on the banks of the Ganga river in 11 districts in Uttar Pradesh have not only reduced the cost of agriculture, but also increased the agricultural production and income of the farmers but also cleaned the environment.

The Yogi Adityanath government has launched a concerted campaign on this regard in the 11 districts of the state. Along with the objective of cleaning the river, organic farming is also being done on both the banks of River Ganga in these 11 districts under the Clean Ganga Mission.

According to a state government spokesman, under this project of the government, 21,142 farmers of the 11 districts, located along Ganga River from Bijnore to Ballia, have formed 700 organic clusters in an area of 14,000 hectares.

The farmers included in these clusters have grown various crops through organic method in the Kharif 2020 and Rabi 2020-21 seasons.

Kamta, a farmer from Ballia, said that he received all assistance from the government in growing, reaping and packing the organic products and got good price of their produce.

These products were displayed in the stalls of fairs, exhibitions and seminars organized at various occasions. Farmers have so far sold organic products worth Rs 2.76 crore from this project.

In view of the success of this three-year project in the first year itself, the state government is gearing up to start the second phase of this project soon.

Of the total project cost of Rs 71.40 crore, an amount of Rs 21.05 crore has been spent.

It is noteworthy that the state government, in order to double the income of the farmers, has created many facilities which included impetus to organic farming, switch to profitable crops and diversification in agricultural methods.
New Delhi/Islamabad, Aug 8 : The top leaders of the Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC), an alliance of 22 religious and political parties and organisations in Pakistan, have declined to condemn the vandalism and desecration of a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan last week, saying it was unaware of the details of the incident, a media report said on Sunday.

According to the Dawn news report, they held a media briefing in Islamabad following the elections for top positions in the Supreme Council of the MYC.

The Supreme Council of the MYC unanimously re-elected Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) as president and Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-i-Islami as secretary general for the next three years.

During the briefing, when reporters asked about the position of the MYC on the temple attack in RYK, the newly elected president started talking about an incident in Hyderabad instead.

"There is a Muslim family living in front of a temple in Hyderabad. The area also housed some Hindu families and they filed a complaint to the authorities that sacrificing (a) cow in front of the temple should not be allowed," Zubair said, as per the report.

The MYC president further said that the rights of the religious minorities have been safeguarded under the Constitution and Sharia.

"We do not deny the rights given to the minority communities in Islamic laws and the laws of the country, but denying the rights to the majority community too was not fair," he added.

The MYC president said that they cannot comment as they were not aware of the ground realities and details of the incident. Secretary general Baloch added that the MYC will respond when the facts are available to them. "The minority community in the country has complete freedom," he said.

When they were asked whether they believed the temple's desecration should not be condemned, the former deputy secretary general Saqib Akbar told reporters to move on to the next topic and refrain from arguments over the temple issue.

Hundreds of people had vandalised a Hindu temple in Bhong town on August 4 and blocked the Sukkur-Multan Motorway after a nine-year-old Hindu boy, who allegedly urinated in a local seminary, was granted bail by a local court.

A video clip that went viral on social media showed charged people wielding clubs and rods storming the temple and smashing its glass doors, windows, lights and damaging the ceiling fans.
Baghdad, Aug 8 : Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced that his government and the political parties are determined to hold the parliamentary elections as scheduled on Oct.ober 10.

Al-Kadhimi's comment came during his meeting with leaders of the political parties in the presence of Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, head of the Supreme Judicial Council, the country's electoral commission, and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, the Prime Minister's media office said in a statement.

He stressed his government's insistence on holding the elections on time and confirmed its ability to provide an appropriate atmosphere for them, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Al-Kadhimi and the political parties renewed the call for the political blocs that boycotted the elections to reverse their decision," the statement said.

He also suggested forming a committee of political parties to open a dialogue with the boycotting parties to persuade them to change their decision, it added.

Earlier in July, a political bloc led by prominent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced the withdrawal of his bloc from the parliamentary elections, citing "rampant corruption and unfair competition" among political parties.

About a week later, the Iraqi Communist Party also withdrew from the elections, saying the political parties are "not serious" in achieving the demands of popular protests that broke out in 2019, and "the upcoming elections are nothing but a change of faces".

Late last month, the Iraqi National Dialogue Front led by Salih al-Mutlak announced in a statement the withdrawal from the elections due to "the failure to provide a safe environment for early elections and the proliferation of out-of-control weapons".

Iraq is scheduled to hold early elections on October 10 in response to the anti-government protests against corruption and lack of public services.

The previous parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on May 12, 2018, and the next elections were originally scheduled to take place in 2022.
Ramallah, Aug 8 : A senior Palestinian official announced that 95 per cent of the recent Covid-19 infections in the West Bank are of the Delta variant.

Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila told reporters here that the Delta variant is spreading in all West Bank towns, reports Xinhua news agency.

She clarified that until now, "the epidemiological situation in the West Bank does not need to go for a lockdown", adding that the Health Ministry needs assistance to limit the spread of the deadly virus, and then take all the needed measures later.

Al-Kaila said that keeping cities and economic institutions opened and resuming education at schools and universities "requires a societal responsibility through citizens' awareness to prevent the virus from spreading on a large scale".

"The recorded cases in Palestine are witnessing a slight increase, and the curve is rising from what it was a few days ago," she said, adding she is deeply concerned that "this is an indication of the entry of the fourth wave of the pandemic".

Meanwhile, al-Kaila called on every Palestinian aged over 18 years old to immediately go to the vaccination centres in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and abide by the precautionary measures of wearing face masks and social distancing.

On Saturday, the Health Mministry recorded 136 new Covid-19 cases and 33 recoveries in the Palestinian territories.

It also said 608,155 people were vaccinated in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip so far, including 423,340 who received the second dose of vaccine.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 8 : Malayalam Super Star, Mammootty was booked by the Kerala police under the Epidemic Diseases Act for Covid-19 protocol violation at a private hospital in Kozhikode. Actor, director, Ramesh Pisharody who was with Mammootty was also charged by the state police.

The incident took place on Tuesday when Mammooty and Pisharody came to the hospital for the inauguration of robotic-assisted joint replacement surgery and case was filed on Saturday.

Police said that around 300 people gathered near Mammootty at the hospital premises and that the function was conducted without maintaining Covid protocol. Elathur Police have collected videos and photographs of the event.

Top officials of the Hospital including its Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer were also charged by the police. Hospital authorities however said that there was no deliberate violation of norms but the presence of celebrities had evoked some unexpected responses from fans.
Beijing, Aug 8 : The Chinese mainland has reported 81 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Sunday.

Of the locally transmitted cases, 38 were reported in Jiangsu, 24 in Henan, seven in Yunnan, six each in Hubei and Hunan, according to the commission.

Also reported were 15 new imported cases, of which six were reported in Shanghai, four in Yunnan, three in Guangdong and two in Sichuan, reports Xinhua news agency.

Three suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were newly reported in Shanghai on Saturday.

No new Covid-19 deaths were reported.

By the end of Saturday, a total of 7,643 imported cases had been reported on the mainland.

Among them, 6,929 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 714 remained hospitalised.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases on the mainland reached 93,701, including 1,507 patients still receiving treatment, 44 of whom were in severe condition.

A total of 87,558 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chicago, Aug 8 : A Chicago police officer was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting incident in the South Side area of the US city, local media reported.

On Saturday, both officers were taken to University of Chicago Medical Centres, where one of them, a female officer, was pronounced dead, while the other was in critical condition, according to local authorities cited by media.

Police said two suspects were taken into custody shortly after the shooting incident, reports Xinhua news agency.

What sparked the shooting remains unclear.
Kabul, Aug 8 : Amid intense fighting with the Afghan security forces, the Taliban on Sunday gained ground in the two key cities of Sari Pul and Kunduz, according to officials.

Taliban militants have overrun major parts of Sari Pul city, the capital of northern Sari Pul province, one of the officials told Xinhua news agency.

This is the second provincial capital after Shiberghan, the capital of Nimroz province, fell to the Taliban over the past three days.

"Major parts of Sari Pul city have fallen to the Taliban militants today morning and fighting has been continuing between government forces and Taliban fighters," the official added.

Taking to Twitter, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that the "Mujahidin captured all government departments in Sari Pul city today".

In the past few days, Taliban militants have earlier captured Nimroz provincial capital Zaranj in west and Shiberghan city, the capital of Jawzan province.

Meanwhile in Kunduz, the strategically important city along the border with Tajikistan, the "Taliban has captured police district (PD) 1, PD 3 and PD 4 and have been attempting to overrun Balahisar area to control the road leading to the Kunduz airport", another official told Xinhua news agency.

Kunduz police chief Zabardast Safi also confirmed the fighting but said that the security forces would beat back the insurgents.

However, Ehasanullah Faizi, the head of Kunduz hospital told Xinhua that, "a dozen dead bodies and 60 injured civilians have been taken to hospital" since Saturday.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Mujahid claimed that the militants have captured Kunduz city including the provincial governor's office.

But the claim was rejected by officials as well as locals as baseless.

According to locals, the governor's office, police headquarters and other government entities are in control of government forces.

Fighter planes, as well as military helicopters, are hovering over the city.

Taliban have captured one battle tank and three more were burned in the city, according to local residents.

Intense battles were also continuing in Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar, and the neighbouring Badakhshan provincial capital Faizabad.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The months of May, June and July gave a fierce glimpse of the natural disasters - cyclones on east and west coast, excess rainfall, floods and cloudbursts - that reigned havoc in India and are set to increase in frequency and intensity in years to come.

Loss of infrastructure apart from loss of lives and livestock is a major setback after every such disaster. For instance, several areas of Konkan that witnessed huge floods in July were without power for many days as the entire power department infrastructure suffered massive damage. Several metres/kilometres of roads were washed away when the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand witnessed landslides and cloudbursts recently.

A crucial report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Monday is likely to paint an even dismal scenario with a warning to not just take mitigative steps but also increase adaptation. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand what is at stake for the financial sector in India. Will India's finance sector witness an increased understanding of and a push for integrating climate risk in the existing set up of financial institutions? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been talking about green finance for many years and has taken various steps towards it. It has pushed, on the lines of corporate social responsibility for private companies, the concept of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into financing aspects. But April 2021 saw an important development vis-a-vis climate finance.

The RBI joined the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) in April 2021. The NGFS, launched in December 2017 at the Paris One Planet Summit, is a group of central banks and supervisors from across the globe to share the best practices and contribute to the development of the environment and climate risk management in the financial sector. It is an institutional yet voluntarily membership. It will also help mobilize mainstream finance to support the transition toward a sustainable economy.

The Paris Agreement - that India has signed - has three components. One and the most talked about is the global efforts to restrict the temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius and if possible, to keep it at 1.5 degrees Celsius. The second is about adaptation to climate impacts. But it is the third that is rarely talked about, i.e. that all finance goals should be aligned with the de-carbonisation or the low carbon pathway.

"It is not yet clear what exactly would be the role of the monetary policy in addressing climate change. We are looking at both, natural disasters which hit infrastructure and also the planning for new infrastructure investments taking into account increased risks. It translates into very simple yet significant decisions, such as 'how high will you construct a bridge?' or 'Where will you locate your airport?'" Director (Climate) at the World Resources Institute (WRI), a think tank, Ulka Kelkar told IANS.

This will mean, choosing the location that will bear the least or minimal impact due to climate change or taking into account that the cost will increase in view of climate proofing the project or there will be a need to have additional insurance, all such things wherein the initial increase in cost can offset the long-term damage, she said.

As per the NGFS literature, its goal is to provide a common framework that will allow central banks, supervisors, and financial firms to assess and manage future climate-related risks. However, it also cautioned that "the use of scenarios by central banks and by companies requires caution", as they have many limitations that can hamper an accurate assessment of the risks and potentially harm financial decisions and climate risk management practices.

The NGFS has given a very easy way to understand four 'Climate Scenarios Framework': 'Disorderly' (Sudden and unanticipated response is disruptive but sufficient enough to meet climate goals); 'Orderly' (We start reducing emissions now in a measured way to meet climate goals); 'Too little, too late' (We do't do enough to meet climate goals, presence of physical risk spurs a disorderly transition) and 'Hot house world' (We continue to increase emissions, doing very little, if anything, to avert the physical risks).

The 22nd Financial Stability Report (FSR22) of the RBI had, about the "climate-related risk" that the value of financial assets/liabilities could be affected either by continuation in climate change (physical risks), or by an adjustment towards a low-carbon economy (transition risks). The manifestation of physical risks could lead to a sharp fall in asset prices and increase in uncertainty, it said.

"A disorderly transition to a low carbon economy could also have a destabilising effect on the financial system. Climate-related risks may also give rise to abrupt increases in risk premia across a wide range of assets amplifying credit, liquidity and counterparty risks," it said in no uncertain terms.

According to NGFS, there is a growing understanding that climate-related risks should be incorporated into financial institutions' balance sheets. It said, 'physical' risks arise from both 'chronic' impacts, such as sea level rise and desertification, and the increasing severity and frequency of 'acute' impacts, such as storms and floods. The 'transition risks' are associated with structural changes emerging as the economy becomes low and zero-carbon.

RBI's 23rd Financial Stability Report (FSR23) released last month under its 'Systemic Risk Survey' mentioned as 'declined' the risk due to 'climate change' in the general risk category. Earlier, the FSR22 released in January 2021 had mentioned as 'increased' the risk due to 'climate change' in the general risk category.

In the FSR21 released in July 2020, the climate change related risk had 'decreased'; in the FSR20 released in December 2019, it had 'decreased'; in the FSR19 released in June 2019, it had 'increased' while it had remained 'decreased' both in FSR18 (December 2018) and FSR17 (June 2018).

Explained a financial sector analyst, who did not wish to be named, "This is a quarterly survey where the RBI asks respondents about their views on various kinds of risks with regard to financial stability. The view about risks may change from quarter to quarter depending on the emerging and anticipated scenario. For the lay person, the risk analysis is done on the basis of the respondents' perception about certain scenarios." However, specific queries via mail and text messages to the RBI Chief General Manager, Corporate Communications Yogesh Dayal, about what changes the risk perception in the 'ystemic Risk Survey' and has the RBI's joining NGFS changed the risk perception vis-A -vis climate change, remained unanswered.

Earlier, the FSR19 had mentioned that how a report from the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) posits that non-incorporation of physical risks arising due to climate change can potentially result in under-pricing/under reserving, thereby overstating insurance sector resilience.

As per RBI documents available in public domain, a key prerequisite to climate risk assessment exercise for India is to develop emission reduction pathways for energy intensive sectors and "map them onto macroeconomic and financial variables and integrate them with quantitative climate risk related disclosures to develop a holistic approach to addressing the financial stability risks arising out of climate change." The 'cross industry, cross disciplinary' forum as mentioned by the RBI is the need of the hour.

(Nivedita Khandekar can be reached at nivedita.k@ians.in)
Bengaluru, Aug 8 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has siezed documents and devices used for forging documents in a human trafficking case involving Bangladeshis.

NIA had on Saturday conducted searches at two locations in Bengaluru City at the premises of a suspect, who is suspected to be involved in making fake ID proof documents for the Bangladeshi traffickers and the trafficked victims, according to an NIA statement on Sunday.

The case was originally registered on June 8 at the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station against 13 accused persons relating to a raid conducted by the Karnataka Police at a rented house where 7 Bangladeshi women and one child were rescued from the custody of human traffickers. The women were trafficked from Bangladesh to India by accused persons on the pretext of providing jobs, but were forced into prostitution instead.

NIA had subsequently re-registered the case dated July 13 u/s 370, 343 IPC, 1860, u/s 14 of Foreigners Act, 1946 and sections 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

During the searches various incriminating documents, six digital devices, including hard disks and mobile phones used for making the forged documents were seized.

Further investigation in the case continues, officials said.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The Taliban is kidnapping and forcibly marrying off teenage girls and young women to its fighters as it recaptures huge areas of Afghanistan.

The Mail newspaper on Sunday reported that whenever the extremists capture a new town or district, they issue orders through the speakers of local mosques for the names of wives and widows of all local government and police personnel to be handed over.

The group has rounded up hundreds of young women to be married off to their militants as a "war booty", local residents and officials told the newspaper.

Families fearing the Taliban's advance have been sending women and girls to safer areas, including the Afghan capital Kabul, to prevent them being taken away.

There have been local reports of women being forcibly married off in at least two northern Afghan regions called Takhar and Badakhshan, while a similar attempt was made in the province of Bamyan, where the insurgent group was driven out by Afghan security forces after four days of fierce fighting.

The fundamentalist organisation has been closing down girls' schools in towns it takes over. Women are ordered that they can only leave their homes if they wear a burqa, and are chaperoned by a male adult, the report said.

Witnesses told of the group's sexual slavery after it took control of the remote district of Saighan, in the central highlands of Bamyan province.

According to local residents, Taliban fighters demanded to know the names and ages of girls and women they said would be rounded up to be married to their militants.

The militants even beat some men who resisted, and demanded residents open their wardrobes so they could work out the ages of women by looking at the clothes inside.

The group also demanded to know the names and ages of widows of men who died fighting the Taliban, as well as those of the wives of any serving government or security personnel.

Terrified villagers sent their wives and daughters out of the area. Some fled in hired cars, others using goods carts, while some walked, the report said.

Baes Sakhizada, 28, a maths teacher in Saighan, sent his wife, Basira, 30, sister, Nafisa, 27, and cousin, Tamanna, 19, out of Saighan by car.

In full burkqa, the women were driven 150 miles away, sometimes going through Taliban checkpoints, but managed to escape.

Sakhizada said: "Everyone got their women out of Saighan, especially young girls. They were the first to be evacuated." Nafisa said she, Basira and Tamanna first stayed in a nearby village overnight, then took a car to a neighbouring province to escape. She described huge traffic jams as thousands fled advancing Taliban troops.

The three women returned to their homes after local militia forces managed to drive the Taliban out after four days of fighting. They live in fear knowing the group will soon return.

Mohammad Tahir Zuhair, the provincial governor of Bamyan, said the plan to abduct and marry women was a "dangerous and cruel revenge on the wives and widows of the security forces who have fought" the Taliban.

Omar Sadr, a professor at the American University of Afghanistan, said: "Once jihadis capture territory, whatever property there is, their ideology allows them to claim it. This includes women - they don't even have to marry them. It is a form of sex slavery." General Nick Carter, head of the British Armed Forces, warned that "grisly images of war crimes being committed against Afghan special forces, government buildings being wilfully destroyed, civilians being brutalised and women forced into marriages undermine any claim the Taliban might have to political, moral or ethical legitimacy"
Bengaluru, Aug 8 : A day after Karnataka accorded him the cabinet rank, B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday requested Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to withdraw the same.

In his nine-line letter written in Kannada to Bommai, Yediyurappa stated that he was content to receive legitimate benefits which are accorded to a former Chief Minister. "I humbly request to our new chief minister to withdraw this order," he said.

On Saturday, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) had issued a circular granting cabinet rank status to former Chief Minister Yediyurappa which would enable him to receive government facilities on par with a cabinet-rank minister.

The order had also stated that he would be able to receive these benefits until the incumbent Chief Minister is in office.

Accordingly, cabinet-rank facilities would entail Yediyurappa to claim benefits of a cabinet rank minister such as salary, government vehicle and official accommodation.

After his party asked him to resign as the Chief Minister on July 26 after completing two years in office, the aging BJP mascot in Karnataka, who is aged about 78 years, does not hold any official position other than being an MLA from Shikaripura constituency.

Even though there is no rule in the BJP's constitution that bars people above the age of 75 from contesting polls or holding any position, it has become a sort of the party's convention that 75 year is the age of retirement.

This unofficial rule came into play in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, The BJP, had denied tickets to several leaders as they had crossed the 75-year mark, prime among them being patriarch L. K. Advani and Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha speaker at the time.

Following the same, former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel resigned from the post once she turned 75. Union Ministers Najma Heptullah and Davangere Lok Sabha member G.M. Siddeshwara also resigned once they turned 75.

Only exceptions were made in the case of Yediyurappa in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh's Kalraj Mishra in 2019, when Yediyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister, in July 2019.

In 2021, the BJP again made an exception in the case of 'Metroman' E. Sreedharan who was pitted by the BJP as the Kerala chief ministerial candidate against the Left party veteran Pinarayi Vijayan.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Reports from Afghanistan's northern province of Balkh say the Taliban killed a young woman for wearing tight clothing and not being accompanied by a male relative.

Reports said the young woman was shot dead by Taliban extremists in the village of Samar Qandian, which is controlled by the militant group.

Adil Shah Adil, a police spokesman in Balkh was quoted as saying that the victim was named Nazanin and that she was 21 years old.

The woman was attacked after she left her house and was about to board a vehicle to travel to Balkh's capital Mazar-e Sharif.

The woman was wearing a burqa, a veil that covers the face and body, at the time of the attack, the police said.

Taliban spokesman denied the accusations and said that the group is investigating the attack.

The Taliban is kidnapping and forcibly marrying young girls and women to its fighters as it recaptures huge areas of Afghanistan.

The Mail on Sunday reported that whenever the extremists capture a new town or district, they issue orders through the speakers of local mosques for the names of wives and widows of all local government and police personnel to be handed over.

The group has rounded up hundreds of young women to be married off to their militants as a 'war booty', local residents and officials told the newspaper.

Families fearing the Taliban's advance have been sending women and girls to safer areas, including the Afghan capital Kabul, to prevent them being taken away.

There have been local reports of women being forcibly married off in at least two northern Afghan regions called Takhar and Badakhshan, while a similar attempt was made in the province of Bamyan, where the insurgent group was driven out by Afghan security forces after four days of fierce fighting.
Hyderabad, Aug 8 : Dogs and monkeys -- the first, man's oldest friend from the animal world, and the other, man's closest relation from the animal world, loved and revered as an epitome of faith in the Hindu lore.

But, no less than 300 stray dogs are estimated to have been killed by poisoning in a small village in Andhra Pradesh around a fortnight ago. And, around the same time, in neighbouring Karnataka, at least 60 monkeys were found in gunny bags strewn along a country road one fine morning. Found dead or dazed, the simians are believed to have been drugged before their capture.

Predictably, the grisly incidents provoked a hue and cry in several quarters. Animal rights activists took up the matter in Andhra Pradesh, and local police reluctantly filed a case in the matter, finally. In Karnataka, the High Court taking suo motu cognisance, ordered an enquiry into the killings of the monkey.

While a few persons, belonging to traditional animal-trapper communities, have been arrested in Karnataka for the monkey murders, in Andhra Pradesh, the perpetrators have been identified as tribals who are animal hunters.

Both cases show certain disturbing similarities. In Andhra Pradesh, the animal rights activists have pointed their fingers at the village panchayat officials for ordering the disposal of the stray dogs which were overrunning the village.

In Karnataka, the monkeys were trapped and being transported away, allegedly at the behest of villagers fed up with the monkey menace to their crops.

While instances of cruelty meted out to animals regularly make their way to news headlines, these have generally been isolated cases involving individuals or small groups. In contrast, the recent incidents in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are a 'commissioned' crime. The one, by concerned village officials, and the other by irate villagers.

The scale and planning involved in these 'organised' pogroms, raises concerns and questions. The man-animal conflict over dwindling habitats is no longer about 'wild' animals like leopards, tigers, and elephants alone, but has expanded to include domesticated species and species that have acclimatised to urban surroundings, which are home to humans.

So, how big a problem is the issue of cruelty to animals? Is it a problem in the making? While the Central government does not maintain records of crimes against animals, the Animal Welfare Board of India compiles data on complaints on reported cruelty to animals.

Compared to 155 cases that were reported in 2014-15, the numbers grew to 228, 256 and 225 respectively in the next three years. Following a comparative lull in 2018-19 when 144 cases were reported, the numbers grew to 300 in 2019-20, 383 in 2020-21, and stood at 210 in the first seven months of 2021-22.

The above figures may just be the proverbial volcano's tip, and not exactly reflect the ground realities because it is a given that every case of animal cruelty is not recorded. Secondly, these are just a number of cases filed, and do not detail the numbers of animals subjected to cruelty. Take for instance, the case of the 300 dogs killed in Andhra Pradesh, or that of the 60 monkeys in Karnataka.

A sharp rise in such incidents can be noticed over the last two years, which incidentally corresponds to the emergence of the covid pandemic. Of late, a number of animal cruelty cases have been initiated on the basis of videos trending on social media. It raises the question of whether remaining cooped up indefinitely in homes, is taking a silent toll on human sensitivities, leading to acts of cruelty on innocent animals. While it certainly does not justify such inhumane acts, the Covid fallout is definitely not to be ignored.

The abysmally low penalties and punishments laid out in the law, are also a factor fuelling acts of cruelty against animals. For instance, a Rs 50 fine is the highest penalty for a first offence under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

"Dogs are poisoned, cows have been burned with acid, and countless other animals across India are abused every day -- and the current penalties are often not enough to deter people who want to harm them," states PETA India in its online campaign that demands a relook at the outdated deterrents for cruelty against animals.

A population explosion caused by lack of systematic birth control mechanisms for these species, is cited as the major factor behind this emerging problem. In India, kill rather than birth control, is the convenient mantra for civic officials tasked with maintaining hygiene in our villages, towns, and cities. For them, the costs of finishing off the problem works out cheaper than sterilisation the dumb animals. Animal rights' activists on the other hand call for sterilisation programmes for these creatures as the solution, in the long run.

For now, even as the ball keeps getting lobbed from one quarter to the other, there's no doubt that the problem has to be resolved -- sooner rather than later. For all the problems that semi-domestic stray animals like dogs, cats and even monkeys cause, they do come with some benefits. For instance stray dogs and cats, play an important role as natural scavengers that keep rodents and disease at bay.

Eliminating them totally means inviting new problems, apart from the ethical issues involved in such flagrant vigilante responses. The man-animal conflict certainly seems to have come closer home, possibly, a bit too close for comfort.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : With relentless efforts and induction of leaders from other political parties, including senior BJP leader and former industries minister Mahadev Naik, recently, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed to have set up itself as a main alternative in Goa, where the assembly polls are due early next year.

The Goa unit of the AAP leadership believes that efforts of party workers especially during the peak of the second wave of the Covid pandemic has helped strengthen the party in the state.

AAP's convener for Goa, Rahul Mahambre, who visited Delhi and discussed party's strategies with the national leadership recently, spoke exclusively to IANS on party's preparations for assembly elections.

Replying to the question if the State leadership will fight Goa Assembly elections on party's image in Delhi and freebies announced by the central leadership, he said, "Obviously, Kejriwal's image will be a crucial factor as Delhi has witnessed all round developments in the last six years, but we have many local issues as well to convince people to support the party. The announcement of free electricity up to 300 units per month for every household is just an example that if it can happen in Delhi, it can be done in Goa as well." Unemployment in Goa will be another crucial issue that the AAP will raise. Mahambre claimed that youths of Goa are joining AAP with the belief that they will have a better future, if AAP forms the government in 2022.

"For the last several years there have been tall promises that unemployment will be reduced, however, both the Congress and the BJP failed to make it happen. As a result, Goa's unemployment rate has crossed 20 per cent, which is the highest percentage in the country," he added.

Mahambre further claimed that around 50 lakh people in Goa are dependent on mining sectors for their livelihood. He alleged that rampant corruption in the mining sector for the last several years during the Congress and the BJP rules had prompted the Supreme Court to stop mining operations at several places since 2018.

"Although, the current BJP government in the state is trying to resume the mining operations and for this purpose a bill was also passed -- Goa Mineral Development Corporation Bill, 2021, but the people know that BJP's action has come when elections are very close. We will try to resume mining operations on priority basis because it is one of the main sources of revenue for the state government and the people," he said.

Tourism and the governance will be other key agenda for upcoming Assembly polls in Goa. Mahambre said that more than 40 per cent families are directly or indirectly associated with tourism in Goa.

"Governance has a crucial role to play in Goa's tourism sector but for the last few years there have been monopoly of some selected groups of people in this sector. We are working to frame a complete blueprint on new developments to be introduced to upgrade Goa's tourism," he added.

Replying to a question on support from the party's central leadership for elections, he said, "It is very important to have coordination between state and the central leadership. After working for last couple of years, now I can say that each party worker in Goa is enthusiastic with the support from Delhi. For instance, recent debate between Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain and Goa Power Minister Nilesh Cabral made the volunteers more confident to convince people."
Even after seven decades of development in India, agriculture remains the critical sector as a source of raw material and key inputs to several other sectors. Though key sectors of the Indian economy were liberated from the clutches of license raj and over regulation, agriculture was left out of the 1991 reform radar and continues to languish. Geographically, the country is located in such a favourable position that most of the crops can be grown in one or the other region. Yet the country continues to rely on importing edible oils, pulses and even perishable fruits and vegetables as reforms and key interventions of the post green revolution era bypassed them.

Needless to say that for farmers' welfare and rural prosperity, the agricultural sector requires disruptive breakthroughs to resolve structural issues afflicting the sector rather than short term fixes. After 2014, the government has rekindled several reforms which has unleashed the potential of the agriculture sector and has put it on a transformative path.

Tracing the reforms The interventions brought in by the present regime in the last seven years were consciously driven to shift from production centric to income improvement tailored to suit farmer's needs. Broadly the reforms fall in the area of price, markets integration, income, safety net and sustainable inclusive growth. On the price, support regime has been scaled up significantly and farmers are presently paid at least 1.5 times the cost of production under price support scheme for the principal crops. The amount paid to the farmers under the MSP regime has seen a sharp increase in the last seven years. From 2013-14 to 2020-21, the amount paid saw 121 per cent increase for wheat, 170 per cent for rice, for pulses and cotton, the amount raised from merely Rs 236 crore and Rs 90 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 4,361 crore and Rs 28,760 crore, respectively. There is an increase of about 63.38 per cent and 55.40 per cent of wheat and rice procurement to the central pool in the last seven years against their production increase of 13.89 and 13.45 per cent, respectively. The same procurement trend also applies for some of other mandated crops against their increased production. Compared to 2019-20, there is 20 per cent increase in number of beneficiary farmers under procurement operations in the RMS (Rabi Marketing Season) 2020-21. It is pertinent to note that Punjab and Haryana together contribute Rs 87,690 crore worth of Paddy and Wheat to the central pool in 2020-21. Though the MSP (A tax payer's money) was earlier paid in the accounts of Arhatiyas, commission agents and other intermediaries, now DBT is made mandatory (from Rabi season 2020-21) thus enabling direct transfer to farmers themselves.

Apart from more than 40 per cent increase in MSP of most of the crops during last seven years, there has been an increased allocation under price stabilization fund TOP (Tomato Onion Potato) to TOTAL (covering all perishable) schemes, Operation Greens, PM-AASHA besides enabling seamless connectivity through Kisan rail and Krishi Udaan. These initiatives have immensely contributed in ensuring fair and equitable remuneration to the farmers. Further, apart from having better price realization agenda, the present price policies also encompass mandates of boosting nutritional outcomes and crop diversification. Accordingly, the MSP for nutri-cereals have been increased substantially to promote cultivation of these crops and also commercially release various bi-fortified crops as suggested by M.S Swaminathan commission. In addition the efforts are in place to recognize and give necessary impetus for regional crop planning and nativity based cropping pattern / agriculture so as to better leverage local scarce resources, mitigate climate change effects and associated natural disasters. Promoting one district one crop, National Gokul mission, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Safron park, Attracting Youth for Agriculture (ARYA) and FPOS, are few such schemes in the line of nativity concept. Initiatives like soil health card, Neem coated urea, DBT in fertilizer and Nano liquid urea are key initiatives to promote balanced use and efficiency of fertilizers maintaining soil health.

Income support and safety net The Budget allocation and expenditure of agriculture ministry in the last seven years saw considerable increase from nearly Rs 27,040 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 1,31,531 crore in 2021-22. To bring farmers under social safety net, a pension scheme-PM- Kisan-Maan-Dhan is also in place along with income security of PM-KISAN at the same time empowering them with PM-KUSUM. Budget 2021-22 saw an increase in allocation in most of the key interventions that enhance farmer's welfare and to create durable assets. Notwithstanding the arguments on the amount paid under PM-KISAN, it is to be amongst small and marginal farmers.

In addition, the historic move of amending essential commodities act and bringing new legislation of Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce, and agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services acts 2020 is expected to bring a tectonic shift in agriculture from business as usual approach to more prudent diversified approach. Given the legal vacuum created so far for liberal trade in agriculture, these legislations set in to bring long due growth, investment, terms of trade besides transforming rural economy holistically.

Sustainable inclusive development There are certain areas/ list of subjects where central government do not have the Power to legislate and regulate exclusively, However in the last seven years, central government brought in various model acts with active involvement of NITI Aayog VIZ., Land leasing act 2016, APLM act 2017, Contract farming act 2018 among others to help and guide states in need of model framework to legislate and regulate agri-business.

For better marketing of farm produce there has been active promotion to establish 10,000 FPOS and for augmenting marketing infrastructure in 22,000 Gramin Haats through agri-market infrastructure fund, which is directly made available to the APMCS. Also the government is actively considering the performance based grants of Rs 45,000 crore for state actively implementing agriculture reforms as they directly affect more than 50 per cent of the population.

In the past seven years the government aptly recognized the growth of allied sector viz., horticulture, and dairy, fishery which showed 4-10 per cent annual growth. They were largely managed and ventured by small and marginal communities and involving these communities with the government support system and launching new intervention is the hallmark of inclusive growth.

Reforms brought in the last seven years aptly stand undiminished and aid in rural prosperity and poverty reduction. Besides, the reform marked the beginning of the agriculture sector from being subsidy led to investment driven, consumer oriented to producer concerned, and supply oriented to demand driven by networking individual farms with factories and foreign markets, eventually shift is from business as usual to an innovation-centered system.

(Shobha Karandlaje is Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Views expressed are personal)
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched a food distribution programme for homeless people living in government-run night shelters or 'rain basera' located in different parts of the national capital.

Now, all homeless people living in 209 shelters of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) under the Delhi government will be provided 'lunch and dinner' free of cost by Akshaya Patra Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO.

IANS was the first to report this development on August 5 that DUSIB, which runs night shelters to provide accommodation to homeless people in the city, has permitted the NGO to distribute meal to the people at all the night shelters.

The programme to distribute free food was launched from a shelter at Sarai Kale Khan on Sunday. While launching the programme, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that free cooked meals will be provided to nearly 6,000 people living in all 209 shelters.

"Those living in night shelters are considered the poorest of the poor people of the society and are not the vote bank of any party, so no government paid attention to them. This is the first time a responsible government is paying attention to the poor," Kejriwal said.

"The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is a responsible government and we have worked a lot for the poor. I am happy to launch this free food distribution programme today," Kejriwal said further.

He further added that the condition of these night shelters has improved in the last five years. "I personally conducted inspections of toilets and potable water in shelter homes. And today, the condition is good," he added.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal expressed his gratitude to Akshay Patra Foundation for coming forward to help poor people with providing them hygienic food.

The DUSIB runs as many as 209 shelter homes across the city that caters to nearly 6,000 people per day and this goes up to 12,000 during the winter.

Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman of Akshaya Patra Foundation, said, "Akshaya Patra is conscious of its responsibility towards society. We have always strived to assist the government's efforts to bring relief to people during emergencies. We will continue with this as long as we can." Earlier, IANS was informed that Akshay Patra Foundation has been permitted to distribute cooked food from its own three kitchens in Delhi for the next six months.

Akshay Patra Foundation has claimed that food will be served free of cost, however, it expects to get some donation from the government also in future.
Barabanki : , Aug 8 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a minor ruptured the intestines and injured the private parts of another minor during a brawl in a factory in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district, police said.

The accused allegedly attacked the 12-year-old with a pressure gun.

A case has been registered against the accused after a written complaint was filed by the victim's father and he has been arrested.

According to the police spokesman, the incident was reported from a factory located on Kursi Road industrial area of Barabanki where the victim used to work.

The 14-year-old accused belongs to Bachrawan in Rae Bareli and used to work in the same factory.

Both minors entered into a brawl over some issue after which the 14-year-old boy pumped air into the private parts of the victim with a pressure gun.

As the condition of the victim deteriorated, he was taken to the Lucknow Trauma Centre, where doctors informed the parents that the minor's intestine had been ruptured due to the air pressure. The minor was operated upon by the doctors.

After the incident was reported, officials of the Labour Department reached the spot to investigate the matter. During this, the investigation team also examined the CCTV footage installed in the factory.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit will be starting evaluation of work of its office bearers soon. Party leadership feels that it will improve the functioning and fix accountability among cadre.

Madhya Pradesh BJP in-charge, P. Muralidhar Rao told IANS that party leaders and workers will be evaluated at all organisational levels. "We will be starting evaluation work of workers and leaders from grassroots level to the top. Evaluation will be held from block to state level and the exercise will help the party know the working potential of each and every leader," Rao said.

He mentioned that this whole exercise will be done to fix accountability which comes with the party position from bottom to top. "Everyone has to be accountable for work he or she is entrusted with by the party and not fulfilling it will not go unnoticed," he said.

Rao emphasised that based on the evaluation, workers and leaders will be rewarded accordingly in organisational responsibility. "Based on the finding of evaluation, workers will be accordingly assigned work and responsibilities. Hard working and dedicated workers will be identified and assigned work accordingly," he said.

Rao pointed out that the whole exercise also addressed the workers' regular demand that non deserving people were given key positions and responsibility. "It's a human nature, everyone claims he is more capable and feels undermined by the works of others. In the evaluation process, the BJP will find out the real strength of working with fixed parameters and transparent processes. The evaluation will also address the concern of workers who complain about others," Rao said.

Rao claims that the whole process will rejuvenate and motivate the cadre to work harder to get rewarded with new and bigger responsibility. "The process of evaluating and fixing accountability and rewarding workers will result in improved functioning of the party at different levels and among people. Reason, everyone wishes to perform better than others to get bigger responsibility," Rao said.

The process of evaluating work and fixing accountability will be done with an eye on the next Madhya Pradesh assembly polls in 2023. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, except for 15 months between December 2018 to March 2020 when Congress leader Kamal Nath was the Chief Minister.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : With the Monsoon Session entering its last week from Monday, the government has listed four bills related to the Finance Ministry for passage in the Rajya Sabha to get them Parliament's nod.

According to the list for business for Monday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2021, which seeks to amend the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Customs Act, 1962, the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001.

She will also move The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021 for passage Both these bills have been passed by the Lok Sabha.

The Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2021 and The Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2021, pending in the upper house since last week, will also be moved.

The government rushed through eight bills through the house in 3 hours 25 minutes, amid the opposition alleging that the government is undermining Parliament, and the government blaming the opposition for the stalemate and not resolving the issue.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribe) Order (Amendment) Bill, The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021, The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021 have been passed.

The work in the third week increased by 24.20 per cent corresponding to previous week, while 21.36 hours was wasted.

In the debates, opposition members tried raise issues related to farm laws, the Pegasus snooping row, and fuel hike but were not allowed by the chair.

Congress leader Deepender Hooda alleged that "as you take name of farmers in the house the mic is put off".

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted on Sunday: "PM @narendramodi seems to have lost his nerves. Why is he not keen on answering questions in the Parliament? "The opposition parties are ready for discussions in the Parliament, but @BJP4India Govt is stalling the proceedings so that the truth doesn't get to the people." But the Government claims that the opposition is raising a "non-issue".

The opposition wants that the government should allow a discussion on the snooping row, farm laws and fuel price hikes under Rule 267. However, the government says that on the snooping row, only clarifications can be sought after the minister's statement while on the farm laws a short duration discussion has been allowed in the House but the opposition is not ready to discuss it before discussing the Pegasus issue.
Bhopal/Sheopur, Aug 8 : The Madhya Pradesh government on Sunday removed Sheopur Collector Rakesh Kumar Srivastava after the locals protested before the Union Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar for worsening flood situation in the district.

The protests were held before the Union Minister against the worsening flood situation in the Gwalior-Chambal area. People are protesting against the BJP-led state government and the district adminstration for their failure to help the flood-affected victims in many areas.

According to the order directed by the state administration, Sheopur Collector has been removed and the Gwalior Municipal Corporation Collector Shivam Verma has been appointed in his place.

Tomar reached out to the flood-affected people in Sheopur on Saturday. During his visit, the flood victims protested before his convoy and raised slogans against him. Later, Tomar got down from his vehicle and listened to the problems of the people, who also demanded the removal of the Sheopur Collector.

During his stay, Tomar took stock of the damage caused to people's houses and essential goods due to heavy rains at Pul Darwaza, Mali Mandir, Ganesh Mandir and Todi Bazar in Sheopur city.

He assured the people that the central and state governments stand firmly with the families of the flood victims and will provide them financial assistance.

However, the opposition Congress has questioned the action taken by the government.

Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ajay Yadav said, "Floods across the Gwalior-Chambal region have worsened the situation, administrative negligence is continuously coming to the fore. When Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar reached Sheopur, people protested against him following which the Collector has been removed as a mere formality by the state government."
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Vikrant successfully accomplished its maiden sea voyage on Sunday. The aircraft carrier had sailed on August 4, from Kochi.

"Trials progressed as planned and system parameters proved satisfactory," the Indian Navy said.

The carrier would continue to undergo series of sea trials to prove all equipment and systems prior to handing over of the vessel to the Indian Navy.

Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 'Vikrant' designed by Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND) is being built at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a Public Sector Shipyard under Ministry of Shipping (MoS).

IAC is a leading example of the nation's quest for "Atma Nirbhar Bharat" (Self Reliant India) and "Make in India" initiative, with more than 76 per cent indigenous content.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and height of 59 m including the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure.

The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, having gender-sensitive accommodation spaces for women officers.

The ship with high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed wing and rotary aircraft.

During the maiden sailing, ship's performance, including hull, main propulsion, Power Generation and Distribution (PGD) and auxiliary equipment were tested.

Trials, which were reviewed by Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command on the last day; have progressed as planned and system parameters have been proved satisfactory.

The successful completion of maiden trial sorties, despite challenges faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Covid protocols in place, is testimony to the dedicated efforts of large number of stakeholders for over a decade. This is a major milestone activity and historical event.

The carrier would undergo a series of Sea Trials to prove all equipment and systems prior to its delivery in 2022.

Delivery of Vikrant is being targeted to coincide with celebrations to commemorate 75th anniversary of India's independence Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

With the delivery of IAC, India would join a select group of nations with the capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier and provides thrust to government's 'Make in India' initiative.

"Delivery of IAC would also strengthen India's position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy," the force added.
Lucknow, Aug 8 : Uttar Pradesh is all set to create a new record in paddy production for the second year in a row this year.

According to an official release, the cultivation of paddy this year is on 60 lakh hectares of land against last year's 58.92 lakh hectares.

Due to favourable weather conditions, the yield is likely to increase by one million tonnes in the current kharif season. Last year, the production of paddy had crossed 257.04 lakh tonnes.

The Agriculture Department had set a target of cultivating paddy on 60 lakh hectares of land out of 96.03 lakh hectares in this Kharif season, of which sowing had been done on 57.72 lakh hectares till August 4.

Sowing of paddy on the remaining land is likely to be completed by August 15.

Based on the data of paddy sown last year and this year, it is now being claimed that this time there will be a record production of paddy in UP.

UP is also likely to set a new record in the production of coarse cereals like millet and maize as well due to the conducive weather, according to experts.

Out of 18 divisions in the state, the production of paddy is likely to the highest in Bareilly division due to its maximum sowing.

The official spokesman said that in Bareilly division, paddy has been sown on 194.40 thousand hectares of land, followed by 175.50 thousand hectares in Moradabad division, 156.01 thousand hectares in Meerut division, 141.40 thousand hectares in Aligarh division, 73.72 thousand hectares in Saharanpur division and 25 thousand hectares in Vindhyachal division.

With record production of paddy and coarse cereals, Uttar Pradesh's participation in the central food basket is set to increase further.
Chandigarh, Aug 8 : Now villagers of 23-year-old wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya, who belongs to a humble family from Nahri in Haryana, will not have to suffer the stink emanating from the drainage as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on learning the condition there, has directed authorities to resolve the issue on priority basis.

Also as a goodwill gesture towards the wrestler for winning a silver medal at the Olympics, the Chief Minister, who is brimming with pride, announced to set up a school in his village.

Wrestler's father Rakesh Dahiya, a farmer who worked in rented fields, along with fellow villagers met the Chief Minister here on Saturday evening and presented a demand letter to the Chief Minister in which the grievances of the locals were listed, an official told IANS.

The Chief Minister immediately took up the grievances and asked the officers concerned to resolve them on a priority basis.

Among the key issues, which the representatives shared with the Chief Minister was the problem of water drainage in the area.

Taking up the matter, the Chief Minister spoke to the Deputy Commissioner of Sonipat and asked him to resolve the matter immediately.

The representatives urged the Chief Minister to open a Model Sanskriti School which was accepted by him on the spot.

Besides, the Chief Minister asked the officers to resolve the issue of clean drinking water of the area.

The family and representatives of Nahri village expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for boosting the morale of the sportspersons and creating a harmonious environment for them to grow and perform at the international platform.

Besides wrestler's father, his uncle Mukesh Dahiya, members of the Gram Panchayat and former sarpanch of the village were present, among others.

They invited the Chief Minister to visit Nahri village, which was accepted by him, an official statement said.

The day Dahiya bagged silver in men's 57 kg freestyle wrestling on August 5, the Chief Minister announced a cash reward of Rs 4 crore for him along with a Class I government job.

He won the silver after losing 4-7 to Zavur Uguev of Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) in the final.

Also an indoor wrestling stadium will be built at Nahri, the chief minister announced.
Panaji, Aug 8 : Former Goa Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Elvis Gomes joined the Congress party on Sunday, even as state Congress president Girish Chodankar said that the opposition party would now use Gomes, a former bureaucrat, to expose the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led party's pro-RSS agenda.

At a formal induction ceremony at the Congress state headquarters in Panaji, Gomes said that he had joined the opposition outfit to further the agenda of 'Goa First'.

"He (Elvis) knows how the AAP thinktank and its strategies work to finish the Congress. We have always been saying that the AAP is a wing of the RSS which has an agenda to finish the Congress by splitting the Congress vote to create a Congress-mukt Bharat. Elvis has experienced it," the state Congress president said while welcoming Gomes into the party.

"He is secular at his core. We will use Elvis' experience everywhere in Goa to create awareness in the people, who are trapped by the topis (AAP's trademark caps), about this AAP agenda," Chodankar further said.

Apart from being the AAP convener in Goa, Gomes was also the chief ministerial candidate of the Kejriwal-led party in the 2017 state assembly polls, where it performed poorly, with Gomes himself losing his election deposit in the contest.

Gomes quit AAP in December 2020. He had served as a state cadre bureaucrat in Goa for nearly two decades and resigned from service soon after he was promoted into the Indian Administrative Service.

The former AAP leader, who had been critical of the Congress in his former role, especially the steady stream of defection of its MLAs, said that he had been assured by the state Congress leadership that the MLAs who had defected would not be taken back into the party.

"I stand by every word I had said that time. Was there no defection? There have been defections earlier too. The last defection of 10 persons, a sword was put through the backs of Goans. I had expressed the emotions of Goans," Gomes told reporters after his induction.

"I asked (Chodankar) a hundred times as to whether defectors will be taken back. Till today, the stand is that they will not be taken back. This will be a good cleansing process and those who want a good future for Goa and their children will come to the Congress fold," Gomes claimed.

He also said that he could not be branded as a "party hopper" because he had taken eight to nine months to join a new party after quitting AAP.

"I was in touch with the Congress leaders. Although I have switched parties... I quit one party eight to nine months back. I did not just jump. I took time to make the switch," Gomes said.

"I have taken a step. The Congress is one of the oldest political parties in the world. It has a rich history and ideology, the main thing is the ideology. (It believes in) the Constitution of India and secularism. People have come and gone, but the ideology is intact," Gomes said.
London, Aug 8 : The environmental impact of bottled water is up to 3,500 times higher than tap water, according to a new study.

The consumption of bottled water has been increasing sharply in recent years on a global scale, due to the perceived presence of chemical compounds in tap water.

The study, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), was aimed at providing objective data about three different water consumption choices: bottled water, tap water, and filtered tap water in the city of Barcelona.

"While it is true that tap water may contain trihalomethanes (THM) derived from the disinfection process and that THMs are associated with bladder cancer, our study shows that due to the high quality of the tap water in Barcelona, the risk for health is small, especially when we take into account the overall impacts of bottled water," ISGlobal researcher Cristina Villanueva said.

The results, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, showed that if the whole population of Barcelona decided to shift to bottled water, the production required would take a toll of 1.43 species lost per year and cost $83.9 million per year due to extraction of raw materials.

This is approximately 1,400 times more impact in ecosystems and 3,500 times higher cost of resource extraction compared to the scenario where the whole population would shift to tap water, the researchers said.

In this sense, the results estimate that a complete shift to tap water would increase the overall number of years of life lost in the city of Barcelona to 309. Adding domestic filtration to tap water would reduce that risk considerably, lowering the total number of years of life lost to 36, the study showed.

"Our results show that considering both the environmental and the health effects, tap water is a better option than bottled water, because bottled water generates a wider range of impacts," ISGlobal researcher Cathryn Tonne said.

"The use of domestic filters, in addition to improving the taste and odour of tap water, can substantially reduce THMs levels in some cases. For this reason, filtered tap water is a good alternative. Even though we didn't have enough data to measure its environmental impact fully, we know it is much lower than that of bottled water," she adds.

However, the authors acknowledge that domestic filtering devices require adequate maintenance for proper performance and to avoid microbial proliferation.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Appreciating the successful allotment of retail vends through bidding, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), has cautioned against high prices of alcohol licences in Delhi.

The industry body said that the high auction prices should not pass on to consumers in the form of higher prices, or to manufacturers in the form of demands for undue discounts.

"Whilst we compliment Delhi government for high revenue collection, we also urge it to ensure that such high auction prices are not passed on consumers in form of higher prices, or to manufacturers in form of discounts. Neither of the two will be good for long term health of the industry," CIABC Director General Vinod Giri said in a statement on Sunday.

"We hope that the bidders have made realistic estimates of revenues and expenses and are able to achieve that without undue stress to themselves or to other stakeholders," he added.

In the auction of liquor licences in 20 out of 32 zones in the national capital after the announcement of new liberalised excise policy, the Delhi government has earned a record Rs 5,300 crore, while another Rs 3,000 crore is likely to be earned from the remaining auction of licences.

"There has been visible excitement and sense of anticipation around the tendering for Delhi liquor retail vends. The outcome has opened up Delhi trade to experienced retailers, not only from the city, but also from other parts of the country," Giri said.

It should help bring in new ideas and innovation to uplift the quality of liquor retailing in Delhi, he said, adding that distribution of licenses amongst diverse groups should also weigh in against formation of trade cartels which was and remains one of the major concerns.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 8 : The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), a powerful body representing government medical doctors in the state, has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over repeated incidents of assault on doctors while on duty.

In a memorandum presented to Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday, the medical organisation told him that doctors are being attacked frequently who are working tirelessly and interacting with the patients. The KGMOA demanded immediate arrest of those who attack doctors on duty.

The recent provocation for this petition was the attack on Malu Murali, a woman doctor at the Government Fort Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, by two persons on Friday morning. The doctor was on duty when she was attacked by two persons -- Rasheed of Karimadom and Rafeeq of Vallakadavu.

Malu Murali told IANS, "Two persons had arrived at the hospital late evening and jumped the queue while asking for medical help. When I asked the reason for the injury, they got provoked and used derogatory language. The duo twisted my arm as well as kicked and assaulted me. I fell down and they tried to disrobe me even without thinking that I am a woman." She said, "They were under the influence of drugs. I am sure that it was not alcohol. There was no smell of alcohol and they were not sluggish, instead their energy level was high giving indications that they had taken some drugs. It was a harrowing experience and my body is still in pain. The security staff who tried to save me was also attacked. It was a frightening experience." The woman doctor underwent treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram General hospital and is now back on duty.

The police have arrested two persons with criminal records -- Rafeeq (38) of Vallakadavu and Rasheed (42) of Karimadom colony and both have been remanded to judicial custody.

The KGMOA in its petition demanded that the criminals who assault the doctors filed a counter case that the doctor had attacked them.

The doctors' body said if such a case comes up, a panel has to be formed and an inquiry conducted before initiating a case against the doctor concerned. The Government Doctors Association said in such cases a police official not below the rank of Superintendent of Police should look after the investigation.

The KGMOA is angry that the attack against doctors in the state has been a recurring phenomenon. Last Monday evening a doctor at Parasalla Government Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked by four persons in an inebriated condition.

Sanoj, a doctor who was on night duty, was assaulted by four persons last Monday causing injury to him. Unnikrishnan, Superintendent, Parassala Government hospital, speaking to IANS said, "Sanoj, who was on night duty on Monday was brutally attacked and he suffered injuries. We had to resort to a lightning strike to bring the culprits to senses. This cannot happen always and if the police and government don't take stringent action, situation will go out of hand as doctors are working 24/7 without rest and it is really unfortunate that we have to bear the assault of criminals." The KGMOA has demanded to set up a police aid post at all government hospitals for the doctors to work in a secure atmosphere.

The Thiruvananthapuram District Collector, Navjhot Khosa has already announced that the district administration would sanction CCTV cameras at Government Fort hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, using the National Health Mission (NHM) funds. Setting up of CCTV cameras in all hospitals has been another major demand from the doctors' organisation.
New York, Aug 8 : Individuals with a prior Covid-19 infection may be sufficiently protected from re-infection after a single dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, freeing up availability of millions of additional doses, suggests a study.

"We observed higher SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in previously infected individuals after first dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine) compared with infection-naive individuals after two doses," said Ayesan Rewane, from the Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine at the Rush University in Chicago, US.

Moreover, the team noted that in previously infected individuals with positive SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG levels, "the second dose did not significantly increase IgG levels compared with the first dose, suggesting that 1 dose may be acceptable in this group".

The study, published in the JAMA Network Open, included 29 Chicago-area residents with a prior case of Covid infection based on PCR testing, and another group of 30 people with no such histories.

The team evaluated the SARS-CoV-2 spike immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody levels after 1 and 2 BNT162b2 doses in previously infected individuals compared with those without previous infection.

In four participants who reported a positive PCR, but did not develop S-protein antibodies, the response to the first vaccine dose was more similar to that of the infection-naive group.

However, it is important to note that a positive PCR diagnosis alone was not enough to discount the need for a second vaccine dose.

"This study highlights the potential for recommending a single dose for previously infected individuals and may be useful for discussions surrounding vaccination strategy," the researchers said.

They also noted the study limitations such as small sample size, diversity of participants (sex, race, nationality), lack of neutralisation studies, and lack of T-cell response studies.
Kolkata, Aug 8 : Former West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee's expulsion from the BJP seems only to be a matter of time, party sources said, in wake of the rebel leader's meeting with Trinamool Congress's national General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, at the latter's South Kolkata office on Saturday evening.

Rajib Banerjee, who switched from the Trinamool to join the BJP just before the Assembly polls, was cautioned twice for anti-party activities but that hardly made any effect.

"He has been given two show cause notices but he has not given an answer to even one of them even. So, it is expected that he is not willing to continue on with the party," a member of the BJP's disciplinary committee told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"He continues to be a member of the BJP and he holds secret meetings with opposition party leaders. This is equivalent to anti-party activities. So, we are now determined to take a major decision, which will be announced within a week or two," the member said.

So, before Banerjee can leave the saffron brigade, the party wants to expel him and accordingly, the details have been sent to the party high command in New Delhi. Now, the members of the disciplinary committee are just waiting for the green signal from them.

Banerjee was a minister in the previous Trinamool government, but quit to join the BJP and contested on behalf of the saffron party from Domjur Assembly seat, where he was the MLA before, but lost. Soon after his defeat, he became a rebel and started making anti-party statements or avoiding party meetings.
Bhopal, Aug 8 : The four-day monsoon session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will begin from Monday. Speaker Girish Gautam convened an all-party meeting here on Sunday for the smooth functioning of the House.

On this occasion, a booklet of unparliamentary words and phrases was also released.

Leader of the House, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Leader of Opposition Kamal Nath and other senior members were present in the all-party meeting.

During this meeting, a booklet of unparliamentary words and phrases prepared by the state Assembly Secretariat for use by the Assembly members was also released.

According to A.P. Singh, Principal Secretary of the MP Assembly, since the notification of the session, a total of 1,184 questions have been received, apart from calling attention, adjournment motions and other notices of urgent public importance.

In view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation, the Speaker has directed that visitors should not gather collectively in the Secretariat premises. The wearing of masks has been made compulsory and only those who are vaccinated will be allowed to enter the Assembly premises.

The monsoon session is being held at a time when the Gwalior-Chambal region is completely devastated due to heavy rains and floods. There has been massive destruction to life and property and the issue is likely to create ruckus in the assembly.

The BJP-led state government claims that all possible help is being provided to the flood-hit victims while questions are being raised on the working of the government.

During the monsoon session, an exhibition of bamboo-based products is being organized in the Central Hall of the Legislative Assembly, which will be inaugurated by Assembly Speaker Gautam and Chief Minister Chouhan on Monday.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Iran has announced the closure of its key border crossing with Afghanistan's Nimroz province after the Taliban took over four provinces in the war-ravaged country.

Media reports said the crossing point in the Milak district of Sistan and Baluchestan province has been closed due to a surge in violence in the neighboring Nimroz province.

The move comes two days after the Taliban overran southwestern Nimroz province which caused tens of families to cross the border into Iran from the provincial capital of Zaranj.

Apart from the citizens of Zaranj, Afghan government security forces also fled to Iran along with their armoured and non-armoured vehicles, but the Afghan Defence Ministry denied this.

In recent conflicts, the Taliban took over Kunduz and Saripol provinces and have entered the central Taloqan city of Takhar province.

The collapse of major cities to the Taliban caused the US to order the use of B-52 bombers to target the fighters' positions in Afghanistan.

Iran, though, did not officially deny accepting Afghan refugees in case civil war erupts in Afghanistan and Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concerns over the potential influx of asylum seekers which will endanger both Pakistan and Iran.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was said to "threatened to demote Rishi Sunak to Health Secretary" after the Chancellor called for easing of travel restrictions, as per a note written him found its way into the public domain last weekend, Daily Mail reported.

The report said the UK government has been plunged into conflict as Johnson and Sunak clash over travel restrictions and green reforms, with the Chancellor eager for a tough spending review and the PM looking to avoid austerity measures.

It came shortly before the infamous "traffic light" rules were reviewed on Thursday. In his letter, Sunak said that the UK was "out of step" with the rest of the world.

The Chancellor is now preparing for a tough spending review later this year as he attempts to repair the public finances following the coronavirus crisis. That could put him on collision course with a Prime Minister who has promised there can be no return to austerity.

The PM told his allies that by writing the letter, which was copied to Transport Department, it was "bound" to be leaked - and fumed that he could move Sunak to Health, where former Chancellor Sajid Javid became the Secretary six weeks ago.

Johnson was said to have been "apoplectic", and "raging" when he met senior Downing Street aides on Monday, The Sunday Times reported.

He suggested sacking Sunak following the Chancellor's remarks calling for an easing of travel restrictions due to the threat they pose to the economy.

And in another sign of division, the Prime Minister's green agenda hit a stumbling block amid growing fears that it will hit poorest households the hardest, with Sunak thought to be leading push-back against Johnson's commitment to go net-zero by 2050.
Agartala/Kolkata, Aug 8 : West Bengal's two main political forces - the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP - have shifted their political battle to Tripura with both making accusations and counter-accusations of "destroying democracy" in the two Bengali-dominated states.

Since the "house arrest" of 23 members of poll stategist Prashant Kishor's I-PAC at an Agartala hotel on July 25 by the state police, more than 15 top Trinamool leaders, including several ministers and national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, have started arriving in BJP-ruled Tripura, triggering violence.

On Saturday and Sunday, several clashes between the BJP and the Trinamool cadre took place at Dharmanagar in North Tripura district, Ambassa in Dhalai district, and Khowai in Khowai district - injuring at least 15 Trinamool leaders and members and damaging several cars.

Banerjee, accompanied by West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu and Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, arrived in Agartala on Sunday and straightway rushed to Khowai, where police detained 14 Trinamool leaders and workers for "violations of Covid protocols and restrictions".

Exacerbating the tension, a large number of BJP workers showed black flags to Trinamool leaders and shouted 'go back' slogans.

As Trinamool's chief spokesman Kunal Ghosh alleged that the 14 party leaders and workers, mostly from West Bengal, were arrested by the BJP government in a "false case", a court in Khowai granted bail to all 14, including Debangshu Bhattacharya, Sudip Raha and Jaya Dutta from West Bengal, on local sureties and personal bonds.

"BJP goons and anti-socials even attacked the Trinamool workers and leaders within the Khowai court complex and damaged four cars on Sunday... a huge police contingent led by senior officials remained silent spectators. A total 'jungle raj' has been prevailing in Tripura since the BJP came to power in March 2018," Ghosh told IANS over phone.

He said that the Trinamool would organise a demonstration outside the Parliament on Monday to protest the attack on the party workers by the BJP in Tripura.

Ghosh said that seven party leaders and workers, including youth leaders Bhattacharya, Raha and Dutta, were injured when they were attacked by BJP workers at Ambassa, while a Trinamool party office was totally damaged by the ruling party workers at Dharmanagar.

"Instead of arresting the attackers, the police detained several of our leaders and workers, including Subal Bhowmik, in Dharmanagar on Saturday night. We would meet the Governor (Satyadev Narayan Arya) soon to demand the arrest of the BJP goons. The Trinamool will not tolerate the BJP government's jungle raj," he said.

Banerjee, who was in Khowai police station until the court granted bail of his party leaders, said: "BJP cannot succeed in throttling democracy in Tripura by using the police force and their goons." His convoy was also allegedly attacked by BJP workers during his visit to Tripura on last Monday.

Strongly denying the charges, the BJP claimed that the Trinamool is entirely a non-factor in Tripura and is trying to spread the "virus of political violence" in the northeastern state, where "outsiders" with the backing of CPI-M are fomenting trouble and lawlessness.

BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacherjee told IANS that over 500 of his party workers and members from West Bengal took shelter in Tripura while hundreds of others went to Assam after being attacked by the Trinamool workers following the declaration of Assembly election results there in May.

He also demanded a high-level probe into both the incidents in Dharmanagar and in Ambassa.

BJP spokesperson in Kolkata, Samik Bhattacharya, said that the saffron party wrested power from the Left Front in Tripura in March 2018 after a massive struggle, and it would not be so easy to dislodge it.

Political commentator Sanjib Deb said that since the erstwhile princely state joined the Indian Union in October 1949, the Congress and the Left parties were the two main political forces but before the 2023 polls, the traditional political milieu is likely to change with the BJP and the Trinamool emerging as the main forces.

"Like the BJP in Bengal, the Trinamool has not yet projected an attractive and politically acceptable face or leader in Tripura putting Bengal's ruling party on the back burner in Tripura so far," Deb, editor of a leading English Daily "North East Colours", told IANS.

In the February 2018 elections, the BJP had secured 36 seats (43 per cent votes) in the 60-member house and its ally IPFT 8 seats (7.5 per cent votes) with combined vote share of 50.5 per cent against the four-party Left Front's 45 per cent, with only the CPI-M bagging 16 seats.

Congress, the erstwhile chief opposition party, went unrepresented in the house, managing only a meagre 1.8 per cent vote share. The Trinamool secured only 0.3 per cent.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)
Patna, Aug 8 : An apparent rift in Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United emerged on Sunday with posters, put at the party office to welcome Union Minister R.C.P. Singh, leaving out photos of newly-elected national President Lalan Singh and Parliamentary Board President Upendra Kushwaha.

The poster was published by JD-U youth wing President Abhay Kushwaha, who is said to be very close to R.C.P. Singh. Kushwaha, however, said that the omission was an error from his side.

"My supporters had given orders for the posters. They came up at the party office and other places in Patna in the morning hours. I was unable to see the posters before they were put up. Still, I admit that it was an error from my side and I am ready to face action from the party,"he said.

The poster war between R.C.P. Singh, on one side, and Lalan Singh and Kushwaha, on the other, has a bigger implication in the party politics.

While all three leaders are very strong in the party, Lalan Singh and Kushwaha are on one side, and were not pleased with the decision of R.C.P Singh, the then national President, to himself take up the Union ministry berth, leaving them out.

Lalan Singh, after being elected as party's national President in Delhi recently, showed his strength on his return to Patna on August 6, with his supporters putting on a grand welcome for him.

It has given a clear message to R.C.P. Singh and his supporters, who will also try to stage a similar show of strength before Nitish Kumar when he comes to Patna on August 16 for the first time after becoming Union Minister.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The Congress on Sunday fielded a panel of its woman spokespersons to question the silence of the Modi government's women ministers on the issue of rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl in the national capital.

The press conference was jointly addressed by Alka Lamba, Supriya Shrinate, Ragini Nayak, and Amrita Dhawan.

Lamba said: "Despite the Congress' notice on the issue in the Rajya Sabha, a debate was not allowed while women ministers were busy in shopping for sarees at Delhi Haat." Shrinate asked: "Why is the Home Minister silent when Delhi Police is directly under him." The Twitter account of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi was blocked on Saturday, after the NCPCR flagged the issue, of his photos with the victim's parents, with the social media platform.

The Congress alleged that BJP is trying to silence its voices but it will not stop. "The rape and murder of the 9-year-old is not an issue, but the tweet is," said Nayak.

Gandhi on Wednesday met the family members of the 9-year-old victim who was raped and killed and demanded justice for them. The minor girl was allegedly raped, murdered, and cremated without her parents' consent in Old Nangal crematorium recently.

But the BJP alleged that Rahul Gandhi has revealed the identity of the victim's family which is unlawful.

Following the complaint by the NCPCR, Gandhi's Twitter account had been temporarily suspended and the party, from his official handle, tweeted that due process is being followed for its restoration.

It said that until then, Gandhi will stay connected with all through his other social media platforms and continue to raise his voice for people and fight for their cause.

Gandhi joined Twitter in April 2015 and has 19.5 million followers on the social media platform.

He keeps on raising several issues, and criticising the goverment, through his Twitter handle.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : Disturbing eyewitness accounts have emerged of deliberate and unlawful killing of civilians by the Taliban in Malistan district of Ghazni province.

According to the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission's findings, the Taliban killed civilians after capturing the center and parts of Malistan district. In addition to violence and inhumane treatment of people, looting of citizens' property, destruction of houses and shops, and creating an atmosphere of fear, the Taliban displaced thousands of families, including women and children, from this district to other nearby and distant areas.

Taliban engaged in destroying telecommunication networks. They also searched people's houses in some areas, including Zardak, Shirdagh, Pashi, Miradina, and Neyqul, in order to identify government employees and those involved in the local uprising group.

They instilled fear and terror in civilians by beating, abusing, and mistreating them. The Taliban also destroyed a number of homes and shops and looted civilian property. They destroyed an antenna base that belonged to Salam Telecommunication Network and transferred its equipment to Ajristan district, and also forcibly took away several vehicles and motorcycles of the residents of this district.

According to an eyewitness, the Taliban split into two groups after the fall of Malistan district. The first group fought the security forces, while the second attempted to search houses and identify and prosecute people associated with the security sector and members of local uprising group. The group mistreated civilians, evicted them from their homes, or arrested them outside their homes, and in several instances, murdered them after violent treatment and severe beatings.

According to one survivor and eyewitness, the Taliban brutally murdered seven members of his family and relatives who had no involvement in the clashes and were all farmers and ordinary men. According to this eyewitness, the Taliban strangled and killed his aunt's husband, a 72-year-old farmer, with a scarf after pulling him out of his house, and taking 25,000 Afs away from him, the money he had earned by selling his trees.

Another eyewitness told the Commission that the Taliban came to the house of a Malistani resident who was a blacksmith and a car dealer late at night and asked for his car key, but he refused. The Taliban then shot him. The next night, his 16-year-old son, a ninth-grade student, goes to the Taliban to complain about his father's murder. Taliban-affiliated gunmen beat him, and then shot him dead.

According to another eyewitness, the Taliban members searching homes for government employees and men involved in the local uprising, opened fire directly into the home of a local resident. Fearing the Taliban, the house's owner seeks refuge in the basement, but the Taliban threw grenades into the basement, injuring the man in the legs and arms. The man's 19-year-old son was in the house at the time, and when the Taliban noticed him, they dragged him out and shot him dead.

In another case, the Taliban loaded the bodies of their victims into a car with the help of a man guarding the Miradina Bazaar's shops, then killed the man so as not to reveal the number of victims.

Another eyewitness told the Commission that after capturing Malistan district, the Taliban went to a tailor's shop and asked him to provide information about the shops and properties owned by Hakim Shojaee, one of the uprising groups' commanders. The Taliban shot and killed the man after he refused to share this information.

A resident of Zardak village in Malistan district told the Commission that the Taliban arrested and murdered three of his sons who were under the age of 18, who had fled from the conflict areas and were returning home.

Also, when the Taliban attacked the Shirdagh area of Malistan district, two women ran out of their houses to see what had happened. The Taliban opened fire on them right away, killing one and injuring another in the eye, causing her to go blind.

AIHRC findings illustrate that 2,500 families have been displaced from different parts of Malistan district to Kabul, Jaghori, and Nawor districts in order to escape Taliban violence. The displaced families are in a difficult situation due to a lack of basic and essential facilities, with many of them lacking access to food, safe drinking water, clothing, and shelter.

In addition, these families have no access to medical and educational services. According to local sources, due to the closure of schools and medical centers, families and individuals living in the Malistan district are also facing serious problems and challenges.

The Commission's findings verify that the Taliban have informed the residents of Malistan district that women and girls will no longer be allowed to leave their homes and go to schools without Muharram and "Islamic covering". The Taliban have also stressed that violators of this rule will be punished. Residents' human rights in the Taliban-controlled area of Malistan district face serious challenges and concerns.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Bengaluru, Aug 8 : The much awaited results of the Karnataka board's Secondary School Leaving Certificate (class 10) examinations will be declared at 3.30 p.m. on Monday on its official websites, said an official here.

The results will be released online on state's official websites - kseeb.kar.nic.in and karresults.nic.in. - by newly sworn in Education Minister B.C. Nagesh at the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) headquarters at Malleshwaram in the city.

The results will also be sent to individual students through SMS.

Amid Covid fears, the KSEEB was forced to conduct SSLC examinations in absence of 'proper assessment' as the state had decided to promote class 9 students in 2019-20 to class 10 without holding examinations after the sudden outbreak of Covid in March 2020.

In absence of proper yardstick to assess the students, the KSEEB opted to conduct this year's examinations differently from the regular offline exams.

This time, all SSLC/class 10 students answered Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on Optical mark recognition or Optical Mark Reading (OMR) sheet and wrote the exams in two days - July 19 was reserved for core subjects (Maths, Science and Social science) and on July 22 examinations for language subjects were held.

A total of 8.76 lakh students had appeared for the examinations. The exams were held only on two days (July 19 and 22) due to the pandemic.

The KSEEB had released the key answers for SSLC exams on July 23. This was for the second consecutive year that the KSEEB conducted the SSLC examinations after the Covid outbreak in March last year. However, for the first time the examinations were reduced from six days to two days with students writing one paper for three subjects each day.

Due to a simpler form of examinations, it was also observed that the attendance per subject had improved this time with nearly 99.6 per cent of the total candidates had appeared, which was slightly more compared to last year's (2020) attendance which stood at 98.30 per cent for core subjects.

In 2020, the class 10 exam result was announced on August 10 and the overall pass percentage recorded in the state was 71.80 per cent, which is nearly a two per cent drop from 2019.

Owing to Covid concerns, the KSEEB had increased the number of examination centres and teachers on duty this year, with as many as 1.19 lakh staff deployed for 73,064 exam halls in 4,885 centres across the state. Besides increasing staff and examination halls, the state had also deployed Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, police personnel, volunteers from scouts and guides, and representatives from NGOs to ensure all Covid-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were followed during these crucial examinations.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guwahati/Aizawl, Aug 8 : After the withdrawal of "economic blockade", hundreds of Mizoram-bound goods vehicles, stranded since the July 26 clash, were moving normally on National Highway 306 on Sunday, ensuring supply of essentials, transport fuels, and vital medicines to the border state, officials said.

Police and district administration officials in Mizoram's Kolasib, which borders Assam's Cachar, said that till Sunday evening, over a hundred loaded goods trucks and other vehicles entered the state from Assam.

There are no obstacles and problems faced by the drivers and their assistants in plying their vehicles, Kolasib police chief Vanlalfaka Ralte told the media.

Mizoram Police remains on alert to facilitate the smooth movement of all types of goods and passenger vehicles all along to Aizawl, he added.

Officials said that on the instructions of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state Urban Development Minister Ashok Singhal and Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, accompanied by Cachar's Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, held talks with all stakeholders at Lailapur, the entry point to Mizoram, since late Saturday.

"With the two ministers' persuasion, movement of vehicles began since Saturday night. Most stranded vehicles went to Mizoram on Sunday. There are no problems on the Assam side. We would provide all help and security to the drivers and others, if necessary," Cachar Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur told IANS over phone.

Due to the "economic blockade" on NH-306, the life line of Mizoram, supply of essential commodities, transport fuels and medicines was acutely hit since the July 26 bloodiest border clash that left six Assam Police personnel dead and 100 others including civilians of the two states injured.

However, several local organisations, civil society groups, and traders' bodies including the Barak Democratic Front, Youth Against Social Evils and Barak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya Sammelan, protesting against the "forceful withdrawal of economic blockade against Mizoram", separately told the media that the Assam government had "surrendered" to the Mizoram government despite six state policemen being killed.

Mizoram Health Minister R. Lalthangliana said in Aizawl that besides the essential commodities and transport fuels, Mizoram has been facing a severe crisis of vital medicines during the past two weeks due to the "economic blockade".

"Covid patients are dying for want of medicines. Seriously ill patients are in dire need of life-saving drugs..." he said in a video message.

Assam and Mizoram held a crucial ministerial level meeting on August 5 in Aizawl where they decided to maintain peace along their border, and agreed that they would not send their respective forces and officials to the troubled areas.

A joint statement, issued after the meeting, said that both state governments also welcomed and agreed to take forward the initiatives taken by the Union Home Ministry and their Chief Ministers to remove tension prevailing on the inter-state border and to find lasting solutions to the disputes through discussions.

Home Minister Lalchamliana, Revenue Minister Lalruatkima, and Home Secretary Vanlalngaihsaka represented Mizoram and Border Protection and Development and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Singhal, and state Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Border Protection and Development, G.D. Tripathi comprised the Assam delegation.

After the meeting, the Assam government on August 6 withdrew its advisories and other circulars to facilitate return of normalcy along the inter-state border. Soon after the July 26 violence, it had asked its residents not to visit Mizoram and those staying in the neighbouring state to maintain utmost caution.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Quetta, Aug 8 : At least two policemen were killed, and at least 13 other people injured in a powerful bomb blast near a police van in Quetta on Sunday evening, local media reported.

The explosion, which was intense enough to shatter windows of nearby buildings, took place at Zarghoon Road, near the University Chowk, in the provincial capital, Geo News reported, quoting police. The explosives were planted on a motorcycle, parked near the police van, the police said.

The injured, including two policemen, have been shifted to the city's Civil Hospital, a senior police official said.
New Delhi/Quetta, Aug 8 : At least two policemen were killed and 13 others injured in an explosion near Quetta's Serena Hotel, a luxury hotel, on Sunday evening.

Pakistan media reports said four passers-by were also wounded in the blast that targeted a police mobile near Tanzeem Chowk, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said in a statement.

He said the bomb was fitted into a motorcycle. The injured were shifted to hospital, where an emergency was imposed.

He condemned the attack, saying "terrorists want to disturb Balochistan's peace and spread fear." "[We] will bring to justice the elements trying to create disturbance in peaceful Balochistan," he added.

The incident comes more than three months after a powerful bomb exploded in the parking lot of the Quetta Serena Hotel, killing five people and wounding a dozen others.

Pakistan Taliban had claimed responsibility of blast at Serena Hotel in Balochistan's Quetta in April.

Police said that the explosion took place at Zarghoon Road, near the city's University Chowk, adding that the explosives were planted on a motorcycle. The explosion took place near a police van.

The injured, including two policemen, have been shifted to the city's Civil Hospital, Deputy Inspector General Quetta said, adding that the windows of nearby buildings were shattered due to the explosion. Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan has condemned the incident.
New Delhi/Quetta, Aug 8 : Pakistani exiles living in London who have criticised the country's powerful military have been warned that their lives are in danger, raising fresh concern over authoritarian regimes targeting foreign dissidents in the UK, the Guardian reported.

British security sources are understood to be concerned that Pakistan, a strong UK ally - particularly on intelligence issues - might be prepared to target individuals on British soil.

The Observer reported that further warnings have been given by other intelligence services across Europe to Pakistani dissidents, including rights activists from the Pakistani province of Balochistan, journalists, and members of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a group representing ethnic Pashtuns.

Last month, a man from east London was charged with conspiring with others unknown to murder exiled Pakistani blogger and political activist, Ahmad Waqass Goraya, in the Netherlands.

Muhammad Gohir Khan, 31, from Forest Gate, east London, appeared at the Old Bailey after being arrested at St Pancras station in London having come from the Netherlands.

Mark Lyall Grant, former UK high commissioner to Pakistan and once the UK's top diplomat to the UN, said that if figures from the Pakistani military had threatened exiles in the UK, then this would be taken very seriously by the British government, the report said.

"If there is illegal pressure, in particular on journalists in the UK, then I would expect the law enforcement agencies and the British government to take notice of that and to make an appropriate legal and/or diplomatic response." Lyall Grant, also the UK's former National Security Adviser, added that any evidence that officers from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the security arm of the military, were intimidating people in the UK would not be ignored. "If British nationals or residents in the UK acting lawfully are being harassed or threatened by the ISI, or anyone else, then the British government would certainly take an interest." He said the development reflected a broader trend in authoritarian states such as Rwanda, Tanzania and the Philippines among others, becoming sufficiently emboldened to start silencing critics.

The concern now is that Pakistan appears to be moving from suppressing criticism within its borders to targeting critics based overseas.

The report said Ayesha Siddiqa, a Pakistani political scientist and commentator based in London, said she had received a "threat to life" notice - known as an Osman warning - from the Metropolitan police. "The Met's counter-terrorism command said that there was credible information of a threat to my life. It's a life and death matter," she said.

Officers have even asked her husband if anybody had offered him money to ask his wife to return to Pakistan. "It's as serious as that," added Siddiqa.

Gul Bukhari, a British-Pakistani YouTuber and columnist who has openly criticised the military, fled to the UK after being abducted by security forces in Lahore in 2018. "I feel threatened in London," she said.

Bukhari, who used a safety alarm bracelet last year, has been advised by the Met not to share her home address with anyone.

Siddiqa is among others who have been given safety guidance from UK police.

Fears among Pakistan's exile community have been running high since the mysterious deaths of two Pakistani dissidents last year. Journalist Sajid Hussain, known for covering human rights violations in Balochistan, disappeared in March 2020 in Uppsala, Sweden, before being found dead in a river two months later.

The report said Hussain's friend Karima Baloch, who campaigned for an independent Balochistan, was found dead in a lake in Toronto, Canada, seven months later. Although Swedish and Canadian authorities dismissed foul play, other campaigners are unconvinced.

Baloch's husband, Hammal Haider, a British resident, says he doesn't feel safe in Europe. "Anyone critical of the Pakistan army is a potential target," he said. "The authorities in Europe must take these threats seriously." Compounding the situation is the suggestion, according to Siddiqa, that the UK's Pakistani community is "very infiltrated" by those loyal to the military.

Last year, a leaked Pakistani government memo accused a number of Pakistani journalists based in Europe and the US of producing "anti-state content" for foreign media under pseudonyms. It named a journalist from a minority community living in exile in western Europe. Talking to the Observer on condition of anonymity, the journalist said he was also the subject of a warning notice from the intelligence branch of Pakistan's army. He said authorities in his adopted country had confirmed a threat to his life.

"For the past six to eight months, I haven't done any proper journalism because I have been threatened to a serious level that I had to step back," the exiled journalist said.

Exiled in Paris, prominent Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui, , who escaped abduction in Islamabad in 2018, said his family and partner's family had been repeatedly harassed in Pakistan.

"They have had multiple visits by people identifying as being from the ISI," he said. "They told my father that I should not think I am safe just because I live in France." His wife, photojournalist Sara Farid, added: "It feels there is no place or country safe for dissidents. Whenever I cannot reach Taha on his phone, the first thought is like it used to be in Pakistan - they got him." In neighbouring Germany, Abdullah Abbas, information secretary of the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, said the deaths of Baloch and Hussain had prompted him to keep his head down. "It has revived my old fears of being disappeared or killed, even in Europe." He said he is frightened to walk alone in Berlin.

Also in Germany, Aurang Zeb Khan Zalmay, the exiled editor of the Pashtun Times, an online portal highlighting human rights abuses in Pakistan's north-western tribal areas, said he was under surveillance by intelligence officials. "Many of my friends are even unwilling to take a selfie with me and post it online out of fear of being watched or interrogated upon their return to Pakistan," he said.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 8 : The 23rd party Congress of the CPI-M will be held at Kerala's Kannur in April 2022, the party's Central Committee decided on Sunday.

However, the exact dates for the Congress, the highest meeting of the Communist Party of India-Marxist are yet to be decided. This is the fourth time that it is being held in Kerala, the sole state ruled by the party.

The party meet will deliberate upon the policies to be adopted by the CPI-M in international, national and state politics. Ahead of it, the party will commence its branch committee, local committee, area committee, and district committee meetings in September and October.

Party Politburo member and former General Secretary Prakash Karat told media persons that the party congress would be held based on the Covid-19 situation during the period.
Bengaluru, Aug 8 : With two ministers raising their voice against allocation of portfolios to them, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that both he and the party were "capable of handling" the dissatisfaction among some members of his government.

Municipal Administration Minister, N. (M.T.B.) Nagaraj and Environment Minister, Anand Singh have openly expressed their displeasure over their portfolios.

Both were among the 17 legislators who crossed over from Congress and Janata Dal-S in 2019, bringing down the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led coalition government, and enabling the BJP to come to power.

Interacting with media on the sidelines of a function, Bommai said that naturally everyone will have a desire for certain ministries, but it cannot be made public. "At the same time, everyone can't get the portfolio they ask for. He (Singh) is close to me so everything will be fine. I called him and spoke with him. I will handle it," he said.

He said that he had told Singh that he was aware of his sentiments. "I will make every effort in a manner to retain his honour. He too agreed with it," he said, adding that he has also spoken to Nagaraj.

Taking to Twitter, Nagaraj said that both former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and new Chief Minister Bommai "have not kept their word".

"Previous CM BSY jii and present CM Basavaraj Bommai jii have not kept their word. I am not happy with allotted portfolio. Will take a call in this regard in 2-3 days," Nagraj added in another tweet.

On his part, Singh told reporters: "I had not asked for this... I had requested the party leadership. I can only say that my request has not been considered, but cannot make any comments or criticism against it. I'm planning to meet the Chief Minister and make a request to him again." However, after meeting the Chief Ministers, both remained tight-lipped about what had transpired. Singh walked out hurriedly without taking the media's queries, while Nagaraj stated that he would "continue" in the present ministry.

Bommai had allocated portfolios to 29 ministers on Saturday and most retained the same portfolios that they were allocated in the previous Yediyurappa government.
Hyderabad, Aug 8 : Telangana Minister K. T. Rama Rao on Sunday handed over 250 custom-made vehicles to differently-abled beneficiaries under his 'Gift a Smile' initiative.

As announced on his birthday last month, the minister handed the custom-made vehicles to the beneficiaries, and thanked the ministers and MLAs who came forward to support the cause.

This was the first phase of the programme under which 1,000 vehicles will be distributed.

He said all those who have been assured vehicles by him and his office will receive them soon in locally-arranged events.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, had, on his birthday on July 24, announced that he will personally donate 100 vehicles to the differently abled.

He had appealed to his followers and well-wishers not to celebrate his birthday by cutting cakes, installing hoardings and banners but instead spend the same money donate custom-made vehicles to differently-abled.

Many public representatives have followed KTR's footprints and announced that they will donate vehicles under the Gift A Smile initiative as well.

Gift a Smile, a novel initiative started by KTR on his birthday last year, continues to inspire a lot of good samaritans to take up acts of charity this year as well.

KTR, who is son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, stated that when he donated six ambulances in Sircilla constituency under the Gift A Smile initiative last year, many other public representatives too came forward and donated ambulances. He added that over 100 ambulances were donated under this initiative last year.

He said that this year as well, after he made an announcement of donating 100 custom vehicles for differently-abled, many public representatives from the TRS party have come forward. He added that more than 1,000 custom vehicles are being donated under this initiative this year.

The minister stated that these vehicles not just make the lives of the differently- abled comfortable, but also provide them with a livelihood.

KTR interacted with all the beneficiaries and had lunch together after the vehicle distribution programme.
Hyderabad, Aug 8 : A few days after taking voluntary retirement, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer R.S. Praveen Kumar on Sunday joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

He joined the party at a public meeting held in Nalgonda, in the presence of its national coordinator Ramji Gautam.

Gautam subsequently announced Praveen Kumar's appointment as the BSP's Telangana state coordinator.

In his address at the meeting, Praveen Kumar called upon 'Bahujans' to turn rulers and not slaves. He urged them to strive to achieve political power.

Praveen Kumar, who has good following among Dalit youth, targetted Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao. "Whose money is this," he asked referring to the Chief Minister's announcement to spend Rs 1,000 crore on the 'Dalit Bandhu' scheme, under which each Dalit beneficiary family will get Rs 10 lakh.

He remarked that if the Chief Minister really loves Dalits, he should sell his assets and spend the money on their welfare, noting that the money which he claims to be spending on 'Dalit Bandhu' was given by Dalits and tribals through irrigation.

"Today is truly a BIG DAY in my life as I am going to join Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with the blessings of Behenji Kum. Mayawati and National Coordinator Sri. Ramji Gautham. Please bless me, stand by my side and guide me all through in this exciting journey ahead," Praveen Kumar tweeted earlier in the day.

In a surprising move, the 1995 IPS batch officer on July 19 announced voluntary retirement from service.

Praveen Kumar has been the secretary of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) and the Telangana Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TTWREIS) for the last seven years.

As the TSWREIS Secretary, he played an instrumental role in uplifting and empowering students from underprivileged communities.

"I shall use the rest of my life to fulfill the unfinished dreams of doyens of social justice, Mahatma Phule couple, Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar, Manyawar Shri Kanshiram, and many more torchbearers of our country. I sincerely pray to you all to bless and guide me as I start this new phase of my journey," he had said in his message while announcing his decision to leave the service.
Dhaka, Aug 9 : The police have arrested 10 people in connection with a case of vandalism of four temples, several idols, six shops and some houses of Hindu people in Shiali village of Rupsha Upazila in southern Khulna, a senior police official confirmed on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday afternoon following which tension gripped the area forcing the authorities to deploy additional police force, a police official told IANS.

The locals said, a group of female devotees took out a procession at around 9 p.m. on Friday from the Purba Para temple to the Shiali crematorium. They had crossed a mosque on their way, during which the Imam, preacher of the mosque, shouted and objected to the procession. This led to a heated argument between the Hindu devotees and the Islamist cleric. It was decided that the matter would be taken up with the police on Saturday.

The arrests have been made following a complaint filed on Saturday night. The police, however, did not specify that who was charged in the case and who was arrested.

According to the police, around a hundred attackers reached the village on Saturday at around 5:45 p.m. with weapons and started vandalism. During the violence, four temples were desecrated and a house was vandalised. Also, six shops belonging to the people from Hindu community were vandalised in Shiali village.

Shaktipada Basu, the President of local Puja Udjapon Parishad, said that the cops chased away the Hindus when they went to file a complaint at the Shiali Camp police station. Sadhan Adhikari, the chairman of Ghatbhog Union, also reached the village and informed that such an act of violence and vandalism never took place in the village before.

Basu told IANS that more than a hundred Islamists attacked with spades, sickles and carried out mass destruction. They vandalised Ganesh Mallick's medicine outlet in the market, Srivastava Mallick's grocery store, Sourav Mallick's tea and grocery store, Anirban Hira and his father's shop. When Hindus tried to intervene, the miscreants assaulted and injured them badly. Before the villagers could unite and put up a fight, the accused men fled the crime scene.

Besides, the residence of one Shibpadh Dhar was also looted by the miscreants. The 'Govinda temple' in his house was also vandalised. Other temples that were desecrated include the 'Hari temple' of Shiali Purbapara, Durga temple, and Shiali Mahasamshan temple.

Rubaiya Tasnim, Upajila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said that she had met with local Hindu and Muslim community leaders with administration and police officials shortly after Saturday's incident.

Tasnim said, "We, the district administration and law enforcement officials, went there immediately and meet with the locals to resolve the conflict." Officer-in-charge of Rupsha Police Station Sardar Mosharraf Hossain said that the situation in the area was calm. Both the UNO of Rupsa and the OC of the police station said that there was an argument between the two parties over allegations that members of the Hindu community were 'singing' during prayers at the mosque on Friday evening, which they described as a 'misunderstanding'.

However, the UNO of Rupsha Upazila said that the 'conflict' was resolved on the same day and Saturday's attack had nothing to do with the incident. The locals seeking anonymity accused the youth of nearby Chandpur village for orchestrating the attack.

A police team comprising of the Superintendent of Police (SP), Additional SP also reached the crime scene.

Mahboob Hassan, SP (Khulna) informed that police teams had been deployed in the area and the situation in the Shiali village was under control. He said that the cops are coordinating with the local people in this matter.
In Defense of Christians (IDC), the nations leading advocacy organization for Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East and Africa, announces IDC National Summit 2021: Combating Oppression and Empowering the Oppressed, to be held live in Washington, DC, and virtually, on September 21-22, 2021.

Summit 2021 will showcase IDCs achievements in 2020-2021, and highlight the important work that lies ahead in advocacy for persecuted Christians. The two-day Summit will feature a live Solidarity Dinner in Washington, DC and broadcast around the globe, a series of focused policy briefings, and culminate with Capitol Hill Day, where IDC supporters will have the opportunity to advocate before Members of Congress.

Members of Congress, government officials, and faith leaders will provide live and in-person updates on current policy initiatives to support persecuted Christians in the Middle East and Africa.

The Summit will feature an official announcement and presentation of the IDC Congressional Champion 2021 Award to the following Senators and Representatives:

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

Senator Jim Risch (R-ID)

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Senator Todd Young (R-IN)

Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL)

Representative Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)

Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ)

Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX)

Representative Scott Perry (R-PA)

Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY)

Representative Dina Titus (D-NV)

IDC will also honor USAID Administrator Samantha Power with the Charles Malik Human Rights Award for her long standing advocacy for human rights and humanitarian assistance.

As the world fights to emerge from this global pandemic, persecuted Christians continue to face a growing number of threats to their lives and livelihood. IDC Summit 2021 will highlight exactly those challenges, said IDC President Toufic Baaklini.

We look forward to the opportunity to convene this Summit of policymakers and advocates for the persecuted, he added.
@LisaScheid on Twitter

I explore how our lives are shaped by our relationship to the land, water and air. Have a question you want me to answer? Email me.
A scene from the 2021 tour of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical."
On April 12, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment of Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, a career Foreign Service Officer and former ambassador to Malta, as the State Departments first chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO). On July 21, Blinken sent an unclassified cable to U.S. diplomatic and consular posts around the world to introduce Abercrombie-Winstanley  who, in her new position, reports directly to the secretary of state  and to tout the new Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

A State Department that welcomes, and offers opportunities for advancement, to all Americans is a priority. Yet the lofty rhetoric of diversity and inclusion has often provided a cover for imposing ideological conformity and distributing benefits and burdens based on race. Therefore, Blinkens new undertaking gives cause for concern. His near silence in the two official pronouncements about the personal qualities, educational attainments, professional achievements, and areas of expertise that the State Department values in building a workforce that responsibly conducts American foreign policy heightens apprehensions.

To advance U.S. interests abroad, the State Department must live up to Americas highest principles by ensuring that service in the nations diplomatic corps is open to all citizens based on skills, talents, and character. Individuals with diverse experiences, opinions, and training enrich understanding within the department of the vast array of jobs, opportunities, and threats that the United States faces abroad. These range from efficient processing of visa requests and effective operation within international organizations to protect health and the environment to cooperating with friends and partners to counter the Chinese Communist Partys aim in every region of the globe to reorient world order around Beijings authoritarian imperatives.

But the soothing words diversity and inclusion mask a different agenda. Blinken seems to believe that turning race, ethnicity, and gender into crucial determinants of career advancement honors Americas highest principles and will enhance the State Departments work.

His April 12 remarks stress the comprehensiveness of the new undertaking, saying that our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan aims at aligning and advancing diversity and inclusion efforts across the department. His July 21 cable emphasizes that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion has been structured, and provided with ample resources, to accomplish its ambitious task. An 11-person full-time staff  including a Deputy Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Chief of Staff, Chief Data Scientist, two Senior Advisors, two Strategic Communications Advisors, two Special Assistants, and two Staff Assistants  reports to the chief diversity and inclusion officer. Supplementing the core team are Foreign Service and Civil Service detailees, Presidential Management Fellow rotations, contractors, and interns.

The State Department must mobilize personnel and take decisive action because the problem is systemic, Blinken explained in April. It goes much deeper than any one institution or any one administration  and its perpetuated by policies, practices, and people to this day. Notwithstanding Blinkens blanket claim, even the government report that examines under-representation of minorities in higher levels of the State Department bureaucracy offers the remarkable acknowledgement that some unobservable factors that our analyses may not have captured include employees skills, motivation, performance, or abilities. In neither his April remarks nor his July cable, moreover, does Blinken identify a single policy, practice, or person that perpetuates systemic racism in the State Department  where he served as deputy secretary of state from 2015 to 2017 and which for 16 of the last 21 years has been led either by an African American secretary of state or has been accountable to an African American president.

Nevertheless, Blinken insists that so pervasive and deep-seated is systemic discrimination at the State Department that Promoting diversity and inclusion is the job of every single member of this department. By asserting that advancing diversity and inclusion is mission critical, Blinken implies that systemic discrimination impairs the formulation and implementation of State Department policy. It would be useful, therefore, to know what role Blinken believes systemic discrimination played in the devising of an Iran deal that brought the ayatollahs billions of dollars and which supported their violent pursuit of hegemony throughout the region, in the failure to prevent North Koreas acceleration of its nuclear program, and in the neglect of Chinas increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea and around the world  all of which transpired while he served as deputy secretary of state.

All department employees should treat colleagues courteously and respectfully and judge one another based on character and competence. It is something else to demand that every member of the State Department workforce promote select minorities and women. This conscripts employees into an experiment in social engineering that, according to Blinken, aims to change the culture at the State Department including our norms, our behaviors, and our biases.

Blinken has put State Department employees on notice that whatever your task  from monitoring Islamic extremists to negotiating arms treaties to understanding Chinas domestic tensions and global ambitions  you will be evaluated on your contribution to hiring, retaining, and promoting designated categories of people.

Here a lesson from abroad is instructive. Highlighting differences among individuals ostensibly engaged in a joint enterprise by allocating power based on membership in identity groups has not fostered a devotion to common purpose in Lebanon, the Balkans, or almost anywhere else it has been tried. There is little to reason to expect that it will foster a sense of shared mission among the State Departments tens of thousands of employees.

Nor is there is good reason to hope that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will, as Secretary Blinken promises, improve the State Departments ability to pursue U.S. national security interests in a world that grows ever more complex. By institutionalizing within Foggy Bottoms labyrinthine bureaucracy the imperative to focus on skin color, ethnic background, and gender in decisions about hiring, retention, and promotion, Blinken demotes questions of skill, talent, and character. Indeed, by reproducing within the State Department the education establishments obsession with identity politics, Blinken runs the risk of diverting the State Department from its principal tasks, as our schools have been sidetracked from transmitting knowledge and cultivating students ability to think for themselves.

This is a reasonable inference from Joel Kotkins disquieting recent essay, The End of Merit. A fellow at the Claremont Institute Center for the American Way of Life and a fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University, Kotkin argues that schools concentration on systemic racism both reflects and contributes to the systemic decline of education itself. The decline is measurable and costly: Over time, our educational deficit with other countries, notably China, particularly in the acquisition of practical skills in mathematics, engineering, medical technology, and management, has grown, threatening our economic and political pre-eminence, writes Kotkin. In math, the OECDs 2018 Program for International Student Assessment found the United States was outperformed by 36 countries, not only by China, but also Russia, Italy, France, Finland, Poland, and Canada.

The decline of our ability to compete will accelerate, suggests Kotkin, because the fixation on systemic racism in schools does not merely displace attention that would otherwise be focused on the acquisition of skills. It also vilifies the disciplined pursuit of excellence as itself an instrument of systemic racism. Educators imbued with the tenets of critical race theory assert, for example, that merit, meritocracy and especially meritocracy based on standardized testing are essentially racist systems, observes Kotkin. Some among the new racial cadres even denounce habits such as punctuality, rationality, and hard work as reflective of racism and white privilege.

Secretary Blinken is far from endorsing such folly. Yet where are his initiatives to promote integrity and excellence in the workforce? What undertakings has he showcased to enhance diplomats understanding of our partners as well as our competitors by, say, creating incentives to increase the number of officials who attain fluency in critical foreign languages? When will he boast of new programs to recruit to the State Department, and train within its ranks, individuals whose knowledge of science and technology enables them to comprehend the intricacies of, and devise policies to address, the commercial, conventional military, and cybersecurity threats posed by Chinas quest for dominance in artificial intelligence?

Instead of dividing its workforce by race, ethnicity, and gender, the State Department should treat all employees with equal respect, which is also the best means of fostering a common sense of purpose and attaining excellence throughout the ranks.
The number of COVID-19 cases from the delta variant has risen at an alarming rate, forcing many companies and government agencies to revert to previous remote-work policies. The daily average of confirmed cases has roughly quadrupled over the past month. At this pace, the COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub predicts that the coronavirus surge will accelerate through the summer and fall and peak in mid-October, with daily deaths tripling current rates.

Delta has become the dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It composes roughly 80% of cases nationwide and, according to experts, it is nearly twice as transmissible as the original strain and can quickly lead to hyperlocal outbreak. This has led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend that people  including those fully vaccinated  once again wear masks indoors.

Washington, D.C., has seen a four-fold increase in cases since the beginning of July. At the White House, staff are required to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. Congress has already been impacted by multiple breakthrough infections among vaccinated lawmakers and staffers . Just this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham announced that he tested positive for COVID, after having been fully vaccinated. This came days after he attended a meeting with a small group of senators and in the homestretch of what promises to be a close vote on the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure package . The Office of the Attending Physician has required House members and encouraged senators to wear masks on the floor and in the hallways.

When the world was faced with the pandemic 18 months ago, governments were forced to adapt. At that time, we urged Congress to adopt rules allowing members to conduct their business remotely. While some progress was made in the House, the Senate has fallen short, and both chambers need more permanent solutions.

In the 116th Congress, the House of Representatives modified its rules to incorporate proxy voting on the House floor and remote deliberations in committees. Proxy voting authorizes members to cast votes for colleagues who are not physically present. Since then, proxy voting has been used in the way it was intended: to protect lawmakers from exposure to the coronavirus or to facilitate work that would otherwise be difficult or impossible, given the added burdens of travel and family care during the pandemic. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has extended proxy voting in the House until Aug. 17 and may extend it until the end of the year .

Unfortunately, coronavirus mitigation procedures have become a partisan issue in Washington, with House Republicans opposing proxy voting since its implementation and several GOP members being fined by the House sergeant-at-arms for refusing to wear masks on the House floor. House GOP leadership even sued Pelosi, alleging that proxy voting was unconstitutional. In mid-July, the D.C. federal appeals court unanimously rejected the lawsuit, determining that the House can establish its own rules and that proxy voting falls within the conduct of the speech or debate clause of the Constitution.

While this procedure was a step in the right direction, proxy voting remains a stopgap solution that still requires in-person presence for some members, which creates a serious vulnerability. Since the pandemic began, more than 127 members of Congress have publicly disclosed that they tested positive, self-quarantined, or had otherwise come in contact with someone who tested positive. Two Republican lawmakers died from COVID complications. On Dec. 29, 2020, just a week before taking office, Congressman-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana passed away of COVID. On Feb. 7, 2021, Texas Rep. Ron Wright died two weeks after contracting it .

Still, the Senate chose not to modify its legislative operations. The chamber also requires that committees have a majority of senators present to report legislation. The Senate has already seen one instance where the virus forced lawmakers to modify its calendar. In October 2020, then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell changed the legislative schedule after multiple senators tested positive, delaying floor activity for two weeks. With the current 50-50 composition of lawmakers in the Senate, any senator contracting COVID or forced to quarantine could tip the balance of power and throw the chamber into chaos.

Fortunately, a bipartisan effort to address Senate continuity has been introduced. Sponsored by Dick Durbin and Rob Portman, it would amends the Senate Standing Rules to allow senators to use certified technology to cast votes outside of the chamber in circumstances when the majority and minority leaders jointly determine that an extraordinary crisis of national extent exists. We believe that we are at that moment.

The rise of the delta variant  the latest but likely not the last SARS-CoV-2 mutation  should renew congressional calls to examine and implement standing procedures that ensure continuity-of-government operations. Continuity-of-Congress provisions in both chambers not only protect lawmakers from harm but also protect congressional staff and support office staff, Capitol Hill essential workers, reporters, and those employed within the legislative agencies.

The time to act is now. Congress must be able to function in all circumstances. There can be no lapse in the continuity of the legislative branch. The integrity of our political process depends on it. Power must remain in the hands of our congressional representatives and in the collective hands of the voters they represent.

Taylor J. Swift helps write the First Branch Forecast weekly newsletter that focuses on Congress and is a policy adviser for Demand Progress, a nonprofit group advocating for civil liberties, civil rights, and government reform. Follow him on Twitter @Taylor_J_Swift.

Robert Alexander is the director of the Institute for Civics and Public Policy at Ohio Northern University and is the author of "Representation and the Electoral College, published by Oxford University Press. Follow him on Twitter: @onuprof
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/08/2021



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[ Spoiler Warning: This report contains spoilers revealing if Jovi and Yara are still together now or if the couple has broken up.]

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So are Jovi and Yara still together now or has the couple split up?

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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Yara Zaya and Jovi Dufren can't seem to enjoy each other's company and have a good time together on Season 6 of : Happily Ever After?, so did their romance fall apart or are Yara and Jovi still together? What do the latest spoilers reveal about Jovi and Yara's relationship now?Jovi, a 29-year-old who works in underwater robotics from New Orleans, LA, met Yara, a 25-year-old makeup artist from Kiev, Ukraine, through a travel app.The couple began traveling the world together, and Yara got pregnant six months into their relationship.Jovi admitted he was "dumbfounded" at first about the pregnancy and worried Yara was trying to "trap" him in pursuit of a Green Card, but he eventually liked the idea of becoming a father and said the pregnancy actually brought him and Yara closer together.Jovi therefore proposed marriage to Yara during a trip to Cuba and subsequently applied for a K-1 visa so she could move to America to be with him. However, Yara unfortunately experienced a miscarriage.Once Yara arrived to America, she and Jovi argued a lot over his partying and drinking habits. Yara even heard that Jovi was a regular at a stripclub and had hooked up with exotic dancers.Yara wanted to feel loved and respected, and she also wanted Jovi to prove she'd be his top priority in life, especially since she left everything behind for their relationship.Yara then discovered she was pregnant again and vented in shock to the cameras, "I am not ready yet. I don't even know if I want to get married and live here."She later added, "I honestly don't even know if [Jovi] wants to settle down with me and [stop] partying all the time. It just makes me feel crazy."But Jovi pulled it together and shaped up once Yara gave him an ultimatum to either be a better man or watch her move back to Ukraine with their child.After the couple got married, : Jovi and Yara's Baby Special in early April showed Yara giving birth in a hospital to a daughter, Mylah Angelina, who was born weighing seven pounds and nine ounces.On 's Season 8 Tell-All special, Yara said Jovi had become a loving and caring father, but that doesn't mean the couple was seeing eye to eye.When the couple appeared on : Happily Ever After?'s sixth season, Jovi and Yara were shown disagreeing over parenting techniques, with Jovi calling Yara a "control freak."Jovi also suggested the romantic side of his relationship with Yara was slipping away, as the pair couldn't have sex and Yara was always focused on the baby rather than on his own needs.The pair then had to spend a few months apart due to Jovi's job in underwater robotics.Yara was angry when Jovi missed Christmas with his family, and then she had to move into a new apartment by herself. (Yara, however, had the help of Jovi's mother Gwen).Yara picked an apartment about 45 minutes outside of the city of New Orleans, where Jovi said he loved to live. Yara wanted her baby to grow up in a safe and quiet neighborhood where people weren't drinking and partying all the time."Before, I was doing everything that Jovi was telling me to do," Yara said."I know Jovi won't like that I'm moving so far away from New Orleans, but honestly, I don't care. I sacrificed a lot to be here in America with Jovi, and if he will need to go to work all the time, then he [needs] to sacrifice for me and Mylah."When Jovi returned home from work, he couldn't believe how much Mylah had grown and how much he had missed. Jovi was also unhappy to learn his new apartment was "in the middle of nowhere" and only had one restaurant and one bar nearby."Yara did not consider my opinion. She did not consider my preferences. I understand she moved on her own, but of course I want to live where I want to live too!" Jovi complained.Jovi worried about being bored in their new location, and he could see Yara changing before his eyes."This isn't the marriage I expected, and I think it's going to be really hard to adapt to everything [Yara] has changed now," Jovi admitted.Yara also disappointed Jovi again when she invited Gwen and his cousin over for a Ukrainian Christmas on January 6 and essentially kicked them out a couple of hours into dinner.He also wanted Yara to stop having Mylah sleep in their bed."Jovi came home from work into Yara's world," Gwen complained."He doesn't have any say so at all, so I think that she needs to cut him some slack because it's totally ridiculous that you're going to kick people out. I think that's kind of rude."Jovi called Yara "f-cking rude" and seemed really upset about missing out on additional time with his family, whom he hadn't seen in a while due to work.Jovi complained the next day about how Yara had become a totally different woman as a mother. Jovi seemed to miss going to bars with his girlfriend and she being the one wanting to stay out until 4 or 5AM.Jovi later told his wife that he missed "the old Yara," adding, "You were fun. You're being a good mom, but at the same time, you're not fun anymore."Yara argued that she was raising a newborn on her own and didn't think it was fair for Jovi to judge her."Jovi needs to accept that [this] is his new life, because I will not let him push me around," Yara said.Jovi and Yara then packed their bags and headed to Miami for a little romantic getaway. They invited Gwen along so she could watch Mylah and give the spouses some time to themselves.Gwen hoped Jovi and Yara could "reconnect" in Miami because she sensed some distance or tension between the spouses."When Yara and I got married, I felt good, like, 'This is the woman I'm going to be with for the rest of my life.' But things changed a lot after we got married. I didn't expect there to be all these arguments and all of this stress," Jovi explained."Yara and I were in love before and were having fun. I was thinking after we got married, that was going to continue. So I hope this trip brings things back to the way they were in the past, because if not, the more we're going to keep fighting."Jovi added, "The more fighting we do, the less sex we have and the worse our relationship gets altogether."When the pair went out in Miami together, Jovi said his wife looked "hot" and he hoped they could start having sex again. But Yara seemed tired and quiet, which made Jovi note how things had "drastically changed" between them.The couple enjoyed a nice lunch out with champagne, but Yara admitted she was worried about her baby at the hotel and whether Mylah was hungry. Jovi asked Yara to relax and have fun, and he accused Yara of using Mylah as an excuse to not work on their relationship.Jovi said Mylah was basically "a barrier" between them and Yara should want him to be happy and feel fulfilled, desire, and satisfied.Jovi insisted he was thrilled to have a baby but the pregnancy was "unexpected" and he wasn't ready for their lives to totally change. He flat out told Yara that if they continued to have problems once they returned to New Orleans, their relationship was never going to work."Jovi, I'm so over. I'm done," Yara lamented, adding, "We're not girlfriend and boyfriend anymore. We are husband and wife and father and mother... Everything is different now."Yara told Jovi that he was "selfish" and needed to be more responsible."I'm kind of worried that Yara doesn't want to be invested in our relationship. Mylah is an excuse, it's her way of just not wanting to focus on me," Jovi explained.Gwen suggested Jovi should take Yara out to a nice restaurant instead of expecting her to drink and party, and Gwen told the cameras her son was being "very rude" by calling Yara boring because she was just taking her responsibilities as a mother seriously.Jovi subsequently told Yara when they were out sitting by the pool that she wanted her husband to love, appreciate and be nice to her. Jovi said he'd try to make her happy but she needed to meet him halfway and try to please him as well.The couple was only in Miami for a few more days, so Jovi said he wanted them to enjoy their time together.Yara began to worry that she and Jovi had married without really getting to know each other first. She told Jovi that she was just being herself and he needed to accept her for who she is.Jovi brought Yara to a fancy Russian restaurant, and while they laughed and had fun, she didn't want Jovi to bring her to a stripclub. However, Yara eventually came around to the idea, as long as Jovi wouldn't touch any of the dancers.Yara wanted to show her husband that she was still fun and could make him happy.But Yara felt awkward when a naked woman was dancing in front of her husband, and after a little while, Yara said she wanted to leave and deserved better from Jovi.Jovi, however, wouldn't budge and didn't want to go home, which resulted in Yara slapping her husband and storming out of the stripclub.Jovi said Yara went from smiling and laughing to "crazy," but Yara said it wasn't okay to blow kisses at another woman and he had acted so selfishly.Yara felt Jovi had completely forgotten about her at the stripclub, saying he had blown all of their money on one of the dancers when he could have bought her something nice."I give you a small bite and then you f-cking bite off my hand!" Yara yelled, adding that she didn't feel respected at all.Jovi was upset and told his wife, "You have to ruin every night!""F-ck you," Yara replied.Jovi and Yara are still together and seem very happy based on their social-media activity.At the end of July 2021, Jovi posted a picture of himself and wrote in part, "I hope everyone is enjoying our story, and watching us change so fast from being carefree to starting our little family!! #tlc #90dayfiance #joviandyara #discovery #discoveryplus #happilyeverafter #worldtraveler #worldtravel #90dayfiancehappilyeverafter."And Yara commented, "My sexy men," along with heart-eyes emoticons and fire emojis.About one week earlier, Jovi conducted a Q&A on his Instagram Stories and one huge fan wrote to Jovi, "I want to tote your next baby."Jovi wrote in reply, "Easy now, I'm married."In mid-July, Jovi posted photos with Yara and Mylah in which they were wearing matching outfits."Matchinnn. Too cheesy? Love these girls. #polobear #tlc #90dayfiance #happilyeverafter #joviandyara #discovery #discoveryplus #worldtravel @yarazaya @mylah.angelina," Jovi captioned the picture.And Yara gushed about her family in a July 14 post."Love my family so much," Yara wrote alongside a photo of both Jovi and herself kissing Mylah on the cheek."After Mylah was born, everything changed, it was as if an ocean of love appeared inside me. ( I never thought that I would love being a mom so much )how many moms I have here?yall guys have kids? or planning? #90dayfiance #tlc #hollywood."Back on June 26, Yara posted photos of Jovi holding their daughter and swimming in a big pool with white balloons surrounding them."Family time with [Jovi]," Yara wrote.Yara also confirmed her relationship with Jovi was still going strong in June on Father's Day."Happy Father's Day to everyone. And happy Father's Day to the best daddy in the world @jovid11. You are the best, the nicest dad for our baby," Yara captioned a selfie of the couple."I still remember the moment when she was born and together we began to cry with happiness. You are really the best dad, because only a good dad will worry about his child. But please stop going into her room and check if she is breathing -- you wake her up and then I have to feed her."Yara continued, "It's so funny when I say jovi please don't go into her room she breathes she is all good, he answers. -- I'm just worried about my bulychkaaa. Bulichkaaa is how we call Maylah. Now I love you even more because you are the best."On June 14, Jovi wrote on Instagram that he "can't wait to get back to traveling and back to Ukraine" with Yara.And on June 8, Yara gushed about how Jovi had gifted her an Audi SUV for her birthday."Ok y'all, now yall can officially call me gold digger," Yara wrote with crying-laughing emoticons."No, not you, not my followers, y'all the best. Other people in the groups. Soon it's Jovi's birthday too, we need to figure out what to give him, I want to give him a good gift, he deserves it. #90dayfiance."Meanwhile, Jovi wrote on his own page, "Happpy Birthdayyyy to my sexxxy baby momma. You don't look a day older than 26. Thanks for being such a good mom to our little angel!! @yarazaya."In late May, Jovi planned a big surprise party at a restaurant for Yara's 27th birthday, and she posted photos from the event on Instagram."My early birthday. My birthday is June 8, but since Jovi and I are leaving for work on my birthday, he decided to surprise me. It was the best and most unexpected surprise. @jovid11 you are the best love you so much," Yara captioned the video and photos.Yara also shared with fans that Jovi had gifted her a designer Hermes gold bracelet.On May 23, Yara gushed about being able to contribute to the household without expecting Jovi to pay all the bills and buy their food, and one day earlier, she posted a cute photo of the pair smiling big for the camera with little Mylah.Around this time, Jovi uploaded an image of Yara and himself sharing a huge cocktail.And Jovi gushed about "enjoying the day" with Yara and their daughter on May 16, and one day earlier, Yara posted a family photo with Jovi and Mylah on Instagram and captioned it "family" along with a red-heart emoji.On April 21, days after Part 2 of the Season 8 Tell-All aired, Jovi posted a selfie with Yara and their sweet baby girl and captioned it, "Just chillin."And shortly after Part 1 of the Tell-All special aired, Yara took to Instagram and uploaded two photos of Jovi and herself pushing their baby in a stroller on a nice day outside with big smiles on their faces."Wonderful day," Yara wrote alongside the images with multiple heart emoticons.On April 14, Jovi posted a photo of himself holding his daughter and wrote, "I can not commend Yara enough on how healthy she stayed throughout the pregnancy, and how much of a good mom she has been to my baby girl. I could not ask for anything better!"Yara shared that she was enjoying "family time" on April 11.The couple haven't been shy about sharing their love for one another on social media for months now.Yara, for example, posted a picture of a bedside table decorated with candles and flowers in March. It appeared Jovi may have served Yara cake and coffee in bed in honor of International Women's Day."Happy International Women's Day, my girls, I hope you made your man buy you flowers," Yara captioned her post."In my country, March 8 is a great holiday when women are treated like queens. Women, be sure your man treat you the right way, buy for you flowers, take you to dinner. I do not feel like this is celebrated enough in America."Jovi simultaneously shared a picture of himself on the same day and advised men to treat their girlfriends or wives the way the women deserve to be treated.According to a screenshot posted by Instagrammer John Yates, Jovi and Yara obtained a marriage license on February 13, 2020, In Touch Weekly reported.Yara and Jovi reportedly exchanged vows in a wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, NV, that same month.Yara told Us Weekly in January 2021 she was "so happy" upon learning she was pregnant because she hoped her baby would look as "handsome" or "beautiful" as Jovi, whom she gushed about being in love with "so much."Jovi and Yara reportedly welcomed their first child together only a few months before Season 8 of premiered on TLC in December 2020, according to In Touch.Yara delivered the couple's child in September 2020.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
Lauretta Daniel Summers, 92, of Summersville passed away Thursday, August 12, 2021. She was the daughter of the late Emmett Johnson and Louetta Jarrell Daniel and was born at Glen Rodgers April 16, 1929. Mrs. Summers was a 1947 graduate of Trap Hill High School in Raleigh County and the Char
A record-breaking "Olympic" bat flew over 2,018 km from London to Russia, only to be murdered by a cat. The incident took place after a cat attacked the female Nathusius' pipistrelle bat, weighing barely 8g, which was discovered on the ground after a 2,018 km journey. A Russian bat rehabilitation group rescued her, but she died later. Svetlana Lapina discovered the bat in the Pskov region's little settlement of Moglino.

Olympian bat smashes British record for long distance migration! A tiny bat has been nicknamed the Olympic bat by scientists after she beat all known British records and flew 2,018 km across Europe - one of the greatest ever known flights by a bat: https://t.co/cySmylD5P4 pic.twitter.com/6svMLdKibj  Bat Conservation Trust (@_BCT_) August 6, 2021

The bat was about the size of a human thumb

The Guardian reported that the pipistrelle of the Nathusius was only about the size of a human thumb, and its wing was tagged with a London Zoo ring. Brian Briggs, a bat recorder, had rung it in 2016 at Bedfont Lakes Country Park near Heathrow in west London. He said that it's great to be able to contribute to international conservation efforts to safeguard these incredible creatures while also learning more about their interesting lives.

This is one of the world's longest-known bat migrations, with the furthest known record from the United Kingdom to Europe and the only long-distance movement reported from west to east. Males flew southwest from Latvia, according to the bulk of previous records. Only one other bat in Europe has surpassed this feat, a Nathusius' pipistrelle, which travelled 1,381 kilometres from Latvia to Spain in 2019.

"What an Olympian"

Lisa Worledge, head of conservation services at the Bat Conservation Trust said that this is a spectacular voyage and the longest they know of any bat from Britain across Europe. She remarked, "What an Olympian," further stating that the bat's voyage is a fascinating scientific discovery and another piece of the bat migratory jigsaw. Nathusius' pipistrelles' migrations around the UK and between the UK and the continent are mainly unknown.

Bat specialists in Russia and the United Kingdom are interested in the record because Nathusius' pipistrelle's range extension is linked to climate change. To completely comprehend these impacts, more information is required. Since the National Nathusius' Pipistrelle Project began in 2014 to learn more about their breeding, distribution, and migration habits, more than 2,600 Nathusius' pipistrelles have been recorded in the UK. Kent, Northumberland, Surrey, and Greater London all have maternity colonies.

Tweet- @_BCT_

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On the 107th birth anniversary of Indias first woman pilot, Sarla Thukral, search engine giant, Google dedicated its special and temporary homepage logo (doodle) to her. Sarla Thukral was India's pilot, designer, and entrepreneur who flew her first solo flight (Gypsy Moth) in 1914 when she was only 21 years old. 'Thukrals soaring achievements have paved the way for generations of Indian women to turn their dreams of flight into reality,' wrote Google in a statement.

Honoring the Indian pilot, the Google Doodle statement also mentioned all her achievements.

"As a student of the Lahore Flying Club, she completed 1,000 hours of flight time to gain her A license, another first for Indian women. She then began preparation to become a commercial pilot, but the outbreak of World War II put a halt on civil aviation training. Instead, Thukral studied fine art and painting at Lahores Mayo School of Arts (now the National College of Arts). She later returned to Delhi where she continued painting and built a successful career designing jewelry and clothing," wrote Google.

Who is Sarla Thukral?

Born in Delhi, Thukral was inspired by her husband who hailed from a family of fliers and wanted to follow in their footsteps. Her flying dreams were disturbed by the outbreak of World War II, after which she started studying fine art and painting at Lahores Mayo School of Arts (now the National College of Arts). Despite a break from her pilot career, she successfully developed as a designer through her work in painting and jewelry and cloth designing.

After Delhi, the first Indian pilot had moved to Lahore which is Pakistan presently, and then again returned to Delhi to pursue her career in arts. Her husband, P. D. Sharma had died in a tragic airplane crash in 1939 while she died in 2008. She was a dedicated follower of the Arya Samaj, a spiritual community dedicated to following the teachings of the Vedas. The pilot remarried to R. P. Thakral after partition in 1948 when she moved to Delhi. Sarla was also known as Mati and became a successful businesswoman.
The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on August 7 conducted raids in several locations of Karnataka, including Bengaluru City, over a human trafficking case. The searches were held to detain suspects making fake ID proof documents for the Bangladeshi traffickers and the trafficked victims. This comes a day after reports of GRP arresting five people, including three Indian intermediaries and two Bangladesh nationals, in connection with a case surfaced.

"13 accused persons relating to a raid conducted by Karnataka Police at a rented house where 7 Bangladeshi women and one child were rescued from the custody of human traffickers. The women were trafficked from Bangladesh to India by accused persons on the pretext of providing jobs in India but were forced into prostitution instead," added an official statement.

A case has been registered in June this year at Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station following a gang rape and torture of a Bangladeshi woman in the city. While investigating the case, the police discovered a human trafficking racket behind this. The case was again re-registered by the Central Agency in July under the Foreigners Act. While further details are awaited, it has been officially mentioned that various incriminating documents, six digital devices, including hard disks and mobile phones used for making the forged documents, were seized during the raids.

BSF thwarts drug-supplying operation

The Border Security Force (BSF), on July 6, thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs and seized 25 kg of cannabis. The drug was being smuggled from India to Bangladesh. The BSF's 75th Battalion stationed at the Border Outpost (BOP) Satbhandari under Guwahati frontier foiled the smuggling attempt. The BSF troops conducted a special operation on early Friday based on information from sources. BSF said in a statement, "The security personnel foiled the attempt of drug and seized 25 kg cannabis, which was being smuggled from India to Bangladesh on August 6.

India-Bangladesh border

India and Bangladesh share an international border of 4,096 km long, which is the fifth-longest land border in the world. The border is distributed as 263 km in Assam, 856 km in Tripura, 318 km in Mizoram, 443 km in Meghalaya, and 2,217 km in West Bengal. Out of Assams 263 km of shared border with Bangladesh, 143.9 km is land, and the rest are riverine. The border between India and Bangladesh is prone to smuggling.

Image Credit: PTI/ANI/Representativeimage
As Centre refuses to debate the Pegasus issue, TMC MP Derek O'Brien shared the demands by Opposition MPs in Parliament for a discussion on the allegations. Urging the Prime Minister to come to Parliament and listen to the MPs. Sharing Opposition MPs speeches from Rajya Sabha in which they demand Centre to discuss the alleged snooping instead of legislation, the TMC MP tagged nine parties - Congress, SP, Shiv Sena, TRS, DMK, RJD, NCP, AAP and arch-rivals CPI(M). Centre has refuted all allegations of any spying via Israeli spyware Pegasus.

Derek O'Brien: 'Mr Modi, Come listen to us

PM Modi: 'Opposition insulting Parliament'

On Thursday, PM Modi claimed that the Opposition was insulting the Parliament for their selfish motives by creating the Parliament logjam. Comparing India's tremendous medal run at Tokyo Olympics 2020 to the MPs' logjam, he said that while India was winning medals, on one hand, some were not concerned in progressing the nation. Out of 78 hours, the Upper House has lost 60 hours due to disruptions during the first 3 weeks, stated official sources.

"On one hand our country and our youth are achieving new achievements for India of winning, goal after goal. At the same time, there are some people who are doing self-goal due to political selfishness. They are not concerned with what the country wants, what the country is achieving, how the country is changing," said PM Modi. Many Opposition MPs have accused the Centre of bulldozing bills through Parliament in this monsoon session. As per PRS, 10 bills have been passed by both Houses and overall productivity of Rajya Sabha is 22.6%.

Opposition MPs demand Parliament debate

Recently last week, Opposition MPs lambasted the Centre for not scheduling on a debate on the Pegasus snooping row in either House at a press meeting outside Parliament. Citing national security concerns, MPs like Supriya Sule (NCP), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), Manoj Jha (RJD) and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) alleged that the government was not ready for debate on the issue, sticking to reading statements. Supreme Court is hearing pleas demanding a court-mandated probe into the alleged snooping.

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 a 'leaked' database, 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 organizations and businessmen. The target also includes the eight activists currently accused of the Bhima Koregaon case. The report claimed that the leaked numbers mainly belong to ten countries - India, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) took to social media to share a picture of Jupiters moon Ganymede. In the caption accompanying the image on Instagram, NASA has documented the information related to the image as obtained by Juno spacecrafts Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument. According to the US space agency, the observations made by the JIRAM instrument gives new information on Ganymede's icy surface.

NASA shares an image of Ganymede

In the caption, NASA informs that Jupiter's Ganymede moon was Looking dark and mysterious in this infrared view. Jupiters icy moon was captured by NASA Solar Systems Juno spacecraft during its July 20 flyby. According to the US space agency, the spacecraft's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument, "which sees in infrared light not visible to the human eye, developed the image."

The US space agency further explained that the spacecraft's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument has been designed to capture the infrared light emerging from deep inside Jupiter. The instrument has probed the weather layer down to 30 to 45 miles (50 to 70 kilometres) below Jupiters cloud tops. NASA in the post explained that the observations made by the JIRAM instrument "provides new information on Ganymede's icy shell and the composition of the ocean of the liquid water beneath." Take a look at the post here:

The post, shared on August 7, has garnered over 661,704 likes and scores of reactions. Netizens are amazed to see the picture and have been posting their reaction in the comments. One user commented, "so precious and beautiful," while another Instagram user commented, "Wow.this is very beautiful.thanks god [sic]" One of the users also commented, "Nasa surprised me everytime." Check out some user reactions:

Shades of Earth's moon

Recently, NASA shared an image that shows the northern region of our Moon, which was created by combining 53 different images and shows a false colour. The most enthralling part about the picture is that it was captured by a 3-decade old spacecraft - Galileo - which was sent to Jupiter in December 1992. The spacecraft took the picture while on its way to Jupiter.

IMAGE: NASA/Instagram
China is grappling with Coronavirus outbreak as the country continues to witness a surge in COVID-19 cases. Wuhan city, where coronavirus was first detected in the country in 2019, is currently experiencing a resurgence of infections. The government has started mass testing to prevent the spread of the virus in Wuhan and other parts of China. The authorities on Saturday informed that the health department has collected over 11.23 million samples for COVID-19 testing in Wuhan, as per a report by Xinhua.

Authorities test Wuhan residents

Of the 11.23 million collected samples, the results from 10.8 million of the samples are available. By the end of Friday, Hubei Province reported nine new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 15 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. Wuhan reported six new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, while three other cases were registered in Jingmen. Hubei province, reported 47 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 31 locally transmitted cases. As per the report, 64 asymptomatic cases reported in Hubei were under medical observation.

In the wake of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese authorities had announced that the mass testing of the population would be conducted on all residents of Wuhan city. According to AP, the Chinese government has been implementing some harsh steps to combat the situation. In order to control the spread of the virus, travel restrictions have been imposed and mass testings are being conducted in several parts of the country.

COVID-19 situation on China

According to China's National Health Commission, as of August 8, the overall tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 93,701 on Saturday. Of them, 87,492 patients had been cured and discharged from the hospital. According to China's National Health Commission, there remained 1507 confirmed cases including 44 cases in serious condition. The total number of fatalities reported due to the novel virus is 4,636. The total confirmed infections reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province has reached 27,849. The overall tally of confirmed cases in Hong Kong is 12,011, which includes 212 who had died and 11,725 who have been cured and discharged from the hospital. 63 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Macao and out of them, 57 have been cured. 15,775 cases have been reported in Taiwan, which includes 806 fatalities due to novel virus and 13,053 have been cured and discharged from the hospital.

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from AP
Firefighters continued their efforts throughout Saturday night to contain fires that have been spreading across southern Turkey for 11 days.

The blazes, described as Turkey's worst in living memory, have so far killed eight people, including a volunteer who was carrying drinking water and other refreshments to firefighters in Marmaris.

The fires have also killed countless animals, destroyed acres of forests near the country's favourite tourist destinations, and forced thousands of evacuations.

Fire departments from municipalities all over Turkey have sent teams and equipment to the affected areas in order to battle the fires.

Deputy Chief Yusuf Dogan Gurer and his team from the Istanbul Fire Department were one of the dozens of teams operating in the area, coordinating in tandem with forestry authorities and volunteers to extinguish and cool off the ignited areas.

Gurer told the Associated Press that they have been working to prevent fires from reaching the residents of Milas, their homes and fields, working near residential areas to stave off the flames and also supporting other teams in the field with extinguishing and cooling operations.

Farmlands have been ravaged in the fires, leaving many in the region concerned about their livelihood.

Gurer also recounted his teams' experiences while intercepting a fire that threatened a coal fueled power plant in the area on Thursday.

Firefighting crews, Gurer's team being one of them, were fighting against the blazes that threatened the residential areas in the Turkevleri area until they got called into the raging fires that threatened the Kemerkoy power plant.

The whole nation was on edge, many fearing a potential explosion in the area.

Firefighting crews were ordered to enter the power plant and extinguish or cool off any ignited fires within.

Strong winds drove the fire toward the Kemerkoy power plant in Mugla province late Wednesday, prompting evacuations from the nearby seaside resort of Oren.

Navy vessels were deployed to help ferry away residents, while cars formed long convoys on roads leading away from the area, Haberturk television reported.

The top Turkish forestry official said 217 fires had been brought under control since July 28 in over half of the country's provinces, but firefighters still worked Saturday to tame six fires in two Turkish provinces.

Hundreds of volunteers have joined efforts to contain wildfires that have swept through forests in Turkey's southern and southwestern coasts, fuelled by a summer heat wave, low humidity and strong winds.

It's not unusual for people in Turkey to mobilise during times of crisis, such as earthquakes.

Many jump into cars to head to the afflicted regions, taking food, water, clothing or blankets.

However, on Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said authorities would no longer allow people other than those authorised to fight blazes to approach the fires.

European officials have blamed climate change for the large number of fires burning through southern Europe, from southern Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Egypt has transferred the pharaonic solar boat of ancient King Khufu to the Grand Egyptian Museum, close to the famed Giza Pyramids, authorities said on Saturday.

The boat, which dates back some 4,500 years, was discovered in 1954 at the southern corner of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the three Giza Pyramids.

It had been exhibited at a museum at the Giza Plateau, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement.

That museum has been closed since August to prepare the transportation, it said.

The boat, which is 42-meters (137.8 ft) long and weighs 20 tons, was transferred on a smart vehicle, a 10-hour trip that began late Friday, according to a report by the state-run MENA news agency.

The ministry said that the transportation aimed to "protect and preserve the biggest and oldest organic artifact made of wood in the history of humanity for future generations."

It will be displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum along with tens of thousands of artifacts, including the famed mask of Tutankhamen, and other treasures currently housed in the century-old building in Cairo's congested Tahrir Square.

The transportation came four months after Egyptian authorities held a gala parade, celebrating the transfer of 22 of the country's prized Pharaonic royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum at the heart of Cairo to their new resting place in a massive new museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, further south in the capital.

The events are part of Egypt's efforts to attract foreign tourists by publicizing its ancient artifacts.

The tourism industry has been reeling from political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Libyan transitional Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh in Istanbul on Saturday.

The leaders sat down for bilateral talks before a later meeting between delegations from the two countries.

According to Turkey's state run Anadolu Agency, top economy officials and the governor of the Turkish central bank, Sahap Kavcioglu, joined the delegation talks.

Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011 and split the oil-rich country between a UN-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities based in the country's east, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Following a flare-up this week, the head of Lebanons Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, on August 7 vowed a suitable and proportionate response to any Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. Earlier this week, Israel had carried out its first air raids on Lebanese soil in years, after which Hezbollah fired rockets back at the Jewish state the following day. On Saturday, in a televised speech ahead of the anniversary of the end of the last war with Israel, Nasrallah said that Hezbollahs response was linked to the Israeli strikes that occurred in south Lebanon for the first time in 15years.

We wanted to tell the enemy... that any air strike by the Israeli air force on Lebanon will inevitably draw a response, though in a suitable and proportionate way, because we want to serve the purpose of protecting our country, Nasrallah added.

Further, he went on to describe the airstrikes as a very dangerous development and also said that Hezbollah did not want war. While echoing some comments by the Jewish state, Nasrallah said that Hezbollah is not looking for war and does not want to head towards a war. However, he added that the group is ready for it if necessary.

UN, US denounce attacks

Meanwhile, Hezbollah's volley of rockets at Israeli positions prompted retaliatory shelling from Israel, prompting UN peacekeepers to warn of a very dangerous situation. The UN which maintains a monitoring force along the border called on all sides to enforce an immediate cease-fire, calling on both sides to maintain calm. Israel has already said that it did not wish to escalate to a full war.

The US, on the other hand, has denounced Hezbollah's recent rocket strikes on Israel and urged Lebanon's government to prevent Hezbollah from firing rockets into Israel. It is worth noting that Israel launched aerial attacks on Lebanon after seven years as a retaliatory shelling against the alleged rocket attack on August 4. Fighter jets struck the launch sites and infrastructure used for terrorism in Lebanon, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said. Israeli Aircraft carried out routine airstrikes on Palestinian militant targets in Gaza or Iranian targets in Syria, but this was the first time since 2014 that the Israeli Air Force had bombarded Lebanese territory, the IDF added.

(Image: AP)


The United Nations Secretary-General's personal envoy on Afghanistan, Jean Arnault, met with Iran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday.

This came amid a Taliban surge as U.S. and NATO troops wrap up their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

With Taliban attacks increasing, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with airstrikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered the capital of Jawzjan province after sweeping through nine of 10 districts in the province.

Several other of the countrys 34 provincial capitals are threatened as Taliban fighters sweep through large swaths of Afghanistan at a surprising speed.

Meanwhile, airstrikes damaged a health clinic and high school in the capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a provincial council member said Sunday.

Also Sunday, Taliban fighters took control of much of the capital of northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province, including the governor's office and police headquarters, a provincial council member said.

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Two policemen lost their lives while at least thirteen others were injured after an explosion rocked Pakistan's Quetta on Sunday evening, local media reported citing a police statement. Police informed that the explosion took place near the city's University Chowk at Zarghoon Road and added that the explosives were planted on a motorcycle. The blast took place near a police van that was transporting 15 police personnel, as per local news reports.

Blast rocks Quetta

12 persons including six policemen were reportedly injured in the blast.The injured, including two policemen who were later declared brought dead, were shifted to the city's Civil Hospital, Deputy Inspector General of Quetta said. The official added that the windows of nearby buildings were shattered due to the explosion. Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan condemned the incident.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reacts

Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the bomb blast in Quetta via a tweet.

Condemn the bomb blast in Quetta. The government must stop appeasing terrorists and implement the National Action Plan.  BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) August 8, 2021

This is a developing copy.

Image Credits - Republic World

With inputs from ANI
Pakistan on Saturday expressed 'deep regret' over not being invited to the UNSC discussion on Afghanistan, claiming that the platform was made available to peddle 'false narratives' against the country. Under India's Presidency, the UNSC held a meeting on the violent clashes between the Afghan security forces and the Taliban, that have resulted in severe damage to life and property in the war-torn nation. Pakistan, which has openly backed the Taliban-driven violence labelling the terrorist outfit as 'civilians', was not invited for the discussion.

Issuing a statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said, "Not acceding to Pakistans request to address the UNSC session on Afghanistan, as well as to make the platform available to enable the peddling of false narratives against Pakistan, is a matter of deep regret."

Pakistan lists contributions to peace process

Listing its contributions to the peace process across the globe, Islamabad said, "Pakistan is the closest neighbour of Afghanistan whose contribution in the ongoing peace process has been recognized by the international community. Pakistans constructive efforts with the support of the international community led to important milestones in Doha peace process."

This comes even as Afghanistan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar confirms that the Taliban is colluding with several regional terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other Pakistan-based terror groups to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. Moreover, Afghanistan has even raised alarm on the infiltration of Pakistan commandoes within the Taliban ranks who are reportedly assisting the militant group to wage war against the nation from within.

Pakistan calls upon all sides in Afghanistan to eschew the military approach and work together to secure an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. It is equally important to remain cognisant of spoilers, both within and outside. 3/3  Spokesperson  MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 7, 2021

India calls for 'zero tolerance' to terrorism in Afghanistan

Meanwhile, Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), TS Tirumurti on August 6 said that there should be zero tolerance for terrorism in any form or manifestations for peace to prevail in the war-stricken Afghanistan. He also said that that terrorist safe havens must be destroyed. Indias UN envoy said, It needs to be ensured that Afghanistan's neighbours and the region are not threatened by terrorism, separatism and extremism."

"There needs to be zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It is equally important to ensure that the territory of Afghanistan is not used by terrorist groups to threaten or attack any other country. Those providing material and financial support to terrorist entities must be held accountable, he added.
According to officials, an Afghanistan Air Force pilot was killed by a bomb in a Kabul region on Saturday. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident. Officials stated Hamidullah Azimi was killed after a sticky device affixed to his vehicle exploded, injuring five civilians in the process. According to Afghan Air Force Commander Abdul Fatah Eshaqzai, Azimi was trained to operate UH60 Black Hawk helicopters and had served with the Afghan Air Force for approximately four years. Because of security concerns, he and his family relocated to Kabul a year ago, according to Eshaqzai.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claims that the Taliban carried out the attack. At least seven Afghan pilots have been killed so far, according to a news agency. The Taliban has revealed the existence of a plan to "target and eliminate" US-trained Afghan pilots. As battle rises across Afghanistan, the US and Afghan authorities believe the Taliban's targeting of pilots is a premeditated attempt to eliminate Afghanistan's corps of the US and NATO-trained military pilots.

The Afghan Air Force plays a vital role

The Taliban, who do not have an air force, are attempting to level the playing field by launching large ground offensives that have seen them take land quickly since May. The Taliban have started a violent military blitz across the country, which has gathered steam in the recent days, boosted by Washington's intention to withdraw all US forces by the end of August. Insurgents grabbed control of Zaranj in Afghanistan's southern Nimroz province on Friday, their first provincial capital in a long time. The Afghan Air Force has played a critical role in preventing the militants from gaining control of neighbouring cities.

Azimi's killing came only days after the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) told Congress in a report that the Taliban assassinations of pilots were yet another "worrisome event" for the Afghan Air Force as it grappled with an increase in warfare. SIGAR characterised an air force that was increasingly stressed and less equipped to battle in its quarterly report for the quarter ending in June when its fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters had a readiness rate of 39 per cent, which was approximately half of what it was in April and May.

Image Credit: @ShreeAna1- Twitter Image
The Afghan Air Forces killed more than 572 Taliban terrorists and wounded 309 others in continuous airstrikes on the gatherings and hideouts of the terror outfit in different regions in the last 24 hours, informed country's defence ministry official.

ANDSF carries out airstrikes on multiple Taliban hideouts

In a tweet, Afghan Defence Ministry official Fawad Aman said, 572 terrorists were killed and 309 others were wounded as a result of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Paktia, Paktika, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Herat, Farah, Jowzjan, Sar-e Pol, Faryab, Helmand, Nimruz, Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan and Kapisa Province during the last 24 hours.

572 terrorists were killed & 309 others were wounded as a result of ANDSF operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Ghazni, Paktia, Paktika, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Herat, Farah, Jowzjan,Sar-e Pol, Faryab, Helmand, Nimruz, Takhar, Kunduz, Badakhshan & Kapisa Prov during the last 24 hours.  Fawad Aman (@FawadAman2) August 8, 2021

The Afghan Air forces conducted airstrikes with precise accuracy. The latest video released by the defence force official shows airstrikes being conducted with high accuracy on hideouts used by the Taliban.

Watch the visuals of airstrikes here:

#AAF conducted an #airstrike on Talibans hideouts in Dand district of Kandahar province last night. Dozens of #terrorists were killed and wounded as a result. pic.twitter.com/PzuHCL2kNh  Fawad Aman (@FawadAman2) August 8, 2021



Earlier on Sunday, Taliban faced heavy casualties when air forces targeted their gatherings and hideouts in the city of Shebergan, killing 200 members of the terrorist outfit, said Fawad.

More than 200 terrorist Taliban were killed in Shebergan city after Air Forces targeted their gathering and hideouts today evening. A large number of their weapons and ammunition and more than 100s of their vehicles were destroyed as a result of the airstrikes," he tweeted.

#Breaking: Talibans gathering was targeted by B-52 in #Shebergan city, Jawzjan province today evening at 6:30pm. The #terrorists have suffered heavy casualties as a result of US Air Forces #airstrike  Fawad Aman (@FawadAman2) August 7, 2021

The Taliban's gathering was targeted by a B-52 bomber in Shebergan city of Jawzjan province on Saturday at 6:30 pm. "Taliban's gathering was targeted by B-52 in Shebergan city, Jawzjan province today evening at 6:30 pm. The terrorists have suffered heavy casualties as a result of US Air Forces airstrike," the Afghan defence ministry official had said in a tweet.

Earlier, a Pakistani national terrorist was arrested by Afghan commando forces in the outskirts of Ghazni provincial centre. He was involved in terrorist activities and the killing of civilians.

#Details: More than 200 terrorist Taliban were killed in #Cheberghan city after Air Forces targeted their gathering and hideouts today evening. A large amount of their weapons and ammunition and more than 100s of their vehicles were destroyed as a result of the airstrikes.  Fawad Aman (@FawadAman2) August 7, 2021

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Islamist insurgent group Taliban has captured Sheberghan city in the northern province of Jawzjan, making it the second provincial capital to fall in less than 24 hours. Previously, the fundamentalist group took control of Zaranj city in Nimroz province along with four other districts.

Taliban Capture First Afghanistan Provincial Capital Since US Withdrawal

The Taliban on August 6 captured the city of Zaranj in Afghanistans Nimruz province, making it the first provincial capital to fall to the militants since US forces began withdrawing from the country. According to NBC News, Rohgul Khairzad, Nimruzs deputy governor, confirmed that the Taliban were in control of Zaranj. She also informed that the insurgent group also has control of four districts including Chankhansur, Kang, Kashrood and Delaram.

As per reports, Khairzad encouraged the residents of Nimruz to try to stay indoors until the authorities figure out what the Taliban are planning to do. The deputy governor said she is in a safe place. She also added that she hopes that the Taliban would not think of taking revenge on those affiliated with the government.

In a separate statement to the media outlet, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the Taliban fighters had captured Nimruz, which borders Iran and Pakistan. Now, the Taliban have intensified its campaign to defeat the US-backed government as foreign forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war. The insurgent group has taken dozens of districts and border crossings in recent months and put pressure on several provincial capitals, including Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south, as foreign troops withdraw.



(Image: Twitter)

(With Inputs from ANI)
Airstrikes damaged a health clinic and a high school in the capital of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, a provincial council member said Sunday.

A Defense Ministry statement confirmed that airstrikes were carried out in parts of the city of Lashkar Gah.

It said forces targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others. It made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed.

Majid Akhund, a member of Helmand provincial council, said airstrikes hit a health clinic and a school in the city late Saturday.

But he said the area was under Taliban control so any casualties could have been caused by Taliban forces there.

A Taliban surge has intensified as U.S. and NATO troops wrap up their withdrawal from the country.

As Taliban attacks increase, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with airstrikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

An official from the Helmand public health department said a nurse was killed when an airstrike hit a health clinic and a guard was wounded.

In a statement, the Taliban pinned the blame on American invaders and said Safyano Hospital and Muhammad Anwar Khan high school were bombed.

The clinic in Lashkar Gah was offering services mostly to nomads who were passing through the area, according to Akhund, but in recent days the area was under Taliban control and Taliban members may have been treated there.

Heavy fighting has taken place in and around Lashkar Gah and both U.S. and Afghan government air forces have conducted airstrikes in the city. The Taliban control nine of the citys 10 police districts.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Egypt has moved the King Khufu's first boat to the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities informed in a tweet on Saturday, August 7. King Khufu's first boat arrived safely at the Grand Egyptian Museum in the early morning hours of Saturday. The employees of the museum have successfully installed the boat at the display site of the museum.

During the early hours of Saturday morning, the Grand Egyptian Museum received the first ship of King Khufu, 48 hours after the start of the process of moving it from its display in the pyramid antiquities area to the Grand Egyptian Museum pic.twitter.com/VBjoijrETW  Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (@TourismandAntiq) August 7, 2021

King Khufu's boat moved to Grand Egyptian Museum

The Eyptian authorities have transported the pharaonic solar boat of ancient King Khufu to the Grand Egyptian Museum, close to the Giza Pyramids, according to AP. The Egyptian Ministry of Toursim and Antiquities in the press release released on Facebook mentioned, "the first Khufu compound transport project aims to preserve the largest, oldest, and most important organic impact, made of wood, in human history." The 4600-years-old King Khufu's first boat took 48 hours for the transportation after the process of moving it began. The ministry revealed that the boat is about 42-metres long and weighed upto 20 tons.

Special thanks to the huge efforts of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, the Supreme Council of Antiquities and all the state agencies, companies and teams who contributed to the successful move of the first Khufu boat pic.twitter.com/8SHXLQnhFf  Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (@TourismandAntiq) August 7, 2021

Major General Atef Moftah, General Supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum project in the statement mentioned that the boat was transported as a single piece inside a metal cage carried on a remote-controlled vehicle imported especially for the operation. Atef Mufatah explained that the transfer of the first Khufu compound is one of the most complex and unique archaeological projects. Mufatah noted that the boat's transportation was by all means fully protected. The Khufu boat compound was built at the site where it was discovered in 1954 at the southern corner of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the three Giza Pyramids. The boat will be displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum along with thousands of artifacts, including the famed mask of Tutankhamen, and other treasures currently housed in the building.

Inputs from AP

IMAGE: TourismandAntiq/Twitter
On Saturday, August 7, hundreds of firefighters battled fires that burned a record amount of forests in Greece, displacing hundreds of households. The fire service stated that more than 1,450 Greek firemen, backed by at least 15 aircraft, were combating the blazes, with reinforcements arriving from abroad. After being evacuated, a 62-year-old man from Agios Stefanos told Alpha TV that he witnessed his house burn on television after being evacuated and his child is still sobbing because of shock.

France and Britain offered help

France and Britain said they were rushing to help Greece. President of France Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had discussed the crisis with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mr Macron announced the deployment of 80 firefighters and rescue workers, as well as three Canadair firefighting planes, through Twitter.

Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary, tweeted on Saturday that the UK is sending a team of experienced firemen to assist Greek firefighters presently tackling the massive fires.

We are sending a team of experienced firefighters to support Greek firefighters currently battling the huge blazes.



When I visited my Greek counterparts earlier this week I saw the devastating effect the fires are having.



The UK stands with you.

  Priti Patel (@pritipatel) August 7, 2021

The fires in Greece are predicted to burn for a long time, with strong winds and temperatures as high as 38 degrees forecasted in certain areas on Saturday. And the flames so far this year have been significantly more damaging than in past years. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, 56,655 hectares have been burned in Greece in the last ten days. During the same time span, between 2008 and 2020, an average of 1,700 hectares was burned.

Greece and Turkey battled the deadly fire for more than a week

During the region's worst heatwave in decades, Greece and Turkey have been battling deadly fires for more than a week. Extreme weather events have been connected to climate change by officials and researchers. They have killed two people in Greece and eight in Turkey so far, with scores more being hospitalised in both countries over the course of ten days. However, heavy rains gave relief to Turkey.

According to Nikos Hardalias, the deputy minister of Civil Protection, 55 fires were burning across Greece on Saturday. They were set ablaze on Evia, Greece's second-largest island, located east of the city, in the Peloponnese region in the southwest, and in Fthiotida in Central Greece. After 1,300 people were rescued from the beaches by ferry boats the night before, another 23 people were evacuated from the north of the island on Saturday morning. Off the shore, navy warships were on high alert in case extra evacuations were required.

Tweet- @pritipatel
In a recent turn of events, Nepal's five-party coalition government on August 9 unveiled its 'common minimum policy and programme' (CMP), prioritising free COVID vaccinations for all citizens, and conclusion of the political peace process. CMP is set to provide relief to the pandemic-hit industries as well as marginalized people and tackling corruption among others.

A 14-page document was formulated by Nepali Congress leader and CMP coordinator Purna Khadka at an event which was attended by PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda, Janata Samajwadi Party Chairman Upendra Yadav, and Rashtriya Janamorcha Chief Chitra Bahadur KC.

The CMP further enumerates pursuing a balanced foreign policy, safeguarding national interests, reviewing all accords and agreements that go against national interest, and resolving outstanding border issues with neighbouring countries, including Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh.

India-Nepal ties

Ties between India and Nepal came under severe strain after Nepal last year published a new political map that showed three Indian territories- Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh as part of the Himalayan nation. After Nepal released the map, India had reacted sharply, calling it a 'unilateral act' and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement' of territorial claims will not be acceptable. The CMP added that border security would be strengthened with the addition of border posts along the international border to prevent smuggling.

Nepal's Common Minimum Programme

On the economic front, the CMP stated that economic packages would be introduced to boost the country's economy hit by the pandemic. Affected industries would be given incentives, with a particular focus on tourism. CMP further states that all citizens would be vaccinated against COVID by the end of the current Nepali year which ends in April next year of the Gregorian calendar.

PM Deuba, 75, was appointed as the State leader for a record fifth time on July 12 subsequent to the Supreme Court's intervention. The completion of the CMP paves the way for the expansion of the PM Deuba-led government's Cabinet which is likely to take place on August 10.

The dissident, Madhav Nepal is yet to decide whether they will extend support to PM Deuba and join the government. While Nepal's constitution allows only 25 Cabinet ministers, currently, besides the PM, there are four Ministers and one Minister of State in the Cabinet.
A suspect in the death of a Swiss woman on Thailands tourist island of Phuket was charged with murder and robbery, police said Sunday.

The suspect, Teerawat Thothip, a 27-year-old Thai man living in Phuket, confessed to the killing and dialled in to a police press conference to admit his guilt.

Investigators were able to trace the suspect using security camera footage, and during the interrogation he was found to have scratches and bruises on his body, a senior police officer said.

The body of the Swiss woman, Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, aged 57, was discovered Thursday at a secluded spot on the island.

Swiss media reported that she was a member of the countrys diplomatic service.

The suspect told reporters he went into a forest on Tuesday to try to find rare plants to sell, but was unsuccessful.

On his way back, he said he passed a waterfall and saw Sauvain-Weisskopf. He said he strangled her from behind, and that she resisted for a while before losing consciousness.

He then covered her with a black sheet, which was found nearby, took 300 baht ($9) from her backpack and threw her sneakers away. He said his motivation was because he had no money and no work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, and an autopsy report has yet to be released by the authorities, a police spokesperson said.

The incident has cast a pall over Thailands so-called Phuket Sandbox program to try and bring fully vaccinated foreign tourists to the popular destination, which has been struggling massively during the coronavirus pandemic.

IMAGE: AP

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About a thousand people gathered in the streets of Lima on Saturday to protest once again against the new government of Peru's president, Pedro Castillo.

Castillo took office in July and has faced repeated calls to resign.

Saturday's protest was organised via social media under the slogan "presidential vacancy" and "no to communism," and demanded the dismissal of the new president.

"They are a ridiculous bunch of animals, those in government, we want Peru to continue to exist, not to disappear," said Juan Renderos who was attending the protest.

Such is the resistance to the new administration that members of Congress from opposition parties have already threatened to call for Castillo's vacancy.

The vacancy is a form of impeachment stipulated in the Peruvian constitution in which Congress can declare that the president is morally unfit to govern, thus creating a power vacuum.

The former teacher won the country's election by a narrow margin over opponent Keiko Fujimori.

Castillo managed to capitalise on Peruvians' disillusionment with rival Keiko Fujimori, who is being investigated for alleged corruption.

But since he was sworn in, some fear his socialist policies will damage the country's economy and democracy.

There has also been contention over some of cabinet appointments.

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A jury has convicted a northern Indiana woman of the strangulation death of her 10-year-old stepdaughter.

The Grant County jury deliberated about three hours Friday afternoon before finding Amanda Carmack of Gas City guilty of murder, strangulation, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and domestic battery resulting in death to a person under 14.

The jury will reconvene Monday to consider whether Carmack should be sentenced to life in prison without parole, WANE-TV reported.

Police found Skylea Carmacks body in a shed in September 2019. She had last been seen that Aug. 31, and days later, Carmack admitted to strangling the girl to death in a shed behind the familys home. The body was found stashed in plastic trash bags in the shed.

Carmacks first trial ended with a mistrial last November after several people involved in the case tested positive for COVID-19.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
President Joe Biden attended a Saturday Mass at the St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church In Greenville, Delaware.

The president didn't reply when asked by a reporter about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Senate moved closer to passing the $1 trillion infrastructure package Saturday after lawmakers from both parties came together and voted to clear a key procedural hurdle, but the action soon stalled out as opponents tried to slow the rush to approve one of President Joe Bidens top priorities.

Senators are meeting for a second consecutive weekend to work on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is the first of Bidens two infrastructure packages.

Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the next item on Bidens agenda, the budget outline for a $3.5 trillion package of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.

Later Saturday Biden and first lady Jill Biden will meet with members of the 2020 US Olympic Team Saturday in a virtual reception.

The president should be taking vacation and a traditional August break from Washington, but with the Senate still in session he's remained in Delaware for the weekend.

The president will spend some of next week at the White House before he leaves again, either for Delaware or the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

IMAGE: AP

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The US on August 8 condemned the Talibans violent offensive against Afghan cities and called on the insurgent group to agree to a permanent ceasefire. According to ANI, the US Embassy in Afghan condemned the violence and said that the unlawful seizure of Zaranj, the capital of Afghanistans Nimroz province, the attack on Sheberghan, capital of Jowzjan province, and continuing efforts to take over Lashkar Gah in Helmand and provincial capitals elsewhere. It added that the Taliban's actions to forcibly impose its rule are unacceptable and contradict its claim to support a negotiated settlement in the Doha peace process.

They demonstrate a wanton disregard for the welfare and rights of civilians and will worsen this countrys humanitarian crisis, the US Embassy added.

We call for the Taliban to agree to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire and to engage fully in peace negotiations to end the suffering of the Afghan people and pave the way for an inclusive political settlement that benefits all Afghans and ensures that Afghanistan does not again serve as a safe haven for terrorists, it further said.

Further, the US Embassy has also asked US citizens to leave Afghan immediately using available commercial flight options. It said that given the security conditions and reduced staffing, the Embassys ability to assist US citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited even within Kabul.

Taliban captures 3rd provincial capital

The statement comes as the Taliban captured the third provincial capital Kunduz in the last three days. The Taliban has intensified its campaign to defeat the US-backed government as foreign forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war. The insurgent group has taken dozens of districts and border crossings in recent months and put pressure on several provincial capitals, including Herat in the west and Kandahar in the south, as foreign troops withdraw.

The Taliban fighters have even assassinated the government's top media and information officer in the capital city of Kabul. They even launched an attack on Afghanistan's acting defence minister General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, in which eight people were killed and 20 others suffered injuries. The defence minister however escaped unhurt in the attack claimed by the Taliban. Talibans offensives first began after US President Joe Biden announced a complete retraction of American and foreign troops from the war-torn land. The fundamentalist group, which ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist in the 1990s, soon started gaining ground, seizing major cities and key border points. The offensives triggered a retaliatory reaction from the Afghan military which, supported by the US, launched targeted strikes at the insurgents hideouts.

(With inputs from ANI)
No date yet for Erywan Yusofs first trip to Myanmar in his new role.

Brunei Second MinisterForeign Affairs Erywan Yusof is pictured ahead of a meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the United States in Bangkok, Aug. 1, 2019.

ASEANs newly appointed special envoy to Myanmar will insist on meeting with jailed politicians and members of the opposition, he told reporters Saturday in his first public remarks about the role.

A plan to visit Myanmar was in the pipeline, but Second Foreign Minister of Brunei Erywan Yusof did not give a time frame, citing a need to consult all countries and actors concerned.

This time around, it'll be a more substantive discussion on the five-point consensus, particularly cessation of violence, dialogue, and mediation, Erywan told reporters in Bandar Seri Begawan, the Bruneian capital.

The five-point consensus clearly states that it will involve all parties concerned. And that's something that we will uphold. Because that was what the leaders agreed, with Myanmar included, so there is no two ways about it, he said when asked if he would speak with toppled civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Erywan is one of two Bruneian officials who visited Naypyidaw in May to meet Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the architect of the Feb. 1 coup, and present him names of envoy candidates.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations hammered out its five-point plan on post-coup Myanmar at a special summit in Jakarta in April, calling for appointment of a special envoy; provision of humanitarian assistance; cessation of violence; dialogue among all parties; and for the envoy to mediate that dialogue.

Addressing criticism of the time it took to begin implementing the plan  he was named envoy just this week  Erywan said that in addition to operating by consensus, ASEAN had prioritized naming an envoy that Myanmars military leaders would accept.

We wanted to avoid the same situation that was faced by the U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy on Myanmar, he said, referring to Swiss diplomat Christine Schraner Burgener, who has not been allowed into Burma.

Whilst we can appoint anybody  what use would that be if Myanmar is not willing to, or not comfortable, and thus not willing to allow or to talk to them, he said.

Humanitarian assistance

While he did not give a date for his maiden trip to Myanmar as special envoy, he said that ASEAN was moving immediately on the provision of humanitarian assistance and medical equipment.

Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi has been in touch with international agencies and those inside Myanmar, and would be staging a donor conference not later than the second week of August, he said.

He also sought to tamp down expectations about what the envoy could accomplish.

A lot of the hype is that I'm going to solve the situation, Erywan said. [T]his is a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned initiative, outcome. All I can do is only facilitate and help, he said.

On Wednesday, Burmese political analyst Than Soe Naing cast doubt about who the ASEAN envoy could negotiate with, since officials from the elected civilian government were now in jail.

The military council has put everybody concerned into the prison and filed various charges, Than Soe Naing told RFA's Myanmar Service.

On Aug. 1, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing appointed himself prime minister of Myanmar and announced that elections would not take place until 2023.

Six months earlier, the military overthrew the democratically elected government, claiming voter fraud had led to a landslide victory for Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy in the countrys November 2020 election.

The junta has violently suppressed demonstrations calling for a return to civilian rule, killing some 950 people over six months. Thirty-two have died under suspicious circumstances while undergoing interrogation by security forces, according to previous RFA reports.

A Burmese human rights attorney greeted Wednesdays announcement of the envoy with optimism.

[H]e could bring something to the table, instead of the continuing stalemate, Min Lwin Oo said. I think the ASEAN envoy needs to execute the tasks, such as pushing for the release of detained leaders.

But an international relations expert in Jakarta said Erywan was chosen to mollify ASEAN members who are not invested in human rights.

He has not been chosen for his ability to navigate complex issues in Myanmar, but to come to terms with other ASEAN members that are half-hearted in their efforts, or even actively rejecting efforts to find a solution rooted in democracy and human rights, said Dinna Prapto Raharja, of Synergy Policies, a Jakarta-based think-tank.

Among ASEAN members, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are one-party states and Brunei is a sultanate. Thailand is governed by a former coup leader who awarded Min Aung Hlaing a royal decoration in 2018.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Citizens of Central Asia who have joined militant groups in Afghanistan have worried governments in the region for years.

RFE/RL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi, has reported that -- in some of the areas along Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan that were recently captured by the Taliban -- a militant group from Tajikistan, Jamaat Ansarullo, is now in charge.

There are also citizens of Uzbekistan, and even reportedly some from Turkmenistan, who are in the ranks of militant groups active in northern Afghanistan, some who are allied with the Taliban, some who are not.

On this week's Majlis podcast, RFE/RL media-relations manager Muhammad Tahir moderates a discussion on Central Asian citizens operating in northern Afghanistan, who they are, and from whom they take orders.

This week's guests are: from the United Kingdom, Antonio Giustozzi, a visiting professor at King's College in London who researches conflict and security; from Washington, Melanie Sadozai, a visiting scholar at George Washington University who was recently along the Tajik-Afghan border when the Taliban seized control in that area; from Prague, Salimjon Aioub, the director of Ozodi; and Bruce Pannier, the author of RFE/RL's Qishloq Ovozi blog.

Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes or on Google Podcasts.
A senior European Union official says Iran is ready to resume suspended nuclear talks as soon early September, Western news agencies are reporting.

AFP and the dpa news agencies reported on August 7 that representatives of the country have given assurances in recent days that the talks will be resumed in Vienna, according to the senior EU official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official said the EU's negotiator on the matter, Enrique Mora, attended the swearing-in of new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran last week, speaking there with the Iranian official designated to lead the talks, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The EU official said Amir-Abdollahian is slated to be the new foreign minister in Raisi's cabinet, but the move has not yet been announced.

The Iranians said they want to get back to the negotiating table "as soon as possible -- not just for talks but to achieve an agreement. They want a success," the EU official said.

The United States urged Iran on August 5 to return to talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal after the new hard-line Iranian president said he would seek a diplomatic way to end sanctions.

"We urge Iran to return to the negotiations soon," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a news briefing. "For us, this is an urgent priority."

Raisi called for a lifting of the sanctions during his inauguration speech earlier on August 5.

Raisi is expected to consolidate the power of ultraconservatives during his four-year term.



The EU official told the news agencies that it was not clear whether the nuclear talks would remain under the responsibility of the Iranian Foreign Ministry or be taken over by Iran's National Security Council or another body.

The nuclear deal was signed by Hassan Rohani, the relatively moderate Iranian leader who left after his allowed two terms.

It was signed by the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China and set an easing of sanctions against Tehran in return for curbs on Irans nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed crippling financial sanctions..

Trump at the time said Iran was not adhering to the spirit of the deal, accusing it of attempting to build nuclear weapons and of supporting extremist activity in the region. Iran denies the charges.

After Washington pulled out of the deal, Tehran responded by walking back measures it had agreed to under the accord.

"The EU would like Iran to freeze the nuclear activities," the EU official said, but admitted that Moscow and Beijing did not back its language on that position.

Negotiators have been meeting since April in Vienna to seek a way to bring both sides back into full compliance, with the last round taking place on June 20.



But complicating the matter, tensions have risen recently between Iran and the West, notably with an attack by drones last week on an Israeli-linked tanker off Oman that killed a Briton and a Romanian on board.

The Group of Seven (G7) leading industrialized nations -- the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan -- blamed the attack on Iran. Tehran denies the accusation.

With reporting by AFP and dpa
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has named the chairman of a powerful state-owned conglomerate sanctioned by the United States as his first vice president.



Mohammad Mokhber, who has headed the conglomerate known as Setad since 2007, was named as Raisis first vice president, the presidents website said in a statement on August 8.



Setad, or the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order, is named for Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic republic's founder.



The conglomerate and Mokhber were blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury in January. Washington said that Setad "has a stake in nearly every sector of the Iranian economy, including energy, telecommunications, and financial services."



Mokhber, who holds a doctorate in international law, was appointed to head Setad by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei after serving in a string of official positions in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.



Setad was originally founded in the late 1980s to manage confiscated properties following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.



It has since turned into a sprawling conglomerate, and its subsidiary Barekat Foundation produced Iran's first local COVID-19 vaccine project. The vaccine received emergency approval from health authorities in June.

Raisi, who was elected on June 18, is expected to consolidate the power of ultraconservatives during his four-year term.

He was sworn in last week and called for a lifting of sanctions during his inauguration speech.

Based on reporting by AFP
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On this week's Majlis podcast, host Muhammad Tahir moderates a discussion on Central Asian citizens operating in northern Afghanistan, who they are, and from whom they take orders.
MANSFIELD -- BibleWalk, one of the countrys leading Christian attractions and Ohios only life-size wax museum, celebrates its 34th anniversary this year with the addition of Joseph Bartas Museum of Woodcarving.

The museum grand opening takes place Sunday, Aug. 15 at 3 p.m. The world famous Museum of Woodcarving is the largest collection of woodcarvings in the world created by one man. It took Barta 30 years to research and carve his vision of Bible stories into 100 life-size figures.

Barta spent more than four years completing his life-size carving of The Last Supper, spending two years working on the face of Jesus.

We are very honored not only to continue to share Joseph Bartas amazing woodcarvings with the world, but also in preserving and sharing his legacy with future generations, says BibleWalk Director, Julie Mott-Hardin.

Museum of Woodcarving found its home in Spooner, Wisconsin for over 32 years. It was moved by the owners to Kissimmee, Florida in 1984 but returned to Wisconsin in 1989 finding its home in Shell Lake, Wisconsin. The Museum of Woodcarving remained in Wisconsin until August of 2020 when it made its final move to Mansfield, relocating at BibleWalk.

Maria Mckay, Joseph Bartas niece and former owner of the museum, takes pride in the quality of the exhibit.

The impact on viewers is such that voices are hushed as they look. At one time an elderly woman said to him, These carvings dont belong to you. They belong to God. No man could make them. No one knew better than Joe that he had received help. Whenever he was in doubt about how to portray a figure, he prayed.

Museum of Woodcarving becomes BibleWalks seventh tour joining: The Life of Christ, Miracles of the Old Testament, The Heart of the Reformation, Museum of Christian Martyrs, Amazing Grace-The Journeys of Paul, and their most recent tour that opened in July 2020 - The Kingdom of God.

BibleWalk is also home to many one-of-a-kind exhibits: American Votive Folk Art, Word Picture Art, John Burns woodcarvings, rare Bibles, and the Walk of The Parables. BibleWalk is also home to their own Dinner Theater.

Admission for the new self-guided tour for Museum of Woodcarving is $5 for adults, $4.75 for seniors, and $4 for students.

For further information and/or pictures Julie can be contacted at BibleWalk, 500 Tingley Ave., Mansfield, Ohio, phone 419-524-0139 or 1-800-222-0139, or email julie@biblewalk.us. Visit their website at biblewalk.us.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

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Egypt has pyramids, while England has Stonehenge megaliths that have been around for thousands of years, according to the Bradshaw Foundation. It is a megalithic monument, which means it is composed of large stone slabs that had become the most conspicuous landmark in Europe. Scientists said that it became a ritual site in southern Britain by 2,000 B.C.

Its structure is amazingly durable, resisting the weather for thousands of years without breaking apart so much. Due to that, Stonehenge sparked the interest of many scientists and has been the subject of scientific studies. The latest study involves looking at its geological structure to uncover what makes its megaliths extremely durable.

They published their study, titled "Petrological and Geochemical Characterisation of the Sarsen Stones at Stonehenge," in the journal PLoS ONE.

What Makes Stonehenge Megaliths So Durable?

Hurriyet Daily News reported that the very first comprehensive scientific analysis of Stonehenge megaliths revealed what makes them an exemplary building material that enabled them to resist weathering.

Researchers studied the composition of the core of Stonehenge's 52 megaliths known as sarsens. The core sample was extracted from one of the sarsens way back in the 1950s that was kept in the United States. It was only returned to Britain in 2018 for further research.

According to Reuters, the core sample was about one inch in diameter and roughly one yard long. It has been exposed to different elements throughout many millennia, which explains its cream color. The team used CT scans, X-rays, microscopic evaluation, and other geochemical analysis methods to study the fragments of the core sample.

The current study found that the sarsens are composed of silcrete that gradually formed from the ground due to the washing of groundwater through buried sediment. An examination of Stone 58's internal structure showed that the silcrete is mainly comprised of sand-sized quartz that is tightly packed in an interlocking mosaic of quartz crystals, which is extremely durable and not easily destroyed even by eons of weathering.

Lead researcher geomorphologist David Nash from the University of Brighton said that the findings of the geological analysis of Stonehenge megaliths explain the structure's durable characteristics and why it is an ideal material for building monuments.

ALSO READ: Stonehenge: Solving the Mysteries of Why it was Built?

Origins of Stonehenge Megaliths

According to a previous report from Reuters, Stonehenge megaliths were found to have a similar origin some 15 miles away from the original site. The site is in a region named West Woods on the edge of the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire, according to geochemical studies.

The sarsens, which make up the famous outer circle and center trilithon horseshoe at Stonehenge, were built about 2,500 B.C. Scientists are still mystified as to how these massive rocks got to where they are now. Many people believe that the megaliths were dragged or moved on rollers, but no one knows for sure how ancient humans built the building.

Nash also led the study in finding the origins of megaliths in Stonehenge last year. He said that scientists are fascinated with the Stonehenge because no one exactly knows the real purpose it was built thousands of years ago. Many have formed their hypothesis, but no one could tell the real reason.



RELATED ARTICLE: Archaeologists Finally Discover the Origins of Stonehenge



Check out more news and information on Stonehenge in Science Times.
Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures began to clear Sunday from the scenic forestlands of Northern California as firefighters battling the largest single wildfire in state history braced for a return of fire-friendly weather.

The winds werent expected to reach the ferocious speeds that helped the Dixie Fire explode in size last week. But they were nonetheless concerning for firefighters working in unprecedented conditions to protect thousands of threatened homes.

The live trees that are out there now have a lower fuel moisture than you would find when you go to a hardware store or a lumber yard and get that piece of lumber thats kiln dried, Mark Brunton, operations section chief for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said in an online briefing Sunday morning. Its that dry, so it doesnt take much for any sort of embers, sparks or small flaming front to get that going.

Fueled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, the fire incinerated much of Greenville on Wednesday and Thursday, destroying 370 homes and structures and threatening nearly 14,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada.

The Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started nearly four weeks ago, grew overnight to an area of 725 square miles (1,875 square kilometers) Sunday morning and was just 21% contained, according to CalFire. It had scorched an area more than twice the size of New York City.

With smoke clearing out on eastern portions of the fire, crews that had been directly attacking the front lines would be forced to retreat and build containment lines farther back, said Dan McKeague, a fire information officer from the U.S. Forest Service. On the plus side, better visibility should allow planes and helicopters to return to the firefight and make it safer for ground crews to maneuver.

As soon as that air clears, we can fly again, McKeague said.

Crews have constructed 465 miles (748 km) of line around the massive blaze, Deputy Incident Commander Chris Waters said. Thats about the distance from the central California city of Chico to Los Angeles. But officials are only confident that about 20% of the line is secure, he said.

Every bit of that line needs to be constructed, staffed, mopped up and actually put to bed before we can call this fire fully contained, Waters said during Saturday evenings incident briefing.

Erratic winds were predicted again Sunday afternoon. But the weather was expected to settle a bit starting Monday.

Damage reports are preliminary because assessment teams cant get into many areas, officials said.

The blaze became the largest single fire in California's recorded history, surpassing last year's Creek Fire in the Central Valley. It's about half the size of the August Complex, a series of lightning-caused 2020 fires across seven counties that were fought together and that state officials consider California's largest wildfire overall.

The fires cause was under investigation. The Pacific Gas & Electric utility has said it may have been sparked when a tree fell on one of its power lines. A federal judge ordered PG&E on Friday to give details by Aug. 16 about the equipment and vegetation where the fire started.

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity slowed the spread of the fire, and temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) instead of the triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week.

But the blaze and its neighboring fires, within several hundred miles of each other, posed an ongoing threat.

Gov. Gavin Newsom surveyed the damage in Greenville Saturday, writing on Twitter that our hearts ache for this town.

These are climate-induced wildfires and we have to acknowledge that we have the capacity in not just the state but in this country to solve this," Newsom said on CNN.

Heat waves and historic drought tied to climate change have made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Scientists have said climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make the weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.

Northwest of the Dixie Fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, hundreds of homes remained threatened by the McFarland and Monument fires, which continued growing. About a fifth of the McFarland Fire was contained and none of the Monument Fire.

South of the Dixie Fire, firefighters prevented further growth of the River Fire, which broke out Wednesday near Colfax and destroyed 68 homes.

Smoke from wildfires burning in the U.S. West continues to flow into parts of Colorado and Utah, where the air quality in many areas was rated as unhealthy. Denver's air quality Sunday was relatively better than Saturday, but the smoke has made the air there and in Salt Lake City among the worst in the world.

California's fire season is on track to surpass last year's season, which was the worst fire season in recent recorded state history.

Since the start of the year, more than 6,000 blazes have destroyed more than 1,260 square miles (3,260 square kilometers) of land  more than triple the losses for the same period in 2020, according to state fire figures.

Californias raging wildfires were among 107 large fires burning across 14 states, mostly in the West, where historic drought conditions have left lands parched and ripe for ignition.

___

Associated Press writer Daisy Nguyen contributed.
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Last week, the head of the U.S. Forest Service ordered federal firefighters to put out every wildfire across the nation as quickly as possible.

The seemingly commonsense move was praised by many residents of Californias rural areas, where drought has created a dangerously dry landscape and fires are exploding. Several lawmakers, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom, had been publicly pressing the Forest Service for a stronger commitment to safety.

Some fire experts, however, arent so sure about the new mandate. They say the order appears to be more about crowd-pleasing politics than fire protection. Under the directive, the Forest Service is no longer allowing small fires to burn, nor lighting prescribed fires of its own, which both clear out thick, overgrown forests and reduce the intensity of future fires. They say this is the real danger.

A blanket policy like this is a relatively poor idea, said Matthew Hurteau, professor of biology at the University of New Mexico, who specializes in fire ecology and has written about the value of controlled burning in Western forests. If we treat less of the forest with less fire, were going to have higher fuel loads and increased risk of seeing the kind of fires were seeing right now in California.

Hurteau and others acknowledge that controlled burns carry a risk of getting out of hand and, in a tinder-dry year like this one, swift fire suppression may well be the best tactic. But they worry that eliminating the option of burning altogether marks a dangerous slide into old Forest Service ways. For decades, federal firefighters pounced on every blaze they could, creating a buildup of vegetation that has helped make wildfires the menace they are today.

While the Forest Service says it will lift the burning moratorium once its safe to do so, some worry that with climate change, things wont get any safer. The landscape will only get hotter and drier, and wildlands will continue to accumulate combustible trees and brush.

When are we going to get out of these conditions? said Craig Thomas, founder of the Fire Restoration Group, an organization that advocates for better forest management. Maybe two weeks in December? Two weeks in January? Think about where were headed.

In an interview with The Chronicle, U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore recognized the benefits of controlled burning. But he said given the dozens of wildfires raging across the West this summer, with homes and communities going up in smoke, the agencys limited resources need to focus solely on fire suppression.

When you have drought conditions like we have, you dont have time to have (other) conversation(s), he said.

Proactive burning of forests and grasslands is increasingly recognized as one of the most effective ways to stem the tide of catastrophic fire.

As a natural component of many ecosystems, fire not only helps wipe out excessive vegetation, it promotes the growth of healthier, more resilient landscapes. Both letting existing wildfires burn and intentionally lighting new fires, when its safe to do so, offer benefits across vast areas. The tactics are generally more comprehensive and less costly than other management strategies, such as thinning forests with chain saws.

The Forest Service, after nearly a century of rushing to put out every fire, has committed in recent decades to doing more controlled burning. In California, the agency burned an average of 52,000 acres annually over the past three years, records show, nearly doubling what it averaged the first half of the previous decade.

Still, fire experts say there needs to be a lot more burning done to make the states wildlands more impervious to the big, destructive fires seen in recent years. Some suggest controlled burns should cover at least 1 million acres of California annually. Thats close to what wildfires in the state have burned each year, on average, over the past decade.

Last summer, the Forest Service and the state set a joint goal of igniting prescribed fires, or using other forest treatments like timber harvesting and tree thinning, across 1 million acres each year. They dont expect to achieve the goal for several years, though.

Cal Fire, the states firefighting agency, generally does less burning because its jurisdiction is mostly private lands, where it has limited power. The Forest Service, by contrast, owns huge parcels where it can dictate whats done. Nearly 60% of Californias forests are under federal jurisdiction.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who oversees the Forest Service, told The Chronicle last week that after this fire season, he hopes to boost forest management work in California and the rest of the country. New funding for burning and other forest treatments, he expects, will come from the federal infrastructure bill and other legislation supported by the Biden administration.

They contain significant, I mean significant increases in resources that will allow us to not just do a year or two of good work but potentially a decade of good work, he said.

The Forest Services moratorium on controlled burning, announced Aug. 2, followed criticism of the agency for responding too slowly to fire this year.

A handful of Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Tom McClintock of Elk Grove (Sacramento County), questioned why firefighters hadnt moved more quickly to put out the Tamarack Fire, which ignited July 4 on federal land south of Lake Tahoe. The Forest Service didnt send crews to the blaze until six days after it started. During that time, strong winds carried the fire across more than 20,000 acres, threatening the Alpine County community of Markleeville.

What legal authority authorized the U.S. Forest Service to allow this wildfire to burn? McClintock wrote in a letter to the agency.

Forest Service officials said their response to the fire was delayed because several fires had erupted in the area and they had no choice but to prioritize some over others. The Tamarack Fire had begun as a single tree struck by lightning in a spot where there wasnt much vegetation. It was believed to be less of a threat than nearby conflagrations. Officials said their response had nothing to do with wanting to let the blaze burn.

Scott Stoddard/Associated Press

It didnt help the agencys case that a month earlier, residents of Siskiyou County also charged the Forest Service with being too lax about putting out fire, in this case the Lava Fire on the flanks of Mount Shasta. Federal officials admitted they made an error in thinking this fire had been extinguished when it hadnt been. The fire went on to char more than 25,000 acres, including homes in the city of Weed.

Still, many accused the Forest Service of treating both the Lava Fire and Tamarack Fire as controlled burns and suggested that such a let it burn policy was inappropriate. Gov. Newsom was among the critics.

Theres a culture that too often is wait and see, he told President Biden during a teleconference on wildfires last month. We cant afford that any longer.

Despite the Forest Services insistence that crews have been responding to fires as fast as they can  not letting them burn as Newsom and others have suggested  chief Moore issued a directive halting all controlled burning.

Moore told The Chronicle he did it to clarify the misconception.

I thought it was just better to be clear about what we were doing, he said. Its peoples perception that we are watching fires for natural resource benefit. Were not.

Moore became head of the Forest Service just last month. Hes already staring down a fire season that hes called a national crisis. But having been plucked by the Biden administration from a post in California as regional forester for the Pacific Southwest Region, hes familiar with the issues surrounding wildfire.

As much as politicians and forest managers may want to keep fire off the landscape and still clear dangerous amounts of vegetation for the future, fire experts underscore that you cant do both.

I wish there was an easy way we could get out of this dilemma weve gotten into, said Scott Stephens, professor of fire science at UC Berkeley.

Like other experts, Stephens says achieving the right balance between safety today and safety tomorrow comes only by continuing to burn proactively, when appropriate. Even before the ban, he noted that the Forest Service was very cautious about proceeding with controlled fire, making sure the burns were safe and didnt take resources away from fighting fires.

Its not just willy-nilly, Stephens said. You have to have a plan in place. You have to have a checklist. You have to go to your forest supervisor.

While in California controlled burns would probably not pass muster with the current drought conditions, experts say parts of the Southwest may be ripe for controlled fire. Monsoon rains have been drenching the landscape there.

Hurteau, at the University of New Mexico, worries that going too long without the ability to burn will only make conditions on the ground more dangerous.

The political pressure that can come from that lack of understanding about fire has the potential to force us back to this full-suppression approach, he said. We know thats a loser idea. Were experiencing the effects of that, magnified by climate change, right now.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
The San Mateo Medical Center and San Mateo County have agreed to pay $11.4 million after federal officials alleged the hospital submitted false Medicare claims for patients not covered by the federal health care program, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced on Friday.

The settlement resolves allegations initially leveled in 2016 by whistle-blower Felix Levy, the former director of resource management at the hospital.

In a statement announcing the settlement, the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of California said the county medical center admitted certain patients for whom inpatient care was not medically reasonable or necessary. Federal attorneys say this resulted in the hospital making false claims for inpatient services not covered by Medicare.

The practice, which included patients admitted to the hospital because they needed shelter or for lack of alternative placements, spanned more than four years between 2013 and 2017, federal attorneys say.

With each improper hospitalization, the medical center billed Medicare for these patients, despite local officials knowledge that the costs were not reimbursable by insurance programs.

The financial viability of our Medicare program must be protected for current and future generations, Stephanie M. Hinds, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, said in a statement. Medical providers, such as SMMC, who seek to pass on the financial burden of their medically unnecessary hospital admissions to the federal government will be pursued, as todays settlement reflects.

Look, San Mateos a very wealthy county, Levys attorney, Ronald D. Foreman, said Saturday. Theyre welcome to take everyone off the street and give them shelter. But theyre just not allowed to charge Medicare for that.

In a statement, San Mateo County Medical Center CEO Chester J. Kunnappilly said the hospital sometimes needed to admit patients who could not safely be discharged, such as elderly patients or those with disabilities.

The CEO acknowledged that the hospital occasionally admitted patients even when it was not medically necessary. However, he added, there were instances when our systems failed to ensure that these types of stays were appropriately billed consistently.

In the statement from San Mateo Medical, Kunnappilly said the hospital began investigating the allegations after they were brought to the medical centers attention in 2016, and fully cooperated when a federal investigation was launched soon after.

Levy gave a different account in a lawsuit he filed in San Francisco federal court in 2016. The complaint, filed under the federal False Claims Act, alleged that Levys multiple attempts to bring attention to the billing issues were ignored or met with retaliation from his supervisors.

In one extreme instance, Levy said in February 2018, someone employed at the hospital told police Levy was a danger to himself and others and might have a gun. The report resulted in a welfare check that consisted of five San Francisco police officers showing up at Levys home. Then, in May of that year, Levys wife, who also worked for the defendants, was fired without explanation, Levys suit states.

Levy resigned in August 2018, Foreman said, because he was getting so much heat.

Foreman said hes still negotiating with the federal government regarding how much his client should be compensated for bringing this case to its attention.

At some point you have to stand up for yourself, Foreman said. He thought he was actually doing the right thing by coming forward to his supervisors.

The settlement additionally included an agreement that the medical center enter into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. This mandate requires the county hospital system to tap an independent auditor to perform annual reviews of inpatient admissions that it bills to federal health-care programs.

The claims resolved by the civil settlement do not include an admission or finding of liability.

Megan Cassidy and Raheem Hosseini are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, raheem.hosseini@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy, @raheemfh
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  A fundraising group in Maine is taking applications for grants for projects that address needs in the state's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.

The Maine Community Foundation's Equity Fund said it's taking the applications from nonprofit groups. It said grants of up to $7,500 are available and it will prioritize projects that serve people in rural and underserved communities.
It was gun violence that finally drove California to secede from the United States.

A series of mass shootings culminated in a savage, Columbine-style attack on a Sacramento-area school that killed 35 kids and two cops. The shooters used semi-automatic rifles and pistols with large-capacity magazines  weaponry that had been illegal in California until the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the states gun control laws. Californians raged that the justices  and the federal government  had effectively murdered their children.

That anger soon spiraled into a cold civil war, with Californias elected leaders openly defying federal officials and laws by outlawing most guns, and imposing a mandatory buyback. An authoritarian Republican president retaliated with an economic blockade of the state. After right-wing militias invaded the state and used Facebook Live to broadcast their massacre of California Highway Patrol officers enforcing state gun laws, Californias governor declared her intention to depart the Union, subject to the result of a referendum by voters.

This path to establishing the Golden State as an independent nation is fiction, at least for now. But this account  invented by the Christian conservative writer David French in his 2020 book Divided We Fall: Americas Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation  might be the most realistic and detailed scenario for a Calexit that Ive encountered.

The scenario packs a special power because French is a careful and rigorous thinker who desperately wants the United States to remain united. A lawyer, military veteran, and champion of socially conservative causes, he is also loyal to the American tradition of pluralism: he broke early and decisively from friends and allies to oppose President Trump and harsh partisanship. His book is a thoughtful and fair-minded examination of how Americans, across not just the political spectrum but also the nations geography, have segregated themselves into communities of the like-minded  and started to hate those with whom they disagree.

More Opinion Content Opinion Why I'm quitting SFUSD

French argues that this negative polarization is so extreme that the country may well split apart. To demonstrate how real the threat is, he offers two all-too-possible scenarios  a Texas-inspired departure of the South rooted in abortion politics, and a guns-rights clash that takes first California, and then Oregon and Washington, out of the U.S.

At the heart of both scenarios, French writes, is the fear that your political opponents dont just hate you. They want to rule you. They want to dominate you.

The Calexit scenario is based on California progressives very real fears of minority, illegitimate rule because of problems with the Senate, Electoral College and Supreme Court.

In Frenchs Calexit scenario, Republicans eliminate the Senate filibuster to give their president extraordinary powers to subdue California. The Supreme Court  which layers opinions with celebrations of self-defense that Californians see as inspiring gun violence  is stacked with conservatives because Republican Senates had blocked previous appointments by Democratic presidents. Californians see the president  who seeks to arrest the governor and other top state officials for their defiance  as illegitimate because he lost the popular vote in an election marked by voter suppression.

When Californias governor declares her independence referendum, she says: The time has come to form a new nation  one born not out of violence but through peace, a nation that is built from the ground up to respect the environment, trust its citizens with decency, and shun the war-making impulses that have cost the lives of countless millions. She pledges a non-violent departure and publicly asks the president to respect the results of the vote.

The Republican commander-in-chief doesnt merely respect the vote. Recognizing that Californias departure will ensure an America dominated by conservatives, he seeks to encourage Californians to leave the Union. He announces a new conservative agenda that is anathema to California. And he makes it plain that if Californians vote to remain in the Union, the state will be put, at least temporarily, under military rule.

Given a choice between freedom or occupation, Californians vote by more than two-thirds to leave the Union. Soon Oregon and Washington join them. The new American Pacific Republic is demilitarized; the U.S. provides defense and military protection in return for an open market agreement on trade and technology.

French thinks Americans can prevent such a split of their country by embracing tolerance and pluralism. He defends the rights of communities and associations to govern themselves according to their values and their beliefs  as long as they dont violate the fundamental rights of their dissenting members.

Despite his conservative views, he argues, in the name of national unity, for letting progressives in states like California have much more power to go their own way. As an example, he suggests the federal government allow the Golden State to enact its own single-payer health system as an experiment.

If Americans dont agree to disagree, and live by pluralism, the results will be bad not just for the country, but for the world, French argues. With the U.S. distracted by its own breakup, French suggests in his scenarios, China could easily seize Taiwan, Russia could reclaim much of Eastern Europe, and presumably other secessionist movements around the globe would be emboldened, creating new conflicts.

Thats a sobering analysis. But by this Californians lights, the final results of Frenchs Calexit scenario dont sound so bad. With New England states also forming their own democratic alliance, the three American nations, along with Canada and Mexico, form one common North American economic union. Tens of millions of Americans relocate to nations that are more aligned with their culture and ideological preferences.

And while America is less of a force in the world, Californians, and the people in Americas three very different nations, seem happier.

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Six people who were killed in a sightseeing plane crash were recovered and identified after crews initially struggled to reach the wreckage in southeast Alaska due to poor weather conditions.

Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot and five passengers late Saturday following the crash Thursday. The aircraft went down as the pilot was returning the passengers to Ketchikan from Misty Fjords National Monument.

The passengers who died were Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both of Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, both of Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois. The pilot was Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington.

Dustin Safranek/AP

All five passengers were on an excursion off the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam. Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and cruise ship passengers can take various sightseeing excursions while in port.

Popular among them are small plane flights to Misty Fjords National Monument, where visitors can see glacier valleys, snow-capped peaks and lakes in the wilderness area.

The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. Thursday when it crashed near the monument, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2:40 p.m. A Coast Guard helicopter lowered two rescue swimmers to the site, and they reported no survivors, the agency said.

However, poor weather and deteriorating visibility hampered early efforts to recover the bodies. Alaska State Troopers and members of the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad made it to the crash site Saturday afternoon via a chartered Temsco helicopter.

The bodies of the six people who died will be taken to the State Medical Examiners Office in Anchorage, the troopers said.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration was also investigating.
- Cal Fire: See incident reports from Cal Fire's website.

- Maps: View maps from the U.S. Forest Service.

- Road closures: Get updates from Caltrans District 2's Twitter feed.

- Evacuations: Find the latest information from Cal Fire.

- Dixie Fire information line: (530) 538-7826.

The 91-year-old Mount Harkness fire lookout, a bulwark of Lassen National Park, has been destroyed by the Dixie Fire.

Park Superintendent Jim Richardson shared the news during a Saturday night update from Cal Fire and park officials.

"I'm here to announce tonight that the historic Harkness fire lookout did burn down," Richardson said.

"There are other resources at risk, particularly facilities, many of them are historic, so we will report that out to the public as soon as we can confirm any losses," he added.

Lassen has been closed since Thursday, when the 447,723-acre Dixie Fire, now the second-largest in California history, crossed into the park. "Our fuels are insanely receptive," said park spokesperson Kevin Sweeney. "Our fire behavior is further on the spectrum than the word extreme."

The Mount Harkness fire lookout was built in 1930 and its distinctive wood and stone facade has looked serenely out onto the landscape ever since. From its position 8,046 feet above sea level on a cinder-cone volcano, the lookout afforded views from Three Sisters in Oregon to the Sierra Nevada in the south. For nearly a century, hikers have enjoyed the summit hike from Juniper Lake.

Henry C. Lind Historic Photographic Postcard Collection/Lassen Volcanic National Park

A 1931 park report to the director of the NPS called the structure "among the finest and best equipped in northern California."

Each summer  until a few days ago  fire staff lived in the Mount Harkness lookout's single-room cabin, surrounded on all four sides by wooden catwalks. The park had just begun a restoration project on the aging structure, replacing old boards on the catwalk, reinforcing masonry and touching up windows and doors.

Lassen Volcanic National Park was evacuated of tourists Thursday, with park rangers going on foot to make contact with visitors and get everyone out safely. A park spokesperson did not have information yet on the fate of several residential cabins at Juniper Lake, which were grandfathered in when the park was created.

The Dixie Fire is 21% contained as of Sunday morning.

"Wildland firefighters took advantage of more moderate fire behavior [Saturday] and capitalized on opportunities to safely engage directly along the fires edge," Cal Fire said in its Sunday update. "Crews dug handline and utilized engines and bulldozers on the north flank to keep the fire from reaching Dyer Mountain. The fire is slowing its advance northeast from Mountain Meadows around Moonlight Peak to Moonlight Valley."

Noah Berger/AP

For the most up-to-date information on the Dixie Fire, visit the InciWeb page here.

SFGATE California Parks editor Ashley Harrell contributed to this report.
Five years after the slaying of a college student playing Pokemon Go near San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square, family and friends still have no answers in the shocking killing.

Calvin Riley, 20, was playing the augmented reality game at the height of its popularity with a friend on Aug. 6, 2016. As they explored the Aquatic Park area shortly before 10 p.m., a man watching nearby approached Riley and shot him in the torso. Paramedics attempted to revive him, but Riley was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were apparently no words exchanged between the killer and Riley, and his phone and wallet were left untouched.

A little over a year after the killing, a $110,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. "We will not allow it to become a cold case," U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier announced at the time.

But that is just what has happened.

There were only a few leads. A suspect sketch was released but led to nothing. Authorities also said they were looking for a 2006-09 dark-colored Audi A3 wagon and a 2013 white four-door Hyundai Sonata, both spotted near the scene at the time of the shooting. That lead also went nowhere.

"It's been five years of just a nightmare," Sean Riley told reporters at a small memorial gathering at St. Gregory's Church in San Mateo Friday.

San Joaquin Delta College / San Joaquin Delta College

Riley said he felt the U.S. Park Police, who are handling the case, were too inexperienced to helm a homicide investigation and should have handed the reins to the San Francisco Police Department. A suspect has never been named, but Riley believes someone went after his son intentionally.

"I have my own theory of what went down, and I think my son was targeted," he said. "I don't think he was randomly killed."

Riley attended Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo after the family moved from Massachusetts. At the time of his death, he was a pitcher for San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton.

He is survived by his parents, Sean and Kariann, and two younger siblings.

Anyone with information is asked to call the U.S. Park Police tipline at (415) 561-5150.
Andrew Decena has worked at the San Francisco International Airport for almost 20 years and has seen some things during his time here.

Why you need packing cubes on your next trip

He's a bartender at the SFO outpost for the popular Oakland bar Drake's Dealership and estimates that it goes through about eight kegs a week now  about the number of kegs they went through pre-pandemic.

And he's aware that unruly passengers are increasingly a phenomenon that many airports, flight attendants and pilots are forced to contend with as air travel returns to some semblance of the before-times.

But Decena says no major unruly behavior has happened during his experiences working at SFO during the pandemic.

"I've heard elsewhere ... like, on the news, or Ive heard from other airports, on flights in particular," he said. "You know, here at least they're civilized. I've seen some interesting people coming, but nothing too crazy, nothing violent."

The unruly passenger phenomenon is a multi-pronged, complex issue  one that has gained national attention as videos of disruptive and sometimes violent passengers regularly go viral.

The Federal Aviation Administration reports 3,715 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2021.

According to one survey by the Association of Flight Attendants, the key factors are mask-wearing, alcohol consumption and flight issues. (Nearly 85% of flight attendants surveyed said they experienced a bad passenger on their flights.)

And while unruly passengers are a constant part of air travel, its never been this dire. ABC News reports that the number of "potential violations of federal law" with unruly passengers is at a record high.

DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images

Much has been focused on mask-wearing. Per the FAA, nearly three-quarters of the thousands of incidents reported this year are linked to disputes over wearing masks.

But SFO seems to have seen less trouble than other airports, at least based on anecdotes offered by some SFO workers.

A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told SFGATE that they do not keep track of "unruly passenger" behavior by each airport, but it does have a public set of data available to (loosely) extrapolate data from.

Of the 43 cases made public by the agency in 2021 because of fines and other civil penalties levied against passengers, at least 11 were related to alcohol. None took place in SFO.

Airports that host a comparable number of people to SFO have also recorded incidents that led to FAA fines and bans. Miami had 2 reports, and Boston had 3  and both flew fewer domestic passengers than SFO in 2020.

Part of that has to do with masking. The Bay Area is among the most vaccinated in the nation, and as Mark Baldassare, the president of the Public Policy Institute of California, told the San Francisco Chronicle, those who are vaccinated are most willing to mask up, even if begrudgingly. (SFGATE and the Chronicle are both owned by Hearst, but operate independently of one another.)

Andrew R. Thomas, a professor of marketing at the University of Akron and an expert on airport rage, says that attention on unruly passengers has never been this high in the decades he's spent tracking this behavior.

He said he fears that focusing solely on masking, though, sensationalizes the issue  and said he wants focus to be expanded to other issues as well.

"There's a lot of other parts of the country that almost never wore masks throughout all of this," Thomas told SFGATE. "But I think that a lot of people want to write and say that that's the driving force here, that it's the people who want to fight over masks that are the ones that are driving the unruly passenger problem."

"I think, though, it minimizes the other contributing factors," he added.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Hes studied unruly passengers for decades now, and hes found that alcohol consumption remains a constant, even as at least two large airlines  American and Southwest  prohibit sales of booze on flights because of bad passengers.

Prior to the Sept. 11 attacks, Thomas estimates that about 40% to 50% of "unruly passengers" were intoxicated.

The pandemic, coupled with the stress of passing through 21st century airport security, has made fliers more tense on flights.

The stress of traveling during the pandemic  worries about proximity to other people, flight cancellations and delays aplenty  Thomas says, creates a "dangerous cocktail" when alcohol is thrown in.

People turn to alcohol when theyre stressed, and as he points out, drinking is one of the few socially acceptable vices to indulge in at an airport  so travelers end up turning to the sauce, sometimes with consequences.

The only thing you really can do in airports  there's not a lot of restaurants that have opened  is the bars seem to be open, you got a lot of people that are drinking. Alcohol has always been associated with air travel.

(After all, its illegal to be intoxicated on a flight  but rarely have passengers been prosecuted for bad behavior.)

But back to SFO: Why havent bartenders seen much of an issue, even as drinking has returned to mostly normal levels? And could other airports take something away from them?

---

At Harvey Milk Terminal 1, as in most airport terminals nationwide, the most packed sitdown establishments are the bars. Even on a Monday afternoon, the Drake's Flyaway and the Bourbon Pub are filled with customers  the bars at both mostly seated with travelers.

Andrew D./Yelp

And many of the walk-up, non-bar establishments sell booze, including Goldilocks and Bun Mee  none of which sell booze at their non-airport locations.

It's just good business, said Iva Chen at Lady Luck Gourmet, which owns and operates the Goldilocks at SFO.

"Well, this is the airport, right? Everybody drinks at the airport. ... You'd be losing out on a chunk of sales if you didn't offer it," Chen said.

Even the Burger King at Terminal 1, Chen joked, sells booze.

Alcohol has always been a revenue generator for, for the airports and to a lesser extent, now the airlines, Thomas acknowledges.

But there's perhaps a difference between getting a beer with your lunch or a couple of pre-flight drinks and getting intoxicated on a flight.

Ann S./Yelp

Jesus Trevino, the general manager at the Bourbon Pub at SFO, knows this difference.

When asked whether the Michael Mina-branded pub had any significant changes to sales post-vaccine, he didnt really notice any key difference. But part of that is due to a pandemic policy theyve introduced.

"We're not selling more or less than we were before," he said. "Really, one of the biggest things is the airlines. Obviously, they did not want people to bring in liquor, to, to the airplane themselves, and it's really hard to control that if they're not on the property, right, so we are not doing liquor to-go."

Thats a policy that Drakes also enforces.

Its a relatively new policy, one that seemingly breaks through a key issue of how to deal with unruly passengers.

The issue there is one that really is at the heart of the whole unruly passenger problem going back 30 years now is enforcement, Thomas says. Do San Francisco police punish intoxicated fliers? Does TSA? Do gate agents?

Its a testament to San Francisco fliers that no ones especially peeved about the no to-go drinks policy, Trevino said.

I would say 95 times out of 100 when we say that we're not doing drinks to go, people are like, OK, I'll just drink it real fast.

Part of it, too, could be that the Bay Area tends to be more cautious at airports  even when it comes to drinking.

"A lot of people, with things happening the way that they are," Decena, the Drake's barkeep, said, "have been enjoying themselves but they're also still being cautious."

And the reason why, Trevino says, is because he's seen what even one drink can do.

"I've seen somebody come in, have one glass of wine and almost fall asleep because they took something."

So, even as a trend of bad flight behavior continues to rattle flights nationwide, SFO hasn't entered the spotlight too often  and bartenders are probably a big reason why.

"We're very careful about those kinds of things," Trevino says.
MORRIS, Conn. (AP)  Authorities in western Connecticut said more than two dozen people on their way to a wedding reception escaped from a van that caught fire.

The incident occurred Saturday afternoon in Morris, about five miles south of Litchfield. The minibus-style limousine was headed to South Farms when it caught fire, destroying the vehicle.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  For three intense years, law students like Chase Wilde cant escape the thought that the bar exam is waiting for them once they finish.

He said the test maintains a powerful presence over students, always there in the back of their minds and often dictating which classes they take.

As fascinating as criminal law is, I dont ever see myself practicing in that area, Wilde told KUER. But its a bar exam topic. And so you take criminal procedure courses so that you can do well on the exam.

But in 2020, the pandemic changed how Utah law graduates were admitted to the bar  Utahs Supreme Court allowed Wilde and other graduates to practice without taking the exam, a concept known as diploma privilege. They just needed to complete law school and work a certain number of hours under a licensed attorney.

It was a brief reprieve for students then, but one that has since closed. The exams that followed in February and July 2021 were done remotely, which was also new in Utah.

The changes have opened up longstanding questions about the test and how well it measures a graduates competency. Now, groups of legal experts in Utah and around the country are looking at alternatives.

There is a sense in the legal community that this is the way that its always been done and therefore its the way that it should be done, said Louisa Heiny, an associate dean and professor at the University of Utah law school. These scholars and these studies are starting to significantly challenge that notion.

Heiny is part of a task force looking at potential changes to the state bar. The effort mirrors a similar questioning of other high-stakes tests  like the SAT and other standardized tests K-12 students take  as educators look for better ways to evaluate student knowledge and performance, without imposing unnecessary barriers that end up serving those with more privilege.

When we think about a student who fails the (bar) exam, sometimes were talking about students who lack substantive knowledge, she said, but oftentimes were talking about students who lack something else, whether its they have a learning disability (or) they dont have the time or the money to fully prepare.

Heiny said the bar does a good job of forcing students to review certain areas of law, but it fails to test many of the skills attorneys actually use in their day-to-day work  like the ability to communicate with clients, manage money and make oral arguments.

Wilde said because of his opportunity to use diploma privilege and the accompanying supervised work, he felt was better prepared for work as a lawyer than if he had spent that time studying for the exam.

I got to work with a client one-on-one, which is something you just dream about in law school when youre sitting in class all day, he said. Youre actually meeting with someone who has real life issues and using what youve learned to help them solve them and better their lives.

Wilde ultimately took the bar in another state, which allows him to expand where he can practice. He said one of the main reasons he decided to was for the experience and to prove to himself and others that he could get through it. Still, that hasnt changed how he feels about its necessity.

Lets just say at the end of the day, if I needed an attorney and I had the choice between a recent grad that just barely took and passed the bar exam or a recent grad who had gone through diploma privilege and gotten all their hours in under a supervised attorney, I would much rather take that latter, he said.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi has not executed a death row inmate since June 2012, and no executions are currently scheduled. But a new court filing shows that the state Department of Corrections in recent months has acquired drugs to carry out lethal injections.

Attorneys for the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center sued the Mississippi prison system in April 2015 on behalf of two death row inmates, saying the states lethal injection protocol is inhumane.

The lawsuit is still going on, and it specifically tries to block Mississippi from using compounded pentobarbital as the first of three drugs in executions. A compounded drug is one made in a pharmacy.

Mississippi and several other states have had trouble finding drugs for lethal injections in recent years since pharmaceutical companies in the United States and Europe began blocking the use of their drugs for executions.

The Mississippi inmates' lawsuit describes pentobarbital as a short-acting or intermediate-acting barbiturate ... intended to sufficiently anesthetize the prisoner so that he is both unconscious and insensate when the executioner injects the second and third drugs.

In papers filed July 29 in federal court in Jackson, the inmates' attorneys said they had demanded information from the Mississippi Department of Corrections about efforts to acquire lethal injection drugs. They said the department  MDOC, for short  had been evasive or vague.

But the filing also quoted one answer that the department gave in June: MDOC recently contacted potential suppliers to determine whether they could provide any of the execution drugs listed in MDOCs Lethal Injection Protocol. As a result of these efforts, MDOC acquired midazolam, vecuronium bromide, and potassium chloride.

A Department of Corrections spokesman on Friday did not immediately respond to several questions from The Associated Press, including how much of each of the three drugs the department acquired, the total cost of the drugs and when the drugs will expire. Mississippi has 37 men and one woman on death row.

As the first drug in a three-drug protocol, Mississippi in the past has had a form of pentobarbital manufactured in factories inspected by the Food and Drug Administration, not compounded in a pharmacy.

Midazolam would be a different first drug. It is a sedative used before medical procedures. Seven states have also used it as part of a three-drug series to execute inmates, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The center is critical of how capital punishment is carried out. It said midazolam was used in a botched execution in 2014 in Oklahoma, where witnesses saw the prisoner writhe on a gurney before dying of a heart attack, and in problematic executions in 2016 in Alabama and 2017 in Alabama.

When the federal government executed prisoners in 2020, it used pentobarbital as the only drug. A few other states have used the same single-drug lethal injection protocol.

Mississippi's executions are done in the State Penitentiary at Parchman. The inmates' lawsuit said the Department of Corrections in May 2012 first ordered compounded drugs for possible use in executions, but it also said Parchman lacks a pharmacy suitable for compounding sterile drugs.

The lawsuit said the Department of Corrections intended to execute the inmates with compounded drugs that may be counterfeit, expired, contaminated and/or sub-potent" and that using compounded drugs "substantially risks that Plaintiffs may be conscious throughout their executions and will experience a torturous death by suffocation and cardiac arrest.

Mississippi lawmakers in 2017 added electrocution and firing squad as execution methods. The change was pushed by Republican Andy Gipson, who is now the state agriculture commissioner but was then chairman of the House Judiciary B Committee. He said it was a direct response to lawsuits filed by liberal, left-wing radicals" to challenge the use of certain execution drugs.

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Emily Wagster Pettus has covered Mississippi government and politics since 1994. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.
MESA, Ariz. (AP)  Authorities are investigating the deaths of two babies in separate cases in Phoenix and Mesa.

City fire officials said a 7-month-old boy was found unresponsive in the parking lot of a Mesa mall around 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Crews responded to a call of an infant not breathing call and the child was taken to a local hospital where the boy was pronounced dead.

Mesa police said the infant was found alone in a parked car in the mall parking lot and the engine was not running,

The mother of the infant allegedly spent about two hours in the mall, but police have not filed any charges yet.

Meanwhile, the Maricopa County Medical Examiners Office is trying to determine the cause of death of a baby at a Phoenix apartment complex.

City fire crews responded to a call of a 15-month-old child not breathing at the complex Friday.

Authorities said an initial investigation showed no signs of trauma to the baby.

The names of the babies who died havent been released yet.
Phillip Brent said he was awoken early one April morning by word someone had broken into his home in an upscale Atlanta suburb. He was away, so he quickly dialed up video from the home's surveillance cameras on his phone.

Brent said the video showed a masked man smashing through a back door with a sledgehammer. The intruder, who appeared armed with a crowbar, eventually left and pulled off his mask. Brent said he instantly recognized the face on the video.

He said it was a neighbor, Austin Lanz, 27; the same man the FBI said killed a Pentagon police officer without warning or provocation Tuesday on a Metro bus platform outside the military headquarters. Lanz also was killed.

Brent said the April break-in, which resulted in Lanz's arrest, was the culmination of a long campaign of harassment by Lanz against him and his former fiancee, Eliza Wells. The couple didn't know Lanz personally and still don't fully grasp the reasoning behind his fixation on them.

Brent and Wells, both 23, said the encounters were by turns menacing and bizarre, offering a glimpse of the man who carried out such a confounding attack at the Pentagon. The two said they were fearful of Lanz, but also deeply concerned about him and his mental health.

What triggered his attack outside the Pentagon also remains unknown. In a statement released by Lanz's family, his relatives offered condolences to the family of George Gonzalez, the slain Pentagon police officer, saying they were "sorry and heartbroken." In an interview, the family's attorney, Jimmy Berry, said the family knows of no motive for the attack.

AP

"The last few months of Austin's life were overcome with many mental health challenges," the statement read. "Unfortunately, despite time spent in the criminal justice system with their special requirements, his hospital stays and numerous professional mental health evaluations, Austin did not receive any official diagnosis, therefore, he was unable to sufficiently deal with his mental health nor get the help he so desperately needed."

After Lanz's April arrest, he said police planes were flying over his neighborhood and law enforcement had been tracking his phone, according to an arrest warrant. Soon after the arrest, he was accused of violently attacking sheriff's deputies in jail.

Lanz came to Virginia both to work and to undergo a mental health evaluation, Berry said.

Berry said Lanz had only been in the D.C. area just days when he stepped off a bus outside the Pentagon. The FBI said Lanz stabbed Gonzalez, before taking the officer's gun and shooting Gonzalez and then himself.

"It doesn't seem like anyone had to get killed ... if he had just got the help he needed," Brent said.

Brent and Wells moved into a red brick home in the Chestnut Hills neighborhood in Cobb County, Ga., in the summer of 2019. Things were quiet until around December of that year, when Brent checked his mail one day.

Inside, he said there was a folded piece of computer paper. When he opened it, he found himself staring at an image of hardcore pornography. A message - he couldn't recall what - was scrawled across it in Sharpie marker.

Brent said he tossed the paper in the trash, thinking it was a neighborhood kid pulling a prank.

But the photos continued to show up in his mailbox, and things grew stranger. A third photo that was placed in the mailbox around May 2020 featured a graphic image of a woman in a tiara. A toy tiara was also left.

"The combination was highly disturbing," Wells said.

The couple called police.

Wells said officers told them there wasn't much they could do and recommended the couple install surveillance cameras if they were worried about their safety. Brent and Wells did just that. Cobb County police declined a request for comment.

In July 2020, Brent said he awoke one Sunday morning to find an apple juice bottle with a cigarette in it leaning up against his garage door. The fact that someone had been on his property prompted Brent to spend hours scrolling through surveillance footage.

Brent said he eventually found footage of Lanz slipping something in his mailbox in the dead of night while he was walking his dog. Then, he said, he found footage of Lanz depositing the apple juice bottle.

Lanz, the son of a construction executive, lived in a white house that backed up to Brent and Wells' home. Brent and Wells said they had never formally been introduced to Lanz and never spoke with him. Berry said Lanz had worked for his father and held other jobs.

They weren't surprised to see Lanz on the video.

"We had already expected it was him," Brent said of Lanz. "We had to drive by his house often. We were going by on walks. Every time we passed by he was outside smoking a cigarette or would be standing there and would give us the most creepiest unsettling looks ... and wave at us."

Lanz's parents and siblings have not responded to calls and social media messages for comment over multiple days. No one answered when a reporter knocked on the Lanz's door in Acworth, Ga. An attorney for Lanz in the break-in case did not respond to numerous requests for comment.

After discovering the footage, Brent and Wells called police again.

Officers talked with Lanz's parents, who wanted to apologize, Wells said. Wells walked to their home and found Lanz and his parents outside. Wells said Lanz's parents said they were disturbed by what had happened and promised to get Lanz therapy. It's unclear if he ever saw a therapist afterward.

Wells said the police officers wanted Lanz to apologize to her. Lanz, who was a tall man, sat slumped in a chair, Wells said.

"The police officers said, 'Austin, have you ever met this girl?' Wells recalled. "He said, 'No I haven't.' So they were like, 'Why would you have any reason to start doing things?' He said, 'Well, I mean I can see her through her bathroom window.'"

Wells said the final statement was chilling.

The bathroom Wells used was visible from Lanz's home, so she kept the blinds closed after that. Wells said she thought of the conversation every time she stood in the bathroom getting ready.

Wells said she went to Cobb County Magistrate Court the next week to look into seeking a restraining order, but was told by a court official there was not a sufficient pattern of behavior to warrant one. The court clerk did not respond to a request for comment on that characterization.

Wells and Brent eventually broke off their engagement and Wells moved out of the home in October 2020, she said. Brent said pornographic images and other strange things periodically continued to show up at the residence through this past spring.

On April 18, Brent said he had just gotten into bed around midnight when he got an alert someone was at his house. He pulled up a surveillance video feed on his phone and saw Lanz taping a large sign to the front door.

It had a cryptic message Brent said he did not understand: "I'm done wondering for real. Wut is the point of that."

Brent called police once more. Officers issued Lanz a trespass warning, saying he would be arrested if he violated it, according to a police report about the incident. Brent said the incident had shaken him and he decided to leave and stay with his sister.

The break-in at Brent's home occurred less than a week later, on April 24.

Brent said Lanz was inside the home for about 15 minutes, the surveillance video showed. All of the lights were turned on "as if Lanz was searching the residence for someone or something," police wrote in a report.

Brent's bed was in disarray and the blinds in the bathroom were cracked open, the police report states. Lanz carried what appeared to be a crowbar inside the home, police wrote. As the door already had been breached they said it indicated "he planned on having further need for the object."

Nothing was taken.

"It felt pretty obvious his intention was to do harm to us," Brent said.

When police responded that night, they found Lanz outside his home in the rain smoking a cigarette, according to the police report. Officers arrested Lanz on burglary and trespassing charges.

Lanz told them he didn't take anything and talked about planes flying over the neighborhood and fears of his phone being tracked. He was taken to the Cobb County jail.

In the intake area, Lanz allegedly "without warning or provocation" attacked two Cobb County Sheriff's deputies, according to an arrest warrant. One was left with a dislocated thumb and the other suffered a bone chip and a torn ACL. Lanz damaged one of the officer's Tasers, and it took multiple deputies to restrain him, the warrant states.

As the deputies wrestled with him, Lanz told them he wanted to fight all of them and called them "gay" for ganging up on him, according to an arrest warrant. The warrant states he asked for them to remove his restraints so he could fight them one-on-one.

Lanz was charged with six additional counts in connection with the incident, including two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer.

On May 12, Cobb County Magistrate Judge Michael McLaughlin lowered Lanz's bond and then granted it, according to court records. As a condition, the judge ordered Lanz to undergo a mental health and substance abuse evaluation within 30 days of his release. He also ordered Lanz to seek employment and avoid possessing guns.

McLaughlin said he could not comment on his bond decision because of judicial ethics guidelines, but Brent and Wells, who attended the hearing, said he told attorneys that Lanz did not have a criminal record so he didn't feel he should be held.

Brent and Wells said they were disappointed by the judge's decision, given the alleged violent conduct Lanz had exhibited.

Latonia Hines, spokeswoman for the DA's office, declined to comment on most factual aspects of Lanz's cases, including what position the office took on bond. Bond records were not immediately available from the court.

"We don't have much of a comment right now," Hines said. "It's sadness for the victims and the officer who died."

Lanz was not released from the jail until July 18, said Kenya Jackson, pretrial division manager for Cobb County Magistrate Court. The next day, court records show, a judge granted Lanz a bond modification that allowed him to move to Virginia. Lanz planned to be working for his father, Berry said.

AP

Berry said Lanz arrived in the D.C. area a day or two before Aug. 3, when the FBI said he stepped off a Metro bus and "immediately, without warning" attacked Gonzalez. Video captured by journalist Dave Statter in the minutes after the incident shows Pentagon police officers with their guns drawn swarming around the bus with a man lying next to it. The FBI is still probing the motive.

Jackson said the 30-day period in which Lanz was required to submit the mental health evaluation had not expired at the time of the tragedy and her office had not yet received it.

Brent and Wells said they felt there were missed opportunities that could have changed the course of events. They wonder if the tragedy could have been averted if Wells was granted a restraining order, Lanz was denied bond or if authorities had intervened sooner to get him help.

"While we sit in great disbelief over the events that occurred and continue to mourn for lives lost, we are hopeful that this tragedy can help bring greater awareness and change to the growing mental health crisis in our country," Lanz's family said in its statement.

- - -

The Washington Post's Sharon Dunten and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Robert Ringwald, the pianist who played and promoted jazz in California for more than half a century, has died, according to his daughter, the actor and musician Molly Ringwald. He was 80.

Ringwald, known to friends and fans as Bob, died Aug. 3, Molly Ringwald wrote in an obituary Saturday for the Sacramento Bee. No cause was given.

Born in Roseville, California with vision problems, Ringwald went blind at an early age. He began taking piano lessons at 5 and started his first band at 13.

Four years later, at the age of 17, he was able to grow enough of a beard to be able to pass for an adult to play in nightclubs as a professional musician, an occupation he held for the next six decades, his daughter wrote.

At first drawn to modern jazz, the music of Louis Armstrong instilled in Ringwald a lifelong passion for the performance and preservation of traditional New Orleans jazz.

By the 1970s, Ringwald was playing piano at clubs seven nights a week.

He co-organized the first Sacramento Jazz Festival in 1974, and his band headlined the event, which became an annual city tradition. In 2012, Ringwald was honored by the festival as The Emperor of Jazz."

In addition to music, Ringwald's passions included ham radio and the Los Angeles Dodgers, for whom he once served as a guest announcer, reading the lineup in Braille.

Anyone who knew Bob also knew his mischievous streak, and his ever-present, slightly ribald sense of humor. If you didnt sufficiently beg to get off of his email joke list, you would have received one just a couple of days before he died, Molly Ringwald wrote.

Besides his daughter Molly, Robert Ringwald is survived by Adele, his wife of 60 years; a sister, Renee Angus; another daughter, Beth Ringwald Carnes; a son, Kelly Ringwald; two grandsons; two granddaughters; two step-granddaughters; one great-grandson; and one step-great-grandson.

A memorial service is pending.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made either to the Foundation Fighting Blindness or to CURE Childhood Cancer.
MONROE, La. (AP)  Operation Spark, a nonprofit dedicated to educating Louisiana residents on job opportunities in software development, is starting a free prep program on Aug. 16.

John Fabroni, who founded the organization back in 2014, created Operation Spark as a way to give high schoolers and adults, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, the opportunity to obtain a job that pays $60,000 and up without having to follow the traditional college pathway.

Its a six-month track, and (adults) can come in, try their hand, discover whether or not they nerd out on what its like to be a software developer and then connect to our full-time program, Fabroni said. They can come in with zero knowledge and six months later get a job as a junior software engineer.

The adult program works in three phases, beginning with the prep program. This two week-long course is free and is designed to let folks see if they want to continue with the program. Students would attend sessions in the afternoon or evenings for a total of 24 hours by the end of the program.

Afterward, there are two more phases that increase in weekly time commitment. Phase Two, called Bootcamp, consists of 72 hours of training over five weeks, and Phase Three, called Immersion, entails 1,124 hours of training over 13 weeks. These last phases also come with a tuition fee. Its $825 for Bootcamp, and $1,500 for Immersion. Fabroni said there are scholarships available, and prospective students can also get financial assistance through their local workforce office.

The high school program lasts two years and allows students to graduate with a full-time job. Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors and recent graduates are eligible to apply for the program.

Both the adult and high school programs have a 100% employment rate within six months of graduation, Fabroni said, and students go to work for employers like Nike, PayPal, IBM and Amazon.

Now over 60 companies have hired grads, and we have a traffic record and a lot of relationships, Fabroni said. When a student graduates from the practical part of the program, they enter into the job hunt phase, and were working with them there.

Fabroni said software development has been generating portable, reliable jobs for quite some time. When disasters like pandemics occur, he said software development jobs remain.

Additionally, Fabroni said Operation Spark is becoming an accredited institution, so graduates who are interested in pursuing school later can take their experience with them as credits.

Weve been working on that for a while and I think its a more approachable path into university, Fabroni said. They can jump into a job and then afford to take night school and complete a degree. You can afford to do it without taking out student loans.

The only requirements needed to join the course are to sign up for an information session online and have access to a computer with reliable internet. Fabroni also said candidates should be able to type at least 30 words per minute and have a high school level of reading and writing.

Fabroni said prime candidates for software development are those who have an aptitude for logic and enjoy solving puzzles.

Anyone interested can sign up now at their website at operationspark.org.

(The software industry) is growing here in Louisiana, Fabroni said. New Orleans has got a lot of activity  Lafayette, Monroe and Baton Rouge as well. Theres tons of opportunity in the field, and Its going to be a lifetime of earnings if you get yourself into the field.
ISTANBUL (AP)  Turkeys wildfires have left little behind, turning green forests into ashen, barren hills. The destruction is being intensely felt by Turkeys beekeepers, who have lost thousands of hives as well as the pine trees and the insects their bees depend on.

Twelve days of deadly wildfires have dealt a major blow to Turkeys honey industry and even its longer term prospects appear bleak.

Nearly all of the residents of Osmaniye, a neighborhood in Turkey's southwestern Mediterranean resort of Marmaris, are beekeepers. Their beehives once looked out to the green hills of Mugla province where Marmaris is located and provided the main income for many families.

Ali Kaya, 33, is second-generation beekeeper. After his fathers death, he took over the honey business his father had set up in 1979. Yet this week Kaya lost 250 hives in Osmaniye to the wildfires, as well as the entire ecosystem upon which his bees depend, so just buying new hives will not solve his economic woes.

He says the entire region is in shock.

There is nothing left here, no trees left. Animals burned. Some peoples homes and roofs burned, he said. I have no idea what well do. Our heads are all messed up, our mental outlook destroyed. We cant think clearly here in Osmaniye."

The red pine trees endemic to Anatolia span the Taurus mountain system. They can be seen along Turkey's coast from the eastern Mediterranean all the way to the northern Aegean Sea, including a great number around Mugla. The pines provide a welcoming habitat for scores of shrubs and make an ideal environment for bees.

Bees in Mugla produce a special pine-based honey. Unlike most of the honey in the world, which is created from the nectars of flowers, bees in Mugla collect the secretions of Marchalina hellenica, a scale insect that lives on pine trees and feeds on their sap. What they leave behind, the bees take to make a nutritious honey.

Wildfires in Turkey started on July 28 amid a ferocious heat wave and raged on for days across more than half of Turkey's provinces. As of Sunday, some wildfires were still burning in the provinces of Mugla, Aydin and Isparta. At least eight people and countless animals have been killed. Villages and resorts had to be evacuated, with some people fleeing to beaches to be rescued by sea. The wildfires also threatened two coal-burning power plants.

The Turkish government has promised to rebuild the many burned homes and compensate villagers for their animals, along with providing other aid. But it has also been criticized for its lack of firefighting planes, poor planning and overall inability to stop the fires.

Samil Tuncay Bestoy, who heads the Environmental and Bee Protection Association, said hundreds of thousands of hives were saved purely by an accident of timing. Many nomadic beekeepers, including some from Mugla, each year move their hives to Turkey's inland upper plains in the spring and come to Mugla from mid-August on for the pine trees. Those beehives were spared from burning but their whole production cycle has been shattered.

Now they dont have anywhere to come back to, there are no forests left, said Bestoy, a beekeeper himself. The bees and the beekeepers are waiting at the plains with no idea of what to do.

Since they cannot remain on the plains for long because of their feeding needs, the association was working to find healthy, temporary forest locations in Mugla, which is already highly populated with hives.

Its a short-term solution to save the bees but points to the need for the close coordination between the government, bee-keeping associations and beekeepers to chart the way forward. Workers may have to find new beekeeping routes or even jobs in other industries.

Even before the wildfires, Turkeys beekeepers were already suffering from climate change, with droughts and high temperatures reducing the pine trees sap and killing the bugs.

Beekeeping is a fundamental culture of Anatolia and we were already warning that we may lose it to the climate crisis. These fires have added fuel to that fire, Bestoy said.

Further to the east, forests in Antalyas Manavgat district were also incinerated. Beekeeper Guven Karagol had to leave his hives behind once those flames grew near.

The fires came quickly and my beehives were burning, I could only watch. Six years of my work, this years labor, burned, he told Turkish IHA news agency.

When he returned at daybreak after the fires, he saw some bees emerging and realized that 20 out of 100 hives had somehow survived.

I thought I cant do this in a completely blackened nature, my hopes were shattered. he said. These 20 hives gave me hope.

The Turkish government has said that the burned forests would be reforested and groups have launched campaigns for saplings but many experts say the forests need to be left alone to regenerate.

Medine Yilmaz, another second-generation beekeeper in Osmaniye, also lost her hives and had spoken to Turkish officials who visited the area. She wanted the remaining trees to be allowed to stay upright to see if they could regenerate but she said authorities were planning on tearing down everything.

We rose up as younger people and stopped the bulldozers. If they come again, I will lay down in front of them and not let them cut the trees, she said.

Her husband, Yusuf, was devastated.

I dont care about the houses that burned. Our only sadness is that nature has disappeared, our only livelihood were these pines," he said. Homes will be rebuilt, wounds bandaged but nature will not heal for 70-80 years."

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Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  Rebeca Gomez nimbly paced behind the burnt orange counter top, assembling a hefty Cuban sandwich as dozens of golden brown empanadas floated in the bubbling oil behind her.

The bachata-laden voices of the Dominican-American band, Aventura, spilled through the speakers of a crackling radio as customers began to line up behind a makeshift plastic-and-pipe divider. Others sat toward the back of the restaurant, enjoying mounds of fluffy orange rice, rotisserie chicken and the deliciously sweet homemade passion fruit juice.

It was lunchtime at Dominican Cafe.

The establishment has been in Gomezs family for more than 40 years  being passed down from her uncle and aunt to her father and, finally, to her. While only taking up a sliver of the neighborhood, the multigenerational eatery has become a cornerstone of the West Fourth Street corridor and the Hilltop community.

Over the years, the cafe has become deeply entrenched with the neighborhood and its patrons  representing more than a restaurant for some.

Its life, said Iz Balleto, community advocate and longtime regular at Dominican Cafe. No matter what time of the day you show up to Dominican Cafe, theres life going on in there and thats what everybody loves.

This life can be felt in the conversations held across the counter where a weathered and creased menu is taped on display. As more people begin to file in, a hum of chatter and off-handed chuckles can begin to be heard.

Customers have become regulars and children have become adults, returning to the restaurant they enjoyed with their family years prior. Gomez has seen these generations of families cycle through her restaurant and nourish themselves on the same dishes that her parents made.

Gomez and her staff have come to know the catalog of regulars  and their orders. As a man makes it to the front of the line, he is greeted with his request before he can speak.

Coffee, right? asked the cashier.

Then, as the man nodded in response, Gomez tapped the cashier on the shoulder. Two sugars, she reminded her.

Gomez, now a mother of two, has been helping with the restaurant since 2000, when her father bought it from her aunt and uncle. Before migrating to the U.S. with his family in 1994, Gomezs father, Andres, owned a grocery store in the Dominican Republic.

During college, Gomez would spend all of her free time helping her parents run the business. Then, in 2005, she bought the cafe  a mostly symbolic change, given that she had already been performing the duties of an owner.

I took care of the business the same way when my dad was the owner as when I was the owner, she said. It was always the same appreciation and the same gratitude with the customers and the job.

In 2011, Gomez sold the business back to her father in order to try and start another restaurant by herself while still helping manage the cafe. After a 10-year hiatus, she returned as owner of the restaurant this year.

Despite the changes in ownership, Dominican Cafe has retained its signature food, prices and hours for more than 20 years, keeping its doors open seven days a week. Even on landmark holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, its doors are open.

As a person whos been living in the city of Wilmington for about 20 years now, Ive never known them to shut their doors, Balleto said. Thats important to the community.

It was only last March that the restaurant had to shut down for three months due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. The closure was intended, in part, to help protect some of the elderly members of the staff, as well as Gomezs parents who would often help cook when they visited.

Despite their efforts, Gomezs mother, Aurelinda, would often cook extra food and sneak out of the back of the restaurant and through the alleyway to give it to regular customers who she would call to pick it up.

We would look at the camera and say this woman is crazy, Gomez said. But there was no one who could take that away from her. Thats just the way she is  very generous.

With the help of community organizations, the restaurant also provided food to hospitals and churches as the pandemic worsened  further sewing them into the fabric of the community.

I want people to realize that when youre going down Fourth Street, who kept feeding the people, Balleto asked. Love and respect to Dominican Cafe for always being there for the people.

Today, Gomez continues to provide affordable fare to the majority-Hispanic neighborhood that houses a variety of residents from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. In an effort to cater to the different customs and tastes, Gomez has put a slightly different twist on traditional Latin American dishes.

One such dish is their tripe soup, or sopa de mondongo, a popular dish in Latin America that is served in a variety of ways, depending on what country youre in. In the Dominican Republic, for example, its often served in a thicker fashion with a tomato paste base. In Puerto Rico, however, its served in a more soup-like fashion.

At Dominican Cafe, Gomez finds a middle ground.

Its not like in Puerto Rico but its also not like in the Dominican Republic, she said. Its a combination, but lots of people like our style of making it.

This combination of styles and cultures has found its way into other dishes on the menu. Their Cuban sandwich now comes with avocado and their signature French toast is made with vanilla imported from the Dominican Republic.

In the future, Gomez hopes to open a second location in Middletown while keeping the food, affordability, culture and historic feel of the restaurant the same. Her 17-year-old son has even offered to take the reins once she chooses to retire, continuing the tradition and keeping the cafe in her family.

For Gomez, the establishment represents more than a business.

Its home, she said. Its always going to be my home.

For regulars, the eatery has grown to become more than a restaurant, providing a sense of life and belonging where the doors will always be open and a seat free. Its a place where everyone knows your name  and your order.

Dominican Cafe is located on 1223 W. 4th St. in Wilmington and is open seven days a week.
SUSANVILLE, Calif. - As the Dixie Fire continues to ravage hundreds of thousands of acres in northern California, a federal judge has now ordered Pacific Gas & Electric to explain the utility company's role in starting what has become the largest wildfire burning in the United States.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but U.S. District Judge William Alsup asked PG&E in an order issued late Friday to give information regarding the tree that fell on the utility company's power line at the origin of the Dixie Fire. PG&E has said its equipment may have been responsible for starting both the Dixie Fire and the much smaller Fly Fire, which later merged with the Dixie Fire.

Alsup - who oversees PG&E's criminal probation for felony convictions stemming from the deadly 2010 San Bruno gas pipeline explosion - also required that PG&E give details about the equipment and vegetation in the area where the fires started. The San Francisco judge said the company would have until Aug. 16 to respond.

"PG&E's responses will not be deemed as an admission by PG&E that it caused any fire, but they will serve as a starting point for discussion," wrote Alsup, of the Northern District of California.

A PG&E spokesperson told The Washington Post on Saturday that the utility was aware of the court's orders, saying PG&E "will respond by the deadline."

As the third-largest wildfire in state history burned Saturday, authorities were looking for five people, the Plumas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. An official with the sheriff's office told The Post earlier Saturday that all but one missing person had been found. Calls seeking clarity on the matter were met with a busy signal.

Most of the people who were unaccounted for were from Greenville, Calif., a sparsely populated mountain town now destroyed.

At 447,700 acres burned and 21% contained in Butte and Plumas counties as of Saturday night, the Dixie Fire is on track to surpass the size of the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire in the days ahead. Although fire officials have expressed hope that rising humidity levels would help them counter the blaze, the hot, arid and windy conditions have turned the Dixie Fire into what one expert called "kind of the perfect storm."

"If it gets in that range [of the Mendocino fire], it'll be by far the largest fire in the Sierra Nevada history and also the Southern Cascades," Scott Stephens, a professor of fire sciences at the University of California at Berkeley, told The Post.

The reported containment area of the Dixie Fire dropped to 21% on Friday night; officials announced earlier in the day that containment was at 35%. Rick Carhart, a spokesperson with Cal Fire, said better mapping clarified the extent of the containment.

"Once we got in there and were able to do some better mapping, we found . . . there is a whole lot more uncontained line out there," Carhart told the San Francisco Chronicle.

In Greenville, Calif., a town of about 1,100 residents was left in ashes from the Dixie Fire. The U.S. Fire Service estimated that about a quarter of the town's structures had been saved. In a video of the devastation late Friday, journalist Maranie R. Staab observed of Greenville: "There is nothing left."

Some of the thousands of evacuees from across northern California fled to Susanville, less than 40 miles from the Nevada border. More than 7,000 people in surrounding Plumas County had been evacuated by Friday, and officials added new evacuation orders for adjacent Lassen County.

Rob Poindexter said he evacuated from his home in Westwood, Calif., about 25 miles west, on Thursday afternoon. Poindexter, 68, didn't initially think he would be evacuated, but said that changed after someone knocked on his door at around 2 p.m. Thursday, telling him to leave the area. He grabbed some clothes, a tent, a sleeping bag and some important documents, and began driving away from the small town where he's lived on and off for the past 42 years.

"I didn't feel like wasting time getting out," he said to The Post, recalling how the sky was pitch-black when he left town. "It looked apocalyptic."

As several wildfires blaze throughout the country, federal authorities are deciding how to distribute firefighting resources. The Dixie Fire remains the top priority in both California and the country: About 25% of available resources have been dedicated to the blaze and nearly 5,000 firefighters are battling it. But there are more than 100 active wildfires, with new ones erupting in recent days in Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Washington state, Montana and Wyoming.

The ongoing threat from the fires means firefighters have to make difficult decisions on how to divvy up already stretched resources, said Riva Duncan, a retired fire staff officer for the U.S. Forest Service.

"They're trying to send as many resources as they can to support prioritized fires without just pulling everything off other fires that are maybe not as threatening," she said. "But certainly we can't just pull everybody off every fire, so it's a balance. It's a difficult strategic decision."

Yet that balancing act also has shortcomings. Remote and smaller fires often take longer to put out due to the lack of available personnel and equipment, Duncan said, causing firefighters to "accept riskier assignments because they feel like they need to cover it."

Duncan, who also serves as secretary-treasurer for the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, a group advocating for the well-being of federal wildland fire personnel, said the results have a "snowball effect" on federal firefighters. Some see their mental health suffer as a result, while others leave for state agencies with more lucrative salaries. And some firefighters leave the field altogether, she said.

"With those towns burning and structures burning, that's really hard on firefighters," Duncan said. "A lot of them are part of those communities, and to feel like they failed watching homes burn also weighs mentally on what these wildland firefighters are doing."

The Dixie Fire's changing pace has baffled experts, Stephens said. Before torching Greenville, the inferno seemed to be holding off. Then it erupted and continued moving north - leaving incinerated communities in its wake.

Yet its behavior is not necessarily new, Stephens said, noting that it underscores a years-long trend of conditions being ripe for burning.

"With the two-year drought here, these are maybe the lowest precipitation levels in California since 1975 or 1976," he said. "It means our fuels are incredibly dry. So where we are right now is really about six weeks earlier into our summer."

While climate change has exacerbated such conditions, the fire science professor said lackluster upkeep of the area's vegetation has been the main factor contributing to a dire and potentially longer wildfire season that's been led by the historic Dixie Fire.

"I'm still hopeful that we can change the trajectory of these fires," he said, "but it's going to take decisive action."
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP)  A former Long Island prosecutor and one of his top aides convicted of helping cover up the beating of a suspect are facing sentencing this week.

Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and Christopher McPartland were convicted in December 2019 on counts of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and civil rights violations.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care is the kind of place where a pizza box might hold pizza  or it might hold an injured turtle.

Where a baseball cap isnt a sun protector  its a way to transport an injured weasel.

Its where a trio of bears undergoing rehabilitation once climbed into the attic and refused to come out. A couple days later, the bears fell in a jumbled pile through the ceiling tiles back into their enclosure.

The South Lake Tahoe facility is also the saving grace for injured wildlife from throughout the region.

Since 1978, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care has rescued, rehabilitated and released more than 17,000 orphaned and injured wild animals. The center rehabilitates animals from Bishop to Placerville to Susanville, and occasionally animals from the Northern Nevada area.

Were ready for anything, and we just make it work, said Denise Upton, animal care director.

The center recently relocated from a 3/4-acre site to 27 acres and for the first time is allowing limited public events.

A new series on the property offers free educational talks featuring animals that cannot be returned to the wild because of their injuries.

The Wildlife Wednesdays are the first opportunity for the public to meet some of the animals rescued by the care facility. Most of the animals the center treats received injuries inflicted by humans, intentionally or unintentionally, Upton said.

This is their home, said Capital Projects Manager Bruce Richards, gesturing at the woods surrounding the care facility. We really need the opportunity to get the word out how to interact with wildlife and how not to create an orphan. Part of it is convincing people we are the invasive species here.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care houses anywhere from 700 to 900 animals per year.

During droughts, wildfires and other times of environmental distress, the center sees changes in the types of animals and injuries they are treating.

With the drought, the center is receiving a higher-than-normal number of starving red-tailed hawks and underweight coyote pups.

Animals that live underground and can escape the heat are doing OK, Upton said. And animals that prey on burrowing critters that come out at night, such as owls, are also finding enough to feed on.

But daytime feeders are struggling, she said.

A handful of red-tailed hawks being rehabilitated cant be released in the Tahoe area where they were found because there is no prey for them to hunt and they will likely starve to death.

Markleeville was a prime place for us to release hawks, and now its gone (because of the Tamarack Fire), Upton said. Its getting tougher and tougher since its burning here, there and everywhere.

Last month, the center took in a bear burned in the Tamarack Fire. A Markleeville, California homeowner, returning home after evacuation, found the bear walking on his elbows, his paws burned by the fire.

The center issued a plea to the public this week to help locate the cub after he escaped from his rehabilitation enclosure and tunneled under an electric fence. Officials said Thursday he was spotted with a bandaged paw clinging to a tree in the South Tahoe area and they are optimistic he will be rescued again.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife requires animals be relocated within a 70-mile radius of where they were found, Upton said. According to the department, roughly 70 percent of animals relocated farther away do not survive.

In Nevada, animals cannot be transported across state lines without permission from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. But there are only three licensed rescue facilities in Nevada, and two of them work exclusively with migratory birds. In 2018, NDOW relied on Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care for help after a botulism outbreak among waterfowl.

About 50 to 60 calls come in to the center per day, in addition to people who drive up to with injured animals.

Sometimes the calls, or the drop-offs, arent related to injured wildlife.

There was the man who wouldnt go in his house because there was a bat in the bedroom. Or the man whose chihuahua had died at home, and he didnt know what to do with the body.

So far this year, the center has received three parakeets, one parrot and one Russian tortoise.

You never know what youre gonna get when the phone rings, said Upton, who has worked with the center since 1995.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care was founded by Cheryl and Tom Millham in their backyard. In 2016, construction started on the centers new facility, located at 1551 Al Tahoe Blvd. In 2019, staff, volunteers and animals moved to their new location.

Seven buildings have been erected on site to house the animals, including a large flight center for birds, and about 60 cameras are stationed throughout the center to monitor the wildlife.

The site improvements have been funded by donations  the nonprofit center runs on a $325,000 annual budget. The center has five paid employees, including Upton, and about five dozen volunteers.

A main office with a hospital and offices is still awaiting construction, and the goal is to eventually build an $8 million animal sanctuary for long-term animal housing and public outreach.

Animals like Porky the porcupine, who was found injured when he was only a day old, and Em the bald eagle, who is missing half of a wing, cannot be returned to the wild. They live on-site and serve as ambassadors for the outdoor center during educational programming.

Until the animal sanctuary is built, hourlong talks will be offered through September at the campus new outdoor learning center by reservation only and will feature a rotating schedule of topics and expert presentations. All will include information about what to do if you encounter a bear and what to do if you come across an orphaned or injured wild animal.
AP

BERLIN (AP)  Two spacecraft are set to swoop past Venus within hours of each other this week, using the maneuver to do a little bit of bonus science on the way to their main missions at the center of our solar system.

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter probe, a cooperation with NASA, will swing around Venus early Monday, using the planet's gravity to help put it on a course to observe the Sun's poles.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  On a hot summer afternoon, Latrell Snider and his partner knocked on Abdullahi Mohameds door, introduced themselves and launched their pitch: Minneapolis, they said, has a chance to replace its police department with something new, and they wanted Mohameds support.

With his children looking on from a living room window, Mohamed reacted cautiously, saying he likes police and relies on them to keep his family safe. When Snider assured him that a new public safety department would still have a police unit but would do things differently  such as responding to some 911 calls without armed officers  Mohamed brightened.

I think that would be a better idea, he said.

More than a year after George Floyds death sparked a failed push to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department, activists and several City Council members are trying again, with a well-funded initiative that would ask voters in November whether the department  disparaged by critics for what they say is an enduring culture of brutality  should be dismantled.

In its place would be a public safety department that employs a comprehensive public health approach and licensed peace officers if necessary. The new department would no longer be under the sole command of the mayors office, which is significant given that incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey opposes abolishing the police department while a majority of City Council members supports the idea.

More than 30 local groups are pushing for change under the Yes 4 Minneapolis banner. They gathered 20,000 signatures to get the measure on the ballot  almost twice the number necessary  and have raised about $1 million, including $500,000 from Open Society Policy Center, which has ties to billionaire George Soros.

What we knew as public safety  which is only the police right now, the only option that we have  was unacceptable, said Brian Fullman, lead organizer with one of the groups, Barbershop and Black Congregation Cooperative. The murder of George Floyd ignited a lot of historical pain and disrespect that we have been going through, and we made the decision that we no longer wanted to have what we have now as the only option for public safety.

A majority of City Council members first began pushing to eliminate the police department soon after Floyds death, but they failed to meet deadlines to get it on the ballot last November. The Rev. JaNae Bates, a leader of the Yes 4 Minneapolis campaign, said the ease with which the campaign gathered signatures shows the momentum for change is still there more than a year after Floyds death.

The residents of Minneapolis really were the ones who made the call for this, who were like, we cant just let this lesson that took place in the summer to be something that fizzles out, and then what? We just wait for the next person to be killed by the police? she said.

Minneapolis, like most other major U.S. cities, has been on edge due to rising violence and property crime in almost every neighborhood in the past year. And the police department is more than 200 officers, or about 25%, below its authorized strength due mostly to a wave of retirements and disability leaves following Floyds death.

Both factors have energized opponents of the initiative. All of Mpls  a new group that has raised more than $109,000  will begin campaigning against the proposal in the coming weeks with door knocking, community events, mailers and digital ads through the fall.

All of Mpls campaign manager Leili Fatehi called the proposal to eliminate the department a gimmick. She said plenty of residents want police to be held accountable and changes in the department, but they also worry about rising crime.

Its not getting us to the real solutions that balance those two concerns, she said.

Opponents also say the ballot question doesnt guarantee that a new public safety department would have police officers at all. Instead, it says officers would be included if necessary to fulfill the departments duties. Bill Rodriguez, co-founder of Operation Safety Now, called the proposed amendment a trojan horse and warned that the campaign's end goal is to abolish police.

The amendment doesn't say there will be a police force  it says there could be, maybe, if necessary, he said. That's the most important thing that needs to be understood about this amendment.

It's among several aspects of the ballot question that city officials plan to highlight with an explanatory note in November. Activists are trying to block such a note, arguing that the city is improperly trying to influence voters.

Regardless of how the ballot question fares, the city remains under pressure to make changes. The police department is the target of federal and state investigations into policing practices, and both investigations could force widespread change. In addition, the mayor and Chief Medaria Arradondo have launched several policy changes since Floyd's death, including requiring new training on de-escalation, overhauling use of force restrictions and strengthening the disciplinary process.

Details of what a new public safety department would look like are scarce, but Bates said thats intentional, to get city residents involved in the process. If the amendment passes, council members would need to first pass an ordinance to establish the new department, explain how it would function and how its commissioner is selected. It's not clear how long such a process would take.

Ed Brown, 69, listened to Snider's pitch on his north Minneapolis doorstep in July. Brown, who is Black, told The Associated Press that a new public safety department seems like a good plan. He thinks it would mean police officers are no longer sent to some calls that they aren't equipped to deal with and that can otherwise end in violence.

What we need to do is reimagine the police department," Brown said.

"That is to say not necessarily defund but maybe in some cases even give them more money if theyre going to do the right thing with it, he said. We have to have the proper responses for the proper situations.

___

Mohamed Ibrahim is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP)  Police have arrested a 23-year-old man in the killings of three woman at a home in the Texas resort community of South Padre Island.

Officers were called to a family disturbance at a condominium in the island city around 10 p.m. Saturday and arrived to find the women shot dead, police said in a statement.
BALTIMORE (AP)  One person was killed while three others -- including a 15-year-old boy -- were wounded in several shootings in Baltimore during a weekend set aside annually to attempt to discourage violence.

City police officers found a dead man Sunday morning in a northwest Baltimore neighborhood. Officers said nearby residents heard several gunshots Saturday night but didnt alert police until his body -- with apparent gunshot wounds -- was located in the morning, according to a police news release.
CHATHAM, Va. (AP)  We feel like were living in a fish bowl, Tammy Whitt said during an interview outside her and her husbands home Tuesday morning. We had no idea we would have to look at it 24/7.

At times, noise from construction on the project is so loud and constant Whitt and her husband escape by hopping into their car and leaving their home.

Six or seven days a week, its beep beep beep and bam bam bam, she said. When they put those poles in, it about sent me over the edge.

Technology giant Amazon has announced it is partnering with Arlington County to purchase the energy from the Pittsylvania County solar project which is being named Amazon Arlington Solar Farm Virginia.

The project is 7 miles northwest of Chatham.

Formerly called the Maplewood Solar Project, the solar farm is being developed by Dominion Energy. Construction began last year, and the project has an expected completion date in 2022.

A representative with the project would not comment for this story.

Whitt told the Danville Register & Bee she felt like she was mislead after being told by a representative in the summer of 2020 that there would be no noise. It was going to be peaches and cream, she said.

Were getting absolutely nothing out of this mess but a hard time, she said.

She said she was not told ahead of time about a public information meeting that was held on the project last fall. Whitt feels like she has been betrayed by county officials, the projects developers and the property owners who allowed the solar farm on their land.

But Pittsylvania County community development director Emily Ragsdale said state law requires all adjacent property owners be notified by mail when an application for a special-use permit  required for all solar projects  is submitted.

Public hearings are also held at a planning commission meeting and a board of zoning appeals meeting.

This is the opportunity for any concerns and/or objections related to the project be voiced, Ragsdale said. If approved, conditions are placed on the special-use permit that must be abided by.

The county reviews all construction plans to ensure compliance with conditions before permits are issued, she added. County officials also monitor projects during and after construction to make sure conditions are being met, she said.

Climax Road farmer Kevin Owen, along with members of his family and other parties, have allowed the project to be built and to operate on their property under an agreement.

He said he doesnt understand how anyone could feel betrayed. The owners are within their rights to allow the project on their property.

All of that went through the permitting process, Owen said. Neighbors had an opportunity to attend zoning meetings. If you were adjacent to the project, you were sent a letter. Its not like it was hidden from them.

In addition, the project is on Owens property in front of his house, he said.

Whitt and her neighbor, Art Brunner, support solar power, but Whitt said, I think its a great thing, but I dont want it in my backyard.

Brunner believes solar can play a role in the nations energy needs.

Solars a good idea, but its not 100% effective for curing all the problems with energy, he said, adding that the project on Climax Road has created noise problems.

But the noise will only be temporary, until the project is built, Owen said.

In less than a year, it will be very quiet, Owen said.

SCOPE

Whitt is also surprised by the scope of the project. Ragsdale said its limit of disturbance would be about 860 acres.

We had no idea it was going to be this massive, said Whitt, who has lived in her Climax Road home for 17 years. A project this massive should never have been allowed to be put in this small an area where people live.

Whitt is also concerned about how it could affect property values.

Who in their right mind wants to buy a house in the middle of this mess? said Whitt, who lives on 3 acres. I wouldnt.

Another Pittsylvania County resident, Joe Rogers, said he does not oppose solar power but believes there should be not just overall county regulations on all of them, but project-specific requirements that must be met.

When you have a large project, it should be evaluated as a large project specific to where its going to be, said Rogers, a retired civil engineer and former Chatham mayor.

If a solar farm is above a certain number of acres, it should have other types of requirements, he added.

The county recently updated its code regarding utility-scale solar projects to include stricter guidelines that must be followed, Ragsdale said.

These additions include increased screening requirements, guidelines that strengthen the decommissioning bonding requirements and increased setback requirements, Ragsdale said.

END OF LIFE?

Skeptics of solar power have also raised questions about what will be done with the equipment when a project reaches the end of its life.

Pittsylvania Countys regulations address that, Ragsdale said.

Al projects are required to submit a decommissioning plan giving a timeline for removal of all equipment and restoration of the property to the original state, she said. Additionally, a decommissioning cost estimate prepared by a licensed engineer is also required and the county holds a bond for that amount to ensure that the plan is implemented.

Rogers, in a Facebook post from July 15, lamented the the blighting of the landscape in the area along Climax Road where the solar farm is being built.

Unlike the remote Southwest, this blight of green energy essentially surrounds the community, he wrote. Scenic farmland worked since colonial days is now a forest of posts stretching thousands of yards, almost out of view. These posts will support the limitless mass of black panels. People who have lived for generations in this pretty area will be stuck with this view and, in many cases, condemned to look at it the rest of their lives.

As for Owen, solar projects provide a source of revenue and a way for farmers to hold on to the rest of their land.

Im OK with alternative energy, Owen said. I view it as an alternative. Dont put all of our energy needs in one basket.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistan's key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighboring provincial capital after a monthlong siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as U.S. troops complete their pullout after nearly two decades in the country.

The militiamen planted their flag in the main square of Kunduz city, where it was seen flying atop a traffic police booth, a video obtained by the Associated Press showed.

It was the fourth provincial capital to largely succumb to Taliban fighters in less than a week, as they ramp up a push across Afghan's regions, and wage an assassination campaign in the capital, Kabul.

Two provincial council members said the Taliban took control of the governor's office and police headquarters after a day of firefights, as well as the main prison building, where 500 inmates including Taliban fighters were freed.

Kunduz's capture would be a significant gain for the Taliban and a test of their ability to take and retain territory in their campaign against the Western-backed government.

It is one of the countrys larger cities with a population of more than 340,000, and was a key area defended against Taliban takeover by Western troops over the years.

Councilman Ghulam Rabani Rabani said that fighting was continuing at the citys airport and other parts of the city still in government hands. Kunduz is a strategic crossroads with good access to much of northern Afghanistan as well as Kabul, about 200 miles (335 kilometers) away.

Another provincial council member from Kunduz, Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, also said Afghan forces only control the airport and main army barracks, and that the Taliban control the rest of the city.

The innocent and poor must pay the cost of the war in Kunduz and other parts of the country, both government forces and the Taliban are the enemy of civilians," said Ayubi. "One cant provide security and the other doesn't care about people's safety, he added.

The Afghan government in Kabul denies it has lost the northern city, which would be the fourth provincial capital to be largely overrun by Taliban fighters in the last week. Interior Ministry Spokesman Mirwais Stanekzai said that Afghan security forces continue to fight and have already retaken some areas from the Taliban, without elaborating.

The Taliban has long considered the city a sought-after prize. It seized Kunduz, at the heart of a major agricultural region near Tajikistan, for around two weeks in 2015 before withdrawing in the face of a NATO-backed Afghan offensive. The insurgents pushed back into the city center a year later, briefly raising their flag before gradually being driven out again.

In Washington, senior officials from the White House National Security Council, State Department and Defense Department were in close contact with U.S. embassy officials in Kabul assessing the broader impact of the fall of Kunduz, according to a senior administration official. The official was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

But the official indicated that the Biden administration remains determined to stick to its plan to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan by the end of the month despite the Talibans rapid strategic gains.

White House officials in recent days have raised concern about reports of retaliation against civilians in Taliban-controlled areas. Theyve also condemned last weeks killing of Dawa Khan Menapal, the chief of the Afghan governments press operations for local and foreign media, and a bombing that targeted acting Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, killing eight and wounding more.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that recent surge in attacks run counter to the the Taliban claim to want international legitimacy and offered that the militants do not have to stay on this trajectory.

Also Sunday, the Taliban forces overran Taleqan, the capital of Takhar province which lies next to Kunduz, two Afghan lawmakers said. Takhar, a city of some 200,000, has particular significance for the anti-Taliban northern alliance fighters who joined the U.S.-led coalition to oust the religious militia in 2001.

Sayed Sharafuddin Aini, a member of the Afghan parliament from from Takhar province, said the Taliban managed to take the city in the afternoon after three months of advances during which it took control of all of the province's countryside.

Another MP from the area, Nazifa Yousefi Beg, said that all provincial officials including the governor, police chief, and council members were on the run . She said she worried about their safety and wanted the government to send reinforcements to the city.

Both lawmakers spoke by telephone in Kabul, where they live. They said they had been in touch with officials and provincial council members in the morning and early afternoon, and Beg was appealing directly to the acting defense minister at his office.

Taleqan had been under siege in recent weeks and largely cut off from the rest of the country by Taliban forces that had taken control of the surrounding countryside over the past three months.

The insurgents have been on a country-wide offensive that intensified as U.S. and NATO troops began to wrap up their withdrawal from the country this summer. With Taliban attacks increasing, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with airstrikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered the capital of the northern Jawzjan province after sweeping through nine of 10 districts in the province. Several other of the countrys 34 provincial capitals are threatened as Taliban fighters sweep through large swaths of Afghanistan at a surprising speed.

Earlier last week their fighters captured the ninth of 10 police districts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand province. Heavy fighting there continues, as do U.S. and Afghan government airstrikes, one of which damaged a health clinic and high school.

The Defense Ministry confirmed airstrikes occurred but said they targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others. It made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed in its statement. Deputy provincial council chairman Majid Akhund said the facilities had been under Taliban control when they were struck.

As they rolled through provincial capitals, the Taliban issued an English language statement on Sunday saying that residents, government employees, and security officials had nothing to fear from them.

No former civil servant and other government employee including those who worked in the security sector ... should have any fear of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, nor flee towards other places, said the statement.

Revenge attacks and repressive treatment of women have been reported however in areas now under Taliban control.

___

Rohan contributed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon contributed from Islamabad, Pakistan, and Aamer Madhani from Wilmington, Delaware.
DOTSERO, Colo. (AP)  Authorities are warning drivers not to try to find shortcuts to avoid the lengthy detours around a prolonged closure of Interstate 70 in western Colorado after about 20 people had to be rescued from a bus that got stuck on an unpaved forest road.

The Greyhound bus had trouble navigating the road generally used by four-wheel-drive vehicles Friday, ripping a hole in the engine's oil pan and causing a leak, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office said.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A pedestrian was killed after being run over by a motor home in central Las Vegas, authorities said.

Metropolitan Police investigators said an RV was waiting to make a turn just after 10 a.m. Saturday.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A foundation named for a Black man who was lynched in Alabama is being awarded more than $235,000 to preserve a school that was important to the Black community in Lowndes County.

The Elmore Bolling Initiative is receiving money to preserve the Lowndesboro School west of Montgomery through a National Park Service civil rights grant program.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Protesters threw stones, bricks and other objects at a police station Sunday in a western Polish town in anger over the recent death of a man in police custody.

Polish media reported that about 200 people gathered in front of police headquarters in the town of Lubin lighting candles. At one point about 30 people stormed the building and police used tear gas on them, all-news broadcaster TVN24 said.
NEWLAND, N.C. (AP)  A caretaker for a western North Carolina woman who was found dead last week in her home, buried in concrete, has been arrested and charged with murder, a sheriff said on Sunday.

Elizabeth Carserino, 53, of Goose Creek, S.C. was in the Avery County jail on secured bond of more than $1.6 million, Avery Sheriff Kevin Frye announced in a news release.

Frye's deputies assumed custody of Carserino  also known as Elizabeth Freeman  on Saturday after deputies in Jackson County had taken her in that day on outstanding warrants from Avery on vehicle larceny, identity theft and financial card theft charges, according to Frye's release. Her first court appearance could be as soon as Monday, Frye said.

Carserino was wanted in the death of Lynn Gay Keene, 70, of Linville Falls, which is located in the mountains about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Avery sheriffs office filed a missing persons report on July 30 for Keene, who had last been in contact with her family in mid-June. Carserino had been hired by the family to be Keene's live-in caretaker, according to an earlier news release.

Detectives initially going to Keenes house had discovered her car was missing. The vehicle was found several counties away with two empty bags of concrete in the trunk, according to WBTV in Charlotte, leading to a search warrant for Keene's house.

Sheriff's Det. Tim Austin has said he and another detective opened the door to Keene's basement, where a mass of hardened concrete was discovered. State Bureau of Investigation agents broke enough of the concrete to discover human remains inside, according to WBTV. An autopsy and dental records confirmed that it was Keene.

Austin said Keene's remain appeared to show blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation.
Facebook already asks for your thoughts. Now it wants your prayers.

The social media giant has rolled out a new prayer request feature, a tool embraced by some religious leaders as a cutting-edge way to engage the faithful online. Others are eyeing it warily as they weigh its usefulness against the privacy and security concerns they have with Facebook.

In Facebook Groups employing the feature, members can use it to rally prayer power for upcoming job interviews, illnesses and other personal challenges big and small. After they create a post, other users can tap an I prayed button, respond with a like or other reaction, leave a comment or send a direct message.

Facebook began testing it in the U.S. in December as part of an ongoing effort to support faith communities, according to a statement attributed to a company spokesperson.

During the COVID-19 pandemic weve seen many faith and spirituality communities using our services to connect, so were starting to explore new tools to support them, it said.

The Rev. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, a Southern Baptist megachurch, was among the pastors enthusiastically welcoming of the prayer feature.

Facebook and other social media platforms continue to be tremendous tools to spread the Gospel of Christ and connect believers with one another  especially during this pandemic, he said. While any tool can be misused, I support any effort like this that encourages people to turn to the one true God in our time of need.

Adeel Zeb, a Muslim chaplain at The Claremont Colleges in California, also was upbeat.

As long as these companies initiate proper precautions and protocols to ensure the safety of religiously marginalized communities, people of faith should jump on board supporting this vital initiative, he said.

Under its data policy, Facebook uses the information it gathers in a variety of ways, including to personalize advertisements. But the company says advertisers are not able to use a persons prayer posts to target ads.

The Rev. Bob Stec, pastor of St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, said via email that on one hand, he sees the new feature as a positive affirmation of people's need for an authentic community of prayer, support and worship.

But even while this is a good thing, it is not necessary the deeply authentic community that we need," he said. We need to join our voices and hands in prayer. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and walk through great moments and challenges together.

Stec also worried about privacy concerns surrounding the sharing of deeply personal traumas.

Is it wise to post everything about everyone for the whole world to see? he said. On a good day we would all be reflective and make wise choices. When we are under stress or distress or in a difficult moment, its almost too easy to reach out on Facebook to everyone.

However, Jacki King, the minister to women at Second Baptist Conway, a Southern Baptist congregation in Conway, Arkansas, sees a potential benefit for people who are isolated amid the pandemic and struggling with mental health, finances and other issues.

Theyre much more likely to get on and make a comment than they are to walk into a church right now, King said. It opens a line of communication.

Bishop Paul Egensteiner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americas Metropolitan New York Synod said he has been dismayed by some aspects of Facebook but welcomes the feature, which bears similarities to a digital prayer request already used by the synods churches.

I hope this is a genuine effort from Facebook to help religious organizations advance their mission, Egensteiner said. I also pray that Facebook will continue improving its practices to stop misinformation on social media, which is also affecting our religious communities and efforts.

The Rev. Thomas McKenzie, who leads Church of the Redeemer, an Anglican congregation in Nashville, Tennessee, said he wanted to hate the feature  he views Facebook as willing to exploit anything for money, even people's faith.

But he thinks it could be encouraging to those willing to use it: Facebooks evil motivations might have actually provided a tool that can be for good.

His chief concern with any Internet technology, he added, is that it can encourage people to stay physically apart even when it is unnecessary.

You cannot participate fully in the body of Christ online. Its not possible," McKenzie said. "But these tools may give people the impression that its possible.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union of Reform Judaism, said he understood why some people would view the initiative skeptically.

But in the moment were in, I dont know many people who dont have a big part of their prayer life online, he said. Weve all been using the chat function for something like this  sharing who we are praying for.

Crossroads Community Church, a nondenominational congregation in Vancouver, Washington, saw the function go live about 10 weeks ago in its Facebook Group, which has roughly 2,500 members.

About 20 to 30 prayer requests are posted each day, eliciting 30 to 40 responses apiece, according to Gabe Moreno, executive pastor of ministries. Each time someone responds, the initial poster gets a notification.

Deniece Flippen, a moderator for the group, turns off the alerts for her posts, knowing that when she checks back she will be greeted with a flood of support.

Flippen said that unlike with in-person group prayer, she doesnt feel the Holy Spirit or the physical manifestations she calls the holy goosebumps." But the virtual experience is fulfilling nonetheless.

Its comforting to see that theyre always there for me and were always there for each other, Flippen said.

Members are asked on Fridays to share which requests got answered, and some get shoutouts in the Sunday morning livestreamed services.

Moreno said he knows Facebook is not acting out of purely selfless motivation  it wants more user engagement with the platform. But his church's approach to it is theologically based, and they are trying to follow Jesus example.

We should go where the people are, Moreno said. The people are on Facebook. So were going to go there.

___

AP video journalist Emily Leshner contributed.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
CAIRO (AP)  Sudan said Sunday it ordered its envoy to Ethiopia home for consultations after a government spokeswoman in Addis Ababa rejected a Sudanese initiative to mediate a cease-fire in the Tigray war and accused it of occupying Ethiopian territory.

The move announced in a Foreign Ministry statement was the latest sign of deteriorating ties between the African neighbors. The tensions began after Sudan deployed troops late last year to the fertile al-Fashaqa border area it says was occupied for over two decades by Ethiopian farmers and militias.

Billene Seyoum, spokesperson for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said Thursday that ties with Sudan have been a little bit tricky and accused Khartoum of occupying Ethiopian territory  a reference to al-Fashaqa. She said Sudan was not a credible party to facilitate negotiations between Ahmeds government and Tigray leaders.

The conflict erupted in Tigray in November after a falling out between Ahmed and the Tigray ruling party that had dominated Ethiopias government for nearly three decades. The growing war has threatened to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.

Sudans Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdoks initiative aims at encouraging Ethiopian parties to reach a comprehensive cease-fire and to engage in political dialogue to preserve Ethiopias integrity and stability.

Sudans interest in resolving the Tigray region's conflict is part of its commitment to regional peace and stability, the statement said.

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia on Sunday.

In February, Sudan ordered Ambassador Gamal al-Sheikh home from Ethiopia after it accused Ethiopian troops of crossing into Sudan and warned of grave repercussions on the regions security and stability. Al-Sheikh returned to Addis Ababa weeks later.

The Tigray war has killed thousands of people and pushed the area to the brink of famine. More than 60,000 people have also fled Tigray and taken refuge in Sudan.

The decades-long border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia centers on large swaths of agricultural land Sudan says are within its borders in the al-Fashaqa area, according an agreement that demarcated the borders between the two nations in the early 1900s.

The two nations have held rounds of talks, most recently in Khartoum in December, to settle the dispute, but have not made progress.

The dispute has escalated in recent months after Sudan deployed troops to al-Fashaqa. Sudan said it reclaimed most of its territory and called on Ethiopia to withdraw troops from at least two points it says are inside Sudan.

Ethiopian officials, however, accused Sudan of taking advantage of the Tigray conflict region to enter Ethiopian territory. It has called for Sudanese troops to return to their positions before the Tigray fighting erupted in November.
BERLIN (AP)  Hundreds of people protested Sunday in front of a Swiss appeals court that had last month reduced the prison sentence of a rapist, arguing that the rape lasted only 11 minutes and that the victim had not been severely injured, local media reported.

The mainly female protesters in front of the Basel courthouse held up banners and shouted 11 minutes are 11 minutes too much!" They decried the court's ruling which had lowered the 33-year-old defendant's prison sentence from 4 years and three months to three years, the online news site 20minuten.ch reported.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Linda Kah has spent her entire career working remotely. Literally.

Her paleontological expeditions have taken her from the deep Sahara Desert to the high Andes mountains to the eerie silence of the remote Canadian arctic.

Kah, an associate professor of geology at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, studies some of the oldest life on Earth. Now she is bringing that expertise to Mars for the second time.

As a co-investigator for the NASA Mars Mission, Kah is trying to find evidence of water and potentially life to bring back to Earth.

Kah hopes that by telling stories about Earths distant past and Mars lost life, she can inspire people to ask their own questions and seek their own answers.

I teach because I am intensely curious, said Kah. If I can inspire somebody else to be intensely curious and ask questions then Ive done some good for society.

FOSSILS OLDER THAN BONES

At first blush it might seem strange that a paleontologist is helping lead a mission to find evidence of water, and possibly life, on Mars. But Kah doesnt study dinosaurs. The fossils she studies are much older, dating back 1 billion years to the dawn of microbial life on our planet.

I wasnt actually interested in most fossils that people are interested in, Kah told Knox News. I want to do something people dont do. I want to learn something people have ignored.

Microbes dont leave behind bones. Their fossils look more like rocky cauliflower or striated, layered stone. But under a microscope, they come alive. Tiny chambers left behind after the microbes have decayed over time fill with crystals, like microscopic geodes.

Before NASA came calling, Kahs work took her to Mauritania, where she trekked deep into the Sahara to the remains of an ancient sea preserved among the dry gorges of the Adrar plateau.

Some parts of that ancient sea hold clues to billion-year-old tsunamis that carried massive mounds of microbial life far from the ancient coastline.

These tiny fossils preserve a record of early Earth; before plants, before animals, before most of what we know as life, existed.

So far, Mars hasnt revealed any evidence of complex life. But if life existed there it wouldnt leave behind bones. It likely would leave behind microscopic crystals, filaments or layers.

Thats what the Perseverance team is searching for, in the hopes that later NASA missions can bring back such evidence to study.

WORKING ON MARS

Since February, Kah and her collaborators have been working shifts on Martian time, essentially, third and fourth shifts.

Scientists working on the Mars rover cant communicate with it in real time. It takes between five and 20 minutes for a signal to pass between Earth and Mars which makes real-time driving impossible. To maximize active rover time, Kah and the other scientists and engineers program the rovers various tasks overnight before it wakes up in the morning.

Im talking loudly and actively and animatedly in meetings at four in the morning, said Kah, whose home office used to be next to her sons bedroom. So I moved my office to the basement.

Each day, Kah and the other NASA scientists try to go to sleep and wake up 40 minutes later to stay synchronized with the Martian night.

Instead of 24 hours to rotate once around its axis like on Earth, Mars takes 24 hours and 40 minutes.

Kahs husband, fellow UTK paleontologist Colin Sumrall, said that even though this kind of work schedule is occasionally challenging, it is much easier than Kahs earthbound fieldwork.

When youre really remote there really is no communication, he said. He said when Kah went up into the remote Andes mountains on a research trip, their son, Douglas, took it hard.

Now he understands that mom and dad have weird schedules and mom and dad disappear for sometimes a week on end, he said.

THE SURPRISINGLY HARD QUESTION

For the past six months, Kah and her NASA colleagues have been trying to answer a question that seems basic. What kind of rock did Perseverance land on?

NASA selected the Perseverances landing site, the Jezero crater, because orbital and telescope imagery showed what appeared to be the remains of ancient water bodies.

The crater held what may have been a body of water the size of Lake Tahoe about 3-4 billion years ago. Two dry river channels appear to flow into the crater. Formations resembling deltas fan out into the Jezero.

Sedimentary deposits mean water. Water could mean life.

But whether those fans and deltas seen from orbit actually were left behind by water is just a theory.

Is this an igneous rock like a lava flow? Or is it a sedimentary rock like a sandstone? said Kah. An igneous rock is something like a lava flow, you wouldnt expect it to preserve evidence of life very easily.

Conditions on Mars make it very difficult to figure out if Perseverance is taking samples of the right kind of rock to further the research. Martian geology is very different from Earths and can produce some very strange rocks.

Kah explained that because the Martian atmosphere is thinner meteor impacts are more frequent. Each meteor impact generates enough heat to melt rock into impact glass.

On Earth, impact glass is rare, and adorned the headdresses of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. On Mars impact glass could be much more common.

And even though the atmosphere is thin, Mars can produce some truly astounding, planet-engulfing dust storms. Exposed rocks are constantly being eroded by wind-blown dust.

And unlike Earth, the crust of Mars is not shifting like Earths is. Scientists believe that Martian volcanoes have been inactive for millions of years. You wont find fresh, young volcanic rock.

The things that are on the surface might have been on the surface for 3 billion years, said Kah. She pointed out that on Earth, wind-carved rocks start to look surreal, polished and strange after only a few hundred thousand years. They look like modern art because essentially its been sandblasted. Thats what everything on the surface of Mars is like.

Kah said that after billions of years of sandblasting, glassy impact material could become incorporated into sedimentary rock. But not everyone on the team is sure. If the rocks are volcanic then they would probably not preserve any evidence of life.

To help settle the discussion, Kah and part of the scientific team are headed to highly volcanic Iceland this August as a way of testing their remote rock-identification accuracy.

Icelands geology is thought to be like that of early Mars, and most Icelandic sediment is made of ground-up volcanic rock. Kah hopes that the trip will help them answer fundamental questions about Mars.

How easy is it and what are the most accurate methods to tell whether something is an igneous rock or sedimentary when you are looking at an environment that both of these would have the same chemistry? said Kah. Were going to Iceland to take that test.

WORKING CLOSELY, WORKING INTENSELY

In some ways Kahs trip to Iceland is a return to business as usual. For her, this means intense, deep, collaborative work. NASAs team will be camping on the remote Icelandic tundra for several weeks, stress-testing their remote, geological methods.

The close working conditions help the scientists bond and learn to work as a team.

It is this very intense, very intimate, but very otherworldly experience, said Michelle Minitti, a scientist specializing in the acquisition and interpretation of data from rovers and friend of Kahs.

Minitti and Kah met during the Curiosity rover mission. They lived and worked together on Martian time for the first three months of the mission.

Kah had just given birth to her son. Minitti was pregnant with her first child.

Weve been connected at the hip in a lot of ways, said Minitti.

Kahs earthbound work can be intense and otherworldly. The silence and remoteness of the Arctic is profound. Distant mountains look like they are nearby. The sound of a waterfall can carry for miles. An iceberg rubbing on the shore can sound like the breath of a polar bear. Kah said that she was able to find her own footprints preserved on the tundra a year after she had made them.

Ashley Manning-Berg, a former student of Kahs and a professor at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, told Knox News that on a trip to the Canadian Arctic she and Kah were trapped in a tent for five days by a thick, freezing fog.

Linda and I got really close in that tent, said Manning-Berg. She didnt expect the isolation to hit her in the way that it did. Manning-Berg said that the tundra was beautiful and exciting but profoundly lonely. It was the first time she had ever been homesick.

Linda was really understanding about that, which I appreciated, she said.

Joy Buongiorno, a professor at Maryville College, said that Kah was a rare shoulder-to-shoulder mentor. When Buongiorno was learning to cut and polish rock samples, she was nervous about cutting herself until Kah put her own finger on the blade to show that it couldnt hurt her. When Buongiorno decided to move from a research-focused to a teaching-focused career, Kah backed her to the hilt.

The second I called her and told her I got my dream job she didnt ask a question. She just started singing congratulations to you to the tune of the happy birthday song, said Buongiorno. I appreciated it at a deep level... when youre a young academic you very much care what your mentors think of you. Kah has been similarly supportive of her undergraduates. Several of them have worked on NASA research projects that have been published in scientific journals.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS

A lot of Kahs personal life is connected to her intense and infectious love of paleontology and geology.

Her parents, Anne and David, met at an introductory geology class in college. Their first date was a fossil hunt and they kept a collection of rocks, fossils and minerals in a large chest in the basement.

For my brother and I playing pirate, this was the treasure chest, recalls Kah. I had always grown up thinking about rocks, collecting anything that I could fit in my pockets.

She met Sumrall at Tulane University in New Orleans. When a member of the earth science faculty died, Sumrall and Kah were asked to wrap up a late professors research projects and classes.

Years later, when they decided to get married, the pair held their ceremony on Lake Tahoe while attending the Geological Society of America conference in Reno, Nevada.

Some family flew in for the marriage. But many more people just showed up in hiking gear, bearing samples of rocks taken during impromptu research hikes. Two separate geological field trips ended at their wedding. The couple didnt want it any other way.
Smoke from wildfires will keep Bay Area skies hazy through Sunday, especially in northern and inland areas, but the Bay Area Air Quality Management District does not expect air here to become unhealthy this weekend.

Places above 1,500 feet in elevation, as well as parts of Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties and inland areas such as Concord and Livermore are most likely to be affected, the district said in a statement at midday Saturday.

The Dixie and River fires, now united in a single complex in Butte and Plumas counties that has grown into the largest wildfire ever in California, was 21 percent contained at nearly 500,000 acres on Saturday, according to CalFire.

Saying the health and future of children in nearby neighborhoods is at risk, activists and educators called for the closure of Reid-Hillview Airport in East San Jose as they canvassed the area Saturday.

They plan to continue speaking out during at least three more county meetings and hearings set for the next ten days.

Reid-Hillview Airport serves small, private planes, which produce far more lead pollution than larger commercial aircraft, and is much closer to homes than most airports.

A group of animal rights activists rallied in and around the Fisherman's Wharf In-N-Out location on Saturday to demand greater clarity on the fast food chain's beef suppliers.

In-N-Out has historically bought beef from factory farms like Harris Ranch, one of the largest cattle farms in Central California. The fast-food chain's supplier information is unknown at this time, said organizers, but they call upon the company to publicize their suppliers and drop factory farms.

The year-long program Free Muni for Youth will kick off Sunday to provide free bus and tram transportation for youth under 18. This coincides with the first day of in-person learning on Monday for San Francisco Unified School District students.

The city already implemented free Muni services for lower-income youth from 5 to 18 years old, and for students in Special Education and English Learner programs until age 22.

Two men were stabbed by a group of four assailants outdoors in downtown Petaluma early Saturday after area bars had closed for the night, police said.

At 4:09 a.m., Petaluma police received a report that two men had been stabbed between the hours of 2-3:30 a.m. in the 100 block of Kentucky Street. They then fled and went to a hospital, where police spoke with them, Sgt. Ryan McGreevy said in a statement.

A fatal vehicle collision in Redwood City on U.S. Highway 101 caused delays and closed three lanes of southbound traffic late Saturday night.

Details were not immediately available about the collision, which was first reported at 11:04 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.

At 11:39 p.m., the CHP announced it had closed lanes two, three and four of southbound 101 at the Millbrae Avenue on-ramp. The number one lane remains open.

No estimate was provided on when the lanes will reopen.

The National Weather Service forecast for the San Francisco Bay Area calls for clearer but hazy skies Sunday, as onshore winds move out some of the smoke from regional wildfires in the north. High temperatures are expected in the 60s along the coast, from the low 60s to high 70s around the bay, and into the low to mid 80s in the south bay and inland valleys. Overnight lows will be in the 50s.

Gradually cooler and wetter conditions are expected in the coming days and into early next week, with warmer and drier conditions late next week.

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NDG&F Release North Dakotas 2020 pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge harvests were up from 2019, according to statistics compiled by the state Game and Fish Departm Upland game biologist RJ Gross said the overall harvest was likely because of increased production of upland birds and favorable weather conditions for hunters. The increases are largely...
Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths have continued to increase in most parts of the country, especially in communities with lower vaccination coverage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Washington, Aug 8 (IANS) US President Joe Biden is pushing harder on vaccines and masks as Covid-19 cases are surging across the country due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

The outlook is especially dire in the South. The states of Florida and Louisiana recently set seven-day case records, Xinhua news agencuy quoted report by The New York Times as saying on Saturday.

In Florida, coronavirus hospitalizations are roughly equal to their previous peak from last summer.

In Louisiana, intensive care units are strained and young adults are contracting serious cases of the virus.

The resurgence has prompted the CDC to issue new guidelines on mask wearing, and some areas are returning to restrictions seen last year during the height of the pandemic.

Mask wearing has been a subject of controversy in the United States for more than a year, with a significant chunk of the population refusing to wear masks for many different reasons. Some believe such choices are up to the individual, others believe - against current data - that masks do not necessarily protect against the virus.

Recent weeks have also seen a marked increase in the number of private sector companies promoting vaccinations for those who want to return to the office.

In a sharp about face of previous statements, recent days saw Biden say he would like to see companies move toward mandates.

Biden has announced that all federal workers must be vaccinated or be required to wear masks and undergo regular testing.

The President also said he believes more cities and states should institute rules like those in New York City, where customers at restaurants, gyms and other venues are required to be vaccinated.

So far, 50 per cent of the US. population, or more than 165.9 million people, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the CDC.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua: "Many public and private sector organizations have instituted mask and vaccine requirements. Some leaders oppose this but they are in states with low vaccination rates and high Covid rates."

An article published on Yalemedicine.org, one of Yale University's websites, said people who are fully vaccinated "appear to have strong protection against Delta compared to those who aren't... But anyone who is unvaccinated and not practicing preventive strategies is at high risk for infection by the new variant".

As an increased number of cities call for employee vaccinations, they are seeing pushback from some labour unions.

New York unions were outraged last week after the city implemented employee vaccination requirements.

"We are absolutely against an absolute mandate to vaccinate everyone," said Henry Garrido, executive of New York's health union.

The New York Fire Department (FDNY) also expressed anger about the possibility of weekly Covid-19 testing paid for by employees.

"This testing will not be done on our own time or our own dime," FDNY union president Andrew Ansbro said. "If the city wants this, they can make it possible and they can pay for it."

In its latest update on Sunday morning, the Johns Hopkins University said that the US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 35,738,154 and 616,713, respectively.

--IANS

ksk/
Based on intelligence reports, a joint force from the provincial police and Sunni tribal fighters launched the operation on Saturday in areas north of the town of al-Muqdadiya, some 100 km northeast of the capital Baghdad, Nihad al-Mahdawi, head of Diyala police media office, told Xinhua news agency.

Baghdad, Aug 8 (IANS) The Iraqi security forces have launched an operation to hunt down members of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in the eastern province of Diyala, a police official said.

The operation aimed to clear rural areas in the north of Maqdadiyah from IS militants and destroy their hideouts, al-Mahdawi said.

Separately, IS militants kidnapped in the morning two civilians and wounded three others at a fake checkpoint near the town of Shirqat, some 280 km north of Baghdad, Colonel Mohammed al-Bazi, from Salahudin provincial police, told Xinhua.

During the past months, IS terrorists have intensified their attacks on the Iraqi security forces in the province the group previously controlled, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since retreated to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.

--IANS

ksk/
Joey Khor found himself at a crossroads after high school in late 1990s, a period of unprecedented global Internet boom.



However, back then Internet opportunities were not as abundant as they are today, and today's ubiquitous apps were simply unheard of.

Nevertheless, the young Joey seemed to have a foresight in future trends and was determined to pursue a multimedia design course.

Multimedia design was a very novel discipline back in those years, and the design tools available were nothing as sophisticated as their successors in the 21st century.

'You don't speak Mandarin!'

Joey was involved in a variety of jobs after school, beginning with building websites, followed by animation designs, integrated marketing and digital marketing.



For the following ten over years, he was lucky enough to have plenty of opportunities to participate in the local creative industry's transformation and development, and has indeed witnessed the transition of marketing from the traditional model to digital and integrated marketing of the new millennium.

After a while, he felt he had done all that he had wanted to do, having won the awards he had dreamed of. So he felt it was time to venture into something different.

He talked to his wife and both of them had come to the conclusion that the next step was not to contemplate what to do but rather explore new frontiers and discover new opportunities from the new markets.

Back then his goal was to venture into China, but his wife reminded him: "You've got a big problem here. You don't speak Mandarin!"

Indeed, he was completely handicapped in Mandarin and had never visited China prior to that. Despite all this, he refused to give up and decided that he should first find a job there.

He sent many copies of his CV to China and finally managed to get a chance for interview.

He recalled during the interview: "They liked my works, but were worried about my poor command of the Chinese language and lack of experience in China such that I would not understand the local conditions, language and market.

"So I proposed to them: why not put me on probation for six months. If I handle well, it's win-win for both, but if I fail, I'll leave without a question."

So he landed a job in China, and has since stayed in that country from 2016.

No time for lag

Joey Khor is currently the executive creative director of George P. Johnson Greater China for experiential marketing. Among the company's clients are some of the biggest names in China in the likes of Oppo and Tencent.

He was won numerous accolades for the company, including 32 so far this year.

Experiential marketing is not just about achieving marketing goals through an array of promotional events. It involves also the unique traits of a brand, the needs of the customers, as well as the overall marketing strategy, Joey explained.

In a country so geographically vast and quick-paced like China, efficiency is always stressed, and things operate in ways very different from when he was doing marketing in Malaysia earlier.

"There's no such thing as completing one job first before taking up another. You have to think way forward and everything is executed concurrently as we attempt to seek workable solutions to our problems through experiences. We have to be quick and versatile in managing things."

When he first arrived in China, Joey felt that the country was a whole world apart from his native Malaysia, with its own set of principles and ways of doing things.

5 new words a day

Joey admitted that he was a subject of ridicule when he first arrived in China, some questioning his ability, puzzled why their company would hire a non Chinese-speaking foreigner as team leader.

In order to fit into the pace of the Chinese, the first thing he did was to hire an intern who would help him handle all translation works and other stuff. The intern's another job duty was to teach him five new Chinese words a day.

So slowly Joey built up his Chinese language foundation and today he can read some Chinese and day-to-day conversation in Mandarin Chinese is no more an issue for him.

Besides learning the Chinese language, he also had a lot of other things to catch up. As such, he was seen constantly learning new things, often beyond his designated office hours.

He said this was absolutely necessary because China is a rapidly transforming country.

"If you want me to lead the other people, you will have to be ahead of them first."

Learning to solve problems

Be it in Malaysia or China, there are certain rules of thumb that will never change when it comes to marketing.

"For example, whether you are doing an advertising business or creative industry, the purpose of creation is to solve problems. First and foremost you must understand and identify the nature of the problem, and then use your creativity to solve it or find a better way of expression."

Talking about his experience working with young people, Joey feels that young people today are too result-oriented without realizing that the creative industry is something that cannot be rushed.

He advises young people to first improve their skills and enjoy the process instead of getting impatient for results.

He feels that it is necessary for people to expand their knowledge and skills because the creative industry now is all about integration.

"In the past when you were to create a website, all you had to do was to create that website. But today, creating a website takes on a whole new meaning and will invariably involve event marketing and digital marketing. They are all linked."

A single skill is never enough in today's creative industry. Joey said as a creative director of a marketing consultancy firm, there were many things he needed to personally handle. If he were to remain stuck at the multimedia design which he learned many years back, he would never get to where he is today!

In view of this, he advised young people who are keen to go into this industry to not only master their own skills but also try their hands on other relevant fields in order to go further from where they are now.

"Who would ever think that a young man who hardly spoke a word of Chinese would go to China and work back in those days? But for me, I didn't bother that much. Just go there first.

"Sure enough there would be problems, but I would overcome the problems when I come across them.

"When we focus on problem-solving, we will also move forward concurrently without we realizing it.

"After some time, you will discover that you have already gone this far when you look back!"
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Ive yet to see any of the perpetrators  Liberal tribal mythmakers, industry lobby groups and business media cheer squad  admit to their part in the humbling of that gold standard virus fighter, NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian (a woman I quite like).

All those business people feeling the pain of NSWs protracted lockdown  which seems not to be getting anywhere, with no end in sight  have no one to blame but the short-sighted, self-centred urgers on their own side.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says employers have the right to mandate vaccination. Credit:James Brickwood

The great learning from our earlier struggles to control the coronavirus  particularly Victorian premier Daniel Andrews struggles this time last year  was the wisdom of the medicos advice that the exponential nature of pandemics meant the best strategy was to go early, go hard.

The economic modelling Treasury did to accompany the Doherty Institutes epidemiological modelling confirmed this wisdom. Continuing to minimise the number of COVID-19 cases, by taking early and strong action in response to outbreaks of the Delta variant, is consistently more [economically] cost-effective than allowing higher levels of community transmission, which ultimately requires longer and more costly lockdowns, Treasury concluded.
Numbers of re-introduced greater bilbies are thriving in a specially protected region of the Mallee Cliffs National Park, allowing rangers to expand the critically endangered marsupials range and plan for more such releases.

Presumed extinct in NSW after once being common, the large-eared animals known as Australias Easter Bunny are responding quickly in their new homes in the states south-west after about 50 of them were released 18 months ago. The population is now estimated to be at least 118.

Higher numbers of the greater bilbies are popping up in the Mallee Cliffs National Park, just months after their re-introduction back into the wild in NSW. Credit:Wayne Lawler, Australian Wildlife Conservancy

The population is booming and projected to increase to up to 1100 bilbies in Mallee Cliffs alone, Environment Minister Matt Kean, said.

It is estimated that feral cats alone kill more than 1.5 billion native animals every year and small- to medium-sized mammals are especially vulnerable, so we need projects like these to remove threats and give our native species a fighting chance.
This includes considering mandatory vaccination policies. They must look at whether a direction that employees be vaccinated is lawful and reasonable  in their own specific context. Loading Vaccination can prevent the spread of COVID-19, but the courts wont just accept that it is a reasonable requirement for all employees across the board to be vaccinated. Any decision to implement mandatory vaccination policies comes with legal risk. It will depend on a variety of factors, including how much contact employees have among themselves and others, and what alternatives or secondary measures are available to prevent the spread. Employers also need to consider how they treat workers who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons.

The Fair Work Commission has grappled with some of these considerations when looking at the fairness of terminating employees for refusing to participate in mandatory flu vaccination programs. In those cases, the Commission assessed whether the employee was at a heightened risk of contracting an infection, whether they were likely to interact with vulnerable people, and alternatives available to prevent transmission. Given what we have seen in recent outbreaks across Australia, and the relative ineffectiveness of previous methods of infection control such as social distancing, its easy see how these considerations could apply to COVID-19 vaccinations. The government has also acknowledged that ultimately employers need to make their own decisions appropriate to their workplace.

Of course, just because employers can introduce mandatory vaccination policies, doesnt necessarily mean they should. Or that they should do it now. Vaccination as a mandatory condition of entry to workplaces, including offices, is becoming more common internationally. In the United States, high-profile employers such as Delta Airlines, DoorDash, fitness company Equinox, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Lyft and Netflix have introduced these types of polices. The problematic issue of the timing of these policies in Australia cant be overlooked. In the current phase of our rollout, where eligibility is limited, and demand for the vaccination outstrips supply, many workers wont be able to be vaccinated until the back end of the year. This does not mean that the current debate is largely academic. Its likely that by the time these policies can realistically be enforced, the landscape will have shifted.

In addition, any further government intervention  broadening the scope of public health orders or legislative guidance on employer mandated polices  will help. The Fair Work Ombudsman has announced that it will update its guidance soon. Loading The introduction of rapid COVID-19 testing, which could increase infection control measures in the workplace, providing an alternative means for infection control, will also form part of the equation. We know that the impacts of this pandemic shift quickly and employers resources are stretched in their COVID-19 response. Instead of employers thinking about what they might do in the future if their workforce isnt vaccinated, employers should be considering what they can do now to encourage and assist employees to get vaccinated as soon as they can.

Worker consultation is important. The early announcement of workplace vaccination policies might influence eligible workers to get vaccinated. But outside of this, employers should focus on proactive and positive messaging. Loading The workplace can be a powerful resource for disseminating accurate and up-to-date information. Recently, the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced new measures to guide employers on promoting vaccines. Some employers are providing rewards. Others are facilitating (virtual) events with medical experts to enable employees to ask questions. Others are offering vaccination leave and additional leave for those who suffer adverse side effects.
Young people say GPs are still discouraging or blocking them from taking the AstraZeneca vaccine despite changes in official medical advice and pleas from politicians to take whichever vaccine is available.

Doctors are required to run patients through the rare risk of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome, or clotting disorder, associated with AstraZeneca. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation says the risk of TTS for under 50s is about 3.4 in every 100,000, and the fatality rate is about 3 per cent, meaning the risk of death is about one in a million.

Many younger Australians are still finding it difficult to get an AstraZeneca vaccine at a GP clinic. Credit:AP

On July 24, ATAGI recommended anyone over 18 in Greater Sydney strongly consider getting the first available vaccine, including AstraZeneca a message reinforced at the daily press conferences by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant. ATAGIs advice for people under 60 in other outbreak situations is to reassess the benefits of taking AstraZeneca.

Matt Bransby, a 31-year-old from Liverpool in the centre of Sydneys outbreak, went to a nearby clinic recently but during his consultation was encouraged to take a week to think about it. He says he was told by a doctor if you insist, Ill give it to you but was warned: What if youre that one in a million?
The nations chief medical officer has called for access to COVID-19 vaccines to be as easy as possible, particularly in areas with high case numbers, as fewer than half the available appointments were filled at Sydney Olympic Parks dedicated vaccination drive on Sunday.

The NSW government hoped up to 5000 people would take part in super Sunday, a targeted effort to inoculate authorised supermarket and food distribution workers, but despite queues forming early about 2000 people turned up on chilly and wet winters day.

On Saturday health authorities announced a big day out for the food providers of Sydney, to come forward and receive a dose on the weekend, the days when vaccination rates are lowest.

Queues of people outside the mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday. Credit:Dean Sewell

Earlier on Sunday Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly stopped short of saying door-to-door vaccinations were appropriate, but when talking about a circuit breaker, Professor Kelly said there were different ways of getting the vaccine out. And we need to make access as easy as possible for people, both for testing and for vaccination.
Netflix has partnered with Screenworks and the NSW government to provide free skills training for entry into screen industry careers to address a national shortage of film crews.

The television and movie streaming giant will invest $500,000 in the three-year pilot program, which will be delivered by Screenworks and supported by the state government.

The program, to be announced on Monday, will include 12-month fully paid traineeships in a range of areas including camera work, lighting and production. Work experience on productions being filmed in regional areas, including the Byron Studios in Alstonville in northern NSW, and Pacific Bay Studios in Coffs Harbour, will be part of the traineeships.

A Netflix crew member on the set of Clickbait.

Workshops would also provide shorter specialist skills training for people who wanted to transfer their existing qualifications to the screen industry. This would be funded under the NSW JobTrainer program.
The number of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 in the Sydney outbreak has doubled in the past two weeks and has hit almost 120 cases, with one peak medical group renewing calls to mandate vaccines for all hospital workers nationally.

NSW Heath data reveals that from the start of the outbreak on June 16 until July 24, about 10 per cent of healthcare workers who caught the highly transmissible Delta strain of the virus were fully vaccinated and about one-quarter had received at least one shot.

The number of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 in the Sydney outbreak has doubled in the past two weeks. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The peak body for the not-for-profit hospital network, Catholic Health Australia, has called on national cabinet to require vaccination for all hospital staff, with some hospitals redeploying unvaccinated workers to clinical areas with a lower risk. It is not mandatory for healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Director of health policy at Catholic Health Australia, James Kemp, said while many hospital workers were already vaccinated, a mandatory policy would send a potent message to the minority who need the push. If canned fruit companies can make vaccinations mandatory they should surely be mandatory for hospital staff.
Trucking magnate Lindsay Fox has lost an attempt to kick the state government off his beach, legally speaking.

Lindsay Fox enjoying his private beach. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare

Foxs famous Portsea spread, where the billionaire and his wife Paula often host Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Cath, boasts a rare piece of privately owned beach. With just 4 per cent of the states foreshore land in private hands, its a prized asset for the truckie.

Trouble is, much of the part of Point King Beach owned by the Foxes is also in the Port Phillip Bay conservation zone, meaning the property is not quite as private as the Foxes would like.

After former Victorian Liberals leader Matthew Guy signed off on some changes to the planning laws during his time as planning minister in 2014, a permit signed by the Environment Department boss is needed for any significant work or changes of use to the beach land.
Studying on campus isnt just about academic gains and knowledge. An important aspect of campus life is the social element experienced by students; hanging out after a class, studying for a group assignment, attending extra-curricular lectures and seminars and much more.

Even before the pandemic, creating a sense of identity and belonging within the academic community was challenging and disconcerting for many students. Not being on campus and lack of in-person social connections and contacts, has made it even more difficult and has negatively impacted student engagement and overall student wellbeing.

The usual fanfare of student clubs, carnivals, back-to-back orientation events, and gaggles of excited new students searching for their lectures might still not happen. For over 18 months, the pre-COVID-19 vibrant campus life is absent. Missing out on this experience has had a significant impact on students.

A quiet campus on wintry July days in Melbourne is not an uncommon sight. A result of semester break. However, as a new semester gets underway for most of the universities, once again we find ourselves in a lockdown.

For students, making and maintaining social connections are crucial. This social networking extends beyond their immediate university circle into professional life. Meeting alumni, connecting with industry partners, doing internships  most of these activities have been disrupted.

This is not to say that our students havent found new ways of connecting. Online study groups, and WhatsApp or Messenger-based group chats have happened in parallel to their formal academic learning. For some students, this online environment has offered them access to communities and events that they wouldnt have been able to otherwise, due to their unique circumstances. However, these are a handful of students. The majority of students are not thrilled about having to study online in a rather fragmented way.

There are many students for whom university campus is more than a place to study, it is a place of escape  a haven. These students may not have a proper environment to concentrate on their studies at home  inadequate facilities, not enough space, unsafe situations. For these students, the last 18 months have been really difficult.

As academics, we can help students connect with each other and create social communities. This can be easily done by providing online spaces for students to freely talk about their experiences in an informal way or offering a virtual tour of campus. These should be offered considering different time zones and activities like online competitions such as creative writing, short-film making or academic puzzles can enable students to feel more engaged with the university as well.

We also suggest taking on students as partners and actively including them in study design. This would give them a sense of empowerment towards their learning journey. Furthermore, we can make space for students to create and deliver messages of togetherness, empathy and kinship. Encouraging students to develop artefacts  visual and text-based, in different languages, rooted in different cultures, would foster a vibrant, diverse, and well-connected online student community.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As voters watch state and federal leaders bicker over the handling of the pandemic, they can take some solace: it could have been worse. In 1838, when the four colonies  NSW, Van Diemens Land, Western Australia and South Australia  were still grappling to survive, a paper appeared in the august pages of the Royal Geographical Society in London. Scottish civil engineer, army officer and author James Vetch unveiled his plan entitled Considerations on the Political Geography and Geographical Nomenclature of Australia. Gone were the three mainland states, replaced with nine new entities (with vastly different titles) while the isle of Van Diemens Land would remain. Instead of a single, massive Western Australia (which as a country would be among the 10 largest in the world), Vetch sought to have relatively equal-sized colonies to absorb what he thought could ultimately be a land with 153 million residents. It meant a map that would drive modern-day Australians to distraction.

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So what would Vetchs vision of Australia mean? Despite documenting his dislike of the English names given to much of Australia, none of Vetchs proposed names for the states were taken from Indigenous groups. There is no NSW or Victoria (in its present location). The Victoria that Vetch planned sat in the south-west in an area taking in Perth and Albany. WA would no longer crow about its contribution of wealth to the nation via its iron ore and natural gas deposits as they would sit in the new state of Dampieria. And Dampieria would abut a colony called Tasmania. The ongoing campaign by some for a north Queensland colony would be rewarded with Torresia while Uluru would sit in the sparsely populated Nuytsland. Uluru would sit in the sparesly populated state of Nuytsland under an 1838 vision of Australia. Credit:Alamy Guelphia, encompassing much of present-day NSW and Victoria, would be home to about 15 million residents and have an economy that would rank it among the 20 largest in the world. It would be Australias answer to California as an economic powerhouse.

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Dr Andre Brett from Wollongong University is an expert in the territorial separation movements of the 1800s. He says there were a string of campaigns across the continent for new colonies through the period. The Riverina movement proposed a separate colony between the Murrumbidgee and Murray rivers in southern NSW. The New England and Northern Rivers area of NSW around Armidale has long been a centre for separation (including a narrowly defeated referendum in 1967). So confident were people in central Queensland that a mansion was established in Rockhampton in 1894 for the expected governor of the new colony. Today it forms part of a local hospital. In WA there was the proposed Auralia, centred on the states goldfields around Kalgoorlie, that may have sued for secession if the colony had failed to join the federation. But Dr Brett says they all failed, however narrowly, with just three movements  Van Diemens Land, the Port Phillip District and the Moreton Bay area  successful in separating from NSW. Our original boundaries were just arbitrary lines and they were consistently contested on the ground by people who had different political or economic reasons for change, he says.

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The Constitution contains a chapter on the creation of states, as the writers of the document expected parts of the country to demand their representation in the new Federal Parliament. It also allows for existing states to form a union. But since 1901, efforts to create these states or even leave the federation have failed. Children dance at the Exhibition Oval in Victoria to mark the Federation in 1901. Credit:Museum Victoria West Australians in 1933 voted to secede at a referendum. At the same election, they voted in a Labor government opposed to secession. In 1967, the Askin government in NSW ran a referendum for the creation of a state covering New England. Only Labor voters around Newcastle prevented the referendums success. More recently, Senator Matt Canavan has openly backed a referendum to split Queensland between north and south. Dr Brett, who says north Queensland probably deserved to be a state, believes most campaigns for separation failed because they lacked broad support in their communities, or they were unable to win over the London-based Colonial Office which did not understand what was happening on the ground.

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That just three separation movements succeeded shows how difficult it was to get that broad political and economic support needed to get interest from the Colonial Office, he said. And while the Constitution allows for new states, it does not guarantee the same sort of representation in the Parliament. Only the original states are guaranteed seats in the Senate, for instance. The chance of Nuytsland  approximate population of 3000  getting its own 12 senators would be remote. Dr Brett says even the existing borders have delivered quirks. The border between Queensland and the Northern Territory was shifted westward in the 1860s on local concerns about how the territory (then part of NSW) would be administered. Sixty years later, it meant the discovery of valuable minerals around Mount Isa were funnelled into Queensland rather than delivering a major financial boost to the NT. Vetch, apart from his idea for the colonies, also had some strong views about their names.

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The federal governments decision to make returning Australian expats apply for an exemption to leave the country again is the latest in a long line of restrictive measures that has split families and left thousands of Australian citizens stranded overseas. Many of those affected by the latest decision had waited months to be allowed to come back to Australia. Now they must show a compelling reason to leave again. There appears to be no clear public health purpose behind this decision, given that return travel overseas does not pose a burden on the quarantine system.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the ways in which Australias citizenship laws are predicated on restriction. A number of decisions made over the past 14 months echo a long history of exclusionary rules. The creation of the Australian nation in 1901 itself demarcated who was in and who was out. One of the first pieces of legislation passed by the federal Parliament was the Immigration Restriction Act, aimed at excluding non-Europeans, which paved the way for the White Australia Policy. At the same time, Indigenous peoples were discriminated against and excluded from voting in federal elections.

Australian governments have imposed significant restrictions on our movements across borders. Credit:James Brickwood

The internal border controls instituted across states and territories throughout this pandemic are a throwback to internal regulations on the movement of Indigenous peoples. In the 1950s, one of Australias chief concerns during the drafting of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to internal mobility, was to maintain restrictions on the movement of Aboriginal Australians in their own interests.

Since that time, Australias border policies mandating the detention of unlawful non-citizens have at times mistakenly caught citizens and permanent residents, like Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alverez, who was also wrongly removed from the country.
Australia is being considered as a test site for US company Moderna to study a COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as six months, in a sign of the firms interest in the country as it negotiates with the federal government over local vaccine production.

Moderna is evaluating Australia as one location for a trial that aims to enrol 6000 children aged from six months to 12 years, with most of the study taking place in the United States.

The move, revealed in the companys quarterly report to US regulators in recent days, comes as the federal government talks to Moderna officials about the cost of building a facility to manufacture its messenger RNA vaccine in Australia.

The government is also evaluating bids from local researchers and vaccine developers, including health giant CSL, to build a domestic mRNA capability that might lead to local production from 2023, which is seen as the earliest practical date.
There is no way to rewrite history on the mistakes made one year ago when Australia did not sign enough deals to vaccinate its people.

In fact, owning up to a problem is a good way to make sure it does not happen again.

The Prime Minister receives his second Pfizer vaccination in March. Credit:Edwina Pickles

This is a political nightmare for the government because the failure was born of success. Presiding over relatively low case numbers and deaths compared to other countries, Prime Minister Scott Morrison thought he had enough vaccines for the second year of the pandemic. He was wrong.

Health Minister Greg Hunt argued on Sunday that it was wrong to claim the government did not do enough, sooner, on vaccine supply.
Mauduguri, Nigeria: One abducted girl from the Nigerian town of Chibok has been freed and reunited with her parents seven years after Boko Haram militants kidnapped her and more than 200 of her classmates, Borno states governor says.

The raid on the school in the north-eastern town one night in April 2014 sparked an international outcry and a viral campaign on social media with the hashtag #bringbackourgirls.

Bring Back Our Girls campaigners celebrate the release of some of the kidnapped Chibok school girls in 2017. Credit:AP

Governor Babagana Zulum said yesterday the girl and someone she said she married during her captivity surrendered themselves to the military 10 days ago. Zulum said government officials had used the time since to identify her and contact her parents.

Some 270 girls were originally abducted by the Islamist group but 82 were freed in 2017 after mediation, adding to 24 who were released or found. A few others have escaped or been rescued, but about 113 of the girls are believed to be held still by the militant group.
New coronavirus variants are to be named after star constellations when all the letters in the Greek alphabet are used, a senior World Health Organisation official has said.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs technical chief for COVID-19, said the UN health agency was already looking at names for mutations amid fears there will be more concerning variants than the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet.

The World Health Organisation is looking into a new COVID variant naming system once all the Greek letters have been used up. Credit:AP

That system was introduced in late May and so far 11 mutations have been named: four variants of concern, including delta and beta; four variants of interest, such as eta and lambda; plus epsilon, zeta and theta, thought to be of interest but since downgraded.

Van Kerkhove said star constellations were the frontrunner, suggesting there could one day be variants known as Aries, Gemini or Orion. Alternatives including Greek gods and goddesses have been dismissed, partly because of concerns about pronunciation.
Washington: As coronavirus cases and hospitalisations surged in Alabama, Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene drew cheers from the crowd when mentioning the states lowest-in-the-nation vaccination rate at a political fundraiser, in a video posted this week.

Days after the video surfaced, the states health leader said officials have thrown out more than 65,000 coronavirus vaccines that expired, citing low demand that experts have partly attributed to the politicisation of the vaccine. Alabama has the lowest vaccination rate in the country, followed closely by Mississippi, according to data compiled by The Washington Post.

COVID conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks at a Republican rally in Georgia. Credit:AP

In the video from the Alabama Federation of Republican Women fundraiser on July 23, Greene, a representative of the neighbouring state of Georgia, suggested people take up arms against volunteers promoting coronavirus vaccines through door-to-door outreach, to which the crowd applauded and laughed.

Well, what they dont know is that in the south we all love our second amendment rights, she said in the clip, referring to constitutional amendment allowing Americans to bear arms. And were not real big on strangers showing up at our front door, are we? They might not like the welcome they get.
MARIGOT:--- A week ago three organizations, representative of the people, made a request to the President of the collectivity and his team to solve the longstanding protest in the interest and respect of the population.

Lo and behold, a week later, President Daniel Gibbs and his team have remained unbelievingly uncompromising. They have maintained their decision to allow the general manager, Mme Ayache, to impose discriminatory, unjust, and humiliating practices on the workers of the collectivity and maintain deplorable working conditions in various services. To add insult to injury, instead of solving the problem they had the audacity to seek the assistance of the court system to attempt to sanction the union representatives for defending the rights of the workers.

Confronted with this level of injustice, after six weeks of strike, we the people have enough evidence to conclude that President Gibbs and his team are incapable of solving the problem they created in the first place, while the people suffer. Therefore, we have decided to join the workers and take this fight to the next level. We also demand:

The removal of the General Manager of the collectivity,

Proper basic working conditions for all workers,

A stop to Mme Ayache policy of employment discrimination,

The promotion of equality amongst all workers,

A stop to the squandering of public funds

From this week, we reserve the right to take any action we deem necessary to defend a just cause and restore the dignity of the workers.

We want to also send a clear message To Whom It May Concern: Friendly Island doesnt main stupid people!

Our children also deserve a fair chance to be employed in sweet Saint Martin land.

Lets unite, North and South, to demand respect and justice for our people.

If we dont stop this injustice today, it will rise up a thousandfold in the future.

Stay on high alert, we will be calling on you soon!

A people united will never be defeated!

Soualiga United Collectif / Soualiga Grassroots Movement /CGTG
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Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19, the club have announced.

The 28-year-old midfielder, back at United following a hugely successful loan spell at West Ham last season, will now miss the club's final pre-season friendly against Everton on Saturday afternoon.

Really gutted to have tested positive after a good pre season, luckily I feel fine and will follow the guidelines and be back with the boys on pitch very soon! Thank you for your support   Jesse Lingard (@JesseLingard) August 7, 2021

Lingard said on his Twitter account: "Really gutted to have tested positive after a good pre season, luckily I feel fine and will follow the guidelines and be back with the boys on pitch very soon! Thank you for your support."
Madrid, 8 August 2021 (SPS) - The scheduling of any flight to the occupied cities of Western Sahara constitutes a serious violation of international law, warned the Polisario Front, expressing its "indignation" following the announcement of the Spanish company "Binter Canarias" of the resumption of flights to the Sahrawi city of Laayoune.



In a message addressed to the president of the company based in the Canary Islands, the Polisario Front's representative in Spain, Abdulah Arabi, underlined that "without the consent of the Polisario Front, the only legitimate representative of the Saharawi people, the programming and marketing of any flight to the occupied cities of Western Sahara, in this case Binter Canarias, constitute a serious violation of international law, for which the company incurs international responsibility.



"The scheduling of flights to Western Sahara involves an illegal trade which affects a territory illegally occupied by Morocco, a state which has no jurisdiction over the territory in the process of decolonization," warned the Polisario Front.



The Polisario Front representative in Spain stressed that the decision of the Spanish company "contributes to the objective pursued by Morocco to legitimise the illegal occupation" in Western Sahara.



The Polisario representative reiterated that "any economic activity in the territory requires the consent of the Sahrawi people", under the "ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union on December 21, 2018, regarding all agreements and contracts concluded covering the territory of Western Sahara. (SPS)



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STAMFORD  The gun permit debate in Stamford continues.

A Board of Representatives subcommittee has postponed deciding on a resolution asking the state to consider a law requiring gun owners to present their carry permit when requested by police.

In a 4 to 3 vote with one abstention, the Public Safety & Health Committee voted to table the resolution and not bring it forward to the full Board of Representatives. The move came amid an outpouring of opposition to the proposal at the committees recent meeting.

City Reps. Jeffrey Stella, D-9; Rodney Pratt, D-9; and Jeff Curtis, D-14, introduced the resolution in the spring. While the proposal itself would not change any city statutes, it would call on the state to revise laws to require gun owners to present their carry permit when requested by police.

A similar proposal was shot down by the state legislature in 2017, when then-state Rep. William Tong, now state attorney general, and his colleagues state Reps. Caroline Simmons and Daniel Fox, both D-Stamford, brought it forward.

Since being unveiled, the new resolution has received support from the citys police department and Mayor David Martin, but has gotten little traction on the Board of Representatives.

The vote marks the latest setback for the proposed resolution, which the Board of Representatives elected not to move forward earlier this year on March 1.

Jordan Nelson, who recently moved to Stamford from Utah, was one of nearly a dozen residents who spoke against the resolution. He called the effort little more than a hand wave in regard to public safety.

Nelson claimed the resolution would restrict the rights and liberties of an individual by infringing on the Second Amendments right to bear arms and circumventing an officers required need for reasonable suspicion to conduct a search.

He said the proposed solution would lead to people purposefully escalating situations by calling the police on otherwise law-abiding citizens carrying their weapons.

Open carrying isnt like screaming Fire, fire in a crowded theater as theres no one causing a stir intentionally, aside from the person reporting the matter, or the officer responding. Were making mountains out of molehills, if you will, Nelson said.

Nelson compared the proposed resolution to New Yorks controversial stop and frisk policy and asked whether the proposed resolution could be carried out in an ethical and equitable manner.

You may find a couple of illegal firearms, but every one you come across, you harass several dozens of people and plant the seeds of resentment in the mind that only grows as police actions across the U.S. are scrutinized harder and harder for their ethics, Nelson said.

Justine Del Grosso, another Stamford resident who spoke during the hearing, also compared the resolution with New Yorks stop and frisk policy, saying the resolution would hurt the communities that the proposal purports to want to help.

This resolution is urging the state of Connecticut to enforce an abusive precedent, one which paves the way for future abuses, under the guise that public safety would be enhanced, she said.

She argued the resolution would do little to curtail the illegal use of weapons, and instead would put a target on the backs of lawfully open-carrying citizens.

Who in their right mind would open carry without a permit? How many criminals do you actually see out there with a big iron on their hip? If youre on parole or have an APB on you and are open carrying, you might as well have a big sign on yourself saying Arrest me.

Sean Boeger, a sergeant with the Stamford Police Department, was one of a handful of city residents who supported the resolution.

Boeger pointed out that while it is rare for officers to be put into a situation where they have to ask individuals open carrying for their permits, the situation does arise from time to time.

Under current law, Boeger said, police can ask if people have their gun permits. The problem is that those people arent compelled under current statute to answer that question, he said.

Boeger said this prevents police from being able to alleviate the public concern when somebody is open carrying, and somebody is concerned about that.

Bonnie Kim Campbell, a longtime West Side resident, also spoke in support of the resolution. She compared being asked to show your gun permit with being asked by police to show her drivers license.

When Im driving my car, Stamford police have stopped me and asked to see my drivers license, and I have given it to them because thats part of my being able to operate that vehicle. How is this any different? Campbell said.

Ultimately, city representatives opted to sideline the bill until experts on both sides of the argument could be brought in to offer their opinions before the resolution goes to the full board.

The resolution is expected to be brought back before the Public Safety & Health Committee.
STAMFORD  The ritual starts the same way, regardless of the venue.

Performers slip into the makeup, the clothes and sometimes, the six-inch platform shoes. They inhabit someone else for the evening: maybe a dandy-ish game show host or a cartoon princess. They primp and preen until showtime.

And in this case, showtime is an outdoor drag story hour put on by Stamford Pride as part of its first year of festivities.

The premise is simple and infinitely replicable. Queens and kings (or anybody else somewhere in-between) gear up with their best looks and childrens books to tell young audiences stories of self-acceptance and inclusion. The format is so effective that these story times have happened everywhere from Norwalk to Anchorage, Alaska. There is even a national organization with 41 chapters dedicated to putting on story times in 28 states and one territory.

Transfixed in wonder, kids watch borderline-otherworldly people in an otherwise everyday setting. In a sense, the stories performers read are secondary to the fairytales theyre living out.

The difference between the fairy godmother who is a drag queen and a fairy godmother who isnt a drag queen is generally just going to be how tall they are, Selina Policar  who performs under the stage name Frankie M. Cyanide  said. Frankie Cyanide, a self-described 70s game show host, will take the stage at almost all Stamford Prides upcoming celebrations, including the drag story hour.

Policar was practically born to perform in this way.

I was raised by actual, literal party clowns, she said.

Playing with makeup and gender as a performance always felt innate to who she is, she said. But beyond the glimmering allure of the stage, Policar said she feels a profound responsibility to being as visibly queer as possible.

Its why she serves on Stamfords Board of Representatives and why shes taking part in the upcoming Youth Pride Cafe, too, another Stamford Pride event.

The experience will attempt to replicate drag story time for an older audience. Whereas the former event aims to expose small children to diversity in all its iterations, the latter attempts to build a safe space for teens, who are typically boxed out of mainstream LGBT spaces.

When youre at an event like this, surrounded by people like you, its like youre among your own people, said Miss Chevious, another member of the Stamford Pride roster, And thats something you cant really find  that kind of community  until youre 21.

Like Frankie Cyanide, Miss Chevious performed at the story time and will return for the Youth Pride Cafe.

Miss Chevious, who asked to be called by her stage name to protect her professional identity, said she understands that gay bars are often seen as the epicenter of LGBT life. For so many community members, bars are where they can embody their most authentic selves without fear of rejection or harm from the straight, cis  (people whose gender identity matches the one they were assigned at birth)  world.

Creating that kind of solidarity in a regular cafe on a Wednesday night?

Well, its definitely more punk, she said.

The radical potential of being known for exactly who you are is why Robin Richards signed up for Saturdays drag story time. Like Miss Chevious, Richards asked to go by her stage name to protect her identity.

Richards has lived in Stamford for her entire life, save a few years when she attended art school in Westchester County. Even though she felt physically safe as a young, gay Filipino-American in Stamford, she said she constantly felt emotionally isolated. Adolescence felt like she was trapped inside a fish tank, desperately tapping on the glass in an attempt to be understood by others.

I would cry myself to sleep at night, wishing that I felt like I belonged, she said.

Doing drag, especially for children who are still forming their opinions on what the world is like, is a way to reach past that aching isolation, she said.

Its about showing them that the world is a lot bigger than they might have known, she said, though she acknowledges that drag story times can only do so much. Though widely popular in some progressive communities, these events have faced vitriol online and in real life. Organizers pulled the plug on drag story times in West Virginia and New Hampshire after receiving an onslaught of death threats.

Not even Stamford, a city recognized publicly for being LGBT-friendly, is exempt from that kind of backlash. Vandals last week defaced a Pride banner that sat outside of Unitarian Universalist Congregation near Latham Park.

Though events like the youth cafe and the storytime aspire to increase acceptance for LGBT people locally, Miss Chevious said the end goal goes beyond that.

Celebration is the top of the pyramid, she said. Thats what were going for: To be celebrated for who we are. But to feel physically safe?

Thats the real prize, she said.

I was scared when I first started doing drag, and I still get scared sometimes, she said. But the remedy to that fear, she said, is the power she feels while performing. Its the same power she wants the kids and teens shes performing for to someday experience.

In fact, she wants every young person watching the Stamford Pride performances to leave with one message: If my existence threatens you, Im sorry for you.
The family courts in Connecticut launched a new program for divorce cases and other family matters this year, meant to streamline and speed up the process, especially for those with uncontested cases.

Pathways to Resolution, launched this year, was developed with the help of the National Center for State Courts based on research and experience in other states, said Melissa Farley, spokeswoman for the state judicial branch.

The process is designed to encourage parties to concentrate on resolving their cases by agreement, instead of engaging in lengthy litigation. It seeks to give each case the level of court resources it needs sooner than was possible under the old process, and reduce the number of necessary court appearances, she said.

In the triage system, the family relations counselor assigns each case to one of three tracks, ranging from an uncontested divorce to one in which there is high conflict or complex issues to resolve, in which one judge and one counselor are assigned.

An uncontested divorce will go into Track A, in which the case is resolved on the initial resolution plan date and does not go before a judge except to receive the final order. It is supposed to take 45 days in total.

Track B, which requires limited court involvement, calls for a case date about 60 days after the resolution plan date and, if necessary, a trial two or three months later. Disposition is meant to take fewer than six months. Track C includes two case dates, a three-day trial assigned nine to 10 months after the resolution plan, and a pretrial conference one month before the trial date. It is meant to take less than a year.

All court dates are treated as an opportunity to resolve all outstanding issues regardless of what they are, Farley said. The dates are set in advance to let people know what to expect in their case and to keep them orientated towards a final resolution. There are opportunities built in for all pretrial issues and motions to be resolved.

Farley noted that, Rollout of the new program having coincided with the pandemic has caused us to be a bit more flexible with regard to maintaining pre-set schedules that we otherwise would be.

In particular, the high demand for hearing time created by the limits on court activity during the pandemic has, in the short term, caused some court events to be scheduled at longer intervals than planned, Farley said.

According the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Connecticuts divorce rate, based on 2019 data (the most recent available), was 2.7 divorces per 1,000.

Evolving system

While its aim is streamlining, so far, reviews are mixed about whether Pathways to Resolution is an improvement over the former short calendar system, which required lawyers and their clients to wait in court for their appearance after filing motions.

The new system replaces the short calendar, in which a court date is set each time a motion is filed, and multiple cases are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. the same day, said attorney Matthew Dolan of Dolan Divorce Lawyers in New Haven. Youre kind of just standing around all day and youre doing a whole lot of nothing, he But said of the old system.

With Pathways to Resolution, hearings are held on videoconference. The big difference is, youre scheduled for a specific time rather than waiting around  which gives people better access to attorneys, he said.

Rather than paying me $350 an hour to sit around doing nothing, Im able to log on, have the meeting with family relations, and its done half an hour later, Dolan said. Its more affordable because theyre paying us by the hour.

But some attorneys also said what while the COVID-19 pandemic has played a large role in family court backlogs, the new triage system delays their first meeting with a family relations counselor, at which the needs of the clients are discussed and a court schedule set. It also creates a one-size-fits-all approach that doesnt meet individual needs, they said.

The good news is its a beginning, said Verna Lilburn of New Haven, whose practice specializes in family law.

However, the real challenge comes in the implementation of the program, Lilburn said.  I would like to see a list of specific and uniform criteria used in the decisions to arrive at the number chosen, because this decision made by the counselor can affect the future of an entire family. These are people; they are not products.

The issue, Lilburn said, is that each family relations counselor assesses facts through his or her own filter. If an issue is not deemed as important by the counselor as it is by the clients, it forces the attorney to be aggressive, Lilburn said. What it does is it really forces you to cite specific instances, and its upping the ante.

A former teacher and reading consultant, Lilburn said, I understand that so many things go into the formation of a child or family and everything deserves attention.  The tendency is to take shortcuts and I dont think you can.

While she would like mental health professionals to be involved in making decisions, Lilburn said, I am not insulting the Family Relations Division at all. They are trying valiantly to do their work.

Complicated cases

Megan McGrath of Happy Even After Family Law in Hamden said, the Family Court was very far behind as far as technology went before COVID, and the new system has improved that.

However, It also has sort of created a system where we take a lot of the closure and emotion out of the process, she said.

Hearing a judge pronounce the end of a marriage in court can help people move on with their lives, she said. Theres some things that I feel need to be done in person. Its very hard to assess the credibility of a witness through a computer screen, she said.

Were very limited on the boxes that we can check, said McGrath, whos on the executive committee for family matters with the New Haven County Bar Association. Its doesnt allow for individuality and family law is based on individuality.

Several family law attorneys said the pandemic and the new Pathways system have combined to delay cases. Issues concerning child custody or access to finances get delayed, which can have a negative effect on the family, McGrath said.

Previously, we would be able to file one of those motions and get into court within two or three weeks, she said. Now, thats not getting heard until that first meeting. People are waiting months for that first date.

She said family relations counselors are doing their best, but each family is so different. They really need the court process to reflect that.

James A. Cuddy, a divorce attorney in Shelton, said while the system is meant to set a date for a final resolution at the beginning of the case, the clock doesnt start counting down until the meeting with the family relations officer, and that meeting takes a long time to schedule.

I have more cases that are over a year old than I ever have, by a long shot, in 23 years, he said. Part of it is because of the pandemic as to why there are so many older cases. But he added that not having to appear in court makes it easier for uncooperative spouses who are flouting court orders and doing what youre not supposed to be doing.

Cuddy said one client has gone 11/2 years without child support. That never would have happened in a thousand years before 2020, he said.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382

Editors note: This story has been edited to correct the name of the firm Dolan Divorce Lawyers.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)  Kevin Scott was incarcerated in the Florida state prison system for around three and a half years, or, as he sees it: four birthdays, four Christmases and four of his daughters birthdays, too.

During his time behind bars from 2012 to 2016, Scott said, physical mail was the only way he could communicate with many friends and family members. He received handwritten letters, newspaper cutouts, birthday cards, holiday cards, photos of his young daughter, crossword puzzles and educational materials.

Sometimes, Scotts mail would be covered in stick-on jewels and smiley faces, and he knew that outside the prison walls, his daughter had touched the same piece of paper he held in his hands.

Theres no way to gather the right words together in the right order to fully convey how much that meant to me while I was in prison. Correspondence was huge for me, Scott said. To be able to touch something like that meant the world to me.

Those pieces of memories are still safely stored in boxes at Scotts home in Gainesville, he said.

Looking to curb contraband coming into prisons, the Florida Department of Corrections has proposed a new rule that would digitize all incoming routine mail for inmates, affecting things like personal letters, celebratory cards and photos. The proposals full text was first published on May 18.

Under Florida statute, once an agency publishes a proposed rule, it has 90 days to adopt it, said Ken Plante, coordinator of the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee, which oversees proposed rules.

The deadline for adoption was Aug. 16 in the Florida Administrative Law Central Online Network, also known as FALCON. On Thursday, FDC asked for a tolled filing date, which would indefinitely pause the 90 days, allowing the department more time to answer clarification questions about the rule from the JAPC.

Plante said that when the pause is lifted, FDC will have the same remaining number of days to adopt the new rule as it did before.

What could change?

Under the proposal, original mail would be scanned to a digital copy, which inmates could view on a tablet or kiosk or as a printed copy. Printed copies would cost 25 cents per page for black and white or $1 for color, said Molly Best, deputy communications director with FDC.

Under the current rule, there is no limit to the number of pages of written correspondence that can be sent with routine mail, and up to 15 inserts like photos and newspaper clippings can be included. Senders can also mail up to 10 blank greeting cards or unused sheets of paper with corresponding envelopes, which do not count toward the insert limit.

The proposal would restrict routine mail to no more than 15 pages, back and front, per envelope. Article clippings and photographs could still be included, but blank greeting cards would be prohibited.

Processing time to account for digitization also would shift, increasing from the current 48 hours to 72 hours. Once scanned, the original mail would be shredded by FDC after 90 days. Alternatively, the sender could request that it be returned, for which a self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent before the 90 days runs out.

Best said the digital copies would be stored with unlimited capacity on each inmates account through JPay, FDCs third-party vendor that provides the incarcerated with things like communications, music and movies for a fee.

Why is the new rule needed?

Digitization is an attempt to curb the entry of contraband into prisons and protect both prisoners and mail handlers, Best wrote in an email. Drugs like fentanyl and chemicals used to lace synthetic marijuana are two contraband examples she mentioned.

FDC found over 35,000 contraband items in mail between January 2019 and April 2021, Best said. A public records request was placed with FDC on Thursday asking what percent of total contraband those items represented.

David Weires, a former corrections deputy who worked about six months at the Avon Park Correctional Institution, where part of his job included making sure inmates received their mail, said physical mail can be problematic and that he thinks digitization is a good idea. Sometimes stickers will have drugs, like LSD, that can be licked off, he said, and paper can be made into a weapon.

The former corrections deputy said he could not speak to the importance of physical mail for inmates mental health, but many advocates, as well as formerly and currently incarcerated people and their loved ones, are opposed to the change. They say physical mail is an important connection to family and friends that helps positively motivate prisoners for reentry into society.

Prisoners say letters are key to mental health

Michael Edwards is an inmate at Liberty Correctional Institution in Bristol. In the 1990s, after selling $850 in cocaine to an ex-girlfriend-turned-informant, he was sentenced as a repeat offender to 60 years for nonviolent drug offenses. He has served 28 years and said he saves every piece of mail he gets, often sending bunches of them in large envelopes to his sister, Mimi, for safekeeping.

Physical mail is my only tangible contact with many family members and friends that cannot visit me, so it does make a difference in my life, and it is important to me, Edwards wrote in an email via JPay. I would rather DOC allow postal mail deliveries to continue. Although Im warming up nicely to the emails and eCards and images I receive via (JPay), I would feel like my physical relationship with those who dont or cant visit me would be cut off if routine mail was totally digitized  and I believe others in here would agree.

John Wise, 37, of Gainesville, was released in April after serving 18 years and nine months for a second-degree murder conviction. He said physical mail was precious to him during his sentence, especially the one and only letter he has ever received from his daughter.

She was born 43 days after his arrest, Wise said, and sent him a message written in purple crayon on pink paper when she was 5 years old.

I love that letter more than I could ever love any other thing that exists in the world, he said.

Mail like that reminded Wise that his life was still coexistent with the real world despite the strange nightmare that incarceration is, he said, and by carrying the scent and feel of home, it could be held and cherished, like a charm.

So much of being incarcerated is just dealing with the profound separation and loneliness that comes from almost-total isolation from everyone who was ever important to you, Wise said. To have FDC take that from so many people, people who have so little and are so desperate for hope and healing, it is truly egregious.

In Pensacola, president of the Movement for Change grassroots activism organization and former NAACP president Rodney Jones said that during his more than seven years in prison in the 1990s for crimes including assault with a weapon and cocaine possession, mail was one of the most important things, even rivaling the canteen.

Mail is the most important thing in the joint, Jones said. If youre sitting in that joint for a few years, you want somebody to be thinking about you  thats why its so important. You want to know somebody still cares.

To get a written letter meant someone took time out of his or her day to show you they care, he said, similar to getting a call instead of a text message.

Once, while locked up, Jones said, he asked a friend to send him some money. The guy went out of his way to stop by Jones parents house, take photos and include them in the mail. It created a greater bond between the men, Jones said, and while the letter was sent more than 20 years ago, they are still friends.

You can be in the joint for four-and-a-half years, almost five years, and get just one letter from a person. You will remember that person. You will think about that person, he said. It was only one letter out of all those years. It was just one letter, but thats how important it was to me.

Advocates push back

Denise Rock, executive director of the statewide nonprofit Florida Cares, which advocates to improve the lives of incarcerated people, said her organization has been opposed to the rule change since it was first announced. It punishes everyone rather than just the people who have tried to sneak in contraband, she said, and it unfairly burdens inmates families and loved ones.

Rock said she tried to speak against the proposal at an online public hearing held by FDC on June 11 but was unable to because of technology issues. However, just from listening, she said, there was virtually no support heard for the change.

At Florida Cares, we do totally understand the desire to increase safety and security at every institution, she said. Our loved ones are incarcerated, but we just want them to be treated humanely, fairly.

Tracy Zuluaga, an administrative assistant with Florida Cares, added that most contraband enters prisons through employees, not mail, and that she does not think the change is necessary.

The incarcerated population is a forgotten population, a voiceless population, she said. Just getting through the day is a feat in and of itself. A simple piece of mail to keep that connection to the outside is crucial  all this is going to do is further disconnect them from their family.

Zuluaga and Rock also said inmates tablets can be bad at holding charges and that JPay accounts have struggled with poor storage and disappearing emails in the past, which is a concern with an influx of digitized messages.

Reading is survival:Gainesville group sends books to prisoners

Neil Volz, deputy director of another advocacy group, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, said FRRC also opposes the proposal and sent a letter expressing concerns to FDC following the June virtual hearing.

We believe that the proposed rule change creates yet another unnecessary barrier for the families of returning citizens to keep their family units connected, cohesive, and involved, it stated.

Good contact fosters better reintegration, Volz said. While safety is important, that benefit of physical mail helps the greater community in the long run.

Its just a step in the wrong direction, he said.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts issued an executive order easing restrictions on the hours truck drivers hauling gasoline can work.

A Nebraska gas station trade association told the Omaha World-Herald that theres been a fuel shortage in the state, and trucks hauling gasoline to stations face long waits to load up.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP)  Amy Cook quietly browses the light and airy Two Sisters Gallery.

Framed artwork lines the walls, a floral armchair sits near the front door and white tables are spaced throughout the store holding jewelry, coffee mugs and other odds and ends.

A wall of picture frame samples of every color and style accents the back of the store near the cash register, where owner Frances Malone, wearing an orange and white striped apron, politely excuses herself to assist Cook.

Cook is here to pick up a diploma frame for her daughter who has just graduated college. Malone completed a rush job on the frame, ensuring Cook has it in time for her trip to North Carolina to visit her daughter.

When choosing where to go for the project, Cook was happy to choose a local business. Shopping in public is much more enjoyable now than it was last year, she said, during the height of social distancing protocols. But she worries about the implications of the spread of the Delta variant.

I feel like weve all become a bit lax, Cook said. But I understand its coming back in full force. So, I think now I have to step back and reconsider what I am doing even though Im fully vaccinated.

The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges businesses across Columbus have had to overcome, and between problems with suppliers and implementing social distancing protocols, Two Sisters Gallery was no different.

Malone opened the midtown store with her sister Lucile Flournoy in 1997. The gallery specializes in custom framing, original fine art and giftware. Malone said framing makes up the bulk of their business, and this specialty was what helped the shop survive during the COVID-19 recession.

In spring of 2020, it quickly became clear that people were not going out shopping, and even less so during the shutdown, Malone said. To make matters worse, the gallerys suppliers, many of whom are located in other states, were also having problems due to local and state shutdowns in their regions.

One of the main vendors shut down their New York warehouse, which stopped all moulding coming from New York to their Atlanta warehouse, Malone said. It left the Atlanta warehouse as being the only one open for the whole country for all of their customers.

The Atlanta warehouse was working harder and running out of materials faster, she said. This meant the gallery had to order everything they thought they would need for the jobs they had in hand, before closing as well.

During the shutdown, staff members did come in to do some work, but the gallery remained closed to customers.

It didnt matter, Malone said. Because nobody was going anywhere.

When the shop reopened in May for appointment-only services, she said a number of her customers had framing they wanted done because they were sick of what was on the walls at home.

Customers brought in old photographs, paintings with frames they hated or things they had been meaning to frame for some time, Malone said. Appointments helped the gallery avoid spreading COVID-19 since people didnt have to wait in the small space.

The gallery eventually reopened with limited hours. They were flexible with their customers, meeting them out in the parking lot to get the artworks and discuss services if they were uncomfortable with entering a business.

Malone said they kept the store clean and required masks.

I still dont much like having a bunch of people in here waiting, she said. But that doesnt often happen, so were not as worried about that. We dont have a high-traffic, crowded space.

Although they no longer had foot traffic or customers browsing the pieces of art, jewelry and tokens around the shop, there was still a clear demand for their services.

Malones business was able to get a Paycheck Protection Program loan in the first round. She credits her accountant for securing it because they were quickly able to gather the items needed to apply for the loan.

The money went towards paying a part-time employee during the pandemic, which was supplemented by unemployment funds.

The gallery recently loosened COVID-19 restrictions, however the spread of the Delta variant has raised the possibility of implementing a mask policy, Malone said.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidelines recommending that fully vaccinated individuals in areas with high community transmission should return to wearing masks in public indoor spaces.

We hope that people who are unvaccinated will wear masks, Malone said. I think if they want all businesses to open fully  if they want everything to get back to normal  it cant be done while weve still got people going into the hospital.
We know the precedent we need to avoid. The tobacco settlement funds that came to Connecticut have served a variety of purposes, but action against tobacco-related harms was rarely one of them. We cant make the same mistake with opioid-related funds.

Attorney General William Tong recently made his stance clear on this matter. From the very beginning, state attorneys general have adhered to an overarching principle  that the money we recover from wrongdoers must be directed to abatement, i.e., strategies, initiatives and programs that help our states, victims and their families confront and overcome the crisis in opioid abuse and addiction, he said in a letter to Republican and Democratic leaders of the state House of Representatives and state Senate. Treatment, prevention and addiction science are to take top priority, he said.

Connecticuts share of the $26 billion agreement reached with pharmaceutical distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson will total about $300 million. In most contexts, thats a lot of money, but in the scope of the state budget, it could disappear quickly. Thats why its imperative to see that the money is directed where it needs to go.

State Republican leaders were quick to note the history of the tobacco-related funds. We must not repeat the infamous misuse of the states tobacco settlement funds, they said in a letter to Tong, referring to Connecticuts share totaling some $2.8 billion in money from tobacco companies related to past wrongdoing. In Connecticut, funds promised to curb smoking have far too often been relied upon as a budgetary escape hatch.

According to the nonprofit Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, only about 2 percent of the $27 billion that states will collect this year from the landmark 1998 settlement with tobacco companies and tobacco taxes will be spent on programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit.

While both represent substantial public health crises, the rate of smoking has declined over the years, while deaths related to opioids continue to increase. Last year, 1,273 people in the state died from opioid-involved overdoses, up 13 percent from 2019, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

That number could continue to grow this year as effects from the coronavirus pandemic continue. And though settlements are also in the works with Purdue Pharma, the Stamford-based company behind OxyContin, the crisis is not showing any signs of slowing down.

Opioid-related deaths do not make daily headlines the way COVID does, but the situation is just as serious. Nearly everyone has been touched in some fashion by the overdose crisis, and many more are likely to be affected in years to come. Without a concentrated public policy response, the situation is not going to reverse itself.

Thats the opportunity provided by the settlement funds. Keeping people off of opioids in the first place and providing them a means to recover from addiction is the only way forward. Increasing punishments for criminals and wrongdoers can feel like progress, but it doesnt solve the problem.

Connecticut needs to make sure the settlement funds go where they are most needed. Officials are on the right path so far. We need to ensure they stay there.
Tucker Carlson is only the latest  and most famous  American conservative to find inspiration in the autocratic government of Hungary under Viktor Orban. The Fox News personality is hosting his show, one of the most popular on cable news, from the capital city of Budapest and on Saturday will deliver a speech, advertised as The World According to Tucker Carlson, to a conference of far-right activists.

To critics, Orbans Hungary is corrupt, repressive and authoritarian, a place where democracy is little more than window-dressing and the state exists to plunder the public on behalf of a tiny ruling elite. To Carlson, its a model for the United States, a showcase for anti-immigrant policies and reactionary cultural politics.

If you care about Western civilization and democracy and families and the ferocious assault on all three of those things by the leaders of our global institutions, he told his audience on Monday, you should know what is happening here right now.

Carlson is not alone. Orbans fans in the West include notable writers at major conservative and right-leaning publications like National Review, the American Conservative and the New York Post, Zack Beauchamp wrote in a piece for Vox last year.

Orbans American admirers include political philosopher Patrick Deneen; J.D. Vance, the author of Hillbilly Elegy who is now running for the Republican Senate nomination in Ohio; and Rod Dreher, a popular conservative blogger and author.

Which is the only power capable of standing up to Woke Capitalists, as well as these illiberal leftists in academia, media, sports, cultural institutions, and other places? The state, Dreher wrote on Wednesday. This is why American conservatives ought to be beating a path to Hungary.

At this point, students of American political history  and specifically students with a working knowledge of the history of the conservative movement  will recognize something familiar about this story. Here we have prominent conservative writers and intellectuals using their platforms to support or endorse regimes whose politics and policies align with their preoccupations, even as the values of those regimes stand in direct opposition to the ideals of American democracy.

Weve seen this before. Many times, in fact.

In 1957, William F. Buckley Jr. published a Letter from Spain in the pages of his magazine, National Review. An admirer of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, Buckley did not hesitate to praise him in the most effusive terms he could muster: General Franco is an authentic national hero. It is generally conceded that he above others had the combination of talents, the perseverance, and the sense of righteousness of his cause, that were required to wrest Spain from the hands of the visionaries, ideologues, Marxists and nihilists that were imposing on her, in the thirties, a regime so grotesque as to do violence to the Spanish soul, to deny, even Spains historical identity.

Five years later, in 1962, Buckley traveled to Mozambique  then under Portuguese colonial rule  where he wrote favorably of the status quo and condemned the United Nations for its anti-colonialism: Its influence on the West is disastrous. Its influence is also disastrous on the peoples in whose name it allegedly speaks: the Egyptians dictated to with more finality by Nasser than by Farouk; the Ghanaians, imprisoned by Nkrumah as they never were by the Colonial Secretary; the Congolese, under the chaos of Adoula where once they had order and, slow though it was, progress  more progress than they had made in the thousands of years during which they were governed by tribal despots.

And in 1963, Buckley had these sympathetic words for the apartheid government in South Africa: They may be wrong, as we may be: but we should try at least to understand what it is they are trying to do, and deny ourselves that unearned smugness that the bigot shows. I cannot say, I approve of Apartheid  its ways are alien to my temperament. But I know now it is a sincere peoples effort to fashion the land of peace they want so badly.

Buckley was not the only writer at National Review to defend and express admiration for Western-aligned autocracies. In 1975, Robert Moss wrote an extended defense of Augusto Pinochet and the military coup in Chile for the magazine called The Tribulation of Chile. Moss downplayed the brutality of Pinochets newly minted military dictatorship and urged Americans to support his so-called reforms: No one pretends that it will be easy, and with so many people going short, it is hard to be optimistic about the prospects for Chiles new-style capitalism in the near future. There are men in the armed forces who are far from enthused about it. But all in all, it is a brave attempt that deserves more understanding  and active support  from what remains of the capitalist world.

Whatever its source, conservative defenses of, and even affection for, foreign autocracies  of which enthusiasm for Orbans Hungary is only the latest example  is too consistent to ignore. It is also, at the same time, a phenomenon of conservative elites, too niche to attribute to the entire movement or its rank-and-file.

At this moment in American life, its conservatives who have set their sights abroad. Parts of the movement have even adopted a kind of anti-Americanism; a contempt for the United States as it exists. These conservatives still call themselves patriots  and disdain their opponents as traitors  but theirs is an abstract loyalty to an idealized country. When they contemplate the actual United States, Beauchamp wrote in Vox, they are filled with scorn.

It makes sense that as this tendency develops, so too does the yearning for a country that can be hailed as a model and a lodestar  the soaring and gilded counterpoint to our fallen and decadent society.

But that too is projection. And sooner or later, the conservatives who hail Hungary under Orban as an attractive alternative to the United States will see that their vision of that country is as false as their image of this one is.

JAMELLE BOUIE is a columnist for The New York Times.
Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu welcomes the publication on Sunday of the Declaration issued by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, on behalf of all 27 member states, condemning the July 29 attack on the merchant vessel Mercer Street, off the coast of Oman, in which a Romanian and a British citizen were killed.

"This move of the 27 EU member states follows Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu's phone conversation with the High Representative Josep Borrell on August 3. In the Declaration, the 27 member states strongly condemn the July 29 attack on the merchant ship, slamming it as unlawful and with no justification. Also, through the Declaration, the 27 member states express their solidarity with Romania and send their condolences to the victims' families and friends," the Foreign Ministry said in a release.

According to the cited source, the EU27 Declaration statement reaffirms that the attack on Mercer Street is a violation of international law and a threat to peace, calling for an end to such unilateral actions and stressing the importance of guaranteeing the freedom to navigation according to international law.

"The EU27 Declaration also reaffirms the responsibility of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the attack, stressing that all available evidence clearly indicates Iran as the perpetrator. Last but not least, the EU27 calls on all relevant parties in the region to play a constructive role in fostering regional stability and peace. In this context, according to the Declaration, the EU will continue intense diplomatic efforts to advance appropriate and effective dialogue and solutions," the release reads.

On Friday evening, Foreign Minister Aurescu welcomed the joint statement adopted during the day by the Foreign Ministers of the G7 member states (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America), together with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, condemning the Mercer Street attack. The G7 statement also reaffirms the importance of freedom of navigation, in accordance with international law, as well as the determination of the signatories to do their utmost to protect international commercial shipping on which the global economy depends.

AGERPRES .
The new collections other letter is of perhaps even more historical importance. It was written to Delassus on Nov. 12, 1803, by Gen. William Henry Harrison, the future president who at the time was governor of the Indiana Territory.

At the beginning of the three-page letter, Harrison writes that the matter of the Louisiana Purchase was before the U.S. Senate and that the president, Thomas Jefferson, was waiting for senators to sign off on it.

Partway down the second page, Harrison notes the time, 6 p.m., and writes, The mail has just arrived and has brought us the intelligence of the Treaty with France having been ratified by the President & Senate of the United States.

It was history happening in real time.

The really exciting thing about the letter is that it is the first notice that people in the government of this region learned that the Louisiana Purchase had been ratified, Kodner said.

The letters have all been digitized and can be seen on the Historical Societys website. They are also available to the public at the societys Library and Research Center through Aug. 13, when the center will be closed for construction. It will reopen in early November.
ST. LOUIS  Ten people were killed in Nikki Howards neighborhood just last year. On her stretch of Genevieve Avenue, along the northeastern end of the Walnut Park East neighborhood, nearly 75% of the homes on the block have been abandoned. Some have been left to crumble for decades, though longtime residents remember when their street was cared for  and safer.

Howard operates a small barbecue stand next to a vacant home hardly a block from where she was shot eight years ago. As she works, a slight limp from the gun injury is noticeable. Her left calf bears the scar from where the bullet entered and exited her leg.

I took a bullet for Genevieve, she said with a smile, flipping ribs on a charcoal grill.

Across St. Louis, gun violence festers in neighborhoods riddled with vacant properties. The city has counted 25,000 of them. And the burden is not shared equally. North of Delmar Boulevard, which divides the city along racial and economic lines, 30% of properties are vacant, compared with 3% to the south.

All but one of the top 10 neighborhoods for shootings had higher-than-average vacant lot rates, according to a Kansas City Star analysis of data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive and the citys land bank. Four of the top 10 neighborhoods had the highest rates for both shootings and vacant properties.

Public health researchers have shown that the built environment of a community  including negative features such as vacant lots and abandoned buildings  has an impact on the risk of gun violence. It is part of an overall picture of well-being in a neighborhood that includes factors such as income, housing, food security and education. Cleaning up and maintaining neighborhoods can reduce gun crimes, studies show.

And in recent years, St. Louis has committed tens of millions of dollars to doing just that.

Voters in 2017 approved a $40 million bond issue for rehabbing vacant houses and buildings owned by the citys land bank. In June, a new land trust was established with a $1 million grant from the state and matching funds.

Those investments are needed to lift up communities harmed not only by high vacancy and crime but also poverty, said Neal Richardson, executive director of the St. Louis Development Corp.

We should be doing more, Richardson said. Right now in the city of St. Louis, there are some streets, blocks and entire areas that are vacant. And that just creates pockets of challenges and dark spots within our city for crime to happen.

On the other side of the state, Kansas City has not dedicated as many resources.

Not many people recognize that the way a neighborhood looks and violent crime can relate, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said. When we come to the solution side, we dont actually think about how, if we fix something like vacancy and housing, we can lower our violent crime.

Fully repairing generations of structural racism and systemic disinvestment in either city, experts say, would mean reinvesting hundreds of millions of dollars. Some even put the figure as high as $1 billion.

Even so, Howard believes Walnut Park East in St. Louis can again be a safer, thriving place to live and raise a family.

Someday she would like to convert one of the nearby vacant buildings to a brick-and-mortar restaurant serving rib tip sandwiches and chicken wings. She draws hope from the efforts of two neighbors, Troy Gardner and Sundy Whiteside, who remember what the neighborhood was once like and share a vision for its future. Both are longtime residents, and Whiteside is a leader in the St. Louis vacancy effort.

Its so hard to see this neighborhood look like this, Howard said. I really want this to one day be a community, and these two women are the reason Im hopeful that it will. You still have people that stick around and care about this community.

Life on Genevieve

The neighborhood was not always like this.

In 1975, when Troy Gardners mother bought a house on Genevieve, the neighborhood was thriving.

Every house on the block was cared for. Front lawns were mowed. Neighbors looked out for one another. Half of the residents were Black and the other half were white.

In the decades since, Gardner has seen how white flight, redlining and disinvestment have devastated this part of the city. Shes lived in her mothers former home since the 1990s and now shares it with her dog, Cupcake.

Gardner, 67, is one of few residents remaining on her block. Across the street, six houses sit vacant and crumbling. The house to the left of hers hasnt been occupied for 20 years, and it shows.

Around the corner on Beacon Avenue, the Johnson family used to own a candy store. But that has since been abandoned, and Gardner tries to avoid that block because it isnt safe.

As families and businesses moved out, gun violence moved in behind them.

Bullet holes now dot Gardners home, including one over the headboard in her mothers old bedroom. Another punctured the storm drain just above her rocking chair on the front porch. She has awakened at night to the sound of automatic gunfire, 60 rounds at a time.

She was dropping a slice of pie at a neighbors house last year when she had to throw herself to the ground to avoid bullets flying down the street.

For the first time in my life, I am scared, Gardner said. I have never once been scared. But I am now, and I am so tired.

Gardner is not alone.

Up the block is Whiteside, whom Gardner has known since she was a young girl. Together they are working on making their little corner of the world a better place.

Making a difference

Several years ago, Whiteside knocked on the door of a strangers home in an affluent section of south St. Louis.

When the homeowner answered, Whiteside told a story of a sinking ship.

She was seeking voter support for a bond issue to rehab thousands of vacant homes in St. Louis. This was part of a citywide effort Whiteside had joined in 2015 through the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations.

In talking with voters, Whiteside would compare St. Louis to a large ship with a hole in one side. While people on the side with the leaking hole are frightfully aware of how the ship is sinking, those on the other side remain oblivious.

Her point: Even if residents in one neighborhood dont live with the same struggles as the other, all of them should care because it affects the whole region.

We have to think of ourselves as a big unit rather than just 79 individual neighborhoods, Whiteside said. So when something happens over here, we have to work together to bring solutions and not make it the burden of one geographical area.

She and fellow organizers were campaigning for Proposition Neighborhood Stabilization, also known as Proposition NS, a $40 million bond to fund improvements on vacant homes owned by the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority.

The measure passed in April 2017, but a lengthy court battle followed. It wasnt until last year that money became available to fix properties. The $40 million is distributed over roughly seven years. Each year, about $6 million will go toward fixing 200 vacant homes.

The reutilization authority, which is staffed by the St. Louis Development Corp., will provide up to $30,000 to repair a single-family home or $50,000 for a multifamily unit or commercial property.

The money cant make the homes new again but is meant to stabilize them so they can be sold to homeowners, rehabbers or small developers.

One crucial part, Whiteside said, is that the people in the neighborhoods have a say over which properties are selected for rehab. Anyone can nominate a property, which is then assessed to see what work needs to be done and the likelihood of the fixed-up home selling at auction.

The price of the homes is supposed to remain affordable. A rehabbed home in Walnut Park would sell for around $500, Whiteside said. The idea is not to entice gentrification but to retain residents and give them the chance to be homeowners.

In June, a $1 million grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation and matching dollars from public and private sources established a St. Louis Community Land Trust.

That will create a mechanism for community ownership, with a board primarily made up of residents of the neighborhoods. That way, plans will be made with neighborhoods in mind and the people who live there benefit, said Laura Ginn, a strategist for the St. Louis Land Reutilization Authority.

Whiteside serves as board president of the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations and co-chairs the Vacancy Collaboratives advisory committee. She sees more that needs to be done and wants more long-term and sustainable funding for improving vacant land.

Ginn estimates that to clean up all the vacant property in the citys land bank, it would cost $100 million a year for five years, and then $15 million a year after that for maintenance.

Kansas City

The numbers are just as staggering in Kansas City.

I would estimate its at least a billion dollars worth of investment needed to help historically disinvested communities in Kansas City, said Geoff Jolley, executive director of the Greater Kansas City Local Initiative Support Corp.

And when I tell funders that, they get real nervous, he said. Theyll say, But weve put a few million dollars into this. But a few million dollars isnt going to change a neighborhood that has had years of lack of intention and investment.

For money to be spent wisely and bring effective change, advocates and researchers say they must work with neighborhood leaders who know their community best.

The nonprofit Urban Neighborhood Initiative has recommended that Kansas City create a bond issue similar to St. Louis Proposition NS.

Neighborhood leaders have long been trying to address vacancies and blight. It was one of the first things Dianne Cleaver heard about when she became president of the Initiative in 2013.

All of our neighborhoods were very concerned about their vacancies because they breed crime and blight, Cleaver said.

Two ZIP codes with the most vacancy in the city  64127 and 64130  are also home to neighborhoods that experience the most gun violence, according to a Kansas City Star analysis of land bank addresses and shooting locations.

In 2015, the Urban Neighborhood Initiative started a program to rehab vacant lots and buildings in 10 neighborhoods, including Blue Hills, Ivanhoe and Manheim Park.

When Vacant to Vibrant started, Cleaver said, roughly 50% of the land in the 10 neighborhoods was vacant. Now its down to 39%.

Kansas City doesnt have nearly as much publicly owned vacant land as St. Louis  the citys land bank currently manages nearly 3,000 vacant properties of all kinds.

But Kansas City has not invested in solutions the way other cities have.

Some efforts in recent years, including a citywide sales tax for development on the Prospect Corridor and a housing trust fund, have included goals of rehabbing vacant properties but also were focused on other priorities.

A housing trust fund established by the Kansas City Council in 2018 received no funding until last year, when the city put in $12.5 million in federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan. The trust fund is meant to focus on housing, not vacancy specifically.

We are calling for a more comprehensive approach instead of these piecemeal approaches. They are piecemeal because we have piecemeal powers, Cleaver said. So we have to find a way to get significant dollars into this issue, then you can begin to look at more comprehensive approaches.

Funding really is the biggest challenge; its not like the city doesnt want to address this issue.

Katie Kull  314-340-8087 @KatieKull1 on Twitter kkull@post-dispatch.com
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Six people who were killed in a sightseeing plane crash were recovered and identified after crews initially struggled to reach the wreckage in southeast Alaska due to poor weather conditions.

Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot and five passengers late Saturday following the crash Thursday. The aircraft went down as the pilot was returning the passengers to Ketchikan from Misty Fjords National Monument.

The passengers who died were Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both of Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, both of Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois. The pilot was Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington.

All five passengers were on an excursion off the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam. Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and cruise ship passengers can take various sightseeing excursions while in port.

Popular among them are small plane flights to Misty Fjords National Monument, where visitors can see glacier valleys, snow-capped peaks and lakes in the wilderness area.

The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. Thursday when it crashed near the monument, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
At first, we were told we didnt need masks and then we were told we did. I figured the officials lied to us because they knew wed have hoarded masks the way some of us hoarded toilet paper in those early days. Suddenly, there was a shortage. Why the hoarding? Why would there have been a shortage of toilet paper? You dont need logic to frighten the herd into stampede mode.

And yet, one year after that first column, we had made a huge turnaround. The vaccines started becoming available around the first of the year. I got my first dose in January. I was lucky. I got my shot from the St. Louis County Health Department. I had friends who traveled long distances to get theirs. By spring, the vaccine was available everywhere.

The virus was receding.

In June, my wife and I took two of our grandchildren to Disney World.

Also in June, George Johnson, a retired Washington University biology professor and biology textbook writer, quit writing an informative and often entertaining blog about the pandemic  pandemicletters.com. He concluded that the problems were no longer medical, but political.

There was a general sense that the worst was over.

Never underestimate the power of the herd.
Americas gun epidemic isnt just affecting America. The nations southern neighbor, Mexico, has its own chronic violence crisis  one fueled mostly by firearms brought in from the United States. The Mexican government is now suing 10 U.S. gunmakers over the violence.

That suit appears to have little chance of success, in part because of the same federal law that generally prevents Americans from suing gunmakers for the mayhem their products help cause. But if the lawsuit highlights the absurdity of that law and bolsters the argument of the Biden administration and others who say it should be repealed, it would go a long way toward bringing sanity to federal gun statutes.

Mexico is awash in gun violence driven largely by drug cartels wielding American-made weapons. Some 70% of guns confiscated in Mexico have been traced to U.S. origins. The guns are mostly smuggled over the border, which might seem on its face to relieve the gun manufacturers of culpability. However, the Mexican government argues in its suit, those manufacturers are helping drive illegal arms smuggling in several ways.
In what upside-down reality do these lawmakers live? Coronavirus infections in Missouri are at their highest levels since January; hospitals are overwhelmed; the states death toll has risen to almost 10,000. Yet they think vaccine mandates are what Missouri workers need to be protected against? This wacky inversion of priorities reinforces the already-problematic mythology in conservative enclaves that says the vaccines are dangerous and the coronavirus isnt.

Parson can shut this down, but his record doesnt provide much hope of that. The Republican governor has already hindered effective containment of this disease by minimizing the importance of masks last year and signing legislation that bars local governments from requiring proof of vaccination to access public accommodations. Having effectively prevented municipalities from protecting their own citizens from the virus, Parsons party now seeks to prevent private employers from protecting their own employees. This madness has to end somewhere.
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTheryX, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on creating life-saving medicines through targeted protein degradation, today announced the appointments of Nancy Miller-Rich, John A. Hohneker, M.D., and Diantha Duvall to its Board of Directors.

"The wealth of biotech leadership and industry knowledge that Nancy, John, and Diantha bring to our board will be invaluable as we advance our pipeline and execute on our strategic goals," said David Stirling, Ph.D., President and CEO of BioTheryX. "Nancy is a veteran life sciences executive and board member with significant expertise in corporate and commercial strategy. John brings extensive drug development experience to BioTheryX and has been instrumental in the approval and commercialization of seven drugs across multiple therapeutic categories. Diantha is a well-respected public company executive with experience across a broad range of financial and business disciplines that underpin biotech and large pharmaceutical company operations. We look forward to Nancy, John, and Diantha's guidance as we aim to build a leading protein degradation company."

Appointee Bios:

Nancy Miller-Rich has 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry, with significant expertise in business development and commercial strategy. Since September 2017, Ms. Miller-Rich has served as a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, Ms. Miller-Rich served in a number of leadership roles at Merck & Co., Inc. and, prior to the merger of the two companies, at Schering-Plough Corporation, including most recently as Senior Vice President, Global Human Health Business Development & Licensing, Strategy and Commercial Support and as Group Vice President, Consumer Care Global New Ventures and Strategic Commercial Development. Prior to joining Schering-Plough, Ms. Miller-Rich served in a variety of commercial and marketing roles at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and Sterling Drug, Inc. She is currently a director of Aldeyra Therapeutics, Inc., Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Kadmon Holdings, Inc., and 4D Molecular Therapeutics, Inc., as well as a board member of a number of private and not-for-profit entities. She received her B.S. in Business Administration, Marketing from Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York.

John A. Hohneker, M.D. brings over 30 years of drug development and leadership experience within the biotech and pharmaceutical industry to the BioTheryX board. He has served in several key leadership roles including as President and CEO of Anokion SA and President of Research and Development at FORMA Therapeutics Inc., where he guided the Company's transition from a discovery-stage biotech to one with multiple programs in clinical trials. He also held several roles at Novartis AG, most recently as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Development for Immunology and Dermatology, where he led the development and registration of Cosentyx and Ilaris. During his tenure at Novartis, Dr. Hohneker also played a key role in the development, approval, and commercialization of several products including Gleevec, Tasigna, Zometa, Afinitor and Exjade. Prior to joining Novartis, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Glaxo Wellcome and its legacy company, Burroughs Wellcome. He received an MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at Rutgers Medical School. Dr. Hohneker completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of North Carolina Hospitals.

Diantha Duvall is an experienced financial and business leader in the life sciences sector who currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of Genocea, a leading cancer immunotherapy company. Prior to joining Genocea in 2019, Ms. Duvall held several positions of increasing responsibility including Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer at Bioverativ, Inc., U.S. and Global Commercial Controller at Biogen, and Executive Director at Merck and Co. While at Merck, her experiences spanned roles in venture investment, business development, joint ventures, and alliances, as well as operational controls and technical accounting. In addition, she gained extensive experience in SEC reporting, Sarbanes Oxley compliance, transaction support and risk management while at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Duvall received a bachelor's degree in Economics and Public Policy from Colby College and masters' degrees in both Accounting and Business Administration from Northeastern University. Ms. Duvall is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Massachusetts.

About BioTheryX, Inc.

BioTheryX is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the lives of patients suffering from cancer and inflammatory and immunological diseases through the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies that restore protein homeostasis through targeted protein degradation and modulation, and multi-kinase inhibition. We leverage our proprietary Protein Homeostatic Modulator technology platform and differentiated targeted protein degradation approach to design small molecules that regulate protein homeostasis. We believe our approach is applicable to a broad range of diseases, in particular those driven by protein targets that have been considered undruggable. Our initial programs are focused on oncology indications with high unmet medical need. For more information, please visit www.biotheryx.com and engage with us on LinkedIn.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biotheryx-announces-appointments-of-three-new-members-to-its-board-of-directors-301350269.html

SOURCE BioTheryX, Inc.
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) returns to Naval Station Norfolk on Aug. 9, 2020, after a regularly scheduled deployment in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet. (Colbey Livingston/U.S. Navy)

NORFOLK, Va. (Tribune News Service)  USS San Jacinto was tied up at Pier 6 on Naval Station Norfolk, with divers over the side to clean the ships bottom. Sailors in the cruisers blue-lit combat information center were thousands of miles away.

Like some 25,000 sailors and Marines, spread across 17 time zones, they were in the early days of a test of the Navys ability to fight a global war.

For San Jacinto, tied up at the pier but in a virtual sense off the coast of Norway, this meant the CIC team were in their usual role watching for enemy aircraft or missiles aiming at any of the warships in the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group.

Were actually monitoring any surface and air contacts. ... It could be anything from friendlies, people that were training with right now within this exercise, to simulated combatants, or unknown contacts, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Falgoust.

The screens that he and the three tactical air controllers watch allow them to project tracks of aircraft and ships, using advanced software and their best judgment. The aim: to see which are threats and which are harmless.

Missing a threat puts one of the nations most potent weapons  the carrier Harry S. Truman and its air wing  out of commission. Seeing a threat when there is none could mean the nightmare of shooting down a civilian airliner, said Capt. Christopher Marvin, San Jacintos commanding officer.

Marvin is up these days at 4 a.m.

Though San Jacinto is, physically, tied up at Pier 6, with plenty of maintenance work in progress to monitor, it is attached to the 6th fleet, headquartered in Naples.

That morning briefing, among other things, lets him know how the more than 100 men and women in Norfolks Naval Warfare Development Command are running the two-week Large Scale Exercise, and revising its scenario, in response to decisions of sailors like Falgoust at points around the world.

And that gets to the heart of the Navys Large Scale Exercise. Like all military exercises, its purpose is to build muscle memory.

In this case, for officers at the highest level of the Navy and Marine Corps  the three- and four-star admirals and generals who, in this case, operate from the far western Pacific to the Caribbean to the North Sea.

A big part of that involves knowing how to respond to the daily challenges of uncertainty and judgment that sailors like Falgoust and Marvin deal with every day.

When a CIC team is pretty sure, but not absolutely sure, if one of the dots or lines on its screens is a threat, that poses a different kind of challenge farther up the line  especially when, as is the case in what is still the early days of the Large Scale Exercise, international tensions are high and nobody knows for sure when, if or where an adversary able to operate anywhere in the world might strike.

Communications glitches might force San Jacintos sailors or the staff at 6th fleet  or even Fleet Forces Command back in Norfolk or the Secretary of Defense  to scramble to make sure word gets through. Thats another muscle memory to be exercised.

Our job is to reduce the fog of war, Marvin said.

The exercise also will test how higher levels of command  fleets and joint operations  use new warfighting concepts the Navy and Marine Corps have been testing for the past few years.

These include a focus on using small, dispersed land and sea units to secure sea and air lines of communications as well as moving small units of Marines by sea for quick onshore attacks or intelligence missions.

The Large Scale Exercise includes the commanding admirals and staff of Norfolks 2nd Fleet, as well as the 6th Fleet in European and African waters, the 3rd and 7th fleets in the Pacific, the 4th Fleet in the Caribbean and South American waters and the 10th Fleet, the cyber command. Three Marine Expeditionary Forces, headquartered in North Carolina, California and Okinawa, five carrier strike groups, four amphibious groups and 24 task forces are participating.

So, another muscle to exercise, said Rear Adm. Doug Beal, exercise director, is for the Navys several fleets, their commanders and staff, to synchronize operations.

That can include operating side by side or moving ships and Marines rapidly and seamlessly from one command to another.

For example, we have fleets going, Hey, I know you have this. I have that I really have the warfighting requirement, how can we make this happen? said Ron Keter, another member of the exercise leadership group

And then at least when they go up the chain, they have a coordinated response, which is what were trying to have them exercise., he said.

It isnt always the easiest muscle to exercise, Beal interjected.

Anybody that grew up with siblings understands this dynamic, he said.

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The former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne in New Jersey was demolished Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021, to make way for a UPS distribution center. (Screenshot from YouTube)

BAYONNE, N.J. (Tribune News Service)  The former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne came crashing down Sunday morning in a dramatic implosion, officially ending the sites 79-year history.

The two structures demolished Sunday were built during World War II, standing six stories tall and totaling 1.5 million square feet. Originally designed to withstand a bombing, the military operated MOTBY from 1942 to 1999, first as a Navy supply depot until 1967 and then as an Army base.

The implosion was the culmination of several years of prep work at the site. The buildings removal makes way for a large UPS distribution center to be built in their place.

This is the promise we made, was to build the city, develop the city, and bring jobs back to the city, and this is just the beginning, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis told NJ Advance Media ahead of the implosion. And today is just the one day that we get to sit and enjoy blowing something up.

The 153-acre site was purchased by East Rutherford-based Lincoln Equities Group in 2018, and work has been underway since. The site needed more than 1 million tons of clean fill to raise it above flood levels, mold remediation, and the structures that made it bombproof needed to be removed.

For Bayonne, I believe that this is a momentous moment, to see advancement and the redevelopment of the peninsula, LEG President Joel Bergstein said, citing the 1,000 construction jobs the project will create and the 1,800 UPS jobs to follow.

A small crowd of invited guests gathered under a tent set up between the half-demolished building and the newly built condominiums, sipping mimosas and milling about before the implosion Sunday morning.

A warning signal went off at 10:29 a.m. and the giddy crowd fell mostly silent.

A series out loud booms rang out, and a flock of geese scattered from their perch on the land into the water. A brief moment of silence followed, and the once bomb-proof building came cascading down like liquid, dissolving into a cloud of smoke.

That was amazing! It worked! It worked! Bergstein cheered, high-fiving those around him as they whooped and hollered.

But for some, the day was tinged with sadness.

Hasmik Jasmine Hammond and her husband, Thomas, worked in the building together for decades, with offices on the top floor. They both retired when the building closed in the 90s after 40 years of work, and were in the small, invited group on Sunday to watch it come down.

Its very sad. I know its progress, but we spent a lot of time there, Hammond said.

The Jersey Journal staff writer Ron Zeitlinger contributed to this report.

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(Missouri Historical Society Library & Research Center Facebook)

ST. LOUIS (Tribune News Service)  The political and military tensions that rocked the St. Louis area before the Louisiana Purchase are coming into sharper focus with the donation of 12 letters to the Missouri Historical Society.

Eleven of the letters are officially being accessioned Monday in a ceremony at the society's Library and Research Center. Most of these were written by the Baron de Carondelet to Charles Dehault Delassus in 1796 and 1797.

"These are the most exciting letters that we have (in our collection) about what it was like politically and militarily in this region at this time," said Molly Kodner, archivist at the Missouri Historical Society.

At the time, the massive swath of land that became the Louisiana Purchase was owned by Spain, though most of its European residents were French. Carondelet was the colony's top administrator, and his letters, written in French, were sent to Delassus, who was the last colonial lieutenant governor of what was called Upper Louisiana.

The letters "are talking about threats from the United States and expansionist pressure from the United States, and French spies coming in, trying to get information. Baron Carondelet even says if a Frenchman tries to get in without a passport, you need to send him back," Kodner said.

"They're also talking about potential attacks from the French and the British. They document what was a tenuous time for Spanish control in this area."

The new collection's other letter is of perhaps even more historical importance. It was written to Delassus on Nov. 12, 1803, by Gen. William Henry Harrison, the future president who at the time was governor of the Indiana Territory.

At the beginning of the three-page letter, Harrison writes that the matter of the Louisiana Purchase was before the U.S. Senate, and that the president, Thomas Jefferson, was waiting for senators to sign off on it.

Partway down the second page, Harrison notes the time, 6 p.m., and writes, "The mail has just arrived and has brought us the intelligence of the Treaty with France having been ratified by the President & Senate of the United States."

It was history happening in real time.

"The really exciting thing about the letter is that it is the first notice that people in the government of this region learned that the Louisiana Purchase had been ratified," Kodner said.

The letters have all been digitized and can be seen on the Historical Society's website. They are also available to the public at the society's Library and Research Center through Aug. 13, when the center will be closed for construction. It will reopen in early November.

All 12 of the letters in the new collection had been owned by Alonzo J. Tullock, a collector and engineer whose only connection to St. Louis was when he came to help build the McKinley Bridge.

The 11 letters being accessioned Monday were donated by the family of Robert W. Sharp, whose first wife was Tullock's granddaughter. The family made the donation because he had wanted them to go to the Historical Society, said his stepdaughter, Susan Naquin of Princeton, New Jersey.

The letter from William Henry Harrison was donated by Henry and Susan Warshaw of St. Louis. The Warshaws purchased the letter at auction about a year and a half ago with the intent of making the donation.

"It's the type of item that was so important to the state of Missouri and the country that it doesn't belong in a personal collection, it belongs to the country," Henry Warshaw said.

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Hundreds of people, among them many Belarusians living in exile in Poland, marched to denounce the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

WARSAW, Poland  Hundreds of people, among them many Belarusians living in exile in Poland, marched Sunday in Warsaw to protest political repression in neighboring Belarus  a demonstration held on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Belarus presidential election that they consider rigged.

Many carried the Belarusian opposition's red-and-white flag, which is banned in Belarus, and chanted "Long live Belarus!"

The protest focused on the Aug. 9, 2020, presidential election in Belarus in which President Alexander Lukashenko was awarded a sixth term in a vote that the opposition and many in the West view as fraudulent.

A belief that the vote was stolen triggered mass protests in Belarus that led to increased repressions by Lukashenko's regime on protesters, dissidents and independent media. Over 35,000 people were arrested and thousands were beaten and jailed.

The protesters began in central Warsaw and marched past the U.S. and Russian embassies, aiming for the Belarusian embassy in a southern Warsaw district.

Frantz Aslauski, a 56-years-old Belarusian who traveled from his new home in Wroclaw, Poland, said he believed Belarusians abroad must protest "because in Belarus people cannot go to the streets because they will be thrown into prison."

"We have the opportunity (to demonstrate), therefore this responsibility rests on us, we must shout at the whole world, so that the whole world supports us in our pursuit of freedom and democracy," Aslauski said.

In front of the Russian embassy, speakers accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for the repressions in Belarus. One banner showed an image of Lukashenko depicted as a vampire, with blood dripping from his mouth.

Lukashenko has earned the nickname of "Europe's last dictator" in the West for his relentless repression of dissent since taking the helm in 1994. In one shocking case, the regime this year arrested a dissident journalist after forcing his flight to divert to Belarus.

The organizers of the Warsaw march said the event was held as a sign that Belarusians in Poland will not give up their fight to bring change to Belarus. Among their demands was the release of political prisoners back home.

Poland, along with Lithuania and Ukraine, has become a key center of life in exile for Belarusians who have fled their homeland. Many people in Poland, an ex-communist country now in the European Union which shares a border with Belarus, support the efforts of Belarusians seeking democratic change.

One of the most recent Belarusians to arrive is Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, an Olympic sprinter who, fearing reprisals at home, fled last week from the Tokyo Olympics to Poland.

Thousands of Belarusians have also fled to neighboring Ukraine, fearing persecution back home. In Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Sunday, some 500 Belarusians also took to the streets to protest repression in Belarus and to mark the anniversary of the presidential election that triggered the largest and the most sustained wave of protests in Belarus' history.

The demonstrators carried red-and-white flags and banners saying "Belarus under Lukashenko has become a concentration camp," "North Korea in the center of Europe. Stop." They demanded that international authorities create a tribunal to investigate what they called Lukashenko's crimes.

"Every day Lukashenko is in power, there are more victims of political repressions, even in Ukraine," 21-year-old Bazhena Zholudz said at the rally.

Zholudz was the girlfriend of Vitaly Shishov, a Belarusian activist who ran a group in Ukraine helping Belarusians fleeing persecution. Shishov was found hanged in Kyiv last week and Ukrainian police are investigating whether it was a murder made to look like a suicide.

Following Shishov's death, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the country's police and security forces to study security risks for all Belarusians who have arrived in Ukraine over the past year.

"Every Belarusian who can be a target for criminals in connection with his public political position should receive special and reliable protection," Zelenskyy's office quoted him as saying.

Associated Press writer Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
An Afghan Air Force's helicopter hovers near the Afghan Parliament house in Kabul on Aug. 2, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  Afghanistan is likely to slide into a prolonged civil war with U.S. ground forces set to leave by the end of the month, a former U.S. envoy to Kabul said.

Ryan Crocker, who served as ambassador to Afghanistan during the Obama administration, said he didnt foresee any chance that U.S. troops would return once they exit.

President Biden has made that clear  were going out and staying out, Crocker said on ABCs This Week on Sunday. Bidens decisions mean he is now taking complete ownership of former President Donald Trumps policies for Afghanistan, Crocker said.

Taliban fighters took control of much of the capital of Kunduz province on Sunday, including the governors office and police headquarters, The Associated Press quoted a provincial council member as saying.

The Taliban has been gaining territory and taking over customs posts at Afghan border crossings, seizing much of the governments revenue. It now controls half of the countrys 419 districts, and the militants are putting pressure on the provincial capitals, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last month.

On Saturday, U.S. Central Command said that American military aircraft have been hitting ground targets in Afghanistan in an effort to protect allies amid the advances.

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo listens during a coronavirus news conference at the governor's Manhattan office March 2, 2020. (Barry Williams, New York Daily News/TNS)

The woman who filed a criminal complaint against New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, D, last week alleging he engaged in illegal sexual conduct has come forward publicly for the first time.

Brittany Commisso was previously identified only as "Executive Assistant #1" in a report released Tuesday by state Attorney General Letitia James, D, after a lengthy investigation into numerous sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo. On Thursday, Commisso also filed a criminal complaint against Cuomo with the Albany County Sheriff's Office, but had remained anonymous.

In a joint interview with CBS's "This Morning" and the Albany Times Union that will air Monday, Commisso revealed herself to be "Executive Assistant #1." A preview of the interview was shown Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation."

When asked why she had filed the criminal complaint against Cuomo, Commisso told CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan, "it was the right thing to do."

"The governor needs to be held accountable," Commisso added.

When asked to clarify if that meant seeing Cuomo charged with a crime, Commisso nodded in the affirmative.

"What he did to me was a crime," she told Duncan. "He broke the law."

According to the attorney general's report, Commisso told investigators that Cuomo harassed her both verbally and physically, including groping her breast in the governor's mansion in Albany. Cuomo has denied the allegations.

Commisso told investigators that one day, Cuomo allegedly told her it was "about time you showed some leg" when she wore a dress, and later asked if she had kissed or "fooled around" with someone other than her husband.

At one point, the governor allegedly said to Commisso something like, "If you were single, the things I would do to you," she recalled, per the attorney general's report. In one incident, he allegedly asked her to take a selfie with him and then "moved his hand to grab her butt cheek and began to rub it," the report said. Commisso told investigators she was shaking so much that the photos were blurry.

In November, Commisso was dispatched to assist Cuomo at the executive mansion, according to the report. As she was leaving, he slammed the door shut and slid his hand up her blouse, cupping her breast, according to the investigation. "I remember thinking to myself who  I knew what just went on, I knew and he knew too that was wrong," she told investigators. "And that I in no way, shape or form invited that nor did I ask for it. I didn't want it. I feel like I was being taken advantage of."

Commisso told investigators from the attorney general's office that she planned to take Cuomo's actions "to her grave" but grew upset after hearing him deny inappropriately touching women.

On Friday, a spokesman for the governor reiterated Cuomo's denial that he groped the assistant and said that the office notified authorities after she told a supervisor about her experience.

"As we said previously, we proactively made a referral nearly four months ago in accordance with state policies," said Richard Azzopardi, a spokesman for the governor.

Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin questioned the assistant's account of the breast groping in a news conference Friday. She said a reconstruction of the events on Nov. 16, a possible date of the incident given in the report, showed that the assistant was on a different floor from the governor for much of the day and that she did not leave abruptly, but offered to continue working late at the mansion. The attorney general's report notes that the assistant was not certain of the date of the incident. But Glavin said that records show that Nov. 16 was the only day that month the assistant entered the mansion.

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple vowed Saturday that his office would conduct a "very comprehensive investigation" into the criminal complaint filed against Cuomo, and took pains to keep her identity secret during a news conference.

Apple also said his investigators would not be rushed or swayed either way by the high-profile nature of the case.

Cuomo is facing a growing number of calls to resign, including from President Biden and other top Democrats, after 11 women accused him of sexual harassment and retaliation.

"We treat victims the same. We investigate the same. This one has more eyes on it," Apple said Saturday. "I'm not going to rush it because of who [Cuomo] is and I'm not going to delay it because of who he is."
The Purple Heart is one of the oldest commendations in American military history, dating back to the later years of the Revolutionary War and was originally designed as the Badge of Military Merit. (Timothy Koster/U.S. Army)

METHUEN, Mass. (Tribune News Service)  Methuen, Haverhill and North Andover are now among Massachusetts newest Purple Heart communities after ceremonies marking the honor Saturday.

As Haverhill Veterans Services Director Luis Santiago explains, National Purple Heart Day is not necessarily one of congratulations.

"Purple Heart Day recognizes someone who had the courage to fight for our country against an enemy who was detrimental to our sovereignty," Santiago said. "It's about congratulating them for the hard work, discipline and the courage it takes for an individual to raise their right hand and fight for our country."

Several local veterans were recognized by their communities at events at Haverhill's G.A.R. Park, Methuen's VFW Post 8349 and in North Andover's old center. Lawrence, which is also a purple heart community, put up wreaths citywide to acknowledge its veterans.

According to Gerry Maguire, an Army veteran from Methuen who worked with a committee in his city to help push that Purple Heart community designation through with the help of councilors Jessica Finocchiaro, Mike Simard and others, roughly 17% of a city's population is made up of veterans.

"The Purple Heart medal is no medal that anyone wants to have," Maguire said. "No one wakes up and says, 'Gee, I want to get shot today.' To get it, you have to lose your life in combat or be wounded by enemy action."

The Purple Heart used to be issued for meritorious service when it was first given out by George Washington. From 1942 on, the medal was limited to servicemen and servicewomen killed or wounded by enemy action on or after April 5, 1917.

"(Purple Heart Day) is a movement to honor veterans, but it's also a scary day for veterans because it's a national day now," Maguire said. "Veterans are forced to remember how they got hurt, or how they saw their buddy get shot in the head. It can be a trigger. We want veterans to reach out if they need help."

Committees in Methuen and Haverhill reached out to Brian Willette from the state's Purple Heart Association for more information on how to secure their community's Purple Heart access. Soon, signs distinguishing the cities' Purple Heart designations will dot the outskirts of town.

In connection with Methuen's designation as a Purple Heart community, the city issued a proclamation requesting residents and businesses display the American flag in a show of patriotism.

These cities should be "proud" to be added to the list, said retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major James Carabello of North Andover, who spoke at the Methuen event.

Those honored in Methuen Saturday were Arnold W. Greenwood, Albert Paplaskas, Joseph Montalto (Army Air Corps), Albert Campagnone, Carmen Campagnone, Bernard Campagnone Clifford Williams, Anthony Yemma, Rosaire Dubois, John McGurn, Jacob L. Armeen, Thomas F. Dorsey and William D. Liversidge, along with Marine veterans Anthony Haldane and John Wilford Roy, Air Force veteran John Hoegen Jr. and Navy veteran George Arnold Prunier.

Korean War Army veterans P. Norman Trembley and Daniel S. Judge; Vietnam Army veterans John A. Fontaine , Charles Bruder, Richard Gaudette, William Patenaude, Ronald Wilson, Richard Edward Potter and David Peter Bedrosian, along with Korean War Marine veterans Raymond Paplaskas, Michael Vercauteren; Afghanistan Marine veteran Eric Currier (deceased) and Iraq Marine veteran David Vicente (deceased) were also acknowledged Saturday in Methuen.

After the name of each deceased Purple Heart recipient was read in Methuen, a bell was rung to acknowledge their service and honor their memory.

In Haverhill, Marines Christopher Landers and Gerard Boucher were recognized at G.A.R. Park, along with Army veterans Stephen Bird and Donald Jarvis. Kevin Alder was also recognized.

Jarvis was ceremonially pinned in person at the event by his family. He received his Purple Heart earlier this year.

Landers, who was ambushed in Afghanistan in 2010, said he was shot in the head while stopped to render aid to other Marines after they had taken enemy fire. A Haverhill police officer, Landers, 34, was five months into his second tour when the convoy he was traveling with struck a roadside bomb and all four men inside had to be airlifted out of the zone to safety.

"As we were getting ready to go, I noticed nearby civilians had gone and were taking a much more dangerous route to avoid us, which is usually indicative of an ambush," he remembered. "I started to warn people of that, and as I was climbing up the truck to advise the vehicle gunner  the guy on top with the machine gun  a sniper opened fire initiating the ambush and struck me in the head. The round entered my helmet just above my left ear. If I took a deeper breath it would have been the end of me."

Rendered temporarily deaf and unconscious, once he came to, all Landers could think of was helping his fellow Marines, he said. It was only when he saw blood dripping from his own face that he realized he was the one injured. He received his Purple Heart medal while recovering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Marines medically retired him in 2012.

A funeral director who left the family business to serve in the Marines in Iraq, Dracut's Daniel Cotnoir, 49, will be awarded his Purple Heart later this month  17 years after his injury.

Recognized Saturday by the Methuen VFW, Cotnoir was originally fixing weaponry and working as a combat instructor before the Marines put him in charge of mortuary services  going into the battlefield to retrieve his dead brothers and sisters.

"I lovingly say I was 'volun-told,'" Cotnoir joked of the leadership role he held. "We would fight out onto the battlefield to recover those who were killed, recover those who died, and ... get them ready to fly them back home. It's a job that most people can't do, which is the same reason Navy SEALS and special forces are so rare."

On Sept. 6, 2004, his unit was training its replacements when supervisors asked for volunteers to retrieve lost soldiers along the dangerous outskirts of Fallujah. He went, climbing atop a vehicle with a 50-caliber machine gun in his hands.

"All of a sudden, the side of the road blows up," he said. "I took debris to the face. Nothing catastrophic, thank God, but I suffered a traumatic brain injury from the blast itself."

Thankfully, Cotnoir said no one in his unit was lost that day, or during the mission.

It makes him realize the significance of the Purple Heart medal he received.

"Not everyone has visible injuries but they earned it (the medal) and they need to be recognized," he said.

(c)2021 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)

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After the Philippines obtained independence in 1946, over 35,000 Filipinos were recruited into the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1992 under a provision of the Republic of the Philippines-United States Military Bases Agreement. (USS Telesforo Trinidad Campaign)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Tribune News Service)  The U.S. Navy has long drawn thousands of sailors from the Philippines who make Hampton Roads their home, creating a flourishing local Filipino population.

Virginias leaders now want to honor that legacy with a historical highway marker in Virginia Beach.

Asian and Pacific Islander communities have made significant contributions to our commonwealth and our country, but too often their stories remain untold, Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday in announcing five new historical markers.

They were nominated by students across the commonwealth through a contest focused on Asian American Pacific Islander history. The Virginia Beach marker, dubbed Filipinos in the U.S. Navy, was suggested by students in Burke and Chesterfield County  not Hampton Roads.

Filipino members of the U.S. Navy have served in Hampton Roads since at least the Civil War, the governors office noted in a news release, and have helped spur one of the largest Filipino communities on the East Coast.

The Philippines-Virginia pathway intensified during the 20th century. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Philippines became a U.S. territory and would remain that way for nearly five decades.

Shortly after the countrys independence in 1946, the Americans reached an agreement that allowed them to recruit Philippine citizens directly into the U.S. Navy, mainly as hospitality stewards, for which there was an urgent need during the Korean War, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. Soon the agreement was amended to specify that 2,000 Filipino men would enter the Navy each year, and the program continued through the 1990s.

Many Filipino men saw the U.S. military, which had a large naval base in the Philippines Subic Bay, as an appealing opportunity to support their families, said Dr. Cynthia Romero, chairman of the Council of United Filipino Organizations of Tidewater.

The 1965 Immigration Act further strengthened the Filipino population by allowing residents to petition for family members back home to join them in the U.S. The law also introduced visas so hospitals could recruit nurses from abroad and give them green cards.

For much of the 20th century, Hampton Roads and the Philippines held one important thing in common  both were home to the worlds largest bases maintained by the U.S. Navy, according to an Old Dominion University report on the local Filipino community. More than any other factor, the Navy has been responsible for bringing Filipino immigrants to Hampton Roads.

Its a familiar story to Romero, who was born at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center after her parents immigrated from the Philippines. Her dad was in the Navy, her mother a physician.

As chairman of the council, Romero now helps manage the Philippine Cultural Center on Virginia Beachs Baxter Road. She said many important events they hold are to honor Filipino American veterans, such as an annual Veterans Day ceremony.

Its nice to hear theyre also going to get some recognition with these markers, Romero said. Thats fantastic.

The historical markers still have to be approved by the state Board of Historic Resources at its September meeting. Randy Jones, spokesperson for the historic resources department, said officials will have a more certain location for the Virginia Beach site in mind by that point, but they are considering somewhere near the cultural center.

Romero said shed be thrilled to see that.

Filipinos have really embedded ourselves into the fabric of the community, she said. There is that common bond because were happy to be here.

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Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.


The Ministry of Health advise that there are no cases of COVID-19 to report in the community today.

There are five new cases of COVID-19 to report in recent returnees, and one historical case, in managed isolation facilities since the Ministrys last update on Friday.

The historical case was not reported in November last year as it was thought to have been recorded overseas. It has since been determined that it was not recorded overseas, so the case has now been added New Zealands COVID-19 tally for last year.

The number of active cases in New Zealand is 32 and the total number of confirmed cases is 2,530.

Since January 1 2021, there have been 114 historical cases, out of a total of 712 cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases detected at the border is two.



New border cases in New Zealand

Arrival date From Via Positive test day/reason Managed isolation/quarantine location 5 August Malaysia Singapore Day 0 / routine Auckland 7 August* Full travel history yet to be obtained Singapore Day 1 / routine Auckland 7 August* Full travel history yet to be obtained Singapore Day 1 / routine Auckland 7 August* Full travel history yet to be obtained Singapore Day 1 / routine Auckland 7 August* Full travel history yet to be obtained Singapore Day 1 / routine Auckland

*These four cases were in the same travel bubble



Historical cases identified at the border

Arrival date From Via Positive test day/reason Managed isolation/quarantine location 26 November USA Direct flight Day 3 / routine Completed

Vaccination roll-out update

More than 2.18 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to date - to 11.59pm on August 7. Of these, 1.37 million are first doses and more than 816,000 are second doses.

More than 121,700 Maori have received their first vaccination. Of these, around 76,000 have also had their second vaccinations.

More than 82,700 doses have been administered to Pacific peoples. Of these, around 51,000 have also received their second doses.

On Saturday, August 7, a total of 36248 doses were administered, including 27382 first doses and 8862 second doses.



Update on COVID-19 case in hospital

There is currently one COVID-19 positive patient in metro-Auckland DHB hospitals.

The previously reported UN worker from Fiji remains in Middlemore Hospital in ICU.

The COVID-19 positive patient that was transferred from the Jet Park to Auckland City Hospital on Thursday has since been discharged back to the quarantine facility.

There are appropriate isolation and infection prevention and control plans in place at all the metro-DHB hospitals to accommodate these patients  our hospitals remain safe for patients, visitors and staff.



Returnees from Australia

South east Queensland remains in lockdown and we are continuing to remind anyone who returned from Queensland on those return flights last week to keep checking locations Queensland Health website and monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19.

If people have been at a location of interest at the relevant time, they should immediately isolate at home or appropriate accommodation and call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing. New locations of interest have also been added for Victoria and Western Australia.

Contact tracing staff have also identified 2,995 people who returned on managed flights from Victoria between July 25 and 30 and have been required under a section 70 notice to isolate until a negative day 3 test.

Of those 2817 have so far returned a negative test; six have returned overseas and dont need to be followed up; and 91 have been granted a clinical exemption.

People who arrived in New Zealand from Victoria, in the seven days prior to the suspension of trans-Tasman bubble, who had not yet provided a negative COVID-19 test will now be managed by their local Public Health Unit. Public health officials have assessed the risk to the community associated with this group to be low.



Mattina update

The Mattina remains in quarantine at a secure berth in Bluff.

As of Sunday morning, 13 of the original 21 mariners remain on board the vessel.

On Saturday, five mariners were released after 14 days in managed isolation. These mariners have consistently returned negative COVID-19 test results.

One mariner, who was transferred off the boat at a later date, remains in a managed isolation facility in Christchurch.

Two further mariners, who both required hospital care, are in Southern DHB-arranged accommodation where their health can continue to be monitored and treated.

Every possible public health precaution is being taken to care for the mariners in a way that provides the health care they need, and keeps health workers, port workers and the community safe.



Testing

The total number of COVID-19 tests processed by laboratories to date is 2,523,643.

On Friday, 5273 tests were processed across New Zealand and yesterday, 5010 tests were processed.

The seven-day rolling average is 5623.

For all testing locations nationwide visit the Healthpoint website.



NZ COVID Tracer

NZ COVID Tracer now has 2,911,790 registered users.

Poster scans have reached 319,537,492 and users have created 12,546,482 manual diary entries.

There have been 1,143,233 scans in the past 48 hours to midday yesterday.


Despite a drop in the number of collisions and near misses, Kiwis are being urged to be more alert around trains than ever before.

The number of collisions and near misses with people and vehicles have both fallen by more than 40 per cent over the last four years.

But with Government plans to invest in rail and create jobs as part of the Covid-19 economic recovery plan, there will be more trains running in the coming years, says Transport Minister Michael Wood.

The warning comes as part of Rail Safety Week, which starts today.

A single death or serious injury is one too many. Over the last decade, 163 people have died in collisions with trains. Behind each statistic is a person, with whanau, friends and colleagues.

There were 54 collisions and 405 near misses in the 2018 financial year  FY2018, down to 31 collisions and 227 near misses in FY2021.

The year to June 30, 2021, has seen three deaths at level crossings.

The number of collisions with vehicles at road level crossings has more than halved from 29 in FY2018 to 12 in FY2021.

Collisions with trains are avoidable. Whenever we cross the rail corridor we all need to be alert, obey signs, warning bells and barriers, and take the time to check for trains, says Wood.

The Government is continuing to make level crossings safer with more than 70 level crossings upgraded around the country since 2018. These are improving safety in our urban centres and regions, and more upgrades are being planned.

Its appropriate this years Rail Safety Week campaign is aimed at raising rail safety awareness in rural areas given TrackSAFE NZs research has found that the majority of collisions with trains happen in provincial and rural areas.

With around 3000 level crossings throughout New Zealand, we all have to take care and be patient so we can get home safely at the end of the day, says Wood.

Rail Safety Week runs from August 9 until August 15.

It is coordinated by KiwiRail and TrackSAFE NZ in close partnership with Waka Kotahi, NZ Police, Auckland Transport, Transdev Auckland, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Transdev Wellington and councils throughout New Zealand.

The Government says its delivering on its commitment to revitalise rail and create jobs.

This includes re-opening the Wairoa to Napier line; construction underway on a third main line in Auckland (Wiri to Quay Park), electrification to be extended from Papakura to Pukekohe; future rail stations at Drury to support housing development; future-proofing and building Aucklands City Rail Link; bringing the rail line north of Auckland back up to scratch to help move freight; getting 15 new electric trains onto Aucklands growing network; and starting Te Huia  the Waikato to Auckland commuter service.

It also includes kicking off work towards a Palmerston North Regional Economic Growth Hub; double tracking the rail line between Trentham and Upper Hutt; saving the Wairarapa line from deteriorating with critical maintenance work; and bringing in new wagons and trains to replace aging assets.

Also included in the Governments commitment is an investment in essential maintenance work across the rail network, enabling KiwiRail to take on around 150 new track staff, including a pipeline of trainees; and developing domestic workshops in Dunedin and Christchurch to create local jobs, youth training opportunities, and rebuild expertise.
High avalanche warnings have been issued by the NZ Mountain Safety Council as heavy snowfall reaches low levels across the South Island.

MetService has issued multiple snowfall warnings as the largest snowfall event of the winter looks set to produce significant amounts of new snow for many eastern alpine regions in the South Island and for the central North Island as the system moves northward.

Snow has fallen to low levels in Canterbury throughout Sunday, accumulating in towns such as Methven, Hanmer Springs and St Arnaud.

As a result, the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (owned and operated by MSC) Avalanche Danger ratings have risen to High for Aoraki/Mt Cook, Two Thumbs, Craigieburns, Nelson Lakes and Tongariro. Arthurs Pass, Mt Hutt, Taranaki and Ohau have also moved to Considerable danger.

MSC Chief Executive Mike Daisley says while the new snow is a welcome boost to winter backcountry recreation, he urges backcountry users to give the new snow time to settle before heading out to enjoy it.

"The first fine, clear day following this system is likely to produce numerous loose wet avalanches as the snow warms up from being exposed to the sun, says Daisley.

The 24-48hr period after a storm like this one is the most dangerous and while the temptation is to rush out and get the fresh powder its really the time for patience and a cautious approach, Daisley adds.

MSC is warning that even lower elevations will have issues with warmer temperatures and snow being able to slide on slippery surfaces like tussock.

As a result of this storm and the conditions, MSC encourages people to stay in bounds at a ski area for the first fine weather day once things clear. This will allow the snowpack to settle and give avalanche forecasters time to accumulate more data so they can produce new forecasts that incorporate a better picture of whats going on in the backcountry.

Daisley says the NZAA forecasters watch theses storm events very closely and will update the 12 regional forecasts at avalanche.net.nz as new information becomes available.

Its vital that people check the latest avalanche advisory before venturing out and follow the guidance provided.

While this change in danger ratings is not unusual for this time of year, it is a very different story to the calm August last year which saw very low levels of snowfall.
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Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Tahlequah, OK (74464)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
Tesla Cybertruck's release date is now delayed to 2022, as per the reservations website of the electric pick-up. It comes after the EV giant CEO, Elon Musk, previously hinted at the production challenges of the massive trapezoid-shaped vehicle.

As per The Drive, two years have already passed since Elon Musk boasted the obscure Cybertruck concept in a jam-packed event held in Los Angeles on November 22, 2019.

Nevertheless, the hype for the Tesla Cybertruck persisted with about 1.2 million reservations, according to Teslarati.

The outlet further added that the trapezoid-shaped vehicle is far from being a flop. It is despite Elon Musk saying that there is a possibility that the electric pick-up will likely fail, but that the Tesla exec said that he does not care.

Tesla Cybertruck Release Date Delayed

The latest information from the reservation website of the Tesla Cybertruck confirmed that fans of the vehicle need to be equipped with additional patience, as they will have to wait for a little while before the electric truck releases.

A Twitter user that goes by the name Sawyer Merritt broke the news on Twitter, saying that the Tesla Cybertruck release has been moved to 2022 as he cites the footnotes of the reservation page of the vehicle.

It is to note that Tesla initially promised that the Cybertruck would see the light of day in the market by the end of 2021, way back when it debuted two years ago.

But it seems that the date has now been officially moved.

The order/reservation page of the Tesla truck noted that the configurator for the vehicle will only be available "as production nears in 2022."

The message is seen in all of the Cybertruck variants on the Tesla website, even as the EV giant hinted that the Dual Motor and Tri-Motor options will release ahead of the other choices.

The EV maker has yet to confirm other details about the release of the Cybertruck. As of now, fans of the electric pick-up are left with the footnote on the company website.

Read Also: Tesla Cybertruck: Samsung Penned $436 Million Deal to Supply Cameras for EV Maker, According to Korean Sources [RUMOR]

Tesla Cybertruck Production Delay

Musk has been transparent about the production challenges of the trapezoid-shaped pickup. As such, the delay in the release of the Cybertruck has been expected early on.

To be precise, the Tesla CEO blamed the features of the Cybertruck as the root cause of the production hiccups, such as the steel exoskeleton body of the vehicle.

During Tesla's fourth-quarter 2020 earnings call, Musk said that there is a slim chance to deliver the Cybertruck by the end of 2021, adding that the mass production is possibly beginning by 2022.

Meanwhile, on a more recent earnings call for the second quarter of 2021, Tesla Engineering Head Lars Moravy also raised the possibility of a delay.

Related Article: New Tesla Cybertruck Patent Shows Design References For the Electric Pickup Truck

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go with LTE connectivity is now available for pre-order in the United States with its price $50 more than the Wifi version of the laptop, starting from $349.

As per GizmoChina, the South Korean behemoth first announced the budget-friendly Galaxy Chromebook Go with an initial Wifi capability on July 15 with a price starting from $299.

Upon its debut, Samsung noted that there will be an LTE variant later on.

On August 7, the South Korea-based company kept its promise and released the 4G capable Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go.

It comes after the said device got its FCC certification by the end of July, which hinted that the budget-friendly LTE laptop is coming anytime soon.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go with LTE Pre-Order

The wait is now over as the LTE version of the Samsung Chromebook is now available for pre-order in the United States.

However, it is to note that the Galaxy Chromebook Go LTE did not release on the Samsung website, contrary to what happened with its Wifi sibling.

ChromeUnboxed reported that the latest 4G enabled laptop debuted on the AT&T website instead.

The LTE version of the Galaxy Chromebook Go comes with a nano-SIM card slot on the right side of the device. Aside from that, there are no other changes in the all-new variant of the Samsung laptop, which was in contrast to earlier reports saying that the new version will be sporting a touch screen or greater RAM and storage.

But it turned out that the LTE variant, which costs $50 more, only included an additional SIM slot for the connectivity support.

Related Article: 6-SECOND SPEED! Samsung's First Galaxy Chromebook Boosts Fast and Releases on Apr.6; Will it Help Work-at-Home?

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go Specs

Samsung further noted that the Galaxy Chromebook supports multiple LTE bands, including 2, 4, 5, 12, 29, and 66. It is on top of the dual-band Wifi, Wifi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1.

Not to mention that the budget laptop also has a USB 3.0 port, two USB Type-C ports, alongside 3.5 headphone out or microphone in port.

The Chromebook Go is powered by an Intel Celeron N4500 processor paired with 4GB RAM, along with 32GB storage.

Don't fret as the low storage is expandable via a MicroSD card of up to 512GB.

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go: How to Pre-Order

As mentioned, the LTE variant of the Samsung Chromebook was released on the website of AT&T. So, the device could be pre-ordered on the carrier, which gives out a 50% discount if you attach a data plan to it. As such, the LTE-ready laptop is down to the tune of $175.

Click this link to get the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go from AT&T.

Elsewhere, Samsung earlier hinted that it is releasing a laptop that features S Pen support.

Plus, here are the top five lightweight laptops to buy, which include the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 Release Date: Leaked Picture of New Model Excites Fans

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Family and friends said a final farewell Saturday to 57-year-old Kennedy Mouton Sr., a Lafayette man who was the victim of a fatal stabbing on South Saint Antoine Street in late July.

Mouton was found suffering from multiple stab wounds outside a home in the 400 block of South Saint Antoine Street around 10:24 p.m. on July 23 and was pronounced dead at the scene. A suspect, 27-year-old Troinathan Woods of Lafayette, turned himself in to law enforcement on July 27 and was booked on a count of second-degree murder.

Mouton was laid to rest Saturday at Calvary Cemetery following a service at Syrie Funeral Home.

+9 It hurts: Loved ones remember loving, energetic 16-year-old girl killed in Lafayette shooting My baby was loved, Kysha Mouton sobbed as family, schoolmates and community members crowded East Clinton Street on Friday night to honor her

A father of six and grandfather to 17, Mouton was an easygoing, funny and lighthearted person who worked hard as a custodian for a local janitorial company, often picking up additional cleaning jobs in neighborhood businesses at night. The 57-year-old was casual, but when he delved into deeper topics and offered life advice it was the kind of conversation that guides you through life, LeeAnn Flugence said.

Flugence, Moutons former daughter-in-law, said they talked every day and had more of a father-daughter relationship than in-law relationship, even after she and his son, Kennedy Mouton Jr., split after 14 years together. She would see Mouton multiple times a week as she made her rounds to visit her parents around the corner.

We were extremely close...That bond just pretty much happened simultaneously. It really became a natural thing, she said. I hold it dear and I will always hold it dear...He definitely was someone I knew I had in my corner, and likewise he knew I was in his corner.

+13 Lafayette family left with questions after fatal shooting of 14-year-old 'Daddy's girl' Brandy and Raymond Garry thought theyd spend the final weeks of summer preparing their 14-year-old daughter Zaria for her first day of high s

The two were so close, Mouton looked to Flugence to take the lead caring for his youngest daughter, 16-year-old Kendashia, should something happen to him. Kendashia is largely blind and looked to her father as her knight in shining armor, Flugence said, especially after her mother died when she was 4 years old.

The teens father made sure she was a priority in all things; if he was struggling with money or needed assistance, he never let pride get in the way of making sure she was cared for, Flugence said.

We would have conversations and he would say if something happens to me, I want you to make sure shes taken care of. He knew without a shadow of a doubt and thats something that eases me, with him passing, that he knew she would be taken care of, she said.

Family maimed by repeat offender awaits justice after 8 years; accused who skipped trial released ABBEVILLE  Vanessa Vollmer's son, Nathan Gary, has scars on his side and along the inside of his legs. Her mother, Dana Vollmer, lives in con

If the two werent physically together, Mouton always made sure to call his teenage daughter throughout the day, and didnt let her go to sleep without an I love you. Flugence and other family members broke the news to her.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes and she said, So thats the reason he didnt call me, Flugence said.

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Mouton was similarly doting on his grandchildren. He saw them frequently and would greet them with jokes, warmth and money to run to the corner store for treats. His youngest grandchildren are still struggling to understand his loss, often asking to go visit him, she said.

+3 Recovering New Iberia firefighters concerned for brotherhood over themselves after fire, explosion The families of two New Iberia firefighters injured in a Thursday blaze and subsequent explosion said the men are fighters on the path to reco

Flugence said it makes her anxious thinking about how violently Moutons life was taken. When a family friend called to deliver the news, the mother of three said she fell to her knees and was unable to move from the floor for over an hour.

I was waiting for someone to call me back and say it was a mistake, it wasnt him, she said. For such a gentle soul to be taken so recklessly is difficult. He was loved...To know Kennedy was to love Kennedy.

His eldest son, Kennedy Mouton Jr., said processing his fathers death has been difficult for him and his siblings. Kennedy Jr. said he took bereavement time from work and largely stayed home, attempting to meditate and quietly sort through his feelings as the biggest question, Why?, kept swirling in his mind.

Its been hard coming to terms with how he died, he said.

The two Mouton men had some rocky patches in their relationship, Kennedy Jr. said. They were working to grow closer and chart a new relationship when Mouton was killed. His son said now hes trying to hold close to their conversations and the life advice his father handed down, knowing he can no longer pick up the phone and hear his voice.

Kennedy Jr. said his uncle, Kevin Mouton, is taking the lead as a family liaison with the Lafayette Police Department and law enforcement on the case. Mouton was stabbed to death shortly after returning to the residence he shared with his girlfriend from a cleaning job at a neighborhood convenience store, his son said.

The suspect, Troinathan Woods, is the nephew of Moutons girlfriend. Kennedy Jr. said he wants to know what happened -- What was the motive? What preceded the stabbing? Why was his father stabbed? These and other questions are circulating.

I hope God can come out and expose the truth, Kennedy Jr. said.

+4 'COVID is here': Louisiana mom pleads with community as daughter, 20, is put on ventilator Josepha Morgan doesn't want another parent to go through what she's experiencing as her 20-year-old daughter is fighting for her life in a hos

Editor's note: A previous version of this story misstated where Kendashia Mouton was the night her father was killed. The Acadiana Advocate regrets the error.
Several Baton Rouge-area judges have been offering defendants on probation the option of getting a COVID vaccine to reduce or eliminate their community service hours, and reaction has largely been positive in the criminal justice system.

But one local district attorney thinks it's a bad practice and he doesn't want any part of it.

Community service obligations are typically attached to misdemeanor and nonviolent felony offenses.

Nineteenth Judicial District Judge Fred Crifasi was apparently the first area judge to offer community service credit if a defendant showed proof of COVID vaccination. At least two of his 19th JDC colleagues, Judges Tarvald Smith and Tiffany Foxworth, have followed suit.

In the case of a group of women charged in a fight last summer with a Chili's hostess who was trying to enforce the restaurant's coronavirus-related dining rules, Crifasi put three of the women on probation for a year after they recently pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disturbing the peace. He ordered each of them to perform 20 hours of court-approved community service, but he gave them the option of replacing those hours with proof of a COVID vaccination.

2 guilty in fight with Chili's hostess enforcing COVID rules; 4 barred from restaurant Two women pleaded guilty Wednesday and two others entered a pretrial diversion program for their roles in what a Baton Rouge prosecutor called

Crifasi said he considers vaccination an act of community service at a time when Louisiana is in a "serious predicament" with rapidly rising coronavirus infections because of the more-infectious delta variant.

The judge said his actions have nothing to do with politics and everything to do with trying to save lives and keep people safe.

"It's not a mandate. It's completely optional," he said, adding that some defendants are now asking about the option as word has gotten out. "I'm not going to stop doing it. No one's made a legal objection to it."

Not all of the area district attorneys, however, support accepting proof of vaccination in lieu of court-ordered community service.

Tony Clayton, the district attorney for West Baton Rouge, Iberville and Pointe Coupee parishes, said he is flat-out opposed to it.

"Just having it under the gauntlet of a judge with a robe on ordering it scares me. My office won't do it," the 18th Judicial District Attorney said.

"I haven't asked any judge to do it," Clayton added. "It's a person's constitutional right to determine if they want to get vaccinated. I would tread lightly on that."

"It's an honorable gesture," he acknowledged, "but I think its emanating from the wrong place."

Clayton's counterpart across the river, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III, said offering those on probation the option of getting vaccinated in lieu of community service is simply part of a "combined community effort" to get COVID-19 and its far-reaching effects under control.

"While my office respects every citizen's right to choose how they care for their health and safety, free of governmental reach, we strongly encourage the courts to offer those on probation to get the COVID-19 vaccine in place of community service," Moore said.

"Offering this choice does not imply a mandate. If accepted, it not only protects the offender, their family, and the public, it aids all who may come into contact with this person at future court appearances," he added.

Moore expressed concern "for the immediate future" as new COVID strains "provide a more significant threat to what we have experienced thus far."

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"We have lost nearly a year of in-person, meaningful court hearings on serious cases. We can't continue to lose more valuable time away from resolving serious crimes and justice for all," he said.

Longtime Baton Rouge City Court Judge Yvette Alexander said she's not aware of any of her City Court colleagues following the lead of some of the 19th JDC judges but said she's certainly receptive to the idea.

"Anything that pushes them toward a vaccination is great," she said. "It's innovative. I would imagine my court would consider it in the future. I will consider it. We want to do whatever we can."

Scott Perrilloux, the district attorney for Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes, said his prosecutors haven't reported to him that any judges in the 21st Judicial District are giving some defendants community service credit for getting vaccines but noted he is in favor of the practice.

"I don't have an issue with a judge offering that to an individual," Perrilloux said Tuesday while at home recovering from a mild case of the coronavirus. He said he was fully vaccinated in February.

"It's crazy times right now. This is some unique circumstances," he said. "I do not have an issue with it."

Perrilloux recently donated $2,500 of his campaign funds to COVID 100, a cash incentive program sponsored by the North Oaks Foundation, a nonprofit that supports North Oaks Health System, of Hammond. The program is geared toward handing out cash payments to those receiving vaccines.

"We've got to get through this thing," he said, adding that the evidence is abundantly clear that vaccinations reduce hospitalizations.

Like Crifasi, 19th JDC Judges Tarvald Smith and Tiffany Foxworth are allowing some defendants to wipe some community service hours clean with a vaccination.

"I have done it. I'm not mandating it," Smith stressed. "I'm just giving them the option."

Smith said he too considers getting vaccinated a service to the community.

"You're serving the community," he said. "I don't have a problem with that."

Smith said he's offered the vaccine option to two or three defendants so far, but until they appear again before him for their probation reviews, he won't know if they accepted his offer.

Foxworth, a registered nurse, said she will allow each shot to account for five hours of community service.

"It's just an option," she said.

Foxworth noted that a vaccine cannot be used in lieu of litter detail in DWI cases because state law does not allow it.

Crifasi said if a probation candidate is inclined to get vaccinated, he will grant credit for that effort toward any requirement of community service.

"The amount of hours varies and depends on the person's circumstances," he said. "If a person is not inclined (to get vaccinated), they do not have to do it."
Robert Burns voice breaks when recounting how the Comite River left its banks, flowed over stacked-up sandbags and rushed into his house.

It wasnt just the Comite that overflowed that August day in 2016, when the storm dumped as much 30 inches of rain in parts of the capital region.

The massive outpouring jammed south-flowing waterways east of Baton Rouge like rush-hour traffic. With nowhere to go but up and over, the deluge overtopped creeks and bayous, creating one huge lake  expansive enough, Burns said, to boat easily from his home in Central to Denham Springs.

When the rain ceased, it filled his house with a couple feet of standing water.

Burns recalls opening every window and door and gutting the waterlogged house. Decades worth of possessions  including uniforms from his Air Force days, a 30-year-old grandfather clock and a record collection  wound up in six 10-foot-tall junk piles outside. Similar heaps appeared outside every home up and down the street as residents began the arduous cleanup.

The only thing Burns saved from the house was his TV.

"A lot of these things were irreplaceable," Burns said. To say it was devastating does not do it justice."

The flood killed 13 people and caused billions of dollars in property damage.

Burns thinks the toll was higher. He said he knows of two people who later died from heart attacks he believes were spurred by trauma from the flood.

Five years have come and gone. But the shock of the deluge still feels immediate for the 75-year-old Vietnam War veteran.

As increasingly heavy rains batter Southeast Louisiana each year, Burns and other greater Baton Rouge residents have pegged their hopes on an ambitious $460 million canal some 39 years in the making. Its one of several slow-moving flood-protection projects that gained momentum after the 2016 disaster.

The proposed Comite River Diversion Canal would cut a 12-mile gash across the landscape and send water from the Comite River west to the Mississippi River, lessening flood levels by as much as 6 feet at White Bayou, 18 inches near Denham Springs and 6 inches on the lower Amite River and adjacent bayous.

Once built, it would bring desperately needed relief to the flood-prone Florida and River parishes.

But three years after funding appeared to cover 75% of the price tag, bureaucratic hang-ups still hinder the canals progress, leaving people who live in the floodplain as vulnerable as ever to a new storm-of-record.

Were sitting in the middle of a bull's-eye, and the water is coming, Burns said. We dont know when and we dont know how much, but its coming.

Uphill battle

Theorized about since the 1960s and studied intensively since the previous flood-of-record in 1983, the diversion canal gathered new relevance, political momentum and long-needed federal and state funding after the devastation of 2016.

Its downhill route, which starts between Baker and Zachary before inching west to the Mississippi, suggests it would be simple to carve out of the earth. But the canal would bisect highways, railroads, swamps, pipelines and other obstructions that have thrown wrenches in its progress since Congress approved it in 1992.

When will those multi-million-dollar flood projects for Baton Rouge be finished? Not for years It will still be years before East Baton Rouge residents see any work completed on the multi-million dollar flood-prevention projects that wer

The canal was supposed to be finished by December of 2021, three years after Louisianas congressional delegation obtained $343 million for the project. After years of planning, land acquisition and construction of one $40 million control structure by the Amite River Basin Commission, the money cleared the way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development  which took over those duties from the basin commission  to buy land and start digging.

The Corps said in March, however, that the agencies would need an extra year after delays in negotiating land purchases stalled construction on some plots, sparking backlash from residents like Burns and hand-wringing from politicians.

The hard part was getting the money, said U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, who championed the huge funding package in Washington. The easy part is getting people to actually build the thing.

Now, the agencies say the project is back on track.

While weather and certain utility relocations could further extend the new deadline, the Corps remains confident that the canal will be operable by December 2022, said Nick Sims, a senior project manager for the Corps New Orleans office.

According to Graves, one utility relocation is already causing snags for the projects new, delayed completion date. Negotiations that began earlier this year between DOTD, which is managing land purchases and utility relocations, and Florida Gas Transmission Co. over relocation of an FGT gas pipeline that lies in the canals path have not been resolved, the congressman said this week.

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Based on recent conversations he has had with DOTD officials and FGT lawyers, Graves said those negotiations appear to be extending the December 2022 completion date.

It's my understanding that every day this issue is unresolved, we are delaying completion of this project by a day, Graves told The Advocate. Thats obviously a huge concern.

The pipeline talks have dragged on for months.

Graves said he flagged concerns about negotiations delaying the end-date when he met with the Corps last winter. He also pressed them for a report on the agencys ability to meet the original deadline, he said, yielding the announcement that the end-date would be pushed back to 2022.

Florida Gas representatives did not return multiple interview requests for this story. In an email, DOTD spokesperson Brandie Richardson confirmed that negotiations over the pipeline relocation are up in the air, but declined to comment further because the talks are ongoing.

The Corps, meanwhile, is working closely with both the company and DOTD to minimize any potential delays, Sims said. He referred specific questions about utility relocations to DOTD.

There may be flexibility in the canals work schedule, Graves acknowledged, making it difficult to say for certain how much the talks have extended the planned December 2022 deadline.

'Progress is being made'

Burns heads a citizens group called Concerned Citizens for Diversion Canal, which keeps an eye on the Corps progress. He appreciates new efforts officials have made recently to communicate progress to residents. But updates offer little solace for people living in fear of another hundred-year flood, he said.

I want to see more shovels in the ground, said Burns.

+5 Comite River Diversion Canal construction gears up, but here's why some worry about timeline The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects to award a contract to dig out and build a 1.5-mile segment of the long-awaited Comite River Diversio

Shovels have hit the ground recently, even if theyre moving slower than Burns would like. A four-lane bridge construction project near U.S. 61 is underway. The Corps diverted the Kansas City Southern Railway track beginning last December as it worked on a section of the canal there.

Other key locations have made less headway. One section still under discussion is the area west of the Lilly Bayou Control Structure, which will funnel water to the Mississippi. Residents have worried it will delay the plan.

The Corps hopes to finish modeling that section by September, said Sims, at which point it will decide between new channel construction or flowage easements. The latter refers to the Corps practice of gaining perpetual rights to private property in order to flood it.

Even though some contracts were issued later than hed hoped, Graves lauded how much headway the project has made in the past several years compared with the long slog since its inception almost four decades ago.

+6 Proposed Darlington Dam needs more time, money to assess risk of catastrophic failure The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to take 3 additional years and spend an extra $6 million to study the proposed Darlington Dry Dam and 

They're digging canals, they're building bridges and progress is being made, Graves assured.

The process of buying up land to build the canal, long a thorn in the side of the project, is nearly complete, according to the DOTD. All but one of the 84 parcels needed for the project have been bought  although a settlement on the final plot isnt expected to materialize until November, according to the DOTD.

Officials earlier said land acquisition would be finalized between June and October.

'Were not holding our breath'

Considering the inertia that has hung over the project for several decades, Graves said, present setbacks should be kept in perspective.

For the first time, we can say this projects going to be finished," the congressman said in a recent interview.

For Burns and others in the floodplain, progress still hasn't come fast enough. Compounding frustrations are millions of dollars in property taxes some residents of Ascension, East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes have paid to the Basin Commission to fund the project.

Veronica Kurtz, who co-owns Porches Sausage in French Settlement, said she feels drained all the time from worrying about each new storm. Her house, which sits near a swampy part of Colyell Creek, took on 4-plus feet of water in 2016.

Its exhausting, she said, not only for the business but for our homes, too.

Those who havent lived through a flood like the one in 2016 cant know what its like to prepare for the next great rain, Burns said. If officials grasped that reality, they would move more quickly, he believes.

We're praying literally every day that December '22 is the real deadline, Burns said. But look at how they faked us out (before). Were not holding our breath.
Investors of fallen neobank Xinja have been threatened with imprisonment if they fail to hand over books, records and correspondence related to the companys capital raising tactics as part of a wide-ranging investigation secretly launched by the prudential regulator.

The Age and Sydney Morning Herald can reveal the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has appointed senior investigator Anthony Davies to probe the Sydney startups corporate dealings spanning December 31, 2019, to February 26 this year.

APRA has ordered investors to hand over all correspondence with Xinja founder Eric Wilson as part of an investigation. Credit:Peter Braig

The regulator has sent notices to a number of investment firms ordering them to produce all financial statements, notes and correspondence with Xinja employees and associates, singling out founder Eric Wilson and non-executive director Craig Swanger in one letter.

Xinja became the first Australian bank to return all customer deposits in January, after it failed to raise enough money to continue operating above APRAs minimum capital requirements. APRA chair Wayne Byres called the process a successful failure in March, despite the thousands of Australians left blindsided and empty-handed.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has lately been the prime offender on the confusing optimism front. A week and a half ago, modelling for the national cabinet laid out 70 and 80 per cent vaccination rates as thresholds for certain freedoms. A few days later, Berejiklian began talking about 50 per cent vaccination as a line at which some restrictions might lift. Then, for a few days, that vanished. Did this mean the 50 per cent threshold was gone, replaced by the national cabinet thresholds? And when would we reach those thresholds? The Prime Minister had suggested the end of the year was possible for 70 per cent, but more recently John Frewen, the military man in charge of the rollout, suggested it might be earlier. What did that mean for lockdown duration? Were we looking at several months or something shorter?

On Sunday, to her credit, Berejiklian began to knit these elements together. Fifty per cent was still the immediate aim. It would not bring the same freedoms associated with the higher thresholds, but the government was still looking at options moving forward into September about how we can live more freely. This was, she said, in line with the modelling done for the national cabinet. It is true this is still vague; it is also true that it is clearer than late last week. No doubt leaders think that we expect the world of them. How can they offer certainty when everything is so uncertain? The problem, though, is that they swing wildly back and forth between the two. Berejiklian gives us a 50 per cent target, then seems to take it away, then gives it back, kind of. Morrison says lockdowns will be a last resort then barracks for lockdowns then dismisses talk of ongoing lockdowns as speculation.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews tweets Zero and then, a day later, his state enters lockdown. It is jarring, confusing and increasingly frustrating. The other ridiculous element is the way we are all forced to take on the role of amateur sleuths. No single political figure tells us what we want to know. Instead, we must stitch together what Morrison says, with what Berejiklian or Andrews says, with what Frewen says, with what the modelling says, and so on until we all go mad. Loading Berejiklians press conference on Sunday had one more aspect worth noting. Her rhetoric around vaccinations as the one path out of lockdown  with its implication of blaming Morrison  seemed to soften. This was as much tone as substance but seemed to indicate a truce of sorts may have been reached in the blame war between the two leaders. For Morrison, that truce comes at the right time.

Last week was a busy, busy week. The Doherty modelling was released, there were the several lockdowns and their related developments, Berejiklian began to talk about living with COVID-19, and the federal government announced new draconian restrictions on Australians wanting to return home. And yet, amid that cacophony, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese managed to do what he has struggled to do for two years: cut through, with his promise of $300 for each person vaccinated. There are arguments for and against the idea, but politically the contrast was what mattered: two Liberal leaders squabbling with each other while Albanese put forward a clear proposal. At the end of that Thursday press conference at which he was asked about yo-yo-ing lockdowns, Morrison was also asked about the car parks spending scandal. Asked about his involvement in the program, Morrison said no less than seven times that the minister makes decisions on such projects  which was not an answer. He was asked again and again and again. The first 41 minutes of that press conference is posted on Morrisons Facebook page. Curiously, it cuts out just before the final section, which was all about car parks.
Australias top COVID-19 clinical advisory group says there is not yet enough evidence to support use of a new monoclonal antibody treatment, of which the federal government recently bought more than 7700 doses.

The drug, Sotrovimab, is an antibody treatment that can be given to people as soon as they fall sick. The hope is it can be given to people at risk of serious illness from COVID-19  such as the elderly and the obese  when they become infected.

Interim results from a clinical trial of Sotrovimab appear to show dramatic benefits for high-risk COVID-19 patients.

On Saturday, Health Minister Greg Hunt trumpeted his governments purchase of the drug, which he said has been shown to dramatically reduce hospitalisation and risk of death in adults with mild to moderate COVID-19.

However, the drug has not been approved for use in Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Final results of the companys phase 3 trial are yet to be published.
Flemington public housing tower residents who went into hard lockdown because of COVID-19 cases linked to the current outbreak have so far returned negative test results.

Families in isolation on the 17th floor of the 20-storey tower at 130 Racecourse Road have all tested negative, Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday.

Residents from the Racecourse Road public housing towers line up for testing on Sunday morning. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Thats very pleasing, he said. Doesnt mean were out of the woods there, doesnt mean we can change the settings. But its better to have any results than positive.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 17 people tested negative on the floor, which has been designated a tier 1 site, meaning its residents will be forced to isolate for 14 days.
The Andrews governments plan to build 12,000 social and affordable homes has come up against residents and local councils that have been cut out of the approvals process for the $5.3 billion project.

Hawthorn residents will this month protest against a farcical consultation after Housing and Planning Minister Richard Wynne introduced sweeping powers to fast-track the planning process, meaning the government, rather than councils, will assess and approve the developments.

Jennifer Gong, Diane Hagqvist, Graeme Parncutt, William Rennie and David Rennie are disappointed at the proposal and lack of consultation for the Bills Street, Hawthorn, project. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Mr Wynne said the government had been consulting with the community and councils on its building blitz, but we cant do that forever  these homes need to be built and were getting on and doing it.

Graeme Parncutt and his neighbours say it is leading to poor outcomes for a development on Bills Street in Hawthorn that will replace 53 public housing units with 206 units in buildings of up to seven storeys.
Big employers are pleading with the nations political leaders to take urgent action to protect millions of workers and customers amid growing fears that they cannot get enough testing kits and vaccines to help fight the Delta strain.

Company chiefs are venting their frustration over federal and state rules that prevent them from using rapid antigen tests across their workplaces to help track and trace the deadly coronavirus variant.

Queues of people outside the mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday. Credit:Dean Sewell

Business groups are also urging Prime Minister Scott Morrison to let them help fight COVID-19 by making it easier for them to vaccinate staff and customers who volunteer for the jabs, so companies can supplement the work of GPs, pharmacies and state hubs.

While the big supermarket chains are negotiating deals to vaccinate staff, and banks could launch pilot schemes this week to do the same, company director Tony Shepherd and others said all governments had to put greater urgency into the effort.
Victoria should celebrate record vaccination rates as much as doughnut days of zero COVID-19 cases, experts say, as the Delta variant makes it more difficult to eliminate community transmission.

On Wednesday, the state recorded its first day without a case of COVID-19 since July 13, prompting a wave of doughnut day celebrations that recalled the revelry when Victorias second wave was crushed.

Premier Daniel Andrews welcomed the news by simply tweeting the word zero, while Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton posted an image of the infamous celebration by Ariarne Titmus coach at the Tokyo Olympics.

North Melbourne was quiet on Saturday with Victoria in its sixth lockdown. Credit:Scott McNaughton

The joy was shortlived, however, as a new case of COVID-19 emerged in the community later that day. By Thursday evening, Victoria was beginning its sixth lockdown. On Saturday, there were 29 new cases, then a further 11 on Sunday.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Costa Mesa: Parents in Orange County, a wealthy coastal community in southern California, had plenty of ways to spend their time on a recent Tuesday evening. They could have cheered on American swim star Katie Ledecky as she raced for Olympics gold or watched the sun set over Huntington Beach, one of the countrys most renowned surfing beaches. Instead, hundreds of parents gathered at the Orange County Board of Educations headquarters for a forum on ethnic studies and critical race theory. All the seats inside were snapped up quickly so an overflow tent was set up in the carpark outside for people to watch on big screens. Around 1000 more were watching live on YouTube. Similar events have taken place across the US in recent weeks as a new front opened up in the countrys culture wars. Some have descended into heated shouting matches. Two people were arrested at a school board meeting in Virginia in June, one for trespassing and the other for disorderly conduct. Protests against critical race theory in Virginia in June led to arrests. Credit:AFP Officers from the local sheriffs department were at the Orange County forum in case things got out of hand. That didnt happen. Emotions were high, but virtually everyone in the room was in agreement: their children are being targeted by left-wing radicals on a mission to divide students on the basis of race. And it needs to be stopped. Concerned parent Penny, who emigrated from Iran as a teenager and is married to a white man, told the crowd she feared how her son would be treated at school. Is he privileged because hes half white? she asked. Or a victim because hes half Persian and a minority?

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A father, Don, was on the verge of tears as he recounted how his daughter recently came home from school and told him he possesses white privilege, a concept he doesnt understand. Loading Several black parents said they were worried their children would be taught to regard themselves as victims and that critical race theory was being used as a Trojan horse to promote progressive ideas on sexuality and gender. Genuine threat or moral panic? Until recently, few Americans outside of academia had heard of the term critical race theory. The framework, first proposed in the 1970s, argues that racism permeates Americas laws and institutions and that simply removing discriminatory policies will not erase the inequities between different racial groups. University students could study it if they chose, but there was no suggestion it was being taught to schoolchildren. That changed in the middle of last year, when America started convulsing over race relations following the killing of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis. Conservative activist Christopher Rufo became a right-wing media star by using Twitter and YouTube to argue that critical race theory, often reduced to its initials CRT, had become the new orthodoxy in Americas public institutions.

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The threat of CRT soon became a cause celebre for Fox News hosts and Republican politicians. After being mentioned just 132 times on the network last year, CRT racked up 1860 mentions on Fox between January and June this year according to media monitor service Critical Mention. In June, Floridas state Board of Education banned the theory from public school classrooms; school boards in Georgia, Utah and Oklahoma have introduced similar guidelines. Demonstrators argue during a protest against critical race theory before a school board meeting for the Jefferson County Public Schools district in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 27. Credit:Bloomberg Theres little to no evidence that critical race theory is taught to American school children in an explicit way. This has led critics to dismiss concerns about the theory as a manufactured moral panic, similar to the Cold War-era reds under the beds scare. Rufo himself has declared a political motive for inflating its influence. The goal is to have the public read something crazy in the newspaper and immediately think critical race theory, he wrote on Twitter in March. Under siege in paradise

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In Americas most populous state, however, the debate about the teaching of race and ethnicity in schools is very real. After a rancorous three-year debate, California is set become the first state in the US to mandate the teaching of ethnic studies as a graduation requirement. The states model ethnic studies curriculum states that the course is designed to explore institutionalised systems of advantage and address the causes of racism and other forms of bigotry. The course focuses on the experiences of four groups: African Americans, Latin Americans, Native Americans, as well as Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Orange County Board of Education trustee Mari Barke, who organised the recent forum, says the issue has sparked unprecedented alarm among local parents. Orange County Board of Education president Mari Barke and husband Jeff Barke are concerned about the teaching of ethnic studies in California. My inbox is out of control, she says. Parents dont want their children to be made to feel responsible for what happened decades ago. They dont like the idea of children being pitted against each other. This is dividing and confusing our children.

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As recently as the late 1980s, Orange County was one of the most reliably Republican areas in the country. But the area has been changing rapidly thanks to an influx of Hispanic and Asian-American residents and a left-ward turn among college-educated white voters. In 2016, Orange County voted Democratic for the first time in a presidential election since World War II. The shift has left Republicans like Barke and husband Jeff feeling under siege in a place they once considered paradise. Orange County is a beautiful place, says Mari. But if I had school-age children now, they would not be in government schools. Between critical race theory and masking children and now vaccinating them, oh my goodness. Jargon-filled and all-too PC Like most people in the San Francisco Bay area, mother of two Elina Kaplan is a Democrat. When she first heard about the ethnic studies proposal she was excited. It sounded so good: building bridges of understanding and fostering appreciation of multiple cultures, she says. Then the first draft of the curriculum was released in 2019. The document spoke about dismantling the neo-colonial schooling apparatus and described capitalism as a form of oppression. Kaplan, who emigrated to the US from Belarus at age 11, says such terminology reminded her of her schooling in the former Soviet Union.

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Nutson Auto News Wrap-up Week Ending August 7, 2021

















AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO - August 8, 2021: Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Links to full versions of today's news nuggets along with a million pages of the past 25 year's automotive news, articles, reviews and archived stories residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library can be found by just copying and then inserting the main headline into the News Library Search Box.

Nutson's Automotive News Wrap-up - Week Ending August 7, 2021; Below are the past week's important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-digest news nuggets.

* The Biden administration made it official, proposing new vehicle emissions rules (aka "CAFE,") that would require U.S. automakers to push the average fuel efficiency of their fleets to 52 miles per gallon by 2026, from 24.9 MPG in the 2019 model year. The Biden plan calls for a 10% improvement in CO2 emissions/fuel economy in 2023, and 5% annually from 2024-26. That compares to 1.5% improvements required under the previous administration's plan, which was in turn a reversal of the Obama administration's 5% annual improvement standard.

* And, the EPA also estimated that by 2026, electric and plug in hybrid vehicles would account for 8% of U.S. vehicle sales. By 2030, EVs and PHEVs are supposed to account for 50% of new vehicle sales, Biden and Detroit automakers agreed at a White House event. Industry officials endorsed the 50% EV aspirational target as part of a package. The other part of the deal is a new emissions rule that offers automakers flexibility to reduce emissions without a ban on sales of the combustion trucks and SUVs that generate most of the industry's profits.

* Ford, GM and Stellantis announced their shared aspiration to achieve sales of 40-50% of annual U.S. volumes of electric vehicles (battery electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles) by 2030 in order to move the nation closer to a zero-emissions future consistent with Paris climate goals. Their recent product, technology, and investment announcements highlight their collective commitment to be leaders in the U.S. transition to electric vehicles. This represents a dramatic shift from the U.S. market today that can be achieved only with the timely deployment of the full suite of electrification policies committed to by the Administration in the Build Back Better Plan, including purchase incentives, a comprehensive charging network of sufficient density to support the millions of vehicles these targets represent, investments in R&D, and incentives to expand the electric vehicle manufacturing and supply chains in the United States. With the UAW at their side in transforming the workforce and partnering with them on this journey, they believe they can strengthen continued American leadership in clean transportation technology through electric vehicle innovation and manufacturing.

* Separately, BMW, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and Volvo Cars, the automakers who partnered with California when the previous administration attempted to roll back federal vehicle emissions standards, released a joint statement regarding the Biden Administrations move to set new federal vehicle emissions standards.  * The bipartisan compromise on infrastructure cuts in half President Joe Bidens call for $15 billion to build 500,000 electric vehicle charging outlets, raising the stakes as the administration seeks to win auto industry cooperation on anti-pollution rules to curb climate change. The Senate legislation provides $7.5 billion in federal grants to build a national network of charging outlets, an amount that analysts say is a good start but isnt enough to spur widespread electric vehicle adoption. The Biden administration had planned to build a half-million charging units around the country to fulfill a campaign promise and nudge a significant number of Americans into zero-emission vehicles by 2030.

* Buried deep in the 2,700-page bipartisan infrastructure bill is a provision that mandates all cars manufactured from 2027 onwards be equipped with a drunk driver monitoring system, in the hopes of ending a behavior that results in about 10,000 deaths in the U.S. every year. If passed with this provision, the bill would give a firm release date to a research program the federal government and an automotive industry group have collaborated on for more than a decade.

* Various media outlets report that Toyota is dropping its Avalon sedan from the lineup after the 2022 model. In spite of sales being up this year, it's the lowest volume sedan in Toyota's lineup. Overall there is still good sedan demand in the marketplace, but large sedans are suffering the most decline.

* Speaking of dropping models, Acura will kill the NSX supercar after the 2022 model. But first, the 2022 Acura NSX is officially getting the Type S variant we've long wondered about. Details on the NSX Type S transformation will come on August 12 when it's revealed at Pebble Beach.

* Heres a fun fact from Autotrader: minivan sales grew by 84% during the second quarter of 2021. Yeah, you say, wasnt every new-car segment up between April and June 2021 compared to the positively dismal prior year? Right you are, but few higher-volume segments grew at the pace of minivans. And whats most remarkable is that the minivan segment consists of just five choices: two Chrysler vans, a Honda, a Toyota, and a new Kia. In many ways, 2021 has been the perfect storm for minivans to make a comeback  and have they ever.

* The Cox Automotive July U.S. auto sales forecast anticipated a slower sales pace due to lack of inventory, but some automakers have already posted strong, forecast-beating results, demonstrating their ability to manage through tight inventory. The sales pace overall, which had been averaging nearly 17.0 million a month through May, showed another decline as expected as falling inventories are halting sales activity around the country. Cox Automotive forecasts the July sales pace to fall to 15.2 million, down from Junes 15.4 million level, the third consecutive monthly pace decline after hitting a post-COVID-19 peak in April.

* Used-vehicle prices set a record at the end of June, according to a Cox Automotive analysis of vAuto Available Inventory data. The average listing price for used vehicles surpassed the $25,000 mark for the first time  $25,101 to be exact. The average listing price was 26% higher than at the end of June 2020 and 29% higher than 2019.

* Barrett-Jackson Holdings, the parent company of Barrett-Jackson Auction Company, has announced the acquisition of the Phoenix-based Collector Car Network Inc., including its well-known properties ClassicCars.com, AutoHunter, The ClassicCars.com Journal and the Future Collector Car Show. The acquisition furthers Barrett-Jacksons mission to grow the collector car market through strategic alignment of best-in-class brands and world-class customer service.

* The 2021 New York International Automobile Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center has been cancelled due to the growing incidences of the COVID-19 Delta variant and the increased measures announced recently by State and local officials to stop its spread. It's the second time the show was canceled for this year.

* Subaru is recalling certain vehicles because a fuel pump may fail, causing the engine to suddenly stall. If this happens while the vehicle is in motion, it could cause a crash. The models involved are 2019-2020 Ascent SUVs, 2018 Forester SUVs, 2018-2020 Impreza hatchbacks and sedans, 2018-2020 Legacy sedans, 2018-2020 Outback SUVs, 2018-2019 WRX sedans, and 2018-2019 BRZ coupes.

* Reports are that Volkswagen is issuing a stop-sale for some of its new Taos small utility vehicle. According to Automotive News, the automaker issued the stop-sale on models with all-wheel drive amid customer reports of engines turning off after the vehicle comes to a stop. VW is working on a fix for the issue.

* Sometimes you can't catch a break. First Covid-19, then microchip short and now this. New Ford vehicles including F-150 pickup trucks were being carried by a train that derailed in northeastern Missouri. Photos taken by aerial photographer Del Buckman and shared on social media and credited by KHQA-TV, the CBS/ABC affiliate in Hannibal, Missouri, show more than 15 train cars piled up almost like a children's toy set or a tornado destruction site. This all reported by The Detroit Free Press.

Stay safe. Be Well.
Staff Reporter

Tim Gruver is a politics and public policy reporter. He is a University of Washington alum and the recipient of the 2017 Pioneer News Award for Reporting. His work has appeared in Politico, the Kitsap Daily News, and the Northwest Asian Weekly.
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Coker says Maryville College 'must do better' on inclusivity

Courtesy of Maryville College One of the banners on the campus of Maryville College says, Explore Diverse Perspectives, See All Sides, Welcome Everyone In. President Bryan Coker said an investigation into a July incident in which a member of campus security confronted an African American alumnus shows the college can  and must  do better, when it comes to creating and maintaining a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment for all.

An incident last month in which a White security officer questioned a Black alumnus on the Maryville College campus has President Bryan Coker saying the school "can  and must  do better, when it comes to creating and maintaining a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment for all."

The six members of the Safety and Security Department have begun new online training "to further foster a hospitable, inclusive, and caring community," a statement from the college about the incident states, noting those employees often are the first contact for students, visitors and guests.

The diversity, equity and inclusion training, which Coker said also addresses unconscious bias, will be added to required collegewide harassment prevention training for all employees during this academic year.

'My driveway'

Ransford Sarfo told The Daily Times he was having difficulty with the car he drove to the campus July 9 and put on the emergency light while he tried to resolve it when a member the security staff drove up.

"The first question he asked was, 'What are you doing in my driveway?'" Sarfo said.

After he explained the issue with the car being stuck in park, Sarfo said instead of offering help the employee began to "interrogate" him, asking how the car got on campus and whether he knew how to drive. "It was just horrible," he said.

"I felt very unwelcome," Sarfo said. "He made it very apparent that I didn't belong there."

Maryville College's statement does not identify Sarfo or the employee who questioned him. When asked last week if the person is still employed by the college, Coker replied, "At this time, yes."

"This encounter left the alumnus feeling unwelcome and disrespected; thus, he subsequently reported the encounter to several College employees who responded with apologies and assurance that the situation would be investigated and addressed," the college's statement said.

Sarfo was frustrated not only with the incident on July 9 but also with how the college responded, failing to immediately call him and document his complaint beyond his initial email. Sarfo said he received a call inviting him to join the college's diversity task force, instead of an immediate call from Melanie Tucker, vice president and chief diversity officer, in response to his complaint.

Sarfo said he finally received a call from a human resources employee at the college on July 26.

Coker said the investigation was complete July 26 and noted Maryville is a small college with summer schedules and summer vacations. In the context of higher education, Coker said the incident was investigated and resolved quickly, with training of the security staff already underway.

As for the initial incident, the college president said, "We acknowledge that it should have been handled better and differently.

"Weve got to do better. We realize that this needs to be a learning opportunity for the college, and it will be, Coker said in an interview.

Sarfo said it was only his second visit to campus since he graduated in 2010. When he was a student and was elected to the Student Government Association, someone placed bananas at his door several times throughout the day

The 2006-07 school year at Maryville College also included a Confederate battle flag being flown from Anderson Hall and swastikas painted on parking lots. While that led to conversations on campus, some Black alumni have said the college has not made enough progress.

While some of his fellow White students made him feel at home on the campus as a student, Sarfo said, "I was the only person who looked like me on campus."

For Sarfo the incident this summer and the college's response shows "the inadequacies of system at Maryville College as it relates to race matters."

DEI

Coker said he looks forward to personally welcoming Sarfo back on the campus in the future.

Since taking office last year amid the pandemic, Coker convened a President's Advisory Board of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and its short- and long-term recommendations were presented to his cabinet last week. He expects to share those with the campus community in the next couple of weeks.

The recommendations include defining what diversity means to the college, how to not only recruit but support diverse students and employees, and cover topics from curriculum to the accessibility of facilities.

Coker said the college also will invest in new software that will allow it to make more data-driven decisions.

In fall 2020, nearly 25% of the students reported an ethnicity other than Caucasian, more than half were eligible for Pell Grants and at least 23% were first-generation college students, according to Karen Eldridge, executive director for marketing and communications.

In March 2021, 11.7% of faculty and staff identified as one or more ethnicity other than Caucasian.

"Maryville College has long been a place of opportunity for many, characterized by a spirit of collegiality and care. Keeping that spirit alive today requires that we each do our part," the college's statement on the July incident said. "There will be missteps and setbacks on our journey to become a more inclusive and equitable institution, but we must see and use these events as opportunities for learning and growth."
An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is Editor-in-Chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pa. Email him at jmicek@penncapitalstar.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek.
Michael Reagan is the son of the late President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant and the author of Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan.
(LR) The United States team of Allyson Felix, Dalilah Muhammad, Athing Mu, and Sydney Mclaughlin, celebrate winning the gold medal in the final of the women's 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

I Feel at Peace: Felix Exits Stage With Record 11th Olympic Medal

TOKYOAllyson Felix knows the way to the Olympic medals stand better than any runner alive.

She made her record-setting 11th trip there Saturday, after starring as the headliner on a 4400 relay win that featured a whos-who of American running.

With the gold medal dangling from her neck and the Star-Spangled Banner playing in the near-empty stadium, I took a moment just to close my eyes and take it in one last time, Felix said.

After the final race of the final Games of the 35-year-old sprinters career, Felix leaves the stage having won the most medals of any track athlete in U.S. history. Its some list. She passed Carl Lewis, and now she only trails one person in the Olympic record book  Paavo Nurmithe Finnish distance runner who won 12 between 1920 and 1928.

Felix, who a day earlier took bronze in the 400 meters to become the most-decorated woman in Olympic track, has no plans to go any further. In her mind, as a sprinter at least, she also has nothing left to prove.

I feel at peace, she said. I went out, had all the confidence in these amazing women. I wanted to take it all in one last time around, and it was special.

But if she had any concerns about the future of her sport on the track, the 3 minute, 16.85-second jaunt she was part of in her last Olympic racegood for a 3.68-second romp over Polandcertainly put those to rest.

It was a 19-year-old, Athing Mu, who ran the anchor leg to secure Felixs medalthe seventh gold in her collection of 11.

Sydney McLaughlin, the 400-meter hurdles world-record holder, celebrated her 22nd birthday by running the opening lap. She handed to Felix, who handed to another hurdler, Dalilah Muhammad, who is 31.

They had two things in common:

All won medals in their individual races over the nine days in Tokyo.

Also, not a single one is a 400-meter specialist.

The team from the United States wins the womens 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Matthias Schrader/AP Photo)

McLaughlin and Muhammad are friendly rivals in the hurdles, where they went gold-silver. Mu won gold in the 800. Felix has always considered herself more of a 200 runner. Three of her 11 medals have come at that distance. Six of the medals have come in relays. All of those ones have been gold.

I was just honored, Muhammad said of her reaction when she was presented with Saturdays eclectic lineup. Of course she earned it, but shes so deserving of it too. Ive just been inspired by her throughout my entire career.

Felix wasnt the only inspirational woman on the track on closing night.

Sifan Hassan completed the previously untried triple1,500, 5,000, 10,000by winning a gold medal in the longest race.

She said she had lost all feeling in her neck and her arms by the end. Well after she crossed the finish, she was sitting beneath the bleachers, spitting up into a cup. She walked away with gold in the 5 and 10K, a bronze in the 1,500, and hopefully an ice bath in her very near future.

I wanted to celebrate, she said, but when I finished, I just fell down.

Also in celebration mode was the U.S. mens relay team. The combo of Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, and hurdler Rai Benjamin combined to win Americas first and only gold medal for the mens runners on the track. The United States closed out action at the stadium with seven golds and 26 overall medals.

Rai Benjamin, of United States anchors his team to the gold medal in the final of the mens 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

There were other firsts.

Neeraj Chopra won Indias first-ever gold medal in Olympic track and field with a javelin throw of 87.58 meters.

And Mariya Lasitskene of Russia took the first gold of the Olympic track meet for that team, which was only allowed to bring 10 athletes to track due to sanctions related to the countrys long-running doping scandal.

I feel like I have no regrets, Felix said. I feel like Ive given my all to this sport and theres nothing left on this Olympic stage I need to do now.

Her last pass of the baton was also a passing of the torch, she said, as she nodded to the three women beside her, and now theyre taking this into the future and its in very good hands.
Tourists look at the skyline of Shanghai in the Lujiazui Financial District of Pudong, China, on Oct. 22, 2018. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

American Recounts Being Tortured, Drugged in Chinas Black Jails

After being injected with an unknown substance, forced to take unidentified pills, and badly beaten, an American from San Francisco thought he wasnt going to make it out alive from Chinas secretive black jails.

Warren Rothman said he was taken to four different black jailsordinary places that are turned into unofficial jails by Chinese officials who often subject detainees to abuses with impunity. At one point during his ordeal, Rothman said he was tied up, had dirt jammed into his mouth, and was kicked and punched.

I really thought at this point, that was the end of my life right there. I was not accepting it, but I thought that was it. I heard the guards joking about me, how Im coughing and spitting out this dirt, Rothman recalled about what was going through his mind at the time.

The harrowing experience happened more than 10 years ago, but Rothman, a U.S. citizen who graduated from Yale University, said his story should be a warning to anyone traveling to China.

China is really one giant black jail. It is one huge jail, he said in a recent interview with EpochTVs American Thought Leaders.

Even a foreigner with a passport and a visa goes in there and may not get out. He really has only a conditional permit to get out.

Author of Kafka in China: The Peoples Republic of Corruption, Rothman pointed to recent examplesCanadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavorto explain how China always has an ulterior reason for not letting foreigners leave, even though they might not have done anything wrong at all.

The Canadians have been arbitrarily detained in China since December 2018, coinciding with U.S. efforts to extradite Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinas tech giant Huawei.

According to human rights group Safeguard Defenders, people from many countriesincluding Australia, Japan, the United States, as well as Kovrig and Spavorhave been victims of the Chinese regimes hostage diplomacy.

Currently, the State Departments travel advisory on China warns U.S. citizens that when traveling in China, Beijing arbitrarily enforces local laws and that they could be detained without due process of law. It also said the Chinese regime uses arbitrary detention to gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments.

Communist China is basically a criminal regime. It operates through crime, Rothman said. This is not a regime that we can do anything with, except oppose.

The Ordeal

Before becoming a writer, Rothman was a lawyer who had worked for law firms in New York and Europe before starting his own company.

The incarceration took place in 2008, Rothman recalled, when one day after a morning stroll, he returned to his apartment in Shanghai to find the place completely trashed.

Terrified, he began packing a bag while considering his options. But before he could make a decision about what to do next, evening fell and 12 thugs showed up at his door. The next day, a larger group of 15 thugs showed up.

On the third day, his paralegala Chinese national he had hiredbroke into his apartment followed by four thugs. They dragged him out of the building and threw him into an unmarked white van. He was taken to a place that he called a four-star black jail because it was a room in a normal four-star hotel.

Before long, he was taken to another black jaila space behind a doctors office located in a rundown shopping center.

Eventually, he ended up at a facility that had a hospital wing. He was tied to a chair for at least seven hours while also being tortured.

Theyre kicking and punching me, my legs, my back, [and] my arms, Rothman recalled.

Then, he was dragged to the hospital section of the facility.

Its a real hospital, he recalled. And there I am, being tortured in a real hospital, and doctors and nurses are paying no attention to it.

He was then tied to a hospital bed and a woman in a nurses uniform gave him a shot of an unknown substance. At that time, Rothman thought the shot was a tranquilizer because he was told he would be given another shot laterwhich he speculated would contain a lethal agent to kill him.

However, the second shot never happened. Rothman said he was instead forced to swallow a handful of pills of an unknown substance.

As he continued to take these unidentified pills, he said he had endless meetings with the staff of the hospital, during which they inquired about his thoughts and feelings.

At the end of 10 days, I was finally allowed to leave. But I had no idea until the day I left that I was actually going to leave, he said.

Concerns

It was only in hindsight that Rothman realized what might have led to his harrowing experience.

Months before returning to his trashed apartment, he learned that his paralegal had helped to arrange a $3 million bribe to ensure that his client, an American company, could get a deal in China.

I didnt have any direct proof. All I had was what happened to me, Rothman said. I didnt have any other enemies in Shanghai, but I tried and tried to find some reason for this.

Rothman said he berated his paralegal for at least an hour, telling him it was the most disgusting thing he had ever heard.

He later wrote a memoir of his experiences in China including the days he spent in black jails.

I want to warn people. I want people to read this book and understand the reality of China from the standpoint of someone whos gone through some of the worst China conditions, he said.

[China] is a country that is built not on laws; its built on fiat and capricious fiat. Fiat that can come from nowhere. Orders from the [Chinese Communist] Party, basically, is what Im talking about. Thats what runs the country.

Frank Fang journalist Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers news in China and Taiwan. He holds a Master's degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan.
Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont., on March 21, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Rob Gurdebeke)

As U.S. Demurs, Canada Welcomes Vaccinated American Citizens Back Across Border

WASHINGTONThe United States will remain on the sidelines for now as Canada gamely welcomes back fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents.

As of midnight Sunday night, nonessential U.S. travellers who have had a full course of a Health Canadaapproved COVID19 vaccine will again be allowed on Canadian soil.

To be eligible, travellers must live in the U.S., have allowed at least 14 days to pass since their last dose and show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID19 thats no more than 72 hours old.

They are also required to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details.

Denis Vinette, vicepresident of the travellers branch of the Canada Border Services Agency, says the agency learned a lot when fully vaccinated Canadian citizens were allowed to return last month.

Vinette says about half had to be turned away during the first week because they hadnt received one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada, or had not waited the full 14 days after their last shot.

We found that many travellers  while they believed they met the full vaccination requirements  in fact did not, for one of two reasons, Vinette said in an interview.

One, it had not been a full 14 days since theyd received their second vaccination shot, and secondly, there were a lot of individuals who received a nonHealth Canada vaccine who believed they would have been exempt from the quarantine requirements.

Canada has approved four vaccines: PfizerBioNTech, Moderna, the OxfordAstraZeneca shot, also known as Covishield, and the singledose Johnson & Johnson option.

We had a lot of individuals who didnt have a full understanding of what applies and what does not apply, Vinette said. I expect the same here. I think that from a vaccination perspective, the vaccines being administered in the U.S. are approved in Canada, so I would expect that might be a lesser issue.

The U.S., for its part, has been mum on when it might begin to ease its own restrictions on nonessential Canadian travellers at land crossings. Air, sea and rail travellers are exempt.

The White House did say last week that it is exploring whether to require discretionary visitors to be fully vaccinated when the time comes to ease restrictions, although it remains unclear whether that discussion specifically includes Canadian travellers.

The U.S. has maintained stringent travel limits on a number of foreign countries, including China, India, Ireland, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and the 26 European countries without border controls, known as the Schengen group.

The borders with Canada and Mexico, however, are widely seen as falling into a different category, in part because of the close trade ties between the three countries as well as the fact that visitors can enter without the help of a privatesector company like an airline or cruise ship operator.

Observers also detect a measure of unease in the White House at the idea of allowing travel to resume from Canada without doing so at the southern border, where an everpresent flow of wouldbe refugees continues to pose a political challenge for President Joe Biden.

While a shortlived labour dispute with Canadian border agents was resolved promptly last week, travellers looking to enter the country after Sunday would still be wise to pack some patience, given the likelihood that a lot of people will be getting turned away.

Some people will not have perhaps the totality of information they require to be able to present themselves to enter the country for a discretionary purpose, Vinette said.

Theyll be denied entry to the country; theyll simply be sent back to the U.S., then they can choose to comply with all requirements and then seek reentry after that case.

Travellers arriving by air can also expect delays, given that it already takes a lot of time.

Torontos Pearson International Airport, one of four in Canada that has been allowed to accept flights from outside the country, has been warning people that the international arrivals process could take more than three hours.

Canadians are growing more comfortable with air travel, which means more people in the airport, all of them dealing with augmented security and health checks thanks to COVID restrictions, said Pearson spokeswoman Beverly MacDonald.

There are a variety of factors that impact wait times upon arrival, including additional health screening due to government travel requirements, vaccination status, immigration processing, multiple flights arriving at the same time and more, MacDonald said in a statement.

Pearson saw nearly double the amount of passengers in the second quarter than during the same months in 2020  though at an average of 11,500 a day its still significantly down from that quarter in 2019, when an average of 140,000 passengers flowed through the airport.

In June, the MontrealTrudeau International Airport saw about 10 per cent of its 2019 volumes, which rose to 20 per cent in July, and they expect to see around 30 per cent in August.

Even if we are used to attending to a far larger number of passengers in our facilities, there are longer wait times to be expected especially at the international arrivals level, depending on the time of the day, said spokeswoman AnneSophie Hamel.

The federal government is currently planning to allow vaccinated visitors from outside the U.S. to return to Canada for nonessential reasons as of Sept. 7.

By James McCarten
Scores of exiled Tibetans, Hongkongers, Chinese dissidents, and others burn down the flags of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and present a black coffin for the CCP in protest of its brutal rule in China in front of China's consulate general in New York City, on the 100th anniversary of the CCP's founding on July 1, 2021. (Huang Xiaotang/The Epoch Times)

China Coup: The Great Fall of Beijing

Commentary

Xi Jinping is a modern-day tyrant. A number of world leaders would love nothing more than to see the leader of China removed from office. For that to happen, a coup is necessary.

According to Roger Garside, a man who spent years working as a diplomat in China, the days of the one-party dictatorship may be coming to an end. In his latest book, China Coup: The Great Leap to Freedom, Garside argues that, contrary to popular belief, Xi Jinping may very well be removed from office in a coup detat mounted by rivals in the top leadership. Shortly after the removal of Xi, the leaders of the coup will bring an end to Chinas one-party dictatorship and launch a transition to democracy and the rule of law.

As far-fetched as this might sound, Garside believes that the West can help the Chinese people remove Xi from office.

In a telling interview with Voice of America (VOA), Garside suggests that the U.S. and its allies have a distinct advantage over China. Now, though, their economic superiority must be leveraged to bring about regime change.

Although Joe Biden, Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron, and other world leaders cant decide from outside how China shall be governed, there are a number of individuals within China who want to bring about change. It is up to America and its Western allies to help those people and work to bring about conditions in which they can achieve what they want.

The cover of Roger Garsides book (left) and a sketch of Roger Garside. (Courtesy of Roger Garside)

Garside believes that if Chinas second-ranking official, Li Keqiang, along with like-minded leaders, were to challenge the leader, they would not be without public support. Is Garside accurate in his beliefs? As someone who has covered Chinese affairs extensively, I think so. Xi Jinping is effectively a king without a crown. If history (and Game of Thrones) has taught us anything, its that a kings position is always under threat. To quote Shakespeare, uneasy is the head that wears a crown. If Garsides assumptions prove to be correct, a Shakespearean tragedy awaits Xi.

Removing Xi

There is more than one way to remove Xi. British politician Clive Lewis once said, rather accurately, that a coup neednt be a coup detat. The removal of a tyrant doesnt always require tanks on a lawn and senior ranking military types appearing on your TV and radio. Although, considering Chinas history, violence would most certainly play a role. For an effective coup to occur, be it violent or otherwise, the people must be mobilized. This shouldnt be a problem. In February, Xi announced that the Chinese regime had successfully defeated extreme poverty; the evidence, however, suggests otherwise. Around 600 million Chinese, or almost half the countrys population, live on less than $5 a day. As events in South Africa have clearly demonstrated, desperate people are capable of desperate things. Right now, in China, hundreds of millions of people are desperate. As the gap between the rich and poor continues to grow, it would be foolish of Xi to expect the Chinese people, especially the more rebellious youth, to sit idly by.

Should Xi be worried? Most definitely. According to a recent Geopolitical Futures report, the decline of Chinas competitiveness in the export market is a reality that the leader must reckon with. High unemployment, already a major issue in the country, will become a significant challenge to the Chinese president. The authors suggest that the regime will attempt to survive the economys downward spiral by doing the one thing, and the only thing, it knows how to do: by tightening its grip on power and sliding back into dictatorship. Although this method has worked in the past, it wont work in the future. As the report states,the regional divergences in China are too widespread and not easily suppressed by dictatorship. By 2040, China will see a return to regionalism, accompanied by turmoil. With Chinas weakening grip, both at home and abroad, a power vacuum will emerge in East Asia, which will be filled by Japan.

Xi would do well to read this report, because it outlines a future in which both he and China fail. If the country spirals into chaos, Xi will be held responsible. He will also face the wrath of 1.4 billion people, many of whom have been left behind. What lies in store for the leader remains to be seen, but lets hope Garsides prognostications prove to be accurate.

In China, through the dissemination of non-stop propaganda, Xi, to a large extent, has a monopoly on truth. But he doesnt have a monopoly on geopolitical and economic realities. With Chinas population still growing, and less food to go around, existential crises await the nation. The people are restless, opportunities are scarce, and tensions are mounting. If the Chinese people are to have a better future, a coup is most definitely required.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinas $1.1 Trillion Tech Crackdown Reveals an Existential Threat

Commentary

Six Chinese technology stocks lost $1.1 trillion worth of market value since they peaked in February, more than a 40 percent drop, according to The Wall Street Journal. U.S. institutional investors, with more than $2.3 trillion in the country, are rightly concerned.

Many are slowly trying to unwind their positions, without causing the market to drop too quickly by selling in a precipitous fashion. They are watching for any sign of regulatory troubles in China, such as a critical article in a state-run journal, or the initiation of an investigation, which can wipe out billions more of their dollars overnight.

Xi Jinpings aggressive policies are the cause of the market rout in China. Investors unwisely ignored his threats of war against the United States and Australia, and actual territorial incursions, including in air and maritime space, against Taiwan, Japan, India, Bhutan, and the Philippines over the past decade. Now that Xis actions are against corporations and are wiping out more than a trillion dollars of market value virtually overnight, investors are finally, and rightly, taking notice.

Stock prices of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA-SW) (top C) drop on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after its financial wing Ant Groups record-breaking IPO was suspended the night before, on Nov. 4, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

This expensive lesson for investors is helping them realize that their Econ 101 class, and its knee-jerk free trade liberalism, ill-prepared them for political risks at the extreme end of competition, including hot wars, trade wars, tech wars, and influence wars. The perfect information, rational preferences, and independence assumptions of simple economic modeling that is naive to politics, are simultaneously violated in this brave new world of economic predation that Xi is ushering.

After allowing America to be half-digested by the anaconda that China has become, American and allied politicians are finally starting to wake up. They are realizing that China is manipulating Western corporations, which seek to maximize shareholder value, rather than patriotic values. Apple, for example, is still offshoring production from democratic countries and producers, including from Taiwanese companies most recently, to China and its companies. This American company apparently thinks it can use its political influence in Washington to lobby for its special interests, over the national interest of America, and the democratic values for which Americans stand.

China tries to exploit free-market language to insert its predatory exports into unwary economies globally. But China is anything but free, as should be clear from its enslavement of Uyghur labor and theft of up to $600 billion of U.S. intellectual property annually.

Rational actors should no longer allow China to use these unnatural advantages to wipe out their indigenous corporations market share, revenues, research, and development. Down that path lies yet more Chinese economic power, with which comes political power. Power tends to concentrate, which should have all of us around the world particularly concerned if that power is concentrating in such an illiberal capital as Beijing.

The rational response is to economically decouple from this madman Xi, and his Chinese Communist Party (CCP). For the time being, that means decoupling from China, until the country can get its act together and cease its predatory behavior against neighbors and trading partners. The country is so powerful already, however, that doing so will require unified and focused action by a coalition of the worlds most powerful democracies, along with friends and allies such as Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, that want to retain their independence and sovereignty from Beijing in the long run.

The CCPs assault on rival power bases in and around China includes not only billionaires, but religions and ethnicities such as the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, Tibetans, Falun Gong, and Christians, regions such as Hong Kong, and countries such as Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia. This aggression against others should be a warning to those large corporations around the world that are still independent.

Even if they can continue to make money in China in the short run, perhaps because the country is a massive Ponzi scheme with poor Securities and Exchange Commission reporting requirements and shell companies into which international investors pour their billions, they are funding a totalitarian government thats threatening world peace, and ultimately, corporate market value.

In the AI-enabled nuclear era, in which countries have the capability to down each others electric grids through electromagnetic pulses (EMP), send drone swarms against each others population centers, and bypass missile defenses with hypersonic technologies, achieving investment gains in China should pale in comparison to the systemic risk of enabling Chinas continued rise.

Corporations with a long-term vision of shareholder value should be working overtime to maintain the ascendancy of peaceful and democratic states in the international system that enables free trade, markets, and institutions to operate and mediate among allied democratic countries. Peace, democracy, institutions, and trade thrive together, because historically, democracies support markets and the rule of law, and almost never attack each other.

The rise of China threatens this benign triad, and means that ethics and business survival not only can, but must, coincide. The international system of free trade and free markets between democracies, as we have known it since 1945, is under an existential and totalitarian threat. The assured defense of our values and long-term prosperity is now, or never.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The app logo of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is seen reflected on its navigation map displayed on a mobile phone on July 1, 2021. (Florence Lo/Reuters)

Didi, China, and the Data War

Commentary

Welcome to the newest frontier in the struggle between the United States and China for geopolitical dominance: the struggle for control of the strategic commodity of the future: data.

The latest casualty in this battle is Didi, the Chinese Uber (UBER +2.8 percent) lookalike with 377 million annual active users and 13 million annual active drivers. Its agony began soon after Didi shares started trading publicly in New York, following a $4.4 billion initial public offering. Little more than two weeks later, Chinese authorities sent state security and police officials into Didis offices.

The official story was that authorities worried the data Didi users share with the company, including cellphone numbers that in China are linked to their real names and identifications, are insufficiently protected, especially from the prying eyes of Didis foreign investors. A related crackdown on a range of Chinese companies doing business in the United States has sent Chinese tech stocks reeling worldwide.

Beijings claim that it was only trying to protect the privacy and security of Didis users, however, is patently false.

The real issue is that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) worries that Americans might be doing with Chinese data what Beijing is doing with American data, i.e., using it to advance their intelligence goals.

A screen shows visitors being filmed by AI (artificial intelligence) security cameras with facial recognition technology at the 14th China International Exhibition on Public Safety and Security at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, on Oct. 24, 2018. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas cooptation of public data by hook or by crook for strategic purposes is exactly why the Trump administration contemplated banning the popular social media app TikToka move I vociferously argued for in this columnand why the Trump administration was committed to winning the epic battle with Chinese telecom equipment giant Huawei over the future of 5G. Except this time, its the Chinese authorities, not their American counterparts, who seem to be jittery about who might be collecting and analyzing data theyd prefer to stay in Chinese hands.

Consider that fear a complimentand an unearned one. Our government, including this current administration, is still far behind China in realizing that data has become the new strategic commodity for global dominance. It fuels our artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, and our global markets and financial systems. It determines the effectiveness of our health care system and medical advances, including controlling COVID. It will control our future transport systems including driverless cars, and it will determine how our governments make decisions and how we defend ourselves.

In short, what coal and steel were to national power in the 19th century, or oil and fossil fuels in the 20th century, access and control of data will be in the 21st century.

The reason why data will determine the fate of nations is very simple: AI. It can take all that seemingly random and irrelevant data and extract patterns and relationships that become the grist for the intelligence mills. The proliferation of open data, from weather reports and social media to government and economic statistics, plus the rapid growth of machine learning (ML) thanks to cloud access and improved specialized hardware for ML, means that its easier than ever to turn random data into meaningful information through pattern recognition and prediction modelingthe bread and butter of AI.

The result is a coherent picture that can shape strategic and operational plans, and give an antagonist an unseen advantage by sometimes knowing more about his or her opponent than they know themselves.

In the Chinese case, this capability becomes even more frightening. Its well known that the CCP uses AI for social and political engineering, by rewarding obedience and punishing dissent even before it happens. Beijing has also learned to export its social credit system to countries that see security in conformity and dissent as a threat.

With 5G the flow of data will become a flood. These advanced wireless services will be moving data from upwards of 3 million connected devices per square milecompared to 10,000 per square mile for 4Gincluding your smartphone and automobile, photos, and emails, almost instantaneously.

No wonder China wants its catspaw Huawei to take the lead in setting up 5G around the worldand no wonder the United States and its more sensible allies want to stop that from happening.

Attendees walk past a display for 5G services from Chinese technology firm Huawei at the PT Expo in Beijing. Chinese tech giant Huawei says its 2019 sales rose 19.1 percent over a year earlier despite U.S. sanctions that hampered its smartphone and network equipment businesses. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

Giving China the license to collect and mining all that data will give them a strategic advantage for the rest of the century. Add in the possibilities of quantum computing as Chinas AI/ML accelerator, and were looking at a decisive gain for the Chinese communist regime that will be transformational not only for China but for humanity.

A brand-new report by my Hudson colleague Patrick Cronin on Chinas striving for total information dominance has stated, In our advanced digital age, data illuminates the pathway to economic supremacy  and information power. The United States and its allies must develop a strategy to win the data wars, and maintain the image of the free flow of information as a hallmark of freedom, not a building block for totalitarian control.

From Forbes.com.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A Phoenix Police Department officer reaches for a new Axon Body 2 body camera as another precinct gets cameras assigned to them on July 3, 2019, in Phoenix. (ROSS D. FRANKLIN/The Canadian Press/AP)

DOJ Opens Investigation of Phoenix Police Department

The U.S. Justice Department is starting an investigation of the Phoenix Police Department over its established practices involving the use of force and police conduct toward the homeless and people with disabilities.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division announced the investigation at an Aug. 5 press conference.

Today we are announcing that the Justice Department is opening an investigation into the city of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department, Garland said. The investigation will determine whether the Phoenix Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution or federal law.

This is the third pattern or practice investigation that Garland has announced as attorney general, he said.

Each time, I have noted that these investigations aim to promote transparency and accountability. This increases public trust, which in turn increases public safety, Garland said.

The estimated yearlong investigation will examine all types of use of force by Phoenix police officers, including deadly force.

It will also look at evidence to determine whether Phoenix officers have engaged in retaliatory activity against people for conduct protected by the First Amendment, as well as discriminatory policing. This includes the unlawful seizure or disposal of property of homeless people.

In addition, the probe will look at the systems and practices of Phoenix police for responding to people with disabilities.

Our investigation in Phoenix will be led by the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. It is based on the Divisions extensive review of publicly available information, and it will consider several issues, Garland said.

Areas of focus will be to determine whether the Phoenix Police Department uses excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment, whether the department engages in discriminatory policing practices that violate the Constitution and federal law, whether the department violates the First Amendment by retaliating against individuals who are engaged in protected expressive activities, and whether the city and its police force respond to people with disabilities in a manner that violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This includes whether decisions to criminally detain individuals with behavioral health disabilities are proper, Garland said.

Garland said the investigation will also look at whether the department violates the rights of individuals experiencing homelessness, by seizing and disposing of their belongings in a manner that violates the Constitution.

Those last two areas of investigative focus speak to an important issue that is broader than the Phoenix investigation: Our society is straining the policing profession by turning to law enforcement to address a wide array of social problems, Garland said.

Regarding the investigation, Clarke said: We have reviewed court files, media reports, citizen complaints, and we also considered factors that we ordinarily weigh in determining whether to open an investigation, including the nature and seriousness of the allegations, the number of allegations, the steps that a department may be taking to address the allegations, and the history of the department. We found that the evidence here warrants a full investigation, but we approach this process with no predispositions or pre-drawn conclusions.

As part of our investigation in Phoenix, we will meet with officers and command staff as well as members of the broader Phoenix community, she said. We will review incident reports, body-worn camera footage, and other data and documentation collected by the department. We will also review the departments policies, training materials, and supervision records, as well as documents related to systems of accountability, including how complaints are investigated and how discipline is imposed.

Clarke alluded to similar investigations into police conduct following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.

If we conclude that there are no systemic violations of constitutional or federal statutory rights by the city or Phoenix Police Department, we will make that known. If, on the other hand, we conclude that there is reasonable cause to believe that such violations are occurring, we will issue a report describing our findings and then aim to work cooperatively with the city to reach agreement on the best remedies, Clarke said.

At a press conference on Aug. 5, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams promised the full support and cooperation of her department throughout the investigation.

Everyone knows I love this city and I am committed to leading our department and protecting and serving all people with dignity and respect. Our community deserves it, and I and my team will not settle for anything less, Williams told reporters.

Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher told reporters the city and police department will embrace any opportunity for reform and improvement. He said that in addition to recently implemented police reforms, this years Community Assistance Program budget includes $15 million to hire specially trained experts to help those in crisis.

I know that good officers do not want to work in a system that allows bad practices, Zuercher said.

As of June 2020, the Phoenix Police Department employed nearly 3,000 officers and more than 1,000 support staff, although it continues to struggle to recruit new officers. The department serves more than 1.6 million people.

The top priority of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association is to maintain a high standard of community policing, and promote ethical policies that protect police officers and our community, Michael Britt London, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, which represents officers in Phoenix, said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

We are confident in the work of the Phoenix Police Department and our officers on the street, and we will fully cooperate with the Department of Justice investigation.

Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem, a Republican, told The Epoch Times that hes skeptical about the latest DOJ investigation.

At this point, everything the DOJ does is suspect in my view, Finchem said.
Facts Matter (Aug 7): Democrat Mayors Spent Over $43 Million on Private Security While Defunding Police: Report

Earlier today, new data revealed that gas prices in this country have hit a seven year high. Meaning that to fill up your car, youll be paying 2014 prices.

Meanwhile, a report has indicated that Democrat mayors in 20 of Americas largest cities had slashed the budgets of their police departments while at the same time spending millions of tax dollars on their own security details.

And lastly, as the number of illegal migrants crossing into America hits a 20 year high, many of them are bringing the CCP virus with them.

Resources:

 Defund the Police report: https://ept.ms/2VxZ6Sd

 Mayors security spending: https://ept.ms/3jAltyd

 Gas prices soar: https://ept.ms/3s2PlaE

 Israel: https://ept.ms/3lGaV3g, https://ept.ms/3jw6rtz

Stay tuned for our newsletter so you wont miss out on our exclusive videos and private events.

Facts Matter is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube.

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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci addresses the daily press briefing at the White House on Jan. 21, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters, File Photo)

Fauci Expects Flood of COVID Vaccine Mandates After FDA Approval

NIAID director says he hopes to see full FDA approval within the coming weeks

Biden administration COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said over the weekend that he hopes CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccines will be fully approved by federal drug regulators in the next few weeks, noting in another interview that he believes a flood of vaccine mandates will be handed down after that.

With full Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, its likely that more institutions and businesses will begin to issue vaccine mandates. Currently, vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are being distributed under FDA emergency use authorization.

Speaking on NBC on Aug. 8, Fauci, also the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that he hopes that it will be within the next few weeks and within the month of August.

If the FDA approves the vaccine, Fauci said, he believes it will drive more Americans to be vaccinated. On Aug. 7, he told USA Today that he expects numerous vaccine-related mandates will be implemented by private entities after they receive FDA approval.

Organizations, enterprises, universities, colleges that have been reluctant to mandate at the local level will feel much more confident, he said. They can say, If you want to come to this college or this university, youve got to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this plant, you have to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this enterprise, youve got to get vaccinated. If you want to work in this hospital, youve got to get vaccinated.'

In the USA Today interview, Fauci suggested that more lockdowns would not be needed.

Last week, Fauci said in an interview that vaccinated people carry about the same amount of the Delta variant as unvaccinated people.

When you look at the level of virus in the nasopharynx of people who are vaccinated who get breakthrough infections, its really quite high and equivalent to the level of virus in the nasopharynx of unvaccinated people who get infected, Fauci said during a CBS News segment.

But on Aug. 8, Fauci said he believes the COVID-19 vaccines perform well against the Delta variant, although mainly in protecting an individual from severe disease.

If you give the virus the chance to continue to change, youre leading to a vulnerability that we might get a worse variant and then that will impact not only the unvaccinated, that will impact the vaccinated because that variant could evade the protection of the vaccine, Fauci said.

Faucis comments come as President Joe Bidens administration is weighing what levers it can pull to encourage more unvaccinated Americans to receive the vaccine.

Biden recently approved rules requiring federal workers to provide proof of vaccination or face regular testing, mask mandates, and travel restrictions. Biden is also awaiting a formal recommendation from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on potentially requiring U.S. troops to be vaccinated.

According to Johns Hopkins data, about 35 million confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported across the country as of Aug. 7.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Correction: Faucis stance on future lockdowns has been corrected. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Florida Man Fined $3,000 for Expletive-Laden Political Signs Gets Help From Civil Liberties Group

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.Its been said that you cant legislate morality, but one small Southwest Florida city is trying to do so and, in the process, may have violated the First Amendment rights of residents and visitors alike.

Andrew Sheets, a resident of Punta Gorda, has racked up fines for displaying obscene speech on his person. The matter has caught the attention of The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization based in Virginia. The institute is defending Sheetss right to political expression under the First Amendment.

In a recent Punta Gorda City Court appearance, where Sheets was contesting his fines, Rutherford Institute attorneys argued that the ordinances ban on indecent speech is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendments prohibition on content- and viewpoint-based regulation of speech by the government. The board refused to consider the constitutional arguments, found Sheets guilty, and upped his fine to $3,000.

Going into court, Sheets didnt have much faith in the due process that Punta Gorda City Hall offered under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Sure, I can appeal these fines in the Punta Gorda kangaroo court, he explained. Kangaroo court consists of three rich white people who are not judges or have legal backgrounds.

Constitutional attorney John Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, weighed in on the value of the First Amendment.

The right of political free speech is the basis of all liberty. No matter what their political persuasion might be, every American has a First Amendment right to protest government programs or policies with which they might disagree.

Ultimately, the First Amendment assures every individual the right to speak truth to power using whatever nonviolent means are at their disposal.

Sheets is convinced the ordinance is directed solely at him because he expresses his political opinion of President Joe Biden on a regular basis and is regularly seen about town wearing clothing or carrying a sign with expletive-laden political messages displayed on them.

Banned From Government Buildings

As a result of his regular appearances throughout the city, Sheets has been banned from all government buildings, including the Charlotte County Jail for his obscene comments about the president. He has expressed his political feelings on his shirts, signs, and flags.

When [former] President [Donald] Trump was in office, there were signs everywhere that stated the same thing about him, Sheets said. You didnt see Trump supporters whining about it and running to change ordinances and stomp all over peoples First Amendment rights.

Initially, Sheets had racked up about $700 worth of fines for violating the ordinance. He also said that some of the citations that he received were at rallies protesting the ordinance, at which there were 50 or more people in the same vicinity as him, and he was the only one fined for displaying the same or similar sentiments on signs and shirts. He said he feels as though hes being targeted by the city council and the police department.

The new ordinance was originally written to amend sign standards for the city to address the number of real estate signs in the area. Strategically placed within this ordinance was an obscene language or graphics portion that went virtually unnoticed.

However, Charlotte County attorney John Charles Heekins noticed it.

Yeah, they buried it in the sign ordinance, because its [very] illegal, Heekins said. Much like the federal government does when they want to fund their pet projects: they bury them in congressional bills.

The ordinance reads: Any sign which contains obscene language or graphics; and any sign containing fighting words or indecent speech which is legible from any public right-of-way or within any public space, and which can potentially be viewed by children under the age of 17. This provision includes signs or flags in or on any vehicle, vessel, or on any apparel and accouterments.

Authoritarian Overreach

Another Charlotte County resident, Hilary Caskey, received a warning from police while at Gilcrest Park with her young son.

I was minding my own business when I was approached by two Punta Gorda officers who said they were acting on a complaint about my shirt from someone in the park, she said. My shirt wasnt political in nature, but other people who had seen my shirt thought it was funny.

Her shirt read: Apparently, I have an attitude, who [expletive] knew. She said that she had purchased the shirt as a joke and, until she received a warning, other people looked at it as a joke as well.

Caskey said that her grandmother fled Czechoslovakia from Hitler during World War II to the freedom of the United States.

This is authoritarian overreach, she said. Im not an overly political person, but when it comes to taking away my rights, I will do everything in my power to see that its stopped. I owe it to my grandmother who came to this country for these freedoms.

City leaders of Punta Gorda were tight-lipped about the ordinance or the fact that the city could potentially be sued over it.

The City of Punta Gorda does not comment on legal matters, Melissa Reichert, assistant city manager, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.

Lt. Dylan Renz of the Punta Gorda Police Department declined to comment on how many citations have been issued in relation to the ordinance so far.
Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt has promised that millions of doses of another mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by Moderna will be available in coming months, as the nation continues seeing public preference for mRNA vaccines shaped by initial caution over reports of blood clot deaths among AstraZeneca vaccine recipients.

In Australia, mRNA vaccines are in limited supply, while AstraZeneca vaccines are readily available and now being recommended for Australians 18 years and older. Those with health concerns are encouraged to consult with their doctor about potential risks.

Hunt expects the first million doses of Modernas mRNA vaccine to arrive in Australia next month, subject to final approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration due in the next two weeks.

Once approved, supplies are expected to ramp up to three million per month through October to December.

This comes on top of the effective doubling of the mRNA Pfizer vaccines to two million per week, as well as the home manufactured AstraZeneca type.

This increased supply comes as vaccination rates have doubled from 700,000 per week a month-and-a-half ago to almost 1.3 million over the past seven days.

What that does show is we can achieve a two million-a-week outcome in Australia, Hunt told the ABCs Insiders program on Sunday.

The TGA is also assessing a new monoclonal antibody therapy that has been approved by the U.S. FDA, Sotrovimab, which is expected to be available for use later this year.

This medicine is not for everybody, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told reporters in Canberra of the treatment produced by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

It will be mostly aimed at people that are not vaccinated. It will be mostly for people who are at highest risk of severe disease, and it needs to be given early in the treatment course.

Sotrovimab has been priced at US$2,100 in America.

The federal government is also providing $17.7 million (US$13.02 million) to rapidly establish 10 pop-up mental health support sites in and around Greater Sydney and to extend the operation of at least 12 clinics in Victoria until June.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a further 262 virus infections on Sunday as well as a further death, that of an unvaccinated woman in her 80s.

It takes the death toll in the current outbreak to 28.

Meanwhile, the southeast Queensland lockdown will end at 4 p.m. on Sunday as planned, although some restrictions will remain.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said while there were nine new cases reported, seven were linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.

So that is all good news, she said in her first appearance following two weeks of isolation after returning from Tokyos opening of the Olympic Games and formal confirmation of Queensland being awarded the 2032 Games.

However from 4 p.m., Cairns will go into a three-day lockdown after it was discovered an infected man had been in the community for 10 days.

Victoria recorded 11 new cases halfway through its one-week lockdown, all of them linked to previously reported cases although they were not in quarantine while infectious.

Federal minister Stuart Robert was asked on Sky News Sunday Agenda program to confirm reports the government had appealed to the U.S. Biden administration for additional vaccine does.

There are continued conversations all around the world, Robert said.

You can be rest assured the government will leave no stone unturned when it comes to maximising the amount of vaccinations for our population, our Pacific Island family and of course our wider region.

However, there remains hesitancy in getting vaccinated.

Labor frontbencher Michelle Rowland said one problem in her NSW electorate that covers Blacktown is the ability to get information.

When you go to the information checker, you can get information in Icelandic but you cant get information in Tamil and I have one of the highest proportions of Tamil speakers in all of Australia in my electorate, she told Sky News.
BRISBANE, AustraliaFormer Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has joined forces with the Liberal Democrats to run for the federal Senate.

Newman, who was premier from 2012 to 2015, quit the Liberal National Party at the end of the state conference by issuing a statement two weeks ago saying that the Coalition had failed to honour the spirit of individual freedom that is at the heart of not only Liberal Party values, but wider Australian values.

He has spent recent months panning COVID-19 lockdowns, which he says are supported by both major parties.

Australia needs real leadership. Strong, sensible, balanced leadership. Leadership that is brave enough to stand up to the powerful elites and bureaucrats who so casually sacrifice our freedoms, Newman said in a statement on Sunday.

The Sky News commentator declared his political career over six years ago, but said he has recently been approached by supporters calling on him to return to politics.

Newman, who was Brisbane Lord Mayor from 2004 to 2011, has promised to hold both major parties feet to the fire because they are letting voters down.

The former premier, whose parents were both senior ministers in coalition governments, accused Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison of abandoning Liberal party ideals of small government during the pandemic.

Scott Morrison has, sadly, let us down with very illiberal big government over-reach, he said.

(Labor leader) Anthony Albanese represents outdated socialism that will saddle our kids with huge debt and destroy our culture with woke nonsense and red tape.

We need a return to real leadership and strong, sensible government.

Newman served for 13 years in the Australian Army before working as a consultant until he was elected as Brisbane mayor.

Liberal Democrats national president, Dr. John Humphreys, said that Newmans Senate candidacy was part of a plan to shake-up the political landscape.

Despite relentless attacks from Labor, and little defence from the self-obsessed LNP, he remains extremely popular with a large proportion of the community who appreciate his can do attitude, the achievements of his years in government and his commitment to traditional Aussie values and real leadership, Humphreys said.

Make no mistake. This is just the beginning. The party that was founded 20 years ago and that has been consistently dedicated to the principles of small government and personal liberty, is about to do a whole lot more.

LNP Leader David Crisafulli did not want to comment on Newmans announcement saying the party had charted a strong and united course two weeks ago.

Mr Newman has chosen to go in a different direction, and I dont wish him any ill, he told reporters.

The federal election must be called before September 2022.
Firefighters work at the scene of forest fire near Kyuyorelyakh village at Gorny Ulus area, west of Yakutsk, in Russia, on Aug. 5, 2021. (Ivan Nikiforov/AP Photo)

Russia Evacuates 2 Villages in Siberia Because of Wildfires

MOSCOWRussian authorities started to evacuate two villages in a vast region of Siberia where 155 active forest fires burned Sunday.

A dozen villages in northeastern Siberias Sakha-Yakutia republic were threatened by the fires, according to the regional task force dealing with the emergency. Local authorities were moving the residents of two villages, Kalvitsa and Kharyyalakh, to other inhabited areas as crews totaling 3,600 people worked to contain about half of the blazes.

On Saturday, flames destroyed 31 houses and eight maintenance buildings in another village, Byas-Kuel, and about 400 residents were evacuated, local officials said.

A firefighter stands at the scene of forest fire near Kyuyorelyakh village at Gorny Ulus area west of Yakutsk, in Russia, on Aug. 7, 2021. (Ivan Nikiforov/AP Photo)

Yakutia governor Aysen Nikolayev ordered officials to clear fire trails around the endangered settlements of dead wood and fallen trees. Yakutias government website had stated earlier that Nikolayev had a deforestation of areas around the endangered villages, but his spokespeople said it was a mistake and there has been no such order.

Experts blame the worsening fire situation on a 2007 decision to disband a federal aviation network that spotted and combatted wildfires. The networks assets were transferred to regional authorities, a much-criticized move that led to the fire-spotting forces rapid decline.

The forests that cover huge areas of Russia make identifying new fires a challenge.

An aerial of the Byas-Kuel village after a wild fire, in Russia Far East, on Aug. 8, 2021. (NewsYkt via AP)
Navy secretary nominee Carlos Del Toro testifies at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to examine his nomination in Washington on July 13, 2021. (Senate Armed Services Committee/Screenshot via NTD)

Senate Confirms Biden Nominee for Navy Secretary

The Senate has confirmed Carlos Del Toro as the secretary of the U.S. Navy.

President Joe Biden nominated Del Toro for the position on June 11; the Senate confirmed him by a voice vote on Aug. 7.

During his confirmation hearing, he told senators that he would be exclusively focused on the threat posed by China.

Its incredibly important to defend Taiwan in every way possible and it takes a holistic view of our national commitment to Taiwan. We should be focused on providing Taiwan with as much self-defensive measures as humanly possible, Del Toro said on July 13.

And if confirmed, I would be exclusively focused on the China threat, exclusively focused on moving out maritime strategy forward in order to protect Taiwan and all of our national security interests in the Pacific theater.

Del Toro served as a naval officer in the senior ranks at the Department of Defense and as commanding officer of the USS Bulkeley. After retiring with the rank of commander, he founded a program management and engineering firm that primarily serves government clients. He was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was a child.

During his opening remarks at the confirmation hearing, Del Toro told senators that he now knows the value of freedom and democracy because I was born in a country [Cuba] with neither.

As a child, my family and I fled an autocratic communist regime and settled in our new home, the United States of America, Del Toro said. The United States NavyMarine Corps is sacred to our basic freedoms and to our national security.

Del Toro cited Bidens comments to describe the nations challenges as severe as they are unprecedented, and singled out China and Russia as major threats.

China, with its autocratic system and its determined incursion into the South China Sea and globally, presents a constant naval threat. Russia and other resurgent powers also threaten our global stability, Del Toro said.

Ray Mabus, who served as Navy secretary under President Barack Obama, celebrated Del Toros confirmation.

Carlos del Toro confirmed as SecNav. Fair winds and following seas. Best post in government, Mabus wrote on Twitter.
The U.S. Department of Justice seal on the stage at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, on Dec. 5, 2019. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

The Investigation That Never Ended

Commentary

For months, Ive watched pundits in numerous mediaboth left and rightassert that the federal probe into Hunter Biden and his business associates ended shortly after Joseph R. Biden was sworn in as our nations 46th president.

Then Politico dropped a bombshell saying it had been handed by a confidential source when it published a report on July 16 about how the U.S. Attorney for Delaware, David Weiss, may have suddenly started issuing search warrants in the Hunter Biden criminal investigation. And that wasnt all.

It turned out that Weiss had also seated a federal grand jury for the probe, and this grand jury had proceeded to issue a flurry of subpoenas.

But how can this be?

It was widely assumed in almost all quarters of the U.S. news media that upon being sworn in to their offices, one of the first items of business for new President Biden and his new Attorney General Merrick Garland was to order the shutting down of the federal criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.

These confident assertions were always utter nonsense.

Try to imagine the controversy that would have immediately descended upon Washington had it been discovered that Attorney Generals Jeff Sessions or William Barr had dared to give orders to a U.S. attorney or a special counsel to shut down a federal investigation of a Trump family member or associate.

Oh, wait. You dont have to try to imagine that.

A months-long media scandal was invented right out of thin air when former FBI Director James Comey insisted in a self-serving memo he wrote to himself that then-President Donald J. Trump had asked him to drop an investigation into his former national security adviser, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.

Then there was the spectacle that was former Special Counsel Robert Muellers congressional testimony back in 2019 as increasingly desperate Democrats tried repeatedly with loaded questions to browbeat Mueller into admitting that Barr or Sessions had obstructed his investigation. However, time and again Mueller refused to say that.

Mueller had to explain that an attorney general or a president just cant walk over to the Department of Justice and give them an order: Shut that down and end it now. Mueller testified honestly that neither Barr nor Sessions nor former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had ever done anything to interfere with his investigation.

A lot of people were impatiently hoping Donald Trump would be stupid enough to try to obstruct Mueller by firing him, but Trump was smart enough to avoid that trap.

And yet its been repeatedly assumed for many months by a plethora of political commentators that Biden or Garland can just pick up a phone and call up the U.S. attorneys or the FBI personnel handling these years-long criminal cases and order them to shut down.

That assumption is now being demonstrated to have been utterly wrong. There was no phone call from Biden or Garland. There was no order given to end this investigation. Its still very much alive.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Top Health Expert Says Dire COVID-19 Predictions Were Off for UK

A UK professor who served as a COVID-19 advisor for the government admitted that a previous prediction about a massive surge of the virus over the summer was askew, adding that a new lockdown likely wont be needed.

Last month, Professor Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist from Imperial College London and adviser to the government, said that as many as 200,000 cases of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus could be recorded per day if pandemic restrictions were lifted.

But during a recent interview with The Times of London, Ferguson said that his prediction was off due to the Euro cup finals last month.

We had an artificially inflated level of contact during that period and then suddenly it dropped off, he told The Times on Saturday, Aug. 7.

Ferguson, who has been sometimes dubbed as Professor Lockdown for his promoting of social distancing measures, also suggested that no new lockdowns will be required, arguing that the high vaccination rate contributed to a drop in cases of the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19.

I think its going to transition quite quickly in a few months to be more something we live with and manage through vaccination rather than crisis measures, he said. I wouldnt rule it out altogether, but I think its unlikely we will need a new lockdown or even social-distancing measures of the type weve had so far. The caveat to that is, of course, if the virus changes substantially.

But he warned: I suspect for several years, we will see additional mortality. Theres a risk in the winter coming of thousands to tens of thousands more deaths.

Ferguson resigned from his government position last year after telling other officials that he undermined the UK governments messaging on social distancing by meeting with a woman several times.

Late last week, in its weekly survey of the levels of infection across the UK, the Office for National Statistics said case rates appeared to be falling in England, Scotland, and Wales, though not in Northern Ireland, with the declines most noticeable among younger age groups. In England, for example, the statistics agency found that one in 75 people in private households had COVID-19 in the week to July 31, down from one in 65 in the previous week.

Despite fears among some that daily cases rates would hit 100,000 this summer as a result of the more contagious Delta variant and the lifting of lockdown restrictions, infections have fallen to around 30,000 a day, leading to a fall in the number of people requiring hospitalization for COVID-19 symptoms.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SYDNEY, AustraliaA dozen suburbs in the western Sydney council area of Penrith have been added to the governments areas of concern for COVID-19 transmission, tightening their lockdown restrictions as daily NSW infections continue to be above the governments zero target.

NSW recorded 262 new local COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Saturday, at least 72 of which in the community while infectious.

An unvaccinated woman in her 80s at the Wyoming Nursing Home in Summer Hill has died after catching the virus.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday said 12 suburbs in the Penrith local government area would join eight western and southwestern Sydney council areas as COVID-19 areas of concern.

The suburbs include Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair, and St Marys.

People in these suburbs can only leave the council area if they are authorised workers. They are also limited to shopping and exercising within 5 kilometres of home and must wear masks outside.

There are 129 active COVID-19 cases in the Penrith council area.

They are suburbs which (have) boundaries to those eight local government areas and we want to make sure we stem the tide of the virus seeping into additional communities, Berejiklian said.

However, the Georges River council area may soon be removed as an area of concern given its low number of new infections.

Greater Sydney and its surrounding regions are in a government-imposed lockdown until at least Aug. 28 as residents battle to contain a outbreak of the virulent Delta COVID-19 strain. The Hunter and Armidale regions are also enduring snap seven-day lockdowns.

There are 58 patients in NSW in intensive care, with 24 ventilated. Of those 58, none had been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, hundreds of young adults in Sydney have waited hours at a walk-in clinic in Glebe to receive an AstraZeneca jab.

NSW Health brought on eight extra vaccinators throughout the day to help shorten a queue running more than 100 metres. About 1,000 people were vaccinated at the site over three days.

Almost 46 percent of NSW residents over 16 have had at least one vaccine dose, up from 40.95 percent a week ago.

Almost 23 percent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.

Berejiklian on Sunday reiterated the governments view that vaccination presents the primary means by which people can take action to help bring the pandemic to an end.

While the NSW government is not considering a return to pre-pandemic freedoms until vaccinations reach 70 percent coverage, Berejiklian said some restrictions may be eased with a 50 percent rate.

Her government hopes to hit six million jabs by months end, which would require administering an average of 65,000 jabs each day.

It doesnt mean well return to pre-outbreak conditionsit means September can be a month where we have greater freedom, she said.

There are two things conditional on thatmaking sure that we keep case numbers as low as possible, plus we keep vaccinating.

We know in the future, freedom relies on vaccination, she said.
Burma's ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 11, 2019. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

US Condemns Plot to Harm or Kill Burmas Ambassador to UN

The United States on Saturday condemned a thwarted plot to attack Burmas U.N. ambassador in New York, saying it fits a disturbing pattern of authoritarian leaders and their supporters seeking to persecute opponents around the world.

Two Burmese citizens were arrested in New York state on charges alleging that they conspired to oust Burmas ambassador to the United Nations by injuringor even killinghim.

Phyo Hein Htut and Ye Hein Zaw plotted to seriously injure or kill Burmas ambassador in an attack that was to take place on American soil, U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a release Friday.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents Burmas (also known as Myanmar) elected civilian government which was overthrown by the military in February, told Reuters on Wednesday that a threat had been made against him and U.S. authorities had stepped up his security.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said on Saturday that the threat fits a disturbing pattern of authoritarian leaders and their supporters reaching across the globe  to persecute and repress journalists, activists, and others who dare speak or stand against them.

Thomas-Greenfield cited Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, a Belarusian athlete who refused to return home from the Tokyo Olympics and sought refuge in Poland, and a thwarted plot by several Iranians to kidnap a New York journalist and rights activist who was critical of Iran.

These are only the most recent acts of transnational repression, and they must be met with the condemnation of the world and with full and certain accountability, Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement.

According to court documents in White Plains federal court, a Thailand arms dealer who sells weapons to the Burmese military hired Htut and Zaw to hurt the ambassador to try to force him to step down. If that didnt work, the ambassador was to be killed, authorities said.

Burmas military overthrew the countrys civilian government early this year. Tun, Burmas currently recognized U.N. ambassador, staunchly opposed the ouster of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In a speech to the General Assembly in late February, Tun called for the strongest possible action from the international community to restore democracy.

Burmas military has tried to remove Tun from his post, but the 193-member General Assembly is responsible for accrediting diplomats and has not taken action at the militarys urging.

The plot to maim or kill Tun was to be carried out in Westchester County, where the ambassador lives, according to two criminal complaints.

Htut last month was contacted by the arms dealer, who wanted to pay several thousand dollars for Htut to carry out the attack, the complaints said. Htut received a $2,000 advance on July 23, it added.

After the FBI learned of the plot on Tuesday, it arranged to interview Htut on Wednesday, when Htut described the plan, which included initially tampering with the ambassadors tires to cause an accident, the complaint said. It said Htut received $4,000 in payments to carry out the attack and was to be paid another $1,000 once it was finished.

In a complaint against Zaw, authorities said Zaw admitted after his arrest that he sent the $4,000 to Htut.

Htut, 28, and Zaw, 20, are each charged with conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of five years in prison.

At an initial appearance in White Plains federal court Friday, Htut consented to detention. Zaw awaited an initial appearance.

Messages seeking comment from their lawyers were not immediately returned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
US Embassy in Kabul Urges Americans to Leave Afghanistan Immediately

The U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, is urging all Americans to leave the country amid an increase in fighting, saying those Americans should not rely on U.S. government flights.

The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to leave Afghanistan immediately using available commercial flight options. Given the security conditions and reduced staffing, the Embassys ability to assist U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is extremely limited even within Kabul, the embassy said on its website over the weekend.

The alert included a link to the State Departments Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which would issue notifications about an evacuation flight.

However, the Embassy reiterates that U.S. citizens should leave Afghanistan as soon as possible using available commercial transportation and not plan to rely on U.S. government flights, the alert stated.

It comes as the Taliban terrorist group has taken over large swaths of the country, including the northern city of Kunduz on Aug. 8, according to reports. Kunduz is the third of four provincial capitals that the group has captured in recent days.

Suhail Shaheen, international media spokesman for the Taliban, told Al Jazeera: We have the capabilities to take over cities, but we were waiting for them, and our policy is for peace and reconciliation, but of course when they [the government] launched an offensive against us, they started the bombing campaign against us, we reacted and took two provincial centers, but still, our policy is for a negotiated settlement of the Afghan issue.

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers keep watch at the site of a car bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 4, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

The terrorist group also overran the provincial capital city of Sar-e-Pul in northern Afghanistan on Aug. 8, marking another defeat for government forces since the start of the withdrawal of U.S. forces earlier this year, after nearly 20 years of war.

The Taliban took over government buildings in the northern provincial capital of Sar-e Pul, driving officials out of the main city to a nearby military base, according to Mohammad Noor Rahmani, a provincial councilman of Sar-e-Pul Province, Reuters reported.

On Aug. 6, the insurgents captured their first provincial capital in years when they took control of Zaranj, on the border with Iran in Afghanistans southern Nimroz Province.

Heavy clashes started yesterday afternoon, all government headquarters are in control of the Taliban, only the army base and the airport is with ANDSF [Afghan security forces] from where they are resisting the Taliban, Amrudddin Wali, a member of Kunduz provincial assembly, told Al Jazeera about the Talibans presence in Kunduz.

There were also unconfirmed reports that U.S. B-52 bombers and gunships were deployed to strike several targets in Sheberghan on Aug. 7.

The Epoch Times has contacted the State Department and the Pentagon for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A girl sits in the grass among the headstones of those killed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., during Memorial Day on May 31, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

US Suffered in Afghanistan for Its Policies Toward Pakistan: Author of Durands Curse

NEW DELHIThe United States fought for 20 years in Afghanistan after 9/11, but by not attacking the roots of terrorism that operated from Pakistani soil, the Western power has had to pay heavily for its policies, said Rajiv Dogra, a former Indian diplomat and the author of Durands Curse, a best-selling and critically acclaimed book about the division of Afghanistan by the British empire.

The day after 9/11, I was in Central Asia; on 12 September, 2001, in Uzbekistan and a day after in Tajikistan. I met their leaders during my visit. Naturally, the discussion centered on the likely American response, Dogra told The Epoch Times. He was Indias joint secretary for the 14 former Soviet republics and Turkey (Eurasia) in 2001.

Each one of these Central Asian leaders said, We can bet that America will start bombing Afghanistan. In doing so, they will be making a huge mistake. They will only be trimming the branches of terror in Afghanistan. The roots of terror will remain intact in Pakistan.'

America hesitated to attack Pakistan because it didnt want to confront a nuclear-armed country, Dogra said. His book Durands Curse: A Line Across The Pathan Heart discusses the arbitrary border that was drawn between Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1893 by colonial Britain. It also discusses how this area continues to be one of the most violent regions of the world, with porous borders that separate families and provide a safe haven for drug traffickers, arms peddlers, and terrorists.

Dogra said the United States also was reluctant to deal militarily with Pakistan, because the Pakistani army was trained and equipped by the American largesse.

America started providing military assistance to Pakistan during the 1950s and exponentially increased it in the 1980s during the Soviet phase, according to Dogra, who recalled a meeting he had with his American counterpart while serving as Indias counsel general in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1992.

Now, when I reached his office, he was two minutes late and coming into his room, he apologized for being late. And he said, The reason is, I was in the computer room, and we have a huge computer in this consulate, and we were checking the extent of arms and defense equipment that we had supplied to Pakistan during this Soviet operation. And he said it was so huge that even this big computer of theirs could not accommodate all that, Dogra said.

Dari and Pashto (Afghan languages) editions of the book, Durands Curse: A Line Across the Pathan Heart by Amb. Rajiv Dogra. (Venus Upadhayaya/Epoch Times)

Dogra said when it came to rooting out terrorism, the United States had other options than fighting Pakistan after 9/11.

There were other pressure points. Instead of giving billions of dollars to Pakistan, and huge amounts of armaments to Pakistan, it could have used financial sanctions to restrict, or even stop, their flow, he said. If America is quitting Afghanistan, it is partly because of non-utilization of the options that were available to it. Instead, it brought back the body bags of its soldiers.

Current Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and others in the Afghan government have repeatedly accused Pakistan of training, financing, and supporting Taliban terrorists.

We have accurate intelligence reports that more than 10,000 Pakistani have entered Afghanistan from Pakistan, while another 15,000 are encouraged to come. This shows that a regular institution is training and financing Taliban, a spokesperson for Ghani said in a video message sent to media, Asian News International reported on July 31.

The Pentagon canceled $300 million in military aid to Pakistan in 2018 for its failure to take action against militant groups operating from its soil, including the Haqqani network and the Afghan Taliban. Dogra said this didnt have much effect on Pakistan because now it gets much aid from China.

Afghan Border Police personnel keep watch during an ongoing battle between Pakistani and Afghan border forces near the Durand line at Spin Boldak, in southern Kandahar Province, on May 5, 2017. (Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images)

Americas Choice of Khalilzad

Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan American diplomat, has served as U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation at the State Department since September 2018. Dogra said that Khalilzads appointment wasnt a wise choice because he is one of the most disliked individuals in Afghanistan.

Khalilzad was appointed to bring peace to Afghanistan. If that was his mandate, the least he should have done was to remain in touch with the Afghan government. Instead, he shunned the Afghan government and kept them out of the Doha dialogue. On the other hand, he was a frequent flyer to Pakistan and a regular visitor in the power chambers of its army. Is it any wonder then that he should be repeating like a mantra: Taliban is Afghanistans only realistic option,' said Dogra, expressing displeasure at Khalilzads repeated assertion of Taliban participation in the peace process, despite the continuing violence.

After Khalilzads appointment, a group of political activists in Afghanistan started an online petition to urge the United States to reconsider the decision, describing him as harmful for Afghanistan.

The war is not yet over in Afghanistan and the Taliban are not yet done with the United States, Dogra says.

Americans with a sense of history would recall that in the first AngloAfghan war in the 1840s, much against the advice of everyone, the British established their office on the low ground below the Amirs palace, Dogra said of the time when, for the first time in history, a British army was in control of Afghanistan.

The same incident is mentioned in his book Durands Curse, translations of which, in the Afghan languages of Dari and Pashto, are best-sellers. The book is also being adapted into a television series in Afghanistan.

The British officer in charge was advised by his military experts that this low ground would be indefensible against a mob attack. This is exactly what happened, and in a raid, the Afghan soldiers slaughtered the entire British staff, he said.

Knowing all this, what did the Americans do? They set up their embassy right there, on that exact same spot where the massacre of the British took place. Lets hope that good fortune favors its embassy and its staff.

The Taliban conducted a suicide attack on the Afghan defense ministers house in Kabul on Aug. 3 that left eight people dead, and killed the head of the Kabul governments media center on Aug. 6.

Dogra said the signs are not good, and he fears Afghanistan will fall into the hands of the Taliban.

By leaving Afghans to their devices, [the United States] is not fulfilling the high moral obligation that it had once sworn by, he said.

(L to R) US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar shake hands after signing a peace agreement during a ceremony in the Qatari capital of Doha on Feb. 29, 2020. (Karim Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images)

China Wants to Muscle Itself In

Dogra said the current situation in Afghanistan is very complex because the United States is withdrawing, India is not wanted by Pakistanwhom he called the principal spoiler of peaceand China wants to muscle itself in to the country.

The reason why Im saying this scenario will be a strategic plus for China is that it never wanted America snooping on it from Afghanistan, he said. When the United States finally leaves Afghanistan, itll have gifted China a strategic space.

China, along with Russia, would have this vast region from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and right up to Syria under their sway. China will feel secure on this flank after America retreats from the region.

He wondered if the United States considered the China factor before deciding to withdraw from Afghanistan. Some years ago, it had declared China and Russia to be its principal threats, rather than terrorism, he said.

If China and Russia are the threat number one, then America should have a strong presence in this region instead of deserting the area, he said. After all, both from the intelligence and military points of view, land borders and land contiguity are invaluable assets. This region to the west and southwest of China is significant both ways. There is the additional factor of its vast energy and mineral resources.

Posts in the South China Sea or any other sea-based platform alone wont give the United States similar military leverage, Dogra said.

Since the United States has already deserted its military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, it doesnt have the muscle to counter China in the region, he said, emphasizing that the United States is misreading China when it comes to its Afghan policy.

It will not get involved directly by putting its boots on Afghan ground. China knows the Soviet Union disintegrated, partly because of the way it handled Afghanistan. China also knows the agony that America has gone through in its 20 years of engagement. So China is not going to make the same mistake as the Soviet Union and America made, he said.

Pakistan national security adviser Moeed Yusuf told the Financial Times on Aug. 3 that Pakistan has other options if the United States continues to ignore its leadership. He complained that since being elected, President Joe Biden has not contacted the Pakistan prime minister amid the critical situation in Afghanistan.

Unlike the U.S., China is not going to let itself be used by Pakistan, Dogra said.

On the contrary, China dictates terms to Pakistan. On its part, Pakistan is conscious of the terms of its engagement, and the limits of its role as a junior partner.

It is also aware that China is its last strategic card. It had used America to the maximum extent possible for money and arms. It had also used Saudi Arabia. Pakistan cannot afford to lose China now.
Australias first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination hub will open at a former Bunnings warehouse in Melbourne, while Victorians under 40 will be offered AstraZeneca jabs at state-run clinics.

The locked-down southern state added 11 locally-acquired infections to its caseload on Sunday, all of them linked to previously reported cases although they were not in quarantine while infectious.

However a localised outbreak in a Melbourne public housing tower appears to have been contained, with residents tested overnight returning negative results.

Premier Daniel Andrews said families isolating on the 17th floor of the tower at 130 Racecourse Road in Flemington have all been tested.

All returned a negative test result so thats very pleasing, he told reporters on Sunday.

It doesnt mean we are out of the woods there, doesnt mean we can change the settings, but better to have negative results than positive.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said 17 immediate family members had been cleared as well as an additional 200 residents throughout the complex.

The tower was identified as a tier two location between Aug. 3 and 6 and was previously placed under strict lockdown in early July.

Eight cases were found in a single family within the building on Friday and immediately placed in quarantine.

Operated by Western Health, the countrys first drive-through vaccination site will open in suburban Melton on Monday.

It is expected batches of 10 cars will be processed at a time and the site will initially have capacity to administer 10,000 jabs a week.

In addition, nine of Victorias 50 state vaccination clinics will offer AstraZeneca to 18- to 39-year-olds while children aged 12-15 with underlying health conditions or of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent will also be allowed to receive Pfizer doses.

There are many appointments available, go online, Andrews urged of anyone considering the AstraZeneca offer.

With the best part of 200,000 vaccinations on hand, anyone within the age group willing to provide informed consent would be able to receive a first AstraZeneca dose and a second 12 weeks later, he said.

Echoing the premier encouragement, Sutton said: Im a 52-year-old bloke. If I were 25 and AstraZeneca was the only vaccine available to me today, I would get it.

Victoria administered 17,360 vaccine doses in the 24 hours to Saturday evening and conducted 38,179 tests.

With 29 cases recorded on Saturday, there was concern Victoria would be forced to extend its current week-long lockdown beyond Thursday.

However Andrews said on Sunday no decision had been made and he would immediately announce it when one was.

Before then, he said he remained concerned by the two mystery cases behind the latest outbreaks.

Weve just got to monitor this every single day, he said. Well be in lockdown no longer than we need to be and we just have to take this one day at a time.

Sutton said Victorias latest cases were all linked to Melbournes Hobsons Bay cluster seeded by a teacher at the Al-Taqwa College.

He said cases at Flemingtons Mount Alexander College and the Kiewa Secondary Boys Campus of Ilim College in Dallas were undergoing the same successful testing program conducted at Al-Taqwa College.

Meanwhile, Victoria can expect the first of an additional 150,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine being organised by the federal government as soon as Thursday.
Whale Watchers Blown Away as 4 Huge Humpbacks Feast on the Fish Hiding Underneath Their Boat

These whale watchers were blown away as four huge humpbacks feasted on the fish hiding underneath their boat.

The giant creatures dwarfed the tourist boat which was next to them as they lunge fed at the surface of the water, much to the delight of stunned whale watchers.

The spectacular display, which took place in Monterey Bay, California, saw the four humpback whales joined by sea lions and seagulls as they all battled it out for a taste of the anchovies that were hiding underneath the vessel.

Whale watchers were blown away as four huge humpbacks appeared underneath their boat in Monterey Bay, California. (Caters News)

The giant creatures dwarfed the tourist boat which was next to them as they lunge fed at the surface of the water, much to the delight of stunned whale watchers. (Caters News)

Photographer Jodi Frediani was there to capture the action and said the whales came up quite close to the boat.

The whales, sea lions, and birds were having a feast. Those folks got an eye full, thats for sure, she said. We were fortunate to find four humpback whales lunge feeding at the surface, one of the most exciting things to see whales do.

I was onboard Monterey Bay Whale Watchs Sea Wolf II, when two of the whales did a feeding lunge, coming up quite close to a boat from another company.

The four humpback whales joined by sea lions and seagulls as they all battled it out for a taste of the anchovies that were hiding underneath the vessel. (Caters News)

Photographer Jodi Frediani was there to capture the action and said the whales came up quite close to the boat. (Caters News)

Lunge feeding is when whales consume a large quantity of prey and water after pushing themselves forward with great force.

They then use a baleen filter-feeding system which act as a giant sieve and allows them to get rid of any excess water.

Sometimes the anchovies will hide under the boats, attempting go escape from the giant mouths of feeding whales, Jodi added. Sometimes they get lucky, at least for a short time. But the whales are experts at what they do, and sooner or later the small fish become lunch or dinner.

The whales, sea lions, and birds were having a feast. Those folks got an eye full, thats for sure, Jodi said. (Caters News)

The anchovies gather in a bait ball to escape predators.

While this works to help protect most of them from diving birds and sea lions, the bait ball is just what humpback whales are searching for. The more compact the fish, the bigger the meal for the whales.

California sea lions join in the fray picking off stray fish, as the whales lunge up through the bait ball.

The gulls, always opportunists, wait for stunned fish that then rise to the surface.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on Aug. 6, 2021. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

White House: US to Continue Its Hard Line on Chinas Unfair Trade Practices

WASHINGTONThe White House has signaled that it intends to maintain tariffs on Chinese goods, despite mounting pressure from American businesses.

The president is always going to use every tool in his toolbox, including tariffs, to fight against unfair trade practices that hurt American workers, businesses, and farmers, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing on Aug. 6.

Her response came after the nations most influential business groups sent a letter to the administration demanding a reset in China trade relations.

Nearly three dozen trade groups representing retailers, chipmakers, farmers, and others called on the administration to restart trade talks with Beijing and remove tariffs on Chinese goods introduced by the previous administration, The Wall Street Journal reported on Aug. 5.

In a letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the business groups said Beijing had met important benchmarks and commitments in the phase one trade agreement signed in early 2020.

A worker-centered trade agenda should account for the costs that U.S. and Chinese tariffs impose on Americans here and at home, and remove tariffs that harm U.S. interests, the letter stated.

The business groups include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, the National Retail Federation, the American Farm Bureau Federation, and the Semiconductor Industry Association.

President Joe Biden has been very clear that he thinks that a go-it-alone strategy is a losing one. Were stronger when we work with our allies and unite the worlds GDP, Psaki said.

The Biden administration has maintained tariffs on nearly $360 billion worth of Chinese goods that were enacted by former President Donald Trump. But the administration did launch a comprehensive review of the phase one agreement, including the tariffs.

Psaki said theres still no timeline for the conclusion of the review process.

Its unclear whether the Biden administration would lift the existing tariffs following its review.

The phase one trade deal signed under the Trump administration requires Beijing to buy $200 billion worth of additional U.S. goods and services during the two-year period of 2020 and 2021. Analysis of Chinese trade data by the Peterson Institute for International Economics shows that China has met about 58 percent of its purchase target in 2020 and 69 percent through June 2021.

Despite the phase one deal, the Trump administration had kept the tariffs to address Chinas unfair trade policies, including intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers, government subsidies for domestic companies, and restricting foreign access to Chinese markets.

In an interview with The New York Times in July, Yellen questioned the merits of tariffs imposed on Chinese goods, becoming the first Biden administration official to criticize them publicly.

My own personal view is that tariffs were not put in place on China in a way that was very thoughtful with respect to where there are problems and what is the U.S. interest, she said.

Yellen called tariffs taxes on consumers and said, In some cases, it seems to me what we did hurt American consumers, and the type of deal that the prior administration negotiated really didnt address in many ways the fundamental problems we have with China.

Companies and trade associations have been pushing hard against the tariffs on Chinese goods. More than 6,000 U.S. companies, including Ford, Tesla, and Home Depot, challenged the tariffs in court, claiming that they are not only bad policy but also illegal.

In a court filing, the Biden administration asked the court to dismiss the complaints against the tariffs, saying that they were lawfully imposed.

Trade experts say that the Biden administration wont lift the tariffs without securing concessions from the regime in Beijing. They also express skepticism about whether the Chinese regime can truly commit to structural reforms to address long-term issues such as forced technology transfer and cyber theft.

Since joining the World Trade Organization in 2001, China hasnt kept its promise to pursue market-oriented policies, according to a new report by the Washington-based Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The ruling communist regime has repeatedly led China to violate global trading rules, which saw the Trump administration in 2017 launch a Special 301 investigation into Chinas trade and economic practices.

The investigation resulted in the imposition of tariffs on nearly $360 billion worth of Chinese goods. Thats about 66 percent of Chinese exports to the United States, at an average tariff rate of 19 percent.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Foggy and reduced visibility conditions delayed efforts to recover the wreckage of a sightseeing plane that crashed in southeast Alaska, killing six people, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Sunday.

Clint Johnson, chief of the agencys Alaska region, said efforts to reach the site Sunday were called off due to poor conditions. The team planned to try again Monday, he said.

However long it takes, we will wait for the weather and wait patiently for it. But we're going to get this done, he said.

The wreckage was in a rugged, steep area that is heavily forested, at 1,800 feet (548.6 meters) to 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) up on the side of a mountain, he said. The site is about 12 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Johnson said.

Very challenging conditions, Johnson said, adding that the wreckage would have to be removed by helicopter.

He described conditions at the accident site as having low ceilings, reduced visibility and fog.

Investigators also were conducting interviews in Ketchikan, he said.

The flight was returning to Ketchikan on Thursday from a tour of Misty Fjords National Monument when it crashed, Johnson said.

The plane carried five passengers and the pilot. The Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot as Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington. Troopers identified the passengers as Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both of Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, both of Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois.

Troopers and Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad members reached the scene via a chartered helicopter Saturday afternoon and recovered the bodies, which were being taken to the state medical examiner's office in Anchorage, the troopers said.

Kathleen Grayson, Henderson's sister, told the Napa Valley Register that Henderson and Komplin had sent messages during their trip talking about how gorgeous" it was in Alaska. They were having so much fun," she said.

Henderson was retired but had worked as a public defender, while Komplin was a registered nurse and instructor at Pacific Union College, the news outlet reported.

Komplin coordinated a wellness program associated with Meals on Wheels for Community Action of Napa Valley, the group's executive director, Drene Johnson, told The Associated Press. She said Komplin was excited about the trip.

We were all wishing her well, and that's what's so hard for us to comprehend is, now she's gone, she said, describing Komplin as one of a kind.

One recent post on Kroll's Facebook page showed Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau in the background. Another was captioned: "I finally made it to Alaska! Hooray!

Davis McArthur said his mother, Andrea McArthur, and sister, Rachel McArthur, were on a girls' trip before his sister returned to college. He said Andrea McArthur was a flight attendant with Delta Air Lines and that the two women loved traveling and adventure.

Andrea McArthur had a heart of gold," he said, adding later: "If there was a need, just know it was going to get met. If you needed somebody to talk to, she was that shoulder to lean on."

You could see Jesus in her, he said.

Rachel McArthur, too, was always wanting to help out, he said. She also was independent and strong, he said.

Delta Air Lines released a statement Sunday saying that it was "mourning the loss of one of our own and our hearts and thoughts go out to the many who knew, worked with and admired her.

Lanzendorfer's Linkedin profile said he had worked for Southeast Aviation as a pilot since May 2015. Bri Kelly, a media contact for Southeast Aviation, did not provide any details about the pilot's tenure with the company and directed questions related to the accident to Johnson.

Johnson said Lanzendorfer was the pilot in a July 9 incident in which a Southeast Aviation plane hit an inlet buoy on departure near Coffman Cove and flipped. Alaska State Troopers previously reported the pilot was the only person on board and that no injuries were reported.

Johnson said that's just a piece of information that we're putting on the pile" as investigators probe Thursday's crash.

The Seattle Times reported that Lanzendorfer had been flying commercial floatplanes for more than 40 years and was described by Clyde Carlson, founder of Washington-based Northwest Seaplanes, as an excellent pilot."

Holland America Line confirmed the five passengers on the flight had been traveling on the company's ship Nieuw Amsterdam, which was nearing the end of seven-day Alaska cruise.

Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and sightseeing excursions, such as those to Misty Fjords National Monument, are among the options for exploring the area while off the ship.

The cruise line said the excursion the passengers were on was not sold by Holland America Line.

Southeast Aviation, in a statement Thursday, said it was cooperating with the agencies involved. All of us share in the anguish of this tragic incident, and our prayers go out to all affected, the statement said.

The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard has said.

A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2:40 p.m. They reported no survivors, the Coast Guard said.

Weather conditions at the site included mist and light rain, the Coast Guard said.
Photo: Rush hour on the Williamsburg Bridge.

News from the Lower East Side in the past week:

A man was stabbed with a kitchen knife outside 204 Forsyth Street on Saturday. [New York Post]

Video circulating online shows a plainclothes NYPD sergeant slamming a man to the ground after he confronted the officer about laughing at a person apparently experiencing a mental breakdown in the Delancey Street subway station. [Channel 2]

Thomas Earl Braunson III, a Lower East Side native being held on a parole violation stemming from a shoplifting arrest, died in his cell at Rikers Island. An oversight board report found he was being held in horrible conditions. [The City]

Lower Manhattan Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou speaks out about Andrew Cuomos tactics against multiple women who have accused him of sexual harassment. [Newsweek]

The glassy office building taking the place of the historic Sunshine Cinema on East Houston Street has topped off at 10 stories. [New York YIMBY]

Months after being displaced from their homes on East 7th Street in the aftermath of two devastating fires, rent regulated tenants put pressure on their landlord to come to the negotiating table. [AM New York]

The protected bike lane on Avenue C finally becomes a reality. There is, of course, grousing, about the loss of parking to accommodate the new bike lane. [NY1]

A college student in Texas is mapping every Manhattan address that used to be a synagogue. [JTA]

The Nights When New York Felt Alive Again; an impressive multimedia piece capturing NYC nightlife on the rebound. The documentary project includes visits to several Lower East Side spots. [The New York Times]
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Danish Sandbox tourist, 58, found safe after trek in Phuket jungle

PHUKET: A 58-year-old Danish man who arrived in Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox scheme was found safe last night (Aug 7) after he became lost while trekking through the jungle near the hotel where he is staying on Phukets northern west coast.

tourismSafety

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Sunday 8 August 2021, 01:06PM

Even with coordinates for Mr Hildebrands location officers took an hour of searching before finding Mr Hildebrand safe. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Even with coordinates for Mr Hildebrands location officers took an hour of searching before finding Mr Hildebrand safe. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Even with coordinates for Mr Hildebrands location officers took an hour of searching before finding Mr Hildebrand safe. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Danish tourist Michael Hildebrand safe and happy with the search team after spending hours lost in the dark jungle on Phukets northern west coast. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Danish tourist Michael Hildebrand safe and happy with the search team after spending hours lost in the dark jungle on Phukets northern west coast. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Danish tourist Michael Hildebrand safe and happy with the search team after spending hours lost in the dark jungle on Phukets northern west coast. Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Lt Col Ekkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police said that his officers were notified through the Tourist Police hotline 1155 at about 7:30pm that the tourist, Michael Hildebrand, was missing.

Mr Hildebrand had arrived in Phuket on July 31 and was staying at the Ideo Phuket Hotel in Sakhu, Thalang, just south of Phuket airport, he said.

Mr Hildebrand went for a walk along Nai Yang Beach at about 4pm, and decided to walk through the jungle and over the hills to Nai Thon. However, darkness fell and he was unable to find his way back, Lt Col Ekkachai said.

Mr Hildebrand called the Tourist Police hotline for help, and was able to give his coordinates, indicating that he was somewhere halfway through the jungle between the two beaches, Lt Col Ekkachai added.

A search team was quickly dispatched, comprising officers from Phuket Tourist Police, the Tourist Assistance Center (TAC) as well as officers from the Sakoo Police, Phuket Immigration and officers from Sirinath National Park, he said.

After making their way to where Mr Hildebrand had entered the jungle and a further hour of searching, the team found Mr Hildebrand at about 10pm fatigued but otherwise unharmed.

He looked exhausted, so Tourist Police offered to take him to a hospital, but he declined to go, Lt Col Ekkachai said.

Mr Hildebrand was treated for small scratches he had sustained during his trek through the jungle and safely returned to the hotel, he added.
Dolphins Ahoy!

Nothing quite compares to seeing dolphins in their natural habitat; and lets be honest, who doesnt love these inquisitive and playful creatures? Of course, many of us have seen them in various unnatural settings. However, getting the opportunity to witness dolphins in the wild is something which often takes a bucket list spot, and quite rightly so. If you do get the chance to see a pod of dolphins breaching out of the waves with synchronised swimming elegance, it really is a spectacular sight.

Traveltourismmarineanimals

By Advertorial

Sunday 8 August 2021, 02:00PM

As naturally inquisitive creatures, dolphins often come right up and swim alongside our speedboats to state their curiosity, giving you a unique close-up experience like no other.

As naturally inquisitive creatures, dolphins often come right up and swim alongside our speedboats to state their curiosity, giving you a unique close-up experience like no other.

5 Star Marine runs a respectful dolphin spotting programme which can be tailored to your requirements. They offer a combination dolphin spotting experience at Mai Ton Island by adding in a trip to Coral Island, the Khai Islands or even Racha Island depending on your requirements.

Coral Island, also known locally as Koh He, is an easy and fun-filled day-trip destination from Phuket. This beautiful island has 2 main beaches (Long Beach and Banana Beach), where you can find restaurants and beach clubs, enjoy snorkelling or relax on the sandy beaches. Banana Beach Club serves a good selection of dishes, plus offers massages, canoes and plenty of Instagram-worthy setups. You can enjoy some decent snorkelling from the shore there also. It is both kid and adult friendly with big loungers, tables in the shade and fun areas to explore for all.

Alternatively, visit the family friendly 3 Khai Islands (Khai Nai, Khai Nao and Khai Nok) which each offer something slightly different for you to experience; Khai Nai offers clear, shallow waters and snorkelling which are suitable for families with young children. Khai Nau is also an easy spot for some snorkelling right off the boat, and has a good variety of coral and marine life to explore. Finally, Khai Nok offers off-the-beach snorkelling and the opportunity to relax with some beach time.

If you fancy going further afield then head to the idyllic Racha Yai to enjoy an abundance of nature, with some of the best snorkelling reefs in Thailand and quiet, tropical white powdery beaches with crystal-clear turquoise waters. This island provides a balanced combination of relaxing, tranquil locations with amazing coral rich sea life.

You can combine any of these stunning destinations before your dolphin spotting afternoon, where you will cruise to Mai Ton and enjoy trying to spot the friendly pod of dolphins who play around this island. Both children and adults alike will relish in this experience, coming out to the front of the boat, eyes peeled to try to be the first to spot the pod.

As naturally inquisitive creatures, these dolphins often come right up and swim alongside our speedboats to state their curiosity, giving you a unique close-up experience like no other. They enjoy investigating the wake generated by our boats as we cruise slowly around on our spotting tours, and then frequently play near the boat, leaping and diving around.

Although 5 Star Marine cannot guarantee that the dolphins will come to play, they are experienced at knowing the best times and locations to maximise your chances of seeing these playful animals.

To book any of our TAT SHA Plus certified speedboats for a dolphin spotting tour please contact 5 Star Marine on 093 720 6221 and quote The Phuket News for free return mini bus transfers in Phuket.
Sandbox tourist killer confesses to attacking Swiss woman, denies intent to murder, rape

PHUKET: Teerawat Thothip, a 27-year-old resident of Pa Khlok in Phuket has confessed to choking Swiss tourist Nicole Sauvain-Weiskopf with a headlock, but has denied intention to kill her and denied any attempt to rape her.

murderdeathcrimepolicetourismSafety

By The Phuket News

Sunday 8 August 2021, 03:55PM

The nationally broadcast press conference was held at Phuket Provincial Police Station, in Phuket Town, earlier today (Aug 8). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

He just wanted her money and belongings, he told a press conference broadcast nationally today (Aug 8).

Teerawat was arrested by police yesterday for the murder of Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf, whose body was found near the Ao Yon Waterfall on Phukets east coast on Thursday (Aug 6).

Col Krissana Pattanacharoen, Deputy Spokesman of Royal Thai Police, today explained, Police have managed to arrest a 27 year old man in connection with the death of a 57 year old Swiss female national who was earlier found dead at a waterfall in Wichit subdistrict, Phuket.

During the course of investigation and interrogation, evidences were systematically collected and witness statements were taken. Phuket Provincial Court later issued an arrest warrant in connection with the evidence presented to the court.

Police have charged the offender for murder and robbery causing death. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed as the autopsy report is yet to be released by the authority.

An inquiry officer has applied to the Phuket Provincial Court to extend a detention period for further legal proceedings, Col Kirssana noted.

POLICE PROCESS

Speaking at the press conference this morning, Region 8 Police Deputy Commander Lt Col Nanthadet Yoinuan explained that police were first notified that Ms Sauvain-Weisskopfs body had been found at 2pm that day.

Officers immediately responded to the call and arrived at the scene, he said.

Officers found Ms Sauvain-Weisskopfs body face down in the stream. She was naked from the waist down and had been covered by a small tarpaulin weighed down by rocks. Her trainers and her shorts were found in the long grass nearby.

On the first day, we went to examine the scene and make our plans for the investigation. On that day, I had no idea who the suspect could be, he said.

On the following day, the Police General-Commissioner [Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk] brought a team of officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), led by Maj Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, to work together with local police.

From the initial investigation on that day, we knew that the tourist stayed at a hotel in the Ao Yon area. On Aug 3, about 11:49am, she walked past a CCTV camera to the waterfall. The distance from her hotel to the waterfall is about 1.6 kilometres. The waterfall is not popular among tourists and is mostly known only to local residents, he added.

We checked the footage from the CCTV camera nearest to the waterfall and found 34 vehicles passed the camera. We considered only eight vehicles as suspicious, and later only one last vehicle seemed suspicious. The rider arrived about 12 minutes before the deceased arrived and the suspect drove the motorcycle back from the scene about three hours later. The rider was Teerawat Thothip, who was a local resident of the Cape Panwa community, he said. [Of note, Teerawats registered address is in Pa Khlok, Phuket]

We investigated until we found him at his house. We took him to Wichit Police Station for questioning. At first, he did not give good cooperation and gave confusing statements. Then we asked him to take off his shirt and we saw a big scratch along the right side of his body. The scratch had only just scabbed, Lt Col Nanthadet continued.

With much evidence and a long time in questioning, he eventually cried and confessed that he had killed the tourist, Lt Col Nanthadet said.

SUSPECTS STATEMENT

Teerawat himself joined the press conference by phone.

I, Teerawat Thothip, am sitting with my girlfriend, uncle and lawyer. I would like to explain about the incident on Aug 3. About 10-11am, I rode my motorbike to Ao Yon Waterfall to find orchids and other things in the forest.

I walked up to the highest level of the waterfall, but found nothing I wanted. Then I walked down and saw the foreigner, who was naked from the waist down, sitting beside the waterfall. There was a black backpack near her which I expected must have had valuable items inside, Teerawat said.

I walked close to her and put her in a headlock from behind. The foreigner tried to get out from under my arm and fought back, which brought us into the water. I put her in a headlock again until she became unconscious. I took her body to the waterside, covered her body with an insulator [a rubber sheet] held down by some rocks.

Then I opened her backpack and found B300 in cash. I put the money into my wallet and threw her trainers away from the area. I walked down and rode my motorbike to a shack of Bang Lit [a friend], Teerawat continued.

On the way to the shack, I spent the stolen money on a bottle of soft drink and ice. Then I met my friends at the shack and used the money to buy marijuana and cigarettes.

After that, I returned home and lived normally until Aug 5, when my girlfriend told me that the body of a foreigner was found at the waterfall. I was shocked and felt guilty for everything I had done. Then I confessed to the police.

I would like to say sorry to every person in Thailand and the family of the tourist for what I had done. Im sorry. Really sorry, Teerawat said.

Asked whether he told anyone after knowing the news about Ms Sauvain-Weisskopfs body being found, Teerawat replied, I was shocked and did not tell anything to other people. I waited until the police checked the CCTV camera and tracked me to my house. I was sleeping when the team of police came to my house.

Asked whether he was drunk or under the effects of any drugs while committing the killing and whether he really wanted to only steal her belongings, he said, I was not drunk at that time, but I took drugs one week before. I really just wanted her belongings.

Asked why he hd attacked Ms Sauvain-Weisskopf, Teerawat replied, I have been unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am normally hired for cutting grass. I had a very low income, like B1,000 per week. I gave the whole money to my girlfriend and family, so that they can spend it for living and rising my child.

Asked whether he thought that his actions would have led to her dying, he said, I did not mean to kill her.

Asked whether he wanted to say anything to the Ms Sauvain-Weisskopfs amily, he replied, I would like to say sorry to the family for what I did. I am begging for forgiveness from every person in Thailand. I feel very guilty for what I have done.

Asked about the long scratch on his torso, Teerawat explained, I already had the scratch from before the killing, but I got more scratches from the fighting.

At the press conference it was explained that Teerawat was arrested for drugs possession on Oct 5 last year. He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and fined B15,000 baht, but was placed on two years probation.

CONDOLENCES

Speaking in English at the press conference, which was also attended by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, national police chief Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk said, On behalf of the Royal Thai Police, I would like to offer our deep condolences to the family of the victim who lost her life in this tragedy.

All of us felt the same as the family of the victim in this difficult time. I know that nothing could ever compensate [for] this loss, although police managed to arrest the murderer soon after we opened an investigation, he said.

We can assure that the offender will be charged and tried fairly in the court of law in due course. It is our job to ensure that justice is rendered so that we will gain the publics confidence.

As a Thai, we, ourselves, will take this opportunity to welcome tourists to visit Thailand, and we will do our best to protect you, to provide public safety, and to be your first friend during your stay here in Phuket and all across the country of Thailand, Gen Suwat concluded.

Also present today was Jan Dirk Kaethner, Police Attache of the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangkok.

I would like to thank General-Commissioner Suwat and my colleagues of the Royal Thai Police for the huge effort they are putting in the investigation of this terrible murder case, Mr Kaethner said.

The victim, the family of the victim and all the people of Thailand deserve a professional and swift investigation of this crime. Im very confident that the hard work of the Royal Thai Police under the leadership of Gen Suwat will lead the investigation to success.

Gen Suwat brought his best team, his best officers, and I know from my experience this is a guarantee for success. I would also like to thank the government and authorities of Thailand for their big effort to make the beautiful Phuket safe again. Thank you very much, he added.

The B200,000 reward offered by local tourism businesses for catching Ms Sauvain-Weisskopfs killer was today received by the police officers who conducted the investigation. The officers also received bouquets of flowers in gratitude for their efforts.
This Little Love of Mine delivers a nice Aussie surprise

When you think of Australian cinema and films you think of cult classics. Over the past few years the Australian films that have made their way to Phuket have been horror films like Black Water: Abyss and Blood Relic. When you think of the great Australian film directors of the past decade you think of people such as George Miller (Mad Max), James Wan (Saw) and Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man). Even the great Quentin Tarantino is quick to admit that Australia has some of the finest cult film-makers in the world.

World-Entertainment

By David Griffiths

Sunday 8 August 2021, 12:30PM

What Australia hasnt become known for over the years are great romance films  in fact it is hard to name too many good ones  although that may change with director Christine Lubys (Dive Club) brand-new romantic feature This Little Love of Mine.

Written by Georgia Harrison (Rip Tide) and filmed in the Australian state of Queensland, This Little Love of Mine centres around an ambitious young lawyer named Laura (Saskia Hampele  A Few Less Men) whose chance of becoming a partner at the prestigious American law firm she works at hinges on her travelling back to the island paradise that she grew up on and convince her childhood friend Chip (Liam McIntyre  The Legend of Hercules) to agree to take over the business empire set up by his grandfather.

The catch is Chip is not interested in the position. He is more than happy working as a tour boat operator alongside another childhood friend of Lauras, Gem (Lynn Gilmartin  How Do You Know Chris?), and he has no interest at all in becoming a business owner despite the wealth that it would bring him.

Most people will predict the territory that This Little Love of Mine will head into from a very early point in the film  but the joy of this film lies in the journey that it takes to get there and of course the beautiful surroundings. Yes, while the films plot doesnt exactly say where the island is that Chip, Laura and Gem call home the film does almost serve as a tourism ad for Queensland and Australia.

Harrisons screenplay never tries to make this film anything that it isnt. Any hints of comedy that do shine through are natural and not overwritten and much of that comes to rest on Gem and another resort worker  Karavi (Lawrence Ola  Cloudy River). That works well not only because Ola quickly reveals that he has great comedic timing but because it allows the friendship/relationship between Laura and Chip to flow along nicely.

The plot of the film also allows for a decent exploration into whether wealth is more important than happiness. For much of this movie Laura spends her time trying to convince Chip what he could do with his newfound wealth while he tries to explain that he has happy and he tries to convince and show her that while she might be successful with her career she is far from happy  especially with her fiance Owen (Craig Horner  See No Evil). The moral that home is where the heart is often raises its head throughout the film as well.

Once again as a screenwriter Harrison never over-writes anything and instead puts incredible emotion into the film. The scenes between Laura and Chip have real heart to them as they explore their past friendship, but often Harrison also has the sense to infuse these scenes with suspense as well as the audience is left wondering whose dream is going to come true and whose is going to be left shattered.

Credit also has to be made to Liam McIntyre and Saskia Hampele who are amazing in their roles. Both seem to be able to mix drama and comedy well and it is easy to see that McIntyre could easily become a Hollywood leading man while Hampele is a star in the making as well.

With a postcard perfect setting and a storyline that is well and truly above what we normally expect to see in a romance film, This Little Love of Mine is an Australian film that deserves to be on the world stage. This is certainly one of the surprises of 2021.

This Little Love of Mine is available on Netflix in Phuket now.

4/5 Stars

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
RIDGEFIELD  New research from Heritage Consultants is raising new theories about how the Battle of Ridgefield was fought almost 245 years ago.

The Newington group is assembling a database to reconstruct the events through the Ridgefield Historical Societys American Battlefield Protection Program grant, administered by the National Park Service.

The battle is historically understood as a series of three encounters: Gen. David Woosters first engagement at Barlow Mountain Road, where a few hundred American troops overran the British rearguard; a second engagement near the intersection of Tackora Trail, where Wooster was wounded in action; and a third engagement at a barricade near Olcott Way, where patriots blocked the enemy for nearly an hour before retreating through town.

Researchers are now theorizing, however, that the fighting on that day occurred throughout the route the British blazed as they came through entered Ridgefield on April 27, 1777.

They think this is a much more expansive battlefield than we thought, said Sally Sanders, a volunteer for the historical society. Everybody in the historical society was really excited to understand more about it.

Heritages research indicates the fighting began almost as soon as the British entered Ridgefield and continued until nightfall. According to British accounts, random American gunshots were fired at their forces from behind stonewalls, trees and thickets, and from houses and outbuildings well before the first engagement.

Sanders said Heritage is looking for evidence the enemy set fire to those structures.

Theres some folklore about it, but proving it is another thing, she said. Thats why a dig would show if there is an old foundation we dont know about or burnt materials.

The society is soliciting landowners who will allow Heritage to search their properties for physical evidence proving this theory. The consultants hope to find bullets, buttons, cannonballs and other war artifacts.

Using a metal detector, operators will sweep an area and mark spots for further investigation. Those spots will be excavated to determine the exact location of a possible artifact. If one is found, the object will be bagged, the soil returned and the sod restored, leaving no trace of a dig, Sanders said.

Artifacts that appear to be from the Revolutionary War era will become the property of the National Park Service and stored in the societys climate-controlled vault. Any items that are not of that period will be returned to the landowner.

Areas of interest include a parcel of land between Wilton Road West and Soundview Road and parcels surrounding Main Street, North Salem Road and Ridgebury Road. Researchers are also trying to determine the latitudinal width of the battlefield route, which would include parcels located farther east or west of Main Street.

Sanders said the site surveys would take place next fall, but if the society qualifies for more grant funding, the detecting and digging could occur sooner.

There are still things to be found, she said. Thats why we want people to sign up and let us look at their property.

Interested landowners can email bor.grant@ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org or call 203-438-5821 for more information.

alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com
ORLANDO NODARSE, Cuba (AP)  Zuleydis Elledias has gotten up each morning for the past two months hoping for a phone call, a message  any news on the fate of her husband and nephew, who disappeared at sea after the boat they were in capsized as they tried to reach Florida.

Another half dozen families in the small town of Orlando Nodarse, 35 miles (55 kilometers) west of Havana and near the port of Mariel, are living with the same uncertainty.

Due to the pandemic my husband lost his job. Many places closed and he had been home for more than a year. Every time he went to his workplace, they told him to wait. And that made him desperate because we have a 2-year-old son, Elledias, a 38-year-old homemaker, told The Associated Press through tears.

Cuba is seeing a surge in unauthorized migration to the United States, fueled by an economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, increased U.S. sanctions and cutbacks in aid from its also-crisis-wracked Venezuelan ally. That has led to shortages in many goods and a series of protests that shook the island on July 11.

And legal ways to leave have been strained by the Trump administration's near-closure of the U.S. Consulate in 2017 following a series of mysterious illnesses among diplomatic personnel that some claimed could result from an attack  allegations Cuba bitterly denies.

Most Cubans who want to try for a U.S. visa now have to go to embassies in other countries  and getting there is almost impossible due to sharp cuts in air traffic during the pandemic. Most can't afford tickets anyway unless relatives abroad can front them the money.

That has pushed many Cubans to launch themselves into the sea on small boats or rafts to attempt the dangerous crossing of the Florida Straits to the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard said recently it has intercepted 595 Cubans at sea since the current fiscal year started on Oct. 1. That's larger than any any full fiscal year since 2017  during which the U.S. announced that even Cubans reaching U.S. shores were likely to be expelled, ending a longstanding policy of granting asylum to those who reached dry land.

It's still small in comparison with the nearly 5,400 halted at sea in 2016 or the dramatic crises of 1994-1995 and 1980, when Cuba's government temporarily stopped trying to block departures and tens of thousands set out en masse. Thousands died in the ocean.

It's also still far smaller than the current flow of those who have somehow made their way to the continent and worked their way north. The U.S. Border Patrol had recorded 26,196 Cubans trying to enter the U.S. without documents between Oct. 1 and June 30, most by land.

As well as her husband  45-year-old driver Fernando Quinones  Elledias is also awaiting word on her nephew, Ismel Reyes, 22, who worked on a farm.

They were among a group of 18 men and two women who left Cuba for Florida on May 25. The boat sank the following night and survivors were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard about 18 miles (29 kilometers) southwest of Key West. The search by sea, land and air lasted for days.

Something happened, I dont know, the currents, the boat flipped. The United States Coast Guard rescued eight people alive, found two bodies and there are 10 people missing, Elledias said.

Among the survivors were four cousins of Elledias, some of whom have already been repatriated to Cuba.

Elledias, her sister Sudenis  Reyes mother  and other Orlando Nodarse residents who spoke with the AP all agreed that the risky decision to head for the United States was triggered by the economic crisis and the difficulties in obtaining a visa.

Cuban historian Alina Barbara Lopez noted that two earlier mass exoduses by sea were spawned by crises and Cuban authorities opened the borders as a kind of release valve in the face of social pressure.

In 1980, with unhappy Cubans pouring into foreign embassy compounds seeking visas, Fidel Castro opened the port at Mariel for people who wanted to leave and 125,000 Cubans rushed north, setting off a political crisis for the government of U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The dire economic tailspin of the early 1990s following the collapse of Cuba's aid from the Soviet Union led tens of thousands to put to sea in innertubes, makeshift rafts and highjacked boats. Then too, many died.

But now Havana is trapped because it cannot open its borders due to migration agreements signed with the Washington in that wake of that crisis, she said.

Meanwhile, Cuba's economic reforms have only been superficial, Lopez said. The economy remains stagnant.

All this makes the underlying political foundation of this crisis much stronger than in the previous crises, she said.

Cuban authorities acknowledge there are symptoms of a possible migratory crisis but say it could be deactivated if President Joe Biden fulfills a campaign promise to jettison Trump's tighter sanctions, which were aimed at trying to drive the Communist Party from power, and resumes the dialogue launched by former U.S. President Barack Obama.

The situation we have now is the result of a number of negative factors, said Jesus Perz Calderon of the United States department at Cubas Foreign Ministry. In the first place, the deterioration of the economy as a result of COVID-19 ... but at the same time the resurgence of an economic war of blockade against Cuba by the United States.

Jose Ramon Cabanas, a former Cuban ambassador to the U.S. and current director of the Center for International Policy Research, said both nations have instruments in place to prevent an exodus to Florida,

There are agreements in force but they are not being fully applied, Cabanas said.

The United States had been providing 22,000 visas a year to Cuba for two decades until 2017, when Trump froze relations. The consulate shutdown made applying for a visa almost moot for most Cubans.

In addition, at the beginning of 2017, Obama eliminated the policy known as wet foot-dry foot" that let Cubans who reached U.S. shores remain, usually as refugees, while those caught at sea were sent back.

Back in Orlando Nodarse, Elledias hopes a miracle will bring home her loved ones.

"I would tell people who are thinking about this option (of crossing the Florida Straits) not to do it, that it is not a safe route. There is no money in the world that can pay for this suffering we are going through, she said.
EAST ALTON  The regions largest towboat docked for public tours in Alton on Saturday, and many of the hundreds of visitors who came aboard seemed at a loss to come up with adjectives to describe its size.

Four-year-old T.J. Nation had no such difficulty.

Its bigger than a dinosaur! said Nation, of East Alton. It is amazing! I love all of it!

The MV Mississippi stopped at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam to give the public a peek at the 241-feet long, 58-feet wide, 6,300-horsepower vessel that serves as a working towboat between Cairo, Illinois and New Orleans most of the time.

The vessel is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and several of Saturdays young visitors thought a Corps career working on such a boat would be desirable.

It sounds like a pretty fun job, said 12-year-old Brock Weller of Godfrey. Ive never been on a ship this big. I like the engines, I think they are pretty cool and I like how big they are.

Eleven-year-old Shawn Mundy of Brighton was similarly impressed.

The engines are big and interesting, Mundy said. Ive never seen anything this big.

The MV Mississippi hosts the Mississippi River Commissions annual low-water inspection trip and associated public hearing in Cape Girardeau. Its on-board conference room can accommodate up to 115 people and it features 21 staterooms and an 85-seat dining room.

Its part cruise liner, part towboat, said deck leader Dwight Cantela from Memphis, one of the crew members who welcomed the public. It has two missions, the one we are doing now, and once this is over we go into tow season.

The MV Mississippi exists primarily to move barges in support of bank stabilization work on the lower Mississippi River, according to Jeffrey Hopkins, the boats assistant master, who pilots the vessel and is in charge when the captain is not present.

About 90 percent of the time that we are underway, we are towing construction equipment for the Army Corps of Engineers, Hopkins said. We are typically towing 16 to 20 barges of loaded articulated concrete mattress that we use to secure the shoreline, the bends especially, on the lower Mississippi to prevent erosion of the levees.

Each barge carries around 1,100 tons, Hopkins said. A sinking unit based in Vicksburg connects the mat together and forms like a quilt and they lay it on the riverbank and sink it.

Despite is massive size and tremendous power, the vessel is a dream to drive.

Its actually like a Cadillac, it handles well, Hopkins said. It is very long, has a lot of horsepower, is slow to maneuver but it does handle well. Everything we ask it to do it performs well.
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
Robert Keith Rogers, age 60, of Corbin, KY passed away on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Hillcrest Health and Rehabilitation. Born in Corbin, he was the son of Buelah Baker Rogers and the late Melvin Rogers. In addition to his mother, he is survived by two children, Robert Rogers and wife Amand
When estate agency group Belvoir unveiled its 2019 figures on March 30, 2020, Britain had just entered into its first lockdown and chief executive Dorian Gonsalves said he thought Covid-19 would have a significant effect on trading for the rest of the year, so much so that the final dividend was axed.

In the event, Gonsalves  and Belvoir's shareholders  were pleasantly surprised. The company proved far more resilient than anyone had hoped.

Revenues and profits rose substantially, the dividend was reinstated and the company continued to expand organically and through acquisition.

Growth has continued at pace ever since. Last week, Gonsalves said first-half revenues were 41 per cent higher than in 2020 and 53 per cent ahead of 2019, driven by strong demand across every part of the business.

On the move: Soaring demand for new homes has boosted revenues for estate agency Belvoir

Belvoir differs from many peers because it operates a franchise model, with 243 franchisees effectively acting as small businesses, supported by Gonsalves and his team.

This makes the group nimbler and more entrepreneurial than many large property firms, a particular bonus during the ups and downs of the pandemic.

The company also derives around 90 per cent of its revenues from rentals, rather than sales.

Commercial property landlords have had a tough time during the pandemic, as tenants suffered from closures and lockdowns. But the residential rental market held its own.

Belvoir suffered from virtually no arrears last year and in the first half of this year, underlying rental revenues rose 10 per cent, with further strong growth expected through 2021 and beyond.

On the sales side, Belvoir has benefited from soaring demand for new homes, as people rush to find larger properties more in keeping with flexible working lifestyles.

Headquartered in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the company is well located too, with a strong presence in the Midlands and the North, where activity has been buoyant for both sales and rentals.

Belvoir derives around 90 per cent of its revenues from rentals, rather than sales

In recent years, Belvoir has moved into financial services as well, offering mortgage advice through 242 independent advisers. In June, this business was bolstered with the acquisition of Nottingham Building Society's mortgage advice division.

A small deal right now, this should drive future growth, as the building society has been building a name for itself in the Lifetime ISA space, with savers likely to turn to Belvoir's advisers when they want to use their cash to buy a home.

Brokers expect that group revenues for 2021 will climb by 25 per cent to 27million, with profits rising at a similar pace to 9.3million. Belvoir is a decent dividend payer too.

The dividend for 2020 was 7.2p and this year, 7.4p is forecast, although that may well increase if the group continues to exceed expectations.

Midas recommended Belvoir in 2016 when the shares were 1.21 and we looked at the business again just before the first lockdown, by which time, the price had risen to 1.78. It slumped to below 100p in March last year but has since soared to 3.

Brokers believe there is further to go and Gonsalves is certainly optimistic, actively seeking acquisitions and helping franchisees to expand as well.

Midas verdict: Belvoir shareholders have been well rewarded and may choose to reduce their holdings, now that the price has reached 3.00. But they should retain at least 50 per cent of their stock.

Belvoir is well positioned to benefit from continued demand for new homes, the financial services business should accelerate growth and the dividend offers a decent income too.

Traded on: AIM Ticker: BLV Contact: belvoirgroup.com or 0370 707 1762
American investor Ernesto Schmitt has joined the board of flower delivery business Freddie's Flowers as it accelerates growth plans.

Schmitt, a serial entrepreneur and former EMI executive, co-founded The Craftory investment firm three years ago with Italian businessman Elio Leoni Sceti, the former chief executive of EMI Music and frozen food brand Iglo.

The Craftory backs 'challenger brands' with annual revenues of more than $10million.

It invested $60million (43million) in London-based Freddie's Flowers last month and is now a minority shareholder.

Blooming: Freddie Garland has stepped down from the board to focus on the creative side of the flower box subscription business

Following the deal, founder Freddie Garland has stepped down from the board to focus on the creative side of the flower box subscription business.

He remains a majority shareholder alongside the firm's chief executive Ted Bell and Keith Abel, the founder of organic food delivery firm Abel & Cole.

The Craftory counts Pierre Lagrange, co-founder of hedge fund GLG Partners, among its directors. Freddie's Flowers, launched in 2014, has 130,000 customers in the UK, 25,000 in Germany and now plans to expand into other European markets.

Sales grew 60 per cent to 26.4million over the year to last August.

Last year, it raised 4.4million from its customers through a four-year 'Flower Bond', which repays investors in flowers or cash.
PEFKI, Greece (AP) - Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts.

The fire on Evia, an island of forested mountains and canyons laced with small coves of crystalline water, began Aug. 3 and cut across the popular summer destination from coast to coast as it burned out of control. Scores of homes and businesses have been destroyed and thousands of residents and tourists have fled, many escaping the flames via flotillas that even operated in the dark of night.

The blaze is the most severe of dozens that broke out in the wake of Greece's most protracted heat wave in three decades, which sent temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius (113 F) for days, creating bone-dry conditions.

"Its already too late, the area has been destroyed," Giannis Kontzias, mayor of the northern Evia municipality of Istiaia, lamented on Greeces Open TV. He was one of several local officials and residents who took to Greek TV networks to appeal for more firefighting help, particularly from water-dropping planes and helicopters.

Evacuation orders were issued Sunday for four villages in northern Evia, including Pefki, but many residents refused to leave, hoping to save their properties.

In dramatic scenes Sunday afternoon, fast-moving flames had encroached on the seaside village of Pefki, burning trees on the fringes and entering the houses yards. Panicked residents raced with water tanks, hoses and branches in a seemingly futile effort to extinguish the flames.

People try to extinguish the flames during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Late Sunday, firefighters managed to stop the fire before it advanced further into Pefki, on the islands northern coast. Pefki residents and tourists fled to the port of Aidipsos to take the ferry to the mainland port of Arkitsa, 150 kilometers northwest of Athens.

Acrid, choking smoke hung in the orange-grey air, turning the day into an apocalyptic twilight as people headed towards Pefki's pebble beach, dragging suitcases, clutching pets and helping elderly relatives.

The ferry, carrying panicked, exhausted evacuees who had boarded the vessel before the advance of the fire was halted, arrived at Arkitsa on Sunday evening. Passengers complained they had been left to fend for themselves as the fire approched.

"We were completely forsaken. There were no fire brigades, there were no vehicles, nothing!" David Angelou told The Associated Press, adding that the villagers' hoses were inadequate to stop the fire.

Angelou described the frightening hours before the evacuation.

You could feel the enormous heat, there was also a lot of smoke. You could see the sun, a red ball, and then, nothing else around," he said.

Angelou's complaint was echoed by others, who decried government efforts, citing what they saw as a lack of firefighting forces or planes or delays in their arrival.

"There was ash and smoke everywhere," said Christina Tsatou, who had been in the seaside village of Agios Georgios. "It is very sad that they did not send help in the first days and they left the island burning. It was unfair and many people have lost their property, their livelihoods."

In the picturesque mountain village of Gouves, towering flames leaped from the treetops, devouring the pine forest leading to the village. Some residents remained, dousing homes with water from garden hoses in a last-ditch effort to save them. Others used bulldozers to raze trees and bushes, hoping to create rudimentary firebreaks.

Civil Protection chief Nikos Hardalias said the Evia fire was burning on two fronts, one to the north and one to the south. He said the conditions there were particularly tough for the water-dropping planes and helicopters, whose pilots faced "great danger" with limited visibility and air turbulence.

"We have before us...one more difficult night," Hardalias said. "All the forces that have been fighting a difficult battle all these days will continue operating with unabated intensity, with the same self-sacrifice."

The wildfires have stretched Greece's firefighting capabilities to the limit, and the government has appealed for help from abroad. More than 20 countries in Europe and the Mideast have responded, sending planes, helicopters, vehicles and manpower.

The fire department said Sunday 575 firefighters, 35 ground teams and 89 vehicles were battling the Evia wildfire, including 112 Romanian and 100 Ukrainian firefighters. Four helicopters and three planes provided air support.

Three more major fires were also burning Sunday in Greece's southern Peloponnese region, while another broke out Sunday afternoon on the southern island of Crete.

Another massive fire that ravaged forests, homes and businesses on the northern fringes of the Greek capital appeared to be on the wane. That blaze burnt through large tracts of a national park on Mount Parnitha, the largest forested area remaining near Athens.

Firefighters were worried that the Mount Parnitha fire would rekindle, so they and the military had been patroling all night, Hardalias said.

On Friday, a volunteer firefighter died after suffering head injuries from a falling electric pole north of Athens, while at least 20 people have been treated for fire-related injuries, including two firefighters hospitalized in intensive care.

The causes of the fires are under investigation. At least eight people have been arrested around Greece.

Greek and European officials have also blamed climate change for the large number of fires in southern Europe this summer, from Italy to the Balkans, Greece and Turkey.

Massive fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for weeks, forcing the evacuation Saturday of a dozen villages. In all, wildfires have burned nearly 15 million acres this year in Russia.

In the U.S., hot, dry, gusty weather has also fueled devastating wildfires in California.

____

Becatoros reported from Argostoli, Greece. Iliana Mier-Lavin contributed to this report from Arkitsa, Greece and Demetris Nellas from Athens.

___

Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-change

Flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People use a ferry to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

An aircraft operates over a wildfire in Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash have blocked out the sun, turning the sky orange as a massive forest fire burning for five days devours pristine forests on Greece's second largest island of Evia, triggering yet more evacuation alerts as residents appealed for greater firefighting help. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a forest during a wildfire in Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are still battling massive wildfires that have destroyed tracts of forest and prompted emergency evacuations from a popular vacation island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a forest during a wildfire in Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are still battling massive wildfires that have destroyed tracts of forest and prompted emergency evacuations from a popular vacation island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a forest during a wildfire near Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are still battling massive wildfires that have destroyed tracts of forest and prompted emergency evacuations from a popular vacation island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are still battling massive wildfires that have destroyed tracts of forest and prompted emergency evacuations from a popular vacation island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A view of a burned swing in the backyard of a house, in Kryoneri, in northern Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece are still battling massive wildfires that have destroyed tracts of forest and prompted emergency evacuations from a popular vacation island. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

People use a ferry to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A man sits next to a ferry which used to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames approaching at Gouves village on the island of Evia, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People use a ferry to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Fire burns trees near a beach at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Fire burns trees near a beach at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Smoke from wildfire spreads over the statue of Poseidon, ancient Greek God of the sea, at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People use a ferry to evacuate from Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Smoke spreads over the sea at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a house at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a house during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People disembark from a vessel after arriving from nearby beach to Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island and turned the sky orange as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and triggered more evacuation alerts Sunday, while residents appealed for additional firefighting help. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People try to extinguish the flames during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Flames burn a house at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A firefighter operates in Asmini village on Evia island, about 193 kilometers (120 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Firefighters operate in Asmini village on Evia island, about 193 kilometers (120 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

A firefighter operates in Asmini village on Evia island, about 193 kilometers (120 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Firefighters operate in Asmini village on Evia island, about 193 kilometers (120 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash turned the sky orange and blocked out the sun above Greece's second-largest island Sunday as a days-old wildfire devoured pristine forests and encroached on villages, triggering more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

People gather on the beach during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours more pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People with their pets gather on the beach during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours more pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People gather on the beach as a ferry is docked for the evacuation during a wildfire at Pefki village on Evia island, about 189 kilometers (118 miles) north of Athens, Greece, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. Pillars of billowing smoke and ash are blocking out the sun above Greece's second-largest island as a days-old wildfire devours more pristine forests and triggers more evacuation alerts. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls usually teems with tourists who come to marvel at the roaring Zambezi River as it tumbles down more than 350 feet (108 meters) to the gorge below, sending up a mist that is visible from miles away.

"The Smoke That Thunders" - the English translation of what the waterfall is called in the Sotho language - is still mighty, but the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced visitors to a trickle. Ordinarily, Victoria Falls attracts 350,000 tourists a year, but their numbers have dropped to almost none as a result of travel restrictions.

Hotel occupancy rates fell into the single digits during 2020 and the first half of 2021, and some hotels were forced to close, according to the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe.

To promote Victoria Falls as a safe destination, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has made vaccines available to all 35,000 residents of the town that shares a name with the waterfall. An estimated 60% of the people there have been vaccinated with either the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, both from China.

Although tourists have not returned in large numbers, Victoria Falls mostly has been spared the current wave of COVID-19 that has swept across the rest of Zimbabwe and southern Africa, which health officials attribute to the town's relatively high level of vaccinations.

Nationwide, over 1.8 million people, slightly more than 12% of Zimbabwes population, have received a first dose, while more than 900,000 people are fully vaccinated with two doses.

Tourists wear face masks at the entrance of the Victoria Falls in Victoria Falls in this Friday, Aug, 6, 2021 photo. To promote Victoria Falls as a safe tourist destination, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has made vaccinations available to all 35,000 residents of the town, and an estimated 60% of the people in Victoria Falls have now been vaccinated with either the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, both from China. (AP Photo/Tichaona Muketiwa)

On the strength of the vaccination rate in Victoria Falls, the government last week reopened two land borders that link the town to the neighboring countries of Zambia, Namibia and Botswana. Travelers with proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test will be permitted entry.

Victoria Falls was where Zimbabwe recorded its first COVID-19 case in March 2020, likely because of its high number of international visitors. A year later, at a time where only medical workers and other essential workers were eligible for vaccines, shots were made available for all of the town's residents age 18 and older.

All adult Zimbabweans are now eligible, but because of widespread supply shortages, the lines for jabs are long and many people are disappointed.

Restaurants in Victoria Falls are allowed to serve sit-in customers - something that is forbidden in the rest of Zimbabwe, which still has tight restrictions as a result of the current surge driven by the delta variant of the coronavirus. Close to 90% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in the current surge are of unvaccinated people, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Health.

Although planeloads of tourists have not yet returned, the reopening of Victoria Falls was a relief for a town that survives on tourism, Anald Musonza, the regional chairman of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, told The Associated Press.

"We had been waiting for this for a long time," Musonza said. "This will help us retain some jobs that were lost due to the pandemic."

Tourism, together with mining and agriculture, is a key anchor of Zimbabwes fragile economy.

Mass vaccinations could help open up tourist destinations countrywide, said Tinashe Farawo, a spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. The loss of tourism revenue has hurt the authority's ability to operate.

"Victoria Falls is testimony of what vaccines can do," he said. "Its good for us. Its good for wildlife because now we can raise money to deploy our rangers and fund other critical operations."

FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2007 file photo, people watch the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls usually teems with tourists who come to marvel at the roaring Zambezi River as it tumbles to the gorge below and sends up a mist that is visible from miles away. The waterfall is still mighty, but the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced visitors to a trickle. To promote Victoria Falls as a safe destination, the Zimbabwean government made vaccines available to all 35,000 residents of the town that shares a name with the waterfall. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)

Tourists arrive at the entrance of the Victoria Falls in Victoria Falls in this Friday, Aug, 6, 2021 photo. To promote Victoria Falls as a safe destination, President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has made vaccinations available to all 35,000 residents of the town, and an estimated 60% of the people in Victoria Falls have now been vaccinated with either the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines, both from China. (AP Photo/Tichaona Muketiwa)
HARARE, Aug 8 (Reuters) - The United Nations has condemned the practise of child marriage in Zimbabwe following the death of a 14-year-old girl after she gave birth at a church shrine, an incident that caused outrage among citizens and rights activists.

The case has brought to the fore the practice of child marriage within Zimbabwe's apostolic churches, which also allow polygamy.

The government has traditionally turned a blind eye to the practice of child marriage. Zimbabwe has two sets of marriage laws, the Marriage Act and Customary Marriages Act. Neither law gives a minimum age for marriage consent, while the customary law allows polygamy.

A new marriages bill that is before parliament for debate seeks to synchronise the laws, ban marriage of anyone below 18 years and prosecute anyone involved in the marriage of a minor.

The U.N. in Zimbabwe said in a statement that it "notes with deep concern and condemns strongly" the circumstances leading to the death of Memory Machaya, the 14-year-old girl from rural Marange in the east of the country.

"Sadly, disturbing reports of the sexual violation of under-age girls, including forced child marriages continue to surface and indeed this is another sad case," the U.N. said in its statement, dated Aug. 7.

One in three girls in Zimbabwe was likely to be married before turning 18 years, said the U.N., whose office in Zimbabwe groups all 25 U.N. agencies operating in the country.

Police and the country's state gender commission said they were investigating the circumstances that led to the girl's death and burial.

Local media have reported that the girl died last month but the case came to light only last week after angry relatives, who were barred by the church's security from attending her burial, told their story to the state-owned press.

Reuters could not reach Johanne Marange church for comment.

The apostolic churches, which shun hospitals, attract millions of followers with their promises to heal illnesses and deliver people from poverty.

Zimbabweans took to social media to express their outrage.

"What you see today, i.e. a young girl forced to marry, get pregnant, & dies, is not an aberration! It is part of the same continuum. Female persons are not seen as fully human, with individual rights, choice, rights to control our own bodies," Everjoice Win, a feminist and rights activist, wrote on Twitter. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe Editing by Frances Kerry)


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EAST GREENBUSH  Back in 2016 when it was launched, AlbanyCanCode had aspirations to turn people in the Capital Region into software programmers  especially those who were out of work or had a hidden talent for coding and just had never found their professional calling.

After just five years, and one pandemic, AlbanyCanCode has become such a successful model - including outside the region to places downstate and even out of the state  that it had to change its name.

No longer constrained by geography, AlbanyCanCode is now known as CanCode Communities, more of an umbrella organization for various programs launched both upstate and down in New York City - as well as in the Berkshires.

There is even a coding training program for immigrants run in partnership with the state Office of New Americans.

Early on when the program was just starting, the people who got AlbanyCanCode off the ground quickly realized they were on to something special.

The program first started as a way to help local software and other companies fill an urgent need for software programmers, jobs that have historically been tough to fill in places like upstate New York where there is a shortage of trained coders.

The people that AlbanyCanCode targeted to become its first students, most of whom are eligible for tuition grants through the state due to their economic or job status, were almost immediately successful in getting new jobs that paid really well after taking one of AlbanyCanCode's 12-week software courses, ranging from web page development to data analytics to app security testing.

Graduates of the program's software programming classes were able to get jobs that paid them nearly $20,000 more a year than they had earned through their previous jobs.

And they were getting jobs with well-known companies such as Accenture, Goldman Sachs, and MVP Healthcare, as well as with the state's technology office.

Over the past five years, AlbanyCanCode has had 300 graduates. That may not sound like much - but every oak starts out as an acorn, and AlbanyCanCode - now CanCode Communities - is on its way to making that transformation, says founder Annmarie Lanesey, who also runs an East Greenbush software company called Greane Tree Technology Group.

Lanesey says the name change to CanCode Communities reflects the "growing impact" of the organization, which has launched new programs in Kingtson, Herkimer, New York City, Saratoga County and the Berkshires.

And that doesn't include its original programs that were held in Albany and Schenectady and the New Americans program. All these programs have partner organizations, mostly non-profits and educational organizations, that help keep them sustainable on their own.

Were thrilled to extend our mission of empowering underserved and underemployed individuals with digital skills, creating new opportunities for exciting tech careers, filling the tech talent pipeline to meet the needs of employers, and enriching communities through partnership and collaboration," Lanesey said about the name change as well as the launch of a new web site.

Due to the pandemic, CanCode Communities has been holding its classes virtually. For instance, AlbanyCanCode and KingstonCanCode, which are now consider "subsidiaries" of CanCode Communities, are holding 12 weeks of night classes starting the week of Sept. 27, all done virtually.

A huge driver of CanCode Community's growth has come from Facebook, which gave $50,000 to AlbanyCanCode in January 2020 to scale up and create new programs.

Within a few months of Facebook's financial commitment, Lanesey launched KingstonCanCode and the New Americans program with the state was finalized that November. This year the other expansions to New York City, the Berkshires and other parts of upstate followed.

Lisa Harris, who oversees economic development on the state and local level for Facebook, said the social media company has a vested interest in developing a more diverse programmer workforce.

She said that CanCode Communities has been very successful in finding and training people who otherwise would never even dream of working in the technology sector.

"CanCode Communities is expanding opportunity by ensuring the technology sector has a more diverse and talent-fueled workforce," Harris said.

And Facebook isn't the only one to help. Saratoga National Bank also provided $10,000 to pay for CanCode Community's rebranding.

The expansion of this program aligns directly with our philanthropic efforts and will help provide economic stimulus to the communities we serve," said Kate Otis, the bank's community development officer.

Each CanCode organization has community and funding partners. For example, HerkimerCanCode's funding partner is the Community Foundation for Herkimer and Oneida Counties as it works to develop its own programing with Herkimer College and local companies.

Our partnership with CanCode Communities is the first step to what will transform the talent and employment opportunities available in our area," said Alicia Dicks, CEO of the Community Foundation for Herkimer and Oneida Counties. "This whole concept gives us the ability to build relationships and connect with these local businesses, while also making careers in the technology sector attainable for all.
TROY  "Star Trek" and the Paulist Fathers have a shared resonance for the Rev. Larry Rice that pours out with his laugh, through his smile and insights about becoming not only the Roman Catholic chaplain at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute but the chaplain for the entire campus community.

I speak the language here. By inclination Im very much interested in science and engineering and the popular culture that generally appeals to people of that mindset, the 60-year-old Rice said, sitting in his living room on Tom Phelan Place on campus.

Rice comes from a family immersed in the sciences and engineering and was headed that way himself. He was majoring in computer science at Penn State when he decided he was called to a different path and would go to seminary after graduation. He went to change his major.

Rice told an academic adviser that he needed a degree that would help him at seminary. The adviser pulled out a file.

It was a shock. At a big state university, they had a pre-seminary degree, he said.

But he never really separated from the sciences. Its a bonus that he sees helping him in his ministry not only to the estimated one-third of the nearly 8,000 students who are Roman Catholic but to the rest of the students, faculty and staff on campus.

I am also a huge 'Star Trek' fan, said Rice, a White Plains native, who admits to attending conventions, having favorite characters  Picard is my favorite captain. The Doctor is my favorite doctor. Scotty is my favorite engineer. And, he finds himself in an analogous place to the 'Star Trek' world.

Here I am part of a hierarchical organization with a recognizable uniform, a shared mission. I thought about it for a second. Ive joined Star Fleet, Rice said with a broad smile and a loud laugh.

Part of the reason Ive really been attracted to 'Star Trek' is it has an essentially optimistic view of the future. 'Star Trek' has always had a message that were going to get through this. Were going to do this together. The future is worth fighting for. Our diversity is our strength, RPIs new chaplain said.

Rice is the first chaplain in two years at RPI. Plans called for him to become the chaplain at Columbia University but the pandemic upended that just as it constrained his sabbatical plans after moving on from his Catholic chaplaincy at the University of Texas at Austin. Before Texas, he was the Catholic chaplain at Ohio State University.

While the Paulist Fathers  their official name is The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle  have a mission as university chaplains, all of their work is considered to be as missionaries. Rice has an expertise in communications, including contributing and hosting radio programs such as Busted Halo on the Catholic Channel on SiriusXM. Hes also done communications promoting the Paulists work through television, multimedia and the internet.

Rice also served four years at the Paulists first consultor, the chief advisor to the orders elected president. The Paulists only number about 100 priests, which means they all know each other, Rice said. Hes familiar with the Capital Region through a prior tour as director of St. Marys of the Lake in Lake George. Now, hes learning about Troy--the Troy Farmers Waterfront Market is a favorite stop to purchase food to cook.

While his Trekkie interests have been promoted on RPI social media for students, Rice is looking forward to the arrival of the freshman class and the return of students for the fall semester. Hes also rebuilding the RPI chaplains office, which now has a rabbi and an imam as assistant chaplains with the hunt on to find a Protestant minister to join the office.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could face misdemeanor charges if investigators substantiate a criminal complaint accusing the governor of groping an aide last year, the Albany County sheriff said Saturday.

Sheriff Craig Apple promised a very comprehensive investigation in partnership the Albany County district attorney's office but said it would be premature to commit to a timeline or say whether Cuomo himself will be questioned.

We have a lot of fact-finding to do. We have a lot of interviews to do," Apple told reporters. "I'm not going to rush it because of who he is. And I'm not going to delay it because of who he is.

The complaint, filed this week, is the first known instance where a woman has made an official report with a law enforcement agency over alleged misconduct by the Democratic governor. The executive assistant has sat down for an interview set to be televised Monday.

The aide says Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her when they were alone in a room at the Executive Mansion last year. The woman also told investigators with the attorney generals office that Cuomo once rubbed her rear end while they were posing together for a photo.

Cuomos lawyer, Rita Glavin, has said the allegation was fabricated.

He is 63 years old. He has spent 40 years in public life, and for him to all of the sudden be accused of a sexual assault of an executive assistant that he really doesnt know doesnt pass muster, Glavin said.

Apple declined to release the complaint Saturday but described the allegation as sexual in nature. He said his office has a proven record of helping victims, adding that he does not fear retaliation for moving forward with such a high-profile investigation.

I'm the county sheriff. I'm not going to be intimidated. I'm not going to be coerced, he said. That would not play out well for anybody.

Cuomo has faced renewed calls to step down after an independent investigation overseen by the state attorney generals office concluded he sexually harassed 11 women and worked to retaliate against one of his accusers.

The attorney generals report describes a series of times Cuomo allegedly acted inappropriately with the aide described as Executive Assistant #1, culminating with the groping encounter at the mansion in November 2020.

According to the woman, Cuomo pulled her in for a hug as she prepared to leave the governors office at the mansion. Told that youre going to get us in trouble, Cuomo replied, I dont care, and slammed the door shut. He slid his hand up her blouse, and grabbed her breast over her bra, according to her account.

I have to tell you, it was  at the moment, I was in such shock that I could just tell you that I just remember looking down seeing his hand, seeing the top of my bra, she told investigators.

She said she pulled away from Cuomo, telling him, Youre crazy.

Investigators said the aide didnt remember the exact date, but provided a photograph dated Nov. 16, 2020, that she said was close to the day of the incident.

The woman's lawyer, Brian Premo, told The Associated Press that she testified she wasn't groped the same day she took the photo.

Apple said he's requested investigative materials from the attorney general's office and spoken with Albany County District Attorney David Soares and his office. He said he hopes to meet with Soares in coming days and receive the materials in the upcoming week.

The sheriff said he will likely have the aide come in for a series of interviews at some point but also stressed he did not want to revictimize these victims and have them tell their story over and over again."

I think we've all read the attorney general's report, he said. At this point, I'm very comfortable and safe saying she is, in fact, a victim.

Cuomo has adamantly denied touching the woman's breasts, saying, I would have to lose my mind to do such a thing.

Rita Glavin, Cuomo's lawyer, said on CNN Saturday evening that she would like to see the criminal complaint and said of the sheriff: He hasn't done any investigation and he's drawn a conclusion.

It was not clear Saturday why the county sheriffs office was leading the investigation and not Albany city police. But Apple said the complaint occurred in the city of Albany, and that the city and state Capitol buildings are both in Albany County.

Im the sheriff of this county and I have jurisdiction, he said.

The sheriff said his office will decide whether to file criminal charges against Cuomo but said he hopes to reach agreement on that decision with the district attorney first.

The state Assemblys judiciary committee plans to meet Monday to discuss the possibility of impeachment proceedings against Cuomo. Nearly two-thirds of the legislative body's members have already said they favor an impeachment trial if he wont resign.

District attorneys in Oswego, Manhattan, suburban Westchester and Nassau counties, and the state capital of Albany have said they asked for investigative materials from the attorney generals inquiry to see if any of the allegations could result in criminal charges.

Oswego County DA Gregory Oakes said he spoke Friday with a lawyer for Virginia Limmiatis, a woman who told the attorney generals investigators that Cuomo touched her inappropriately during an event in the county in 2017.

Oakes said by phone Saturday that his investigation is in very preliminary stages, and he hopes to speak with Limmiatis, if shes willing. I want to proceed in a way thats respectful of her and her wishes, he said.

An attorney for Limmiatis didn't immediately respond to request for comment.

___

AP writer Jennifer Peltz contributed reporting from New York.
ARGYLE - Two people died in a helicopter crash in the Washington County town of Argyle, according to multiple media reports.

The small helicopter crashed in the woods near some rural roads in the town, Samuel J. Hall, the county's Board of Supervisors chairman, confirmed Saturday night.

Hall said the State Police were handling the investigation and he did not have further details. State Police on Sunday said they expected to release additional details later in the afternoon.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed they were investigating the crash but referred specific questions about the victims to local authorities.

"It is extremely early in the investigation and one of the investigators priorities will be to begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft," said Keith Holloway, an agency spokesman.

Part of the investigation will be to request radar data, weather information, air traffic control communication, airplane maintenance records and the pilots medical records, he said.

At this early stage of an investigation, NTSB does not state a cause but will only provide factual information "when available," Holloway said.

A preliminary report will likely be available and posted to the NTSBs website with in "about" 12 business days, Holloway said. Yet it can take between 12 and 24 months before a probable cause and final report is issued.
Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
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[August 08, 2021] After a Year Like No Other, Tennessee Virtual Academy is Ready to Help Students Succeed in the New School Year

Tennessee Virtual Academy (TNVA), a full-time online public school which is a program of Union County, TN Board of Education, is ready to kick off the new school year and give students throughout the state a consistent education option designed to help them reach their full potential. TNVA students and teachers will open their laptops to start the 2021-2022 school year tomorrow, August 9. For most families, the new school year comes with cautious optimism. Many families realized during the pandemic that attending school online is a safe alternative that allows them to focus on their child's future. According to a recent survey by Stride, Inc., 91 percent of parents agree that it's important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning.<> And almost two-thirds of parents would consider full-time online public school after their 2020 pandemic-driven virtual education experience.



Staffed by state-licensed teachers, TNVA offers a personalized approach to learning, delivering engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek individualized pathways to education. Despite wide-spread evidence of a "COVID slide" of learning loss for students in the U.S. during the pandemic, Stride K12-powered schools like TNVA reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. "Students choose online learning for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the flexibility to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs while maintaining a focus on academics," Said TNVA Head of School Dr. Tonya Vandergriff Childress. "TNVA's online platform allows students to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style."

To learn more about TNVA and how to enroll, visit TNVA.k12.com or download the Stride K12 mobile app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices - where families can enroll, prepare for the first day of school, and monitor students' academic progress throughout the school year. About Tennessee Virtual Academy Tennessee Virtual Academy is a full-time tuition-free public school that gives parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN). For more information about TNVA, visit TNVA.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210808005003/en/

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[August 08, 2021] GM Informatics Introduce $GMCoin to turn Decentralized Business Model into Reality

Bodrum, Turkey, Aug. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Decentralization is basically a business model which involves transferring of decision-making power and functions from a single central authority to operating units at different levels within an organization. Factors such as globalization and the volatile macro-economic situation have driven more small and big businesses to adopt that flexible and agile type of governance.

Why Should You Move to a Decentralized Business Model? According to a recent Deloitte survey, 75% of the respondents who were surveyed stated that they were moving to a more decentralized business structure. More than half of the participants in that survey predict that they will rather shift to a more decentralized business model in terms of decision-making and management. Data management

When it comes to data management, generally databases are divided in three types: Centralized data suggests that all data is stored on a single computer. In order to get the required information, you will have to connect to the main computer that is the server. Decentralized data is not operated by a single central storage. A few servers that are connected will communicate with each other to provide the requested data. Distributed data does not work with decentralized data silos. All of the nodes (computers) in the network contain information and all users are equal, having equal rights. GMCoin: Decentralizing Businesses in a better way GMCoin is the first company to establish a token model developed on the TRON network (TRC10) this vast and practical. It is based on the ITIL and COBIT ITSM principles already designed and ready for its customer launch on the alpha stage GMCoin allows you to Raise funds

Send/Receive Payment

Pay compensations/salaries to employees

Exploring synergies with other GMCoin unables companies Benefits of GMCoin decentralized models for the society Trust With decentralized governance, stakeholders do not have to put their trust in a single authority. Today, we trust corporate and governmental organizations with our most sensitive and personal information and most of the time it seems to be fine. Nevertheless, there have been plenty of recent examples where our trust has been violated. Vendors and digital platforms shut down, startups are bought or go out of business, social media are selling your data and advertisers follow you around the Internet. On the flip side, in a well structured decentralized network, you will be able to significantly reduce or even eliminate the need of entrusting and completely relying on third parties to protect your data. Reliability and Sustainability With the rise of digital money and crypto currencies, decentralization seems to be viable for better management of our finances. In decentralized networks, if a node goes down, it will not take down the entire network. Ultimately, regardless of how many users come and go, applications remain up and running. If a node goes offline, it generally passes their workload to the other nodes in the network. Censorship It has become common that governments shut down citizens access to social media in an attempt to censor reports of what is happening in the country. However, it is far more difficult for them to censor traffic on a peer-to-peer network. Open systems and erified owners



Everyone can build amazing products and services on top of decentralized networks. Contrary, centralized technology is often closed off and with limited development opportunities. Decentralized networks also allow for ownership adjustment. People who contribute value to the GMCoin decentralized ecosystem receive ownership rights or an economic stake that increases in value as the network grows. Under the conditions where centralized governance rules, only the company controlling the network receives value as the network grows.

Is it worth buying GMCoin? One of GMCoin's most important benefits is that it is built on the Tron Blockchain and reduces users' risk of volatility. This is because the development team creates its own safe and efficient environment and has a strong team of investors and advisors. Its Project Leader Mehmet Ali Demirci is also the CEO of GM Informatics JSC, the Highest Grade Joint Stock Company is 2009 registered and well known in Turkey since then. GM Informatics JSC maintains 2500+ ITs and is an ISO / IEC 27001 accredited company. Inshort, GMCoin is supported by a real company and will be adopted by actual businesses and their core ecosystem. What else you need to know before buying any coin, well this is a subject to your own research and investment style. One needs to perform their own research and checks before investing any amount of money. Though cryptocurrencies are risky investment tools, so GMCoin as it is not a security token in anyways. GMCoin Tokenomics: Symbol: GMCoin

Total Supply: 80,000,000 GMCoin

Network:Tron (TRC10)

Development Team Token: 8,000,000 GMCoin

Marketing Activities and Adoption: 6.000.000 GMCoin

Internal Sales Distribution: 4,000,000 GMCoin

Treasury Reserve: 8,000,000 GMCoin

Sales: 54,000,000 GMCoin How to Participate in GMCoin Private Sales? There are four ways to buy GMCoin and participate in Private and Public Sales Launchpad

Retail Sales (SWAP)

Private Sale (Bridge)

Last Catch Sale (Teleportation) Each of them have minimum and maximum buying limitations along with KYC (required in some cases). Participation restricted for the countries; Afghanistan, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Syria and Tajikistan. Through the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Guinea, Lebanon, Mali, Namibia,Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, Yemen and the United States residents must check their local laws and regulations prior to buying. More details can be found in the investors presentation of GMCoin . Token Sales is starting from 9th August 2021, for more information you can join our telegram channel or log on to the official website. Important links: Social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coingmc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coin_gm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gmcoin/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/coingm Docs & Web Official Website: https://gmc.gm-informatics.com/

Whitepaper: https://gmc.gm-informatics.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/gmcoin-1.pdf

Pitch Deck (Investors Deck): https://gmc.gm-informatics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GMCoin_Investor_Document_v1.pptx

Knowledge Base: https://gmc.gm-informatics.com/ultimatedesk/

One-pager: https://gmc.gm-informatics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GMCoin-One-Pager.pdf Media Contact: Company: GM Informatics Joint Stock Company

Email: apoorvgupta@gm-informatics.com The Post GM Informatics Introduce $GMCoin to turn Decentralized Business Model into Reality appeared first on Zex PR Wire.



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[August 08, 2021] As the New School Year Approaches, Hoosier Academy at Indianapolis and Insight School of Indiana Are Ready to Help Students Succeed

Hoosier Academy at Indianapolis (Hoosier) and Insight School of Indiana (ISIN), two full-time, online public schools serving students throughout the state, are ready to kick off the new school year and give students a consistent education option designed to help them reach their full potential. Hoosier and ISIN students and teachers will open their laptops to start the 2021-2022 school year tomorrow, August 9. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210808005002/en/ For most parents, the new school year comes with cautious optimism. Many families realized during the pandemic that attending school online is a safe alternative that allows them to focus on their child's future. According to a recent survey by Stride, Inc., 91 percent of parents agree that it's important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning. And almost two-thirds of parents would consider full-time online public school after their 2020 pademic-driven virtual education experience.



Accredited by IDOE, and staffed by state-licensed teachers, Hoosier and ISIN both offer a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. Despite wide-spread evidence of a "COVID slide" of learning loss for students in the U.S. during the pandemic, Stride K12-powered schools like Hoosier and ISIN have reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. And in some cases, students enrolled in Stride K12-powered schools experienced learning gains. "Last year was unique, and sometimes rough on parents and students. But it's time to get Indiana's students back on track," said Tina Walker, head of school for both Hoosier and ISIN. "We are ready and excited to provide students with a consistent education option that helps them succeed."

Students choose online learning for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment, and the flexibility to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs while maintaining a focus on academics. Both Hoosier and ISIN's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style. Hoosier and ISIN are still accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more and how to enroll, visit Hoosier and ISIN, or download the Stride K12 mobile app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices - where families can enroll, prepare for the first day of school, and monitor students' academic progress throughout the school year. About Hoosier Academy at Indianapolis Hoosier Academy, a tuition-free, public charter school authorized by Ball State University, offers a blend of online learning and face-to-face instruction through Hoosier Academies Indianapolis, a K-12 blended learning school. With Hoosier Academies, families have the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about Hoosier Academy, visit ha.k12.com. About Insight School of Indiana Insight School of Indiana (ISIN) is a tuition-free, public charter school authorized by Ball State University that serves students in grades 7-12. As part of the Indiana public school system, ISIN is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about ISIN, visit: in.insightschools.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210808005002/en/

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[August 08, 2021] Amid the Uncertainty, Iowa Virtual Academy is Ready to Help Students Succeed in the New School Year

Iowa Virtual Academy (IAVA), a full-time, tuition-free public school program of the Clayton Ridge Community School District, is ready to kick off the new school year and give students throughout the state a consistent education option designed to help them reach their full potential. IAVA students and teachers will open their laptops to start the 2021-2022 school year Monday, August 23, 2021. For most families, the new school year comes with cautious optimism. Many families realized during the pandemic that attending school online is a safe alternative that allows them to focus on their child's future. According to a recent survey by Stride, Inc., 91 percent of parents agree that it's important for their children to have multiple school options, including full-time online or a hybrid model that blends online and in-person learning. And almost two-thirds of parents would consider full-time online public school after their 2020 pandemic-driven virtual education experience. "Although last year proved very challenging amid the pandemic, our studens and staff were able to power through and perform business as usual" said IAVA Head of School Steve Hoff. "I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish last year, and I'm confident we can reach even greater heights this school year!"



Authorized by the Clayton Ridge Community School District, and staffed by Iowa-certified teachers, IAVA offers a personalized approach to learning, delivering rich, engaging curriculum designed to assist students who seek alternative pathways to education. Despite wide-spread evidence of a "COVID slide" of learning loss for students in the U.S. during the pandemic, Stride K12-powered schools like IAVA reported lower learning loss rates than those reported in national studies. And in some cases, students enrolled in Stride K12-powered schools experienced learning gains. Students choose online learning for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, a bullying-free environment and the flexibility to support extracurricular pursuits or medical needs while maintaining a focus on academics. IAVA's online platform gives students the opportunity to pursue their academic goals in a supportive environment and at an appropriate pace for their learning style.

Iowa Virtual Academy is still accepting enrollments for the 2021-2022 school year. To learn more about IAVA and how to enroll, visit iava.k12.com or download the Stride K12 mobile app for iOS and Android (News - Alert) devices - where families can enroll, prepare for the first day of school and monitor students' academic progress throughout the school year. About Iowa Virtual Academy Iowa Virtual Academy (IAVA) is an online public-school program of the Clayton Ridge Community School District, serving students across the state of Iowa. IAVA is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of proprietary K-12 curriculum and online education programs. For more information about IAVA, visit iava.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210808005001/en/

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[August 08, 2021] Omantel Partners with Elevatus to Assess Generation Z Talent with AI-Powered Video Assessments

LONDON, Aug. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Omantel is the first company in Oman to strategically partner with Elevatus, to leverage and utilize its video assessment solution that is powered by AI. With over 2,400 employees, the highly acclaimed and leading telecommunication company used the innovative AI technology to assess a mass number of applicants for an internship program. Elevatus is a renowned AI solution provider, that is helping businesses worldwide boost their success and improve the quality of their decisions with cutting edge and advanced technology. Elevatus provides groundbreaking AI solutions that are helping businesses in various industries centralize all their core processes, and remotely assess, hire, train, educate and survey a mass number of applicants with ease. The two companies joined forces in an effort to help Omantel deliver on their initiative of acquiring top talent, engaging employees, and leveraging innovation and digital transformation. With Elevatus' advanced video assessment solution, Omantel was able to roll out a video assessment and evaluate more than 2,300 applicants remotely, for an internship program tailored specifically to Generaion Z, all within a short span of one to two weeks.



Ibtihal Mohammed Al Riyami, General Manager Organization planning at Omantel said: "Omantel takes pride in being a market leader that continuously strives to adopt new innovative initiatives in the market. We are rolling out unique, intensive, and interactive training programs that are designed to enable new Generation Z talent to participate, contribute, and play a vital role in building the future of Oman. Generation Z seek opportunities that are both progressive and unique, and by utilizing new innovative tools like EVA-SSESS, we are able to brilliantly connect and engage with this young generation." With great fervency, the telecom giant is harnessing the power of AI, videos, and the latest in technology, to get to know and meet the needs of the growing Generation Z. By rolling out a single assessment from Elevatus' leading AI solution, Omantel was able to achieve a remarkable 80% conversion rate, denoting that a vast majority of the applicants successfully engaged and submitted their applications for the internship program in a few days only.

"In this digital era, we are at the epicenter of agility and innovation. However, every advanced technology needs an agile team behind it. Omantel's team of leaders and forward-looking managers, seamlessly engaged, adapted and utilized EVA-SSESS innovatively throughout the entire process, to yield lucrative results. They wholeheartedly immersed themselves in the solution, to significantly enhance the experience for both Generation Z and recruiters. We believe that the success of any cutting edge technology is highly dependent on how users engage, interact and utilize it. And we are pleased to see how our innovative technology is accelerating and enhancing the way teams and companies interact with users, to navigate through the assessment process with ease." said Yara Burgan, CEO of Elevatus. From this lucrative and fullfruit partnership, Omantel boosted their ROI by 3X and managed to speed up the assessment process by a massive 83% (12X faster). Omantel is utilizing the video assessment solution, EVA-SSESS, to successfully meet its innovative vision and core values of delivering quality services. The company managed to incrementally speed up the assessment process, filter a mass number of applicants, and select the most qualified candidates for its wide variety of divisions. 00962 777 201 060, Elevatus Inc., contact@elevatus.io View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/omantel-partners-with-elevatus-to-assess-generation-z-talent-with-ai-powered-video-assessments-301350723.html SOURCE Elevatus

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Most local political hacks don't know Manny . . . He's a very nice guy, he works incredibly hard and is EXTREMELY committed to the betterment of neighborhood - One of the most diverse in all of Kansas City, MO.

That being said . . . We know he has a growing list of critics.

His constant slap fighting with the Northeast News has generated HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS AND MORE THAN A FEW DEATH THREATS.



Nevertheless . . .

Here at www.TonysKansasCity.com we believe that taking local politics too seriously is always a mistake and the local discourse should be fun given that life in flyover country rarely merits much concern or mention amongst the people who really run things i.e. The Kardashians.



And so, we take this report with a grain of salt and realize that the newspaper is playing "frenemy" to yet another politico and providing enough rope to hang up an upstart political career.

Nevertheless, we would be remiss if we didn't share a story that's hopefully hidden behind a stingy paywall . . . Here's a rewritten headline . . .

This school board member is so frustrated that he proposed a mandatory vaccination policy Manny Abarca, a Kansas City School Board member, proposed a mandatory vaccination policy for the school district. Abarca is frustrated about the low vaccination rate among the Latino community and concerned about kids' health when schools open.

You decide . . .
Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
I dont usually write trip reportsas Ive found I have a hard time being succinct, and I fear boring people with the minutiae of my travels. But since I benefitted so much from the experiences and advice shared in others reports, and the Guatemala forum doesnt get a lot of traffic, I want to pay it forward in hopes my experiences might be of use to someone else. I will post in three parts: Guatemala City, Lake Peten/Tikal, and Antigua.

Part One: Guatemala City

Day 1: Departure

Given how nervous we were about taking our first international flights since February of 2020, the day went remarkably smoothly. We left from our home airport at 6:00 a.m. on a full plane. We cleared U.S. Customs in a reasonable amount of time at Torontos Pearson Airport, but our flight to Houston was delayed on the tarmac for over an hour due to many passengers being caught up in the CBSA work-to-rule. Once we took off, the flight was comfortablethat is until the last 10 minutes, when a young man got very rude and insulting to a flight attendant after she asked him for the third time to make sure his mask was on properly. He started swearing at her, complaining that a young child (who looked to be under 2) wasnt wearing a mask at all. Ridiculous. I was surprised she didnt report him to Houston airport authorities when we landed.

We had two hours to kill in the United lounge before our last leg. The lounge was full, but most people were complying with the masking rule. We had a couple of glasses of Prosecco and sandwiches before boarding. During the flight we were offered sandwiches, but we asked for the charcuterie snack box instead. A little more wine (plastic cups, unfortunately) and a movie and we were ready to land in Guatemala. The pilot warned us the landing would be difficult due to rain making the usually not great runway slick, and that there would likely be lots of turbulence on the way down, and some alarming noises on the runway. He told the flight attendants to be seated and announced we were on the honour system to make sure our seatbelts were on and chairs upright. My stomach was in knots. Fortunately, his fears did not materialize and it was a fairly smooth landing. I almost applauded.

The airport was virtually empty at 4:30 p.m. We filled out the arrival forms in the terminal (there were none on board) and showed our certificates of vaccination to an employee who was waiting just before the luggage carrousels. They took a cursory glance, stamped our forms, and we made our way to the customs agents. I think we were outside the terminal looking for our driver within 10 minutes of disembarking!

It was less than 15 minutes to the Intercontinental Real. Its a very nice hotel, and its ranked #1 on TripAdvisor, but it felt a littlesoulless. This is likely due to Covid. The bar was shut down, the cafe was shut down, and only one restaurant was operating. There was no bellman to greet us and take our luggage. The room had been stripped bare of any decorative soft goods, paper products, glasses, ice bucket, etc. There was no evening turndown service. We were given a QR code to scan to see the room service menu and available services.

We had a workout in the impressive gym and a quick swim in the fifth floor outdoor pool. After that, we changed and went to The Market restaurant off the lobby for dinner. The atmosphere was odd (decent furnishings and decor, but loads of artificial flowers, and discordant American pop music blaring). Service was painfully slowso bad we almost got up and left. We ordered typical Guatemalan turkey soup (kak-ik), a green salad, and a margarita pizza. The soup was delicious and a meal unto itself. The salad was drowned in too much syrupy sweet strawberry vinaigrette. The margarita pizza was goodtoo large for one person though. Our cocktails (a negroni and a spicy margarita) were just okay. Not sure why the restaurant is so highly rated on TripAdvisor

We slept well in the very comfortable bed. I couldnt believe how quiet the room was despite the fact that we were in the middle of Guatemala City!

Day 2:

We woke up around 8:30 a.m., dressed, and went to breakfast at The Market (it was included in our room rate). It was very busy with families and business people alike. We were quickly brought decent coffee and awful juices (both the orange and papaya were watered down and too sweet, likely artificial). The breakfast was a buffet, but the staff handles the foodyou just point and choose. There were made-to-order omelettes, lots of fresh fruit, pastries, meats and cheeses, yogurt parfaits, and typical savoury Guatemalan options.

After breakfast we had the hotels driver take us to the Centro Historico. We wandered around the Palacio Nacional and the Catedral, then into the vast market with its endless stalls of handicrafts, meats, flowers, fruits and vegetables, etc. It was very crowded, so even though everyone was masked, social distancing was not possible. We left after about 15 minutes because the situation made us uncomfortable.

We then toured the inside of the Catredal. Its well maintained but not particularly interesting. The Palacio Nacional was closed until Monday (as were all the museums we wanted to go to), so we just walked back to our hotel, admiring the unique colonial and contemporary architecture along the way. We put in over 21000 steps/12 kilometres!

After showering and changing at the hotel, we walked over to the nearby Oakland Park Mall. It was surprisingly swanky! We had cocktails and a snack at the Rooftop Experience and browsed a few stores. There was a two storey carrousel, a life sized monopoly game, a childrens train driving around the aisles, and a DJ spinning house music. The mall was packed with (masked) people having a great time. It felt like any high end mall in a big city in North America.

Back to the hotel for a quick workout and swim, then a short rest before getting dressed for dinner at Flor de Lis. From the reviews I had read and the pictures I had seen on the restaurants website, it looked like it offers a similar experience to Mexico Citys lauded Pujol restaurant (which we loved): a tasting menu of tiny gastronomic marvels and oddities presented in an extraordinarily unique manner. The restaurant is on the lower level of an interesting two storey building that houses a number of cool little restaurants and bars. The space is dark, atmospheric, and seriously hip. We ordered the 8 course menu (a 10 course option is also available), and each course came with a detailed description rooted in Guatemalan history, mythology, and folklore. Im a picky eater, but I enjoyed everythingeven the mushroom rinds with ant emulsion! It was an expensive meal by Guatemalan standards, but we felt it was worth it for the sheer effort and creativity of the chef and his young team. Well never forget it!

We asked the hostess to call our hotel to have the driver return to get us, but she insisted Uber would be much quicker and cheaper, and it was very safe. We accepted her offer, and she wasnt kidding! The ride was 34 Quetzals instead of the 170 Quetzals the hotel charged us. Lesson learned.

Back at the hotel, it was time to repack and get organized for our early departure to Flores and La Lancha lodge. This is probably the part of the trip Im most looking forward to.

Final impressions of Guatemala City:

I had read so much about Guatemala City having nothing to offer and being extremely dangerous, but I was pleasantly surprised by how interesting it is and how safe we felt wherever we walked. If youve been to Mexico City, it feels a bit like thatbut on a much smaller scale, of course. We would definitely consider spending another couple of nights here on our next visit, just to take in some of the museums that were closed this time, and try some more of the many highly regarded restaurants. But we would probably choose the Westin Camino Real or Hyatt Centric as our home base.
Hi,

Please review my plan and let me know if I need to add or change the itinerary. Thank you in advance.

DH and I both turned 50 last year, but didnt plan any trip last year because of COVID. After working from home for more than a year. DH finally decided to get away from our house to have some adventure. Yellowstone is the first thing that comes to his mind, and he really wants to see the wildlife roaming free in the wilderness. Our two weeks road trip will begin from Overland Park, Kansas to Yellowstone, and return home via Utah and Colorado.

When - September 11 to 25

Where - Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Cody, Yellowstone, GTNP, Arches National Park (now questionable), Denver

I first booked 5 nights lodging at Canyon Lodge, before I dont any research at TA, then found out:

The closure of tower-Roosevelt to Canyon Village, made the original central location become not so favorable.

Food service at Canyon Village: Falls Cafe, Ice Creamery and M66 Grill are all closed for 2021. And actually almost all food service are take-out only

Then last night, one of the posts on TA mentioned that Dining room at Lake will be open for all guests after August 13, and buffet style only.

Lot of workers quitted, and made the already short staffed facilities become more busy- that makes us so worried that things will only get worse and should we cancel the trip after all?

So, in the past few weeks, I managed to rebook and snatched a few lodging here and there when I saw it available.

Here is my new plan. I have the newest version of Yellowstone Treasure and will bring it with me the whole trip for easy reference for picnic areas and attractions.

We are not young any more, but we can do 3-4 miles hiking without any problem. We are early risers, and most likely we will keep our Central Time. We are planning to watch the sunrise at each location, and also need the experts to tell us how to take advantage of being at each main location before the crowd and for early morning animal viewing. Please note that, we only have 12 hours of sunlight compared to the summer visitors, so our day is very short.

Please also point out if I planned too much in one day. (I think most first timers will try to stuff as much as possible in the itinerary for the one in a lifetime trip. LOL) Also, we are not planning to drive the Beartooth Highway because we only have one day for the northern part of Yellowstone. (Because the road from Canyon to Tower is closed).

9/14 - AM: coming from Cody from East Entrance. Stop by LeHardy Rapids, Mud Volcano Area, have lunch at picnic area. PM: Drive through Hayden Valley for animal viewing, Canyon North and South Rims drive, and do some trails.

Overnight - Canyon Lodge

9/15 - AM: Sunrise at Canyon. (Please tell us where is the best location). Canyon lookouts. Back to Canyon Lodge to use restroom and check out. Head to Norris, drive through Virginia Cascade Drive, picnic lunch. Visit Norris Basin,most see Emerald Spring and Steamboat Geyser. Drive up to Mammoth Hot Spring. Leave the park no later than 6pm and drive to Airbnb at Emigrant. Quick dinner then soak at Chico Hot Spring...Ah.

Overnight - ,Emigrant, MT

9/16 - AM: Sunrise at Emigrant, hot breakfast. Drive toward North Entrance, stop by Roosevelt Arch for picture, head to Mammoth Hot Spring for the area we havent visited the day before. Drive east to Lamar Valley. Stop by Undine Falls, Petrified Tree, Lamar Valley. Lunch at Cooke City and return. PM: It will be a long drive...probably can not make any stop except wildlife jams. But if the parking lot is not full at Midway Geyser Basin, visit Grand Prismatic Springs. Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin. Check in to Old Faithful Inn and hopefully can see the Old Faithful erupt at the deck. (Is it open for the guests this year?)

Overnight - Old Faithful Inn Old House

9/17 - AM: Sunrise? Check the geyser schedule, Upper Geyser Basin before the crowd. Hike to Observation Point. PM: Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin, Lower Geyser Basin.

Overnight - Lake Lodge Cabin

9/18 - AM: Sunrise and animal viewing by the Lake? Suggestion? Animal viewing at Hayden Valley. PM: West Thumb, more Upper Geyser Basin, Old Faithful.

Overnight - Old Faithful Lodge

9/19 - Overnight - Colter Bay Village Cabin

9/20 - Jackson or nearby town (to save $$)

The plan below may need to cancel because of the closure of I-70 due to mudslide. The detour will add hours of drive time from Moab to Denver. And Arches National Park is extremely busy this year, the gate will be closed by 7:30am, and the rangers only allow 100 cars in.

9/21 - Moab -

9/22 - Moab

9/23 - Denver

9/24 - Denver

9/25 - Home sweet home

Thank you.
The Maldives government has informed that the islands will be open for Indians from 15th July onwards. The formal announcement for this has already come. What are the guidelines to book our stay at the Hard Rock? Could you please inform. Thanks.
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Two Republicans expected to compete to lead their party's ticket in 2023 took turns Saturday accusing Kentucky's Democratic governor of infringing on individual liberties with his pandemic-related restrictions, pressing GOP themes on the stage of the state's premiere political event.

Speaking at the Fancy Farm picnic in western Kentucky, Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and state Auditor Mike Harmon accused Gov. Andy Beshear of overreaching with his now-lifted restrictions on businesses and gatherings to try to contain COVID-19.

The attacks against Beshear's handling of the coronavirus outbreak  a crisis that has spanned most of his term  came as Kentucky faces its worst outbreak of COVID-19 cases in months, fueled by the highly contagious delta variant. Republican speakers didn't talk about the resurgence, instead repudiating Beshear's executive actions. The governor says his decisions saved lives.

Like you, I was caught off-guard when Beshear responded to COVID by violating our basic rights and individual liberties by becoming the shutdown governor, Quarles said in a hard-hitting speech.

In his speech, Harmon said: In 2023, the voters of Kentucky will have a chance to help Andy Beshear in the same way his policies helped many of them -- by sending him home.

Harmon has already announced hes running for governor in 2023 and Quarles is seriously considering the state's marquee race. Several other Republicans are considering bids for governor. Beshear has said he intends to seek a second term.

With virus cases soaring to the highest levels in months, Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman skipped the picnic. Graves County  where the picnic is held  is in the red zone for COVID-19 cases, signaling a severe level of community spread.

Beshear didn't respond directly to the Republican attacks Saturday, instead issuing a statement saying the focus should be on getting more Kentuckians vaccinated against the virus.

At a time when we have already lost 7,300 Kentuckians to COVID-19 and the delta variant is increasing cases and hospitalizations at an alarming rate, my hope is that the speakers spent more time encouraging folks to get vaccinated than they did attacking me, Beshear said.

That wasn't the case, with Republicans piling on by criticizing the governor for the state's backlogged unemployment insurance system and the continuation of extra jobless benefits.

Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who has waged legal fights over Beshear's virus restrictions, said: The big-government Democrats and bureaucrats in Frankfort and Washington want you to follow the science, so long as it's their science that you're following. But as your attorney general, I'm making sure we follow the science and the Constitution.

Few people at the political event wore masks. The Graves County Health Department attended the event to offer coronavirus vaccines and answer questions, the Courier Journal reported.

Meanwhile, the absence of not only Beshear and Coleman, but also the usual throng of Democratic supporters, turned the political event into a Republican rally featuring speeches by GOP officeholders in a state that is trending Republican.

Quarles said the state needs a governor who will not lock us down and who respects "individual liberty. The governor, he said, picked winners and losers with inconsistent COVID policies.

He does deserve one accomplishment," Quarles said. "Since he drove so many Kentuckians out of state for business  like getting their hair cut, buying groceries and going out to eat  he does deserve the Tennessee chamber of commerce man of the year award.

In his speech, U.S. Rep. James Comer added intrigue to the 2023 jockeying among Republicans.

There are two names that I think everyone in Kentucky is going to be hearing a lot about ... in 2023, and those are Ambassador Kelly Craft and my very good friend, state Sen. Max Wise from Campbellsville, Comer said.

Craft, a former United Nations ambassador, was the keynote speaker at a Republican dinner on Friday in western Kentucky. Afterward, she said she's seriously considering a run for governor, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Wise is chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

Comer has said he currently has no plans to run for governor in 2023, saying his sights are on another prize  the chairmanship of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

He currently is ranking Republican on the oversight panel  the chambers main investigative committee  but would be in line to become chairman if the GOP retakes the House in 2022.

Kentuckys U.S. senators, Republicans Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, also missed the Fancy Farm picnic because the Senate was in session Saturday to work on a massive infrastructure package.

McConnell, a mainstay at the picnic for decades, still got in a potshot at Beshear and President Joe Biden in a recorded message shown on Kentucky Educational Television, which carried the picnic speeches.

We dont really care, frankly, if the governor and lieutenant governor were too chicken to pay the Biden gas prices to drive out here and take their lumps, McConnell said.

The political speeches at Fancy Farm  a rite of passage for statewide officeholders in the Bluegrass State  resumed Saturday after a one-year hiatus. Last years picnic was scaled back and the political speeches were canceled because of the pandemic.
Local authorities should take advantage of the offer of the National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine and ensure the conclusion of contracts by communal heating providers for the purchase of gas at a fixed annual price.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said this at a government meeting on August 4, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Government portal.

"Local leaders are now actually determining what sums people get for hot water and heating in their utility bills. Therefore, I urge the utility companies under the supervision of local authorities to switch to a three-year contract with NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, which provides for a price of UAH 7.42 per cubic meter (including VAT). This price will be valid all year round, regardless of fluctuations in the gas markets," the PM emphasized.

Shmyhal stressed that gas prices in Europe and the world are at record highs in 10 years.

"Proper management of district heating companies by local leaders is a matter not only of energy security but also of social support for citizens who will receive lower utility bills," he summed up.

As reported, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine prepared a three-year contract for gas supplies to heating providers. The agreement stipulates that from June 2021, within 13 months, the long-term market price will amount to UAH 7.42 per cubic meter (including VAT, but excluding the tariff of the gas transmission system operator). In subsequent periods, in particular from July 1, 2022 and from July 1, 2023, price proposals for heating companies will be indexed.

According to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of April 30, 2021, the period of validity of price regulation for heating companies ended on May 20, 2021.

ish
Bangladesh keen to intensify political, economic, cultural ties with ASEAN countries: FM Dr Momen

Dhaka, Aug 8 (UNI) Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. A. K. Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh is keen to intensify political, trade, economic and cultural ties with the ASEAN countries.

He said this while addressing an event organized by the ASEAN Dhaka Committee in observance of the 54th ASEAN Day.

Dr. Momen said that having a strong tie with the ASEAN countries is by any standard a key Foreign Policy priority of the Government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. With a large manufacturing base, Bangladesh stands to be one of ASEANs strongest partners and an attractive destination for the ASEAN investors.
US rushes Kabul evac as noose tightens, UN says Afghanistan 'spinning out of control 14 Aug 2021 | 7:19 AM Washington, Aug 14 (UNI?Sputnik) - The United States along with several other countries began fast-tracking evacuations of civilians from Afghanistan amid rapid gains by the Taliban (banned in Russia), while the UN urged the insurgents to halt their offensive with the country descending into chaos. see more..

Canada to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals amid Taliban aAdvance 14 Aug 2021 | 6:53 AM Toronto, Aug 14 (UNI/Sputnik) Canada will resettle up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals including female activists and journalists as the Taliban terror group (banned in Russia) advances in its bid to reclaim control of the war-torn country, Ottawa announced. see more..

class="ng-binding">Blinken, Kazakh counterpart discuss security situation in Afghanistan: US State Dept 14 Aug 2021 | 6:47 AM Washington, Aug 14 (UNI/Sputnik) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Kazakh counterpart over the telephone about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. see more..

South Korea allows use of remaining AstraZeneca doses on those aged over 30 14 Aug 2021 | 1:54 AM Seoul, Aug 13 (UNI/Sputnik) The South Korean health authorities have allowed to immunize those aged 30 and over with the unused shots of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Friday. see more..
Taliban take over Kunduz province, free prisoners

Kabul, Aug 8 (UNI) The Taliban on Sunday overran Kunduz province in the north of Afghanistan  the third province to fall in the past two days after Nimroz and Jawzjan province.

The Taliban entered Kunduz province and the city and attacked the central prison releasing prisoners. Videos on social media showed the prisoners leaving the prison after the Taliban destroyed the wall of the facility with a rocket.

Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid in his Twitter post confirmed that the Islamist militia have entered Police District 2 of Kunduz city, Khaama Press reported.
Deputy District Attorney Zach Williams, with the Umatilla County District Attorneys Office, reviews files during an Aug. 5, 2021, hearing at the Umatilla County Courthouse in Pendleton, Oregon.
RIYADH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Aug, 2021) Saudi Arabia will gradually begin receiving Umrah pilgrimage requests from abroad for vaccinated pilgrims starting 9th August, after about a year and a half of not receiving overseas worshippers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.

With a capacity that would rise to two million pilgrims from 60,000 pilgrims per month, Mecca and Medina will start welcoming visitors from abroad to their mosques while maintaining COVID-19 precautionary measures.

An official in the Hajj and Umrah Ministry said domestic and overseas pilgrims will have to submit authorised COVID-19 vaccination certificates along with their Umrah request.

Vaccinated pilgrims from countries, which are on Saudi Arabia's s entry-ban list, will have to be institutionally quarantined upon arrival, the official added.
(@FahadShabbir)

Kabul, Aug 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2021 ) :The Taliban captured Taloqan city in northeastern Takhar province on Sunday, a security source and residents told AFP, the third provincial capital to fall to the insurgents in one day.

"We retreated from the city this afternoon, after the government failed to send help," the security source said.

Meanwhile, a resident of the city said: "We saw the security forces and officials leaving the city in convoys of vehicles."
Yangon, Aug 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2021 ) :Myanmar protesters on Sunday marked the anniversary of a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that brought Aung San Suu Kyi to prominence, with flash mobs and marches of defiance against the ruling junta.

The country has been in turmoil since the generals launched their February putsch and subsequent crackdown on dissent that has killed more than 900 people, according to a local monitoring group.

But protesters remain undeterred, taking to the streets daily in lightning-quick rallies to demand the end to the State Administration Council -- as the junta's so-called "caretaker" government has dubbed itself.

On Sunday, flash mobs popped up across Yangon and second city Mandalay to commemorate the 1988 uprising -- a massive pro-democracy movement which the military violently quelled by opening fire on protesters and jailing thousands.

Following the calls of an online campaign, red-clad protesters on Sunday flashed an eight-finger salute and carried banners that read "Let's return the old blood debt of 1988 in 2021." "In 1988, our country sacrificed a lot -- many people lost their lives. But the dictatorship is still alive," said Ko Sai Win, who joined a morning protest in Mandalay.

"It is like a black shadow on our country." The 1988 uprising heralded the rise of Suu Kyi, who had returned to Myanmar just before protests kicked off to care for her ailing mother.

Thanks to her stature as the daughter of General Aung San, who fought for independence against the British, and her rousing speeches, Suu Kyi emerged as a pro-democracy icon, later receiving the Nobel Peace prize.

A shadow "National Unity Government" -- formed largely of MPs from her ousted party -- vowed in a statement Sunday to continue the fight for democracy.

British ambassador to Myanmar Peter Vowles also voiced support for the anti-junta movement.

"The UK stood by the people of Myanmar in 1988 and we stand by them today in 2021," he said in a video posted on the British embassy's official Twitter.

The junta has alleged widespread electoral fraud by Suu Kyi's NLD party to justify its power grab, and the Nobel laureate is facing an eclectic raft of charges including for the illegal possession of walkie-talkies and breaking coronavirus rules.

bur-dhc/rma/mtp
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Aug, 2021 ) :Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri on Sunday categorically rejected the baseless Indian media reports, alleging that Pakistan wanted to infiltrate so-called "terrorists" via Line of Control (LoC).

"India's smear campaign against Pakistan is well-known and was fully exposed by EU DisinfoLab's report," the spokesperson posted on his twitter handle.

"India has set up multiple layers of security, making it impossible for anything to cross the LoC to enter IIOJK. Therefore, such allegations have no basis to stand on," it was added.

The spokesperson further said that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was one of the most militarized zones in the world with deployment of over 900,000 Indian security personnel.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2021) A Mooney M20 single-engine plane has crashed into an unoccupied house in the city of Victoria, Minnesota, leaving several people dead, media reported.

According to the CBS Minnesota broadcaster, the incident took place at about 22:40 on Saturday GMT.

The crashed plane was heading from the Alexandria Municipal Airport for the Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie.

The exact number of victims is still unknown.

The National Transportation Safety board and the Federal Aviation Administration have launched an investigation into the incident.
A CBS affiliate network has partnered with a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) television and radio outlet to broadcast productions created to showcase the achievements China has made under the CPC leadership.

The announcement was made in a July 20 press release by Chinese state-run Zhejiang Radio & TV Group, who promoted the launch of an International Media Convergence Campaign over the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist of China designed to play the Partys narrative to the world.

The release stated that CBS KCFJ 570AM, in California, is the projects U.S. re-broadcaster. KCFJ lists programs such as 60 Minutes on its program schedule and calls itself the gold standard of news. The Chinese broadcaster also partners with stations in France, South Korea, Croatia, and with Congos national broadcaster.

The partnership states it will produce a Beautiful Zhejiang short video contest, calling for the creation of five-minute documentaries with themes such as Im in Zhejiang, 100 Years of Zhejiang in my Eyes,  and The Most Beautiful Foreign Experiencers.

CBS KCFJ already runs a similarly-themed project called Looking China in partnership with the CCPs Beijing Normal University. The Looking China website is hosted on the KCFJ website and describes itself as a Youth Film Project, using non-standard English verbiage rife with Party rhetoric.

According to National Pulse, the Looking China documentaries are broadcast in the mainland on the Communist Partys primary controlled mouthpieces CCTV, Xinhua, and Peoples Daily. The short films are neither of a particular quality nor do they show Chinas 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, unsurprising since it has been deliberately destroyed by the Cultural Revolution.

In the piece The Taste of Changchun, the subject is a young mid-20s Canadian man from Vancouver who travels to Changchun to film a documentary about Chinese culture and becomes enchanted with the citys culinary delights. However, the entire piece is composed of overlaid low-quality photographs of his trip as he talks to a camera from a modern western apartment and focuses on domestically available dishes such as ginger beef, dumplings, Chinese BBQ, and hot pot.

Promoting Blind Loyalty to the Partys murder of Chinese citizens

More concerningly, Looking China is pushing more than a poor understanding of Chinese culture. One of the pieces, titled A New Spring, focuses on 94-year-old Lan Tianye, an actor and a director with a Beijing-based performing arts company he joined in 1952.

In a June 30 article by state propaganda outlet Global Times, Lan was issued a glowing endorsement for his lifetime of service to the regime as he was awarded the July 1 Medal by the Communist Party, an award named after the day the regime was founded and described as the Highest honor given by the Party to outstanding CPC members in different development phases of the country.

Global Times referred to Lan as a red artist and extolled his lifelong devotion to the CCP.

In A New Spring, Lan promotes Mao Zedongs Cultural Revolution to a western audience, revealing what the title of the short film actually refers to, After the Cultural Revolution, we felt that a new spring had come for society, for our country, and for our culture. But it meant Maos destruction of traditional Chinese culture and the millions of citizens killed during his rampage were labeled as a tide of progress that was very strong in terms of societal and cultural norms. The Party devotee said it was these cultural changes, in addition to the CCP itself, who inspired him to join the revolution, claiming, The Chinese Communist government was founded on October 1st, 1949. In Tiananmen Square, I participated in the founding ceremony of the Peoples Republic of China.

The Real China Revealed

By comparison, Shen Yun Performing Arts, classical Chinese dance and performing arts show that tours globally runs its 2021 tour under the slogan China Before Communism, and showcases the unique characters, feelings, stories, principles, and moral lessons provided by Chinas dynasties. The show uses a wide array of colorful and historically accurate costumes, a part-western, part-eastern classical orchestra, and the worlds most skilled dancers in Chinese Classical Dance techniques.

For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or , can be translated as: The beauty of divine beings dancing, reads the Shen Yun website.

Communist Party buying Influence with U.S. media

Earlier in 2021, it was revealed through Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings that U.S.-based lobbying firm BLJ Worldwide had been representing the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), a CCP United Front Work Department arm, since at least 2011, to influence nearly all leading U.S. media outlets, including CBS News, by arranging private dinners in New York and Washington DC between CUSEF and U.S. media.

BLJ Worldwide also, Promoted CUSEFs interests and activities in the U.S., including expanding third party supporters, generating media placements, and arranging visits for delegations to China, ran the official CUSEF Twitter account, and promoted the ChinaUSFocus.com website, which is composed of Beijing-friendly U.S. narratives.

FARA documents revealed BLJ worldwide raked in almost a half-million dollars in fees and expenses from CUSEF in 2014 alone. In 2011s filings, BLJs principal Peter Brown reported in a letter to Claire Lo, CEO of CUSEF Hong Kong, that his work resulted in 28 media placements generated as a result of trips arranged by his firm for four high-profile journalists to China.

Brown was also pleased with the success of their efforts, as they directly influenced the publication of 26 opinion articles and quotes within 103 separate articles published on behalf of the CUSEF as what were effectively unlabelled advertorials in the U.S. media.
The majority of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in an Israeli hospital are fully vaccinated, including those with severe disease, according to one of the hospitals doctors.

On Aug. 5, Dr. Kobi Haviv, medical director of Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem, said in a Channel 13 TV News interview, 95% of the severe patients are vaccinated. Furthermore, 85-90% of the hospitalizations are in fully vaccinated people and the hospital is opening more and more COVID wards.

"95% of the severe patients are vaccinated".

"85-90% of the hospitalizations are in Fully vaccinated people."

"We are opening more and more COVID wards."

"The effectiveness of the vaccine is waning/fading out"



(Dr. Kobi Haviv, earlier today on Chanel 13 @newsisrael13 ) pic.twitter.com/SpLZewiRpQ  Ran Israeli (@RanIsraeli) August 5, 2021

The influx of vaccinated patients has led him to conclude that the effectiveness of the vaccine is waning/fading out. The hospitals website states that the center is Israels foremost center for geriatric, respiratory, mental health and psychotrauma care, treatment and research. With 330 beds, Herzog Hospital is the third largest hospital in Jerusalem.

Of the 72 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 25 patients were in critical condition, 38 were in moderate condition, and 9 were in mild condition. There were 2 deaths reported at the time of the interview.

According to data from the Israeli Minister of Health released on July 22, the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at preventing COVID-19 has plummeted from 90 percent to only 39 percent, coinciding with the spread of the Delta variant in the country.

Xinhua.net reports, the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing severe coronavirus disease in Israel is currently estimated at 91.4 percent, and in preventing COVID-19 hospitalization, at 88 percent. However, critics have asked why the public should take a risk with experimental vaccines if early treatment with cheap and effective drugs such as ivermectin significantly reduce the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.

In Israel, since the start of the vaccination campaign on Dec. 20, 2020, 5.8 million residents, or about two-thirds of the population, have received one dose. Nearly 5.4 million have received the second dose, and 420,000 have received a third booster dose. As of Aug. 7, data from the Health Ministry showed the country had 31,736 active COVID-19 patients, with 545 hospitalized, 324 seriously ill, and 71 in critical condition.

Mandatory vaccines diabolic

A slough of vaccine mandates worldwide has led citizens to protest in the streets and doctors to speak out. Sister Dirde Byrne, MD, a retired U.S. Army officer and graduate from Georgetown University School of Medicine, shared her thoughts in a LifeSiteNews interview published on Aug. 5.

She said, This battle is not between the right and the left, its not between conservatives and liberals or Republicans and Democrats. Rather, this is a battle between Our Lord and the devil, and every person must choose a side.

Byrne became a sister with the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts in Washington, D.C. after completing her medical training and serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. She is board-certified in both family medicine and general surgery, is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, is currently the medical director of the Little Workers Physical Therapy and Eye Clinic, and volunteers as a surgeon for the Catholic Charities Medical Clinic in D.C.

As a veteran who served in Korea and Egypt, and a missionary surgeon who traveled to Haiti, Sudan, Kenya, and Iraq, she told the media outlet that common sense preventive measures and therapeutic drugs can sharply reduce hospitalizations and deaths for patients with COVID-19.

She said, If we treat them early  early is the ticket  with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, 80% of the people will not have to go to the hospital. The use of cheap, early, and effective treatments largely obviates the need for vaccination, given that hospitalization can be avoided in the majority of cases without exposure to experimental COVID-19 vaccines with unknown long-term effects.

With regard to mandated vaccination, Byrne said, Thats the shame of it all, that because this is an emergency mandate of vaccination, theyre trying to push it on everybody. Since emergency vaccination is only necessary if there is a lack of effective therapeutics, pharmaceutical companies and stakeholders are incentivized to censor information about treatments.

We have therapy, and its proven therapy, and the powers-that-be, the government leaders here in the states, are ignoring this data. She states that a common practice since the start of the pandemic has been to send patients home with a positive COVID-19 test until they become sick enough to require hospitalization, without ever being offered safe and effective drugs.

Requiring COVID-19 jabs has become a way to exercise total control over people. They want to force an experimental compound that we really dont know the long-term effects [of]. Then they want to, on top of that, make sure everyone has a [vaccine] passport. So, its total control of a populace. And thats communism. Were headed that way, she said.
The food and fuel potential of Sweet Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) has been under investigation for years. As early as 2015, United Kingdom scientists proposed that water-efficient plants may be the key to future bioenergy production.

A more recent study, published in the journal GCB Bioenergy by researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno, covered five years of research on the success, in warm, arid climates, of various different prickly pears.

They determined that the Sweet Prickly Pear produced more fruit and used up 80 percent less water than other prickly pear varieties.

While there are 194 Opuntia species, all cultivated varieties are hybrids of Opuntia ficus-indica. It is the worlds most widely distributed Opuntia species, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. In certain places, it has become an invasive weed, particularly threatening large-scale cattle grazing pastures.

The large colorful flower of Sweet Prickly Pear is also edible, and can be used in salads. (Image: Forest & Kim via Flickr CC BY 2.0)

The Sweet Prickly Pear is a large woody plant growing up to 3 meters tall. Several overlapping petals of yellow, orange or red form a large cup shaped flower when the cactus blooms. Multiple stamens tipped with pollen encircle a green stigma in the middle. The flowers attract a variety of pollinators.

Sweet Prickly Pear fruit is oval in form, with ripe skin hues spanning the range from green to purple. Its skin is covered with fine little barbed spikes, called glochids. The fruits flesh is juicy, sweet, and flavorful and matches the skin in color. They have edible seeds and can be eaten raw, straight from the plant.

The young juicy cladodes (padlike leaves) can also be eaten. Believed to have originated in Mexico, the Opuntia is said to have been consumed by humans for around 9,000 years. Spineless opuntias have also evolved over the millennia as a food crop.

The researchers believe that the Sweet Prickly Pear may become a significant food source in the future, as the search continues for cultivars that survive with less water for longer periods, and still yield food and fruit.

From cattle feed to fine dining, opuntia offers a range of uses with the added benefit of no waste, as the scraps can be used to form fuel. (Image: Dziana Hasanbekava via Pexels CC 0)

John Cushman, the Nevada studys co-author, estimates that 42 percent of Earths terrain is categorized as dry or semi-arid in nature. Therefore growing cactus plants may yield enormous benefits.

By growing Sweet Prickly Pears in areas that are too dry for other crops this increased output could become a popular food source.

Due to its antioxidant qualities, this succulent has become a popular food additive and the source of a natural extract. The Opuntias high water content makes it ideal for feeding livestock in times of drought.

Carbon sequestration is another benefit of growing cactus pears in dry areas. As land-based carbon sinks, they capture and store CO2, which may then be collected and processed into biofuels to replace fossil fuels.

Thats the benefit of this perennial crop, explained Cushman. After you have harvested the fruits and pads for food, you will be left with a large amount of biomass that can be used for biofuel production, he said.

Cushman and his colleagues plan to continue researching The Sweet Prickly Pear and its potential as sustainable fuel or food.

The scientists aim to understand what it is about the genetic makeup of these useful desert succulents that makes them so drought-resistant and apply that information to make other crops more drought-resistant, as well.

In a time when people are beginning to widely recognize the deleterious effects of GMOs, one might question: why not accept and use what nature has given us with gratitude, since it is sufficient? Pursuing greater benefits by manipulating other plants to share properties with Opuntias that they dont naturally have would seem to pose dangers equal or greater to the gain.
Top U.S. health officials expressed new warnings Sunday about the surging spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus across the country, amid a growing number of calls for vaccine mandates.



Something bad is going on. Weve got to realize that, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Bidens top medical adviser, told NBCs Meet the Press show.



Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, said he does not expect there will be a national mandate for vaccinations.



But he said that as soon as regulators at the Food and Drug Administration give full authorization for the use of vaccinations against the coronavirus, possibly in the next few weeks, he strongly supports universities, businesses and other local enterprises imposing vaccination mandates.



I believe that some people on their own, once vaccines are fully approved, will go ahead and get vaccinated, Fauci said. But for those who do not want, I believe mandates at the local level need to be done.

More than 166 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to the government. That is barely half the population, and children 12 and younger have yet to be cleared for inoculations. The vaccinations started last December under drug regulators emergency-use authorization while further review has been ongoing.



Even as the number of coronavirus cases has surged in Florida and Texas, two key U.S. states with a large number of infections, their Republican governors, Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, respectively, have remained adamant in their opposition to vaccine or face mask mandates, saying they violate peoples right to individual freedom.



U.S. Senator Rick Scott of Florida supported DeSantiss decision, telling the Fox News Sunday show, We cant go back to fears. Let people make their decisions.



But Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, a low-vaccination state with an increasing number of infections, told CBS Newss Face the Nation he made a mistake earlier this year by signing a face mask ban into law.



Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, the second biggest U.S. teachers union with 1.7 million members, told the NBC show that as schools are now opening for new terms across the country, "As a matter of personal conscience we need to be working with employers on vaccine mandates."



"The circumstances have changed, she added. It weighs really heavily on me that kids under 12 can't get vaccinated. I felt the need ... to stand up and say this as a matter of personal conscience."



Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, told ABC News This Week show, Please be clear about this: The vaccines have incredible evidence for their safety and effectiveness.



Collins told those skeptical about getting vaccinated, If youre on the fence, get off the fence. Become part of the winning team.

FILE - People wait in line at a COVID-19 testing site, in Hialeah, Florida, July 26, 2021.

More than 100,000 more Americans a day are becoming infected because of the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus, a 10-fold increase in just the last few weeks.



Fauci called it the pandemic of the unvaccinated.



Tests have shown that the existing coronavirus vaccines available in the U.S. are effective against the delta variant. But Fauci warned that left unchecked, the delta variant could mutate into other variants that could evade the effectiveness of the vaccines.



He said the 93 million eligible Americans who have yet to be vaccinated should think of their own health and their familys but also about their communities. He said he is much in favor of requiring vaccinations for U.S. health care workers, millions of whom have refused to get inoculated.



The time has come, he said. Weve got to get people vaccinated. Even if you have had COVID, you need to be vaccinated.
Mozambican forces backed by Rwandan troops on Sunday said they had driven out jihadists occupying the key port town of Mocimboa da Praia in the gas-rich north of the country.

Mozambique's defense ministry confirmed an earlier tweet by Rwanda's army that the joint force had wrested control of the town on Sunday morning.

They now control government buildings, the port, airport, hospital, and other key installations, Colonel Omar Saranga, a ministry spokesman, told a press conference in the Mozambican capital, Maputo.

The port town, from where the first Islamist attacks were staged in October 2017, has since last year become the de facto headquarters of the Islamic State-linked extremists, locally referred to as al-Shabab.

Mocimboa da Praia "was the last stronghold of the insurgents" and its recapture marks "the end of the first phase of counter-insurgency operations," Colonel Ronald Rwivanga, a spokesman for the joint military force, said in a text message.

Mozambican forces have been struggling to regain control over the northern Cabo Delgado province, site of one of Africa's biggest liquefied natural gas project, a $20 billion site operated by French energy major Total.

Rwanda sent 1,000 troops last month to shore up the Mozambican military.

Last week they claimed their first success since deploying, saying they had helped the Mozambican army regain control of Awasse, a small but also strategic settlement near Mocimboa da Praia.

At least 800,000 people have been uprooted from their homes by the violence ravaging the region, with more than 3,100 killed, half of them civilians, according to conflict tracking organization ACLED

"We will continue with security operations to completely pacify those areas and allow Mozambican and Rwandan forces to conduct stabilization operations" to enable people to return home and businesses to open, Rwivanga said.

After initially resisting outside help, Rwandan troops deployed on July 9 following an April visit to Kigali by Mozambican leader Filipe Nyusi.

They were followed weeks later by forces from neighboring countries, which are deploying under the aegis of the 16-member regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Botswana, whose President Mokgweetsi Masisi, has been outspoken on the urgent need for regional stability, became the first SADC country to send in troops on July 26.

Regional powerhouse and immediate neighbor South Africa announced on July 28 it would deploy 1,495 soldiers.

A day later, Zimbabwe unveiled plans to dispatch 304 non-combat soldiers to train Mozambique's infantry battalions.

Angola then deployed 20 specialized military air force personnel while Namibia will contribute N$5.8 million (about $400,000) toward the anti-insurgency offensive.

Masisi and Nyusi will on Monday formally launch the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province.

The European Union on July 12 formally established a military mission for Mozambique to help train its armed forces battling the jihadists.

Former colonial ruler Portugal is providing training for Mozambican troops, with Lisbon's military instructors expected to make up half of the new EU mission.

Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado, which borders Tanzania, has been troubled by the jihadist insurgency since 2017.

Last year the militants had grown bolder, escalating attacks as part of a campaign to establish an Islamist caliphate.

In March this year, they attacked n the coastal town of Palma, killing dozens of people and triggering an exodus that included employees from the Total project, forcing the company to halt work.


Womens rights activists, opposition groups and the United Nations are pressuring Zimbabwean authorities to arrest a man who had married a 14-year-old who died last week while giving birth at a church shrine. Zimbabwean police say they are investigating the matter.



Hashtags #EndChildMarriagesNow and #justiceforMemory have been trending on social media after 14-year-old Memory Machaya died while giving birth at an apostolic sect shrine about 400 kilometers east of Harare.

The United Nations in Zimbabwe issued a statement saying child marriages continue to surface in Zimbabwe, where one out of three girls is married before the age of 18. Sirak Gebrehiwot, the U.N. spokesman in Zimbabwe said that is not acceptable.

"The United Nations in Zimbabwe notes with deep concern and condemns strongly the surrounding circumstances leading to the untimely death of 14-year-old Memory Machaya from Marange, who died while giving birth at an apostolic sect shrine," he said.

One of the key instruments to ending child marriages in Zimbabwe, the U.N. believes, is to fast-track the adoption of the Marriage Bill that recognizes child marriage as crime and, of course, rolling out national action plan on ending child marriages will go a long way.

Responding to the social media protests, Zimbabwean police issued a statement saying they are conducting investigations into Machayas death.

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda heads Rozaria Memorial Trust, which fights child marriage in rural areas. She was appointed goodwill ambassador on ending child marriage on the continent by the African Union Commission.

I am outraged by the rape, marriage and death of Memory Machaya," she said. "I am also grateful to see a huge outpouring of Zimbabweans and people in the region who are calling for an end to child rape and to child marriage. I ask the government of Zimbabwe to step up the investigations and arrest the perpetrator. I also call on the government to investigate and document how we can end these sexual abuses that are happening within religious institutions. It is important for us to fight justice and ensure impunity.

Opposition leader Linda Tsungirirai Masarira is one of thousands of Zimbabweans who have signed a petition to push police not to ignore the death of Machaya.

"I demand justice as a woman and as a mother to whatever happened to Memory. But for me, when I look at the issue, it is just a tip of the iceberg. I have set up an appointment with minister of home affairs [Kazembe Kazembe]. And I am going to talk to him about the underlying issues of the Marange apostolic sect. For me, religion does not mean violating countrys laws, she said.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe could not be reached for comment Sunday.
More schools are implementing masks mandates because of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Sheffield City Schools says starting Monday, they will require masks for the first 4 weeks of school.

WAAY-31 spoke with North Alabama parents on their feelings about the sudden changes

With the Delta variant becoming a huge concern across Alabama, several school districts are now making masks a requirement for the start of school.

But parents have mixed opinions on the mandate.

"I think it's okay. I think they should all still mask up since it's coming back," said Sawaski Madden.

Madden has a son in the Sheffield City School System.

Friday afternoon, they announced masks will be required for the first 4 weeks of school due to the rise in COVID cases.

They aren't the only ones who reversed their masking policies.

On Monday, the Athens City School superintendent will ask the school board to make masking a requirement before school starts.

This is something one parent says she doesn't want because it's affecting her daughter's social skills.

"Last year she became more withdrawn. She would hide behind the mask, which is very upsetting to us, and i would rather her as a shy child, be able to speak to her teacher and see her teacher and interact with her," said Laurie Evans.

Laurie Evans hopes there will be a chance for parents to voice their concerns at Monday's meeting and says she wants to have a compromise.

"I think desk shields could be one viable option. In that way, they're basically covered, the teachers face will be covered, and they can actually communicate because that's so important for young children," said Evans.

There is one thing all parents can agree with: they're hoping for a good school year where kids are happy to be back in the classroom.

"As long as he keeps his mask on face, wash his hands, wash everything he touches, every time he touches something, it'll be alright," said Madden.

All 5 school districts who've decided to make the change to masking a requirement say they want to return to making it optional, right now, they just have to keep monitoring the data for now.

A recent Gallup poll found 57% of K-12 parents favor mask requirements for unvaccinated students, as compared with 64% of U.S. adults.
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But one mutation, P681R, may play an outsize role in boosting delta. The coronavirus requires two steps to get into the cell, akin to putting a key into a lock and turning it to open the door. Most of the mutations identified in the other variants of concern seem to improve the keys fit to the lock, said Vineet D. Menachery, a scientist who studies coronaviruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The P681R mutation seems to improve how the key is turned, making it better at getting into cells.
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Chartrand said he always has been something of a homebody, and he kept his postal route through the pandemic, so his life did not feel like it was altered that much. But starting in late winter and early spring, he said, he noticed he was going to friends houses more often, going into restaurants, no longer wearing a mask.
But amid the pandemic, health-care providers struggling to find treatments as hospital patients were dying have been giving clinical radiation another look. So far, the trials Khan has led show that patients who received targeted low-dose radiation to their lungs got off oxygen and out of the hospital sooner than those without the treatment. Khan said more research is necessary, but it could eventually expand clinical radiations role for other illnesses.
I encountered not long ago a typically confusing gifted education situation. The parents of an elementary school student were told he had been designated gifted and was in his grades only gifted class, where he would get advanced instruction. But the teacher of that class said nothing about that during her back-to-school orientation for parents. The word got around that all classes at that school had gifted instruction. How it worked was not explained. The district website was similarly vague.
One pair of students, both recently out of high school, gave their presentation on Antennagate, the controversy that erupted in 2010 when users of Apples iPhone 4 found that calls were being dropped. The cause? If the phone was gripped in a certain way, its antenna could be blocked, weakening the signal. (Another name for the problem was Gripgate.)
The nearly unanimous vote by the U.N. General Assembly that same year giving Britain six months to leave the archipelago  and resulting in all official U.N. maps being changed to make Diego Garcia and the rest of the islands part of Mauritius  was the result of an inappropriate use of the ICJ opinion, said the spokesperson, who declined to be identified.
Lithuania is saying this is disinformation, and I think we should be very careful about any information that comes from Belarusian state media or the Belarusian government because of the horrendous track record of the Lukashenko government and any agency associated with his government, said Sofya Orlosky of Freedom House, a Washington-based think tank.
It said there was an exchange of gunfire during the raid in which three militants were killed and officers seized weapons from the hideout including an explosives-filled vest, two assault rifles, three hand grenades and two pistols. The militants were identified as Afghan nationals.
He didnt win a medal but there is no disputing runner Peter Bol walked away from Tokyo an Australian Olympic golden boy following his historic 800 metres final which galvanised the nation.

Bol, whose refugee backstory alone is inspiring, is at the forefront of a new crop of Olympic sporting stars Australians have embraced over the past fortnight. However the landscape they are moving into is a vastly different one than their forebears Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman enjoyed, and cashed in on.

Peter Bol. Credit:Getty

While big name Tokyo stars like swimmer Emma McKeon seem guaranteed to reap the rewards of their well-earned success with endorsement deals, there has been a rise in more savvy sports media deals over the past 20 years.

Basketball, the rise of womens sport and the ever-more sophisticated marketing machines behind the AFL and NRL has gobbled up more sponsor money than ever before. These sports offer corporates greater guaranteed exposure, theyre broadcast more often and provide a speedier return than the long-term investment required to back an Olympian who may never win a medal.
The federal government has issued more than 12,000 of its controversial new global talent visas during the pandemic, while nearly 19,000 existing holders of previously issued skilled visas have remained stuck offshore.

The global talent 858 visas are a fast track to permanent residency for skilled migrants, introduced in December 2019. Experts have warned the economic value of the visa is unproven and murky criteria leaves it open to influence peddling.

Figures obtained by The Sun-Herald under freedom of information laws reveal 19,345 holders of temporary skilled visas were outside Australia in April this year, with more than 7500 of these visas due to expire by the end of this year, and another 9200 by the end of 2022. The figures include the 457 and 482 temporary skills shortage visas and the 491 and 494 regional skilled visas.

Katie Morris at her parents home in Kansas is still hoping to return to her life in Sydney. Credit:Steve Puppe

Many of these people were caught outside Australia when the borders closed or needed to travel for urgent personal reasons and have been unable to obtain a travel exemption to return to their homes and jobs in Australia. Some may have left permanently, while others are still hoping to return.
Particles of COVID-19 detected in wastewater in the Kimberley town of Broome cannot be traced back to any confirmed cases of the virus recently cleared in WA.

Premier Mark McGowan said on Friday the most likely source of the sample was a tourist from Perth or the Northern Territory shedding viral particles.

Wastewater testing is used all over the world to check for the presence of coronavirus and other diseases. Credit:AP

But a spokesperson from the Department of Health told WAtoday on Saturday no patient recently cleared from the disease in the state had transited through or was living in the remote North West town.

This would reduce the likelihood of tracing the sample back to a Perth tourist  as suggested by the premier  and point at the possibility a shedder travelling from interstate released the particles.
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has been publicly identified as the 26-year-old man charged with sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins in 2019.

Mr Lehrmann will fight to defend himself from one charge of sexual intercourse without consent when he appears in the ACT Magistrates Court on September 16.

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

Mr Lehrmanns case is listed on the ACT Magistrates Court website to be heard at 9.30am on September 16.

His lawyer, barrister John Korn from Ada Evans Chambers in Sydney, said his client absolutely and unequivocally denies that any form of sexual activity took place whatsoever. He will defend the charge.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 74F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Thankfully, the worst of COVID-19 seems to be behind us. About 66% of adults have had at least one vaccine shot, and new cases are at levels that we havent seen this low since the pandemic hit the first few regions in March 2020. Our economy is rebounding, too. CNN-Moodys Back-to-Normal 
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Census Bureau statisticians and outside experts are trying to unravel a mystery: Why were so many questions about households in the 2020 census left unanswered?

Residents did not respond to a multitude of questions about sex, race, Hispanic background, family relationships and age, even when providing a count of the number of people living in the home, according to documents released by the agency. Statisticians had to fill in the gaps.

Reflecting an early stage in the number crunching, the documents show that 10% to 20% of questions were not answered in the 2020 census, depending on the question and state. According to the Census Bureau, later phases of processing show the actual rates were lower.

The rates have averaged 1% to 3% in 170 years of previous U.S. censuses, according to University of Minnesota demographer Steven Ruggles.

The information is important because data with demographic details will be used for drawing congressional and legislative districts. That data, which the Census Bureau will release Thursday, also is used to distribute $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year.

The documents, made public in response to an open records request from a Republican redistricting advocacy group, don't shed much light on why questions were left unanswered, though theories abound. Some observers say software used in the first census in which most Americans could respond online allowed people to skip questions. Others say the pandemic made it harder to reach people who didn't respond.

Confusion over some questions, including traditional uncertainty among Hispanics about how to answer the race question, may have been a factor, but some experts hint at a more sinister possibility. They say the Trump administration's attempt to end the count early and failed efforts to put a citizenship question on the form and exclude people who were in the U.S. illegally had a chilling effect.

I think its the pandemic and Trump. The very threat that citizenship was on the questionnaire, the very notion it might have been on it, may have deterred some Latinos from filling it out, said Andrew Beveridge, a sociologist at Queens College and the City University of New York Graduate School and University Center. I think a lot of us are flabbergasted by it. It is a very high number.

Ruggles initially thought it had to do with the software used by people who answered online  about two-thirds of U.S. households. Other countries such as Australia and Canada, which have used similar software for censuses, saw the number of unanswered questions drop to almost zero because respondents couldn't proceed if they didnt answer a question.

I guess in the U.S. version they must just have accepted incomplete responses, Ruggles said. If the non-response rate was consistently high across response mode, that is just strange.

Acting Census Bureau Director Ron Jarmin said recently in a blog post that the blank answers spanned all categories of questions and all modes of responding  online, by paper, by phone or face-to-face interviews.

These blank responses left holes in the data which we had to fill, Jarmin said.

In a statement last week to The Associated Press, Jarmin declined to go into details, saying only that the bureau would release updated rates later this month based on the correct numbers.

To fill in the holes, Census Bureau statisticians searched other administrative records such as tax forms, Social Security card applications or previous censuses to find peoples race, age, sex and Hispanic background.

If available records didn't turn up the information needed, they turned to the statistical technique called imputation that the Census Bureau has used for 60 years. The technique has been challenged and upheld in courts after past censuses.

In some cases, statisticians looked for information answered about one member of a family, such as race, and applied it to another member that had blank answers. Or they assigned a sex based on the respondents first name. In other cases, when the entire household had no information, they filled it in using data of similar neighbors.

Imputation has been shown to improve data quality and accuracy compared to leaving these fields blank, or without information from respondents, Census Bureau officials Roberto Ramirez and Christine Borman wrote recently in a blog post.

The Census Bureau in April released state population totals from the 2020 census. Those are used to divvy up the number of congressional seats in each state during a once-a-decade process known as apportionment.

The agency released a slide deck presentation about the high rate of unanswered questions, along with group housing records and the first details about the rate of non-responses, in response to an open records request from Fair Lines American Foundation. The Republican advocacy group sued the Census Bureau for information about how the count was conducted in dorms, prisons, nursing homes and other places where people live in groups. Fair Lines says its concerned about the accuracy of the group housing count and wants to make sure anomalies didnt affect the state population figures.

With the information showing high rates of imputation, some Republican-controlled states may try to leave college students out of redistricting data, claiming they were also counted at their parents homes, to get a partisan edge, said Jeffrey Wice, a Democratic redistricting expert.

That will be hard to prove but would inject more uncertainty and possible delay into redistricting, Wice said.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
Inside Hook

Can a piece of luggage be transformative? In 1858, the steamer trunk that put Louis Vuitton on the map did exactly that. In a 2018 article at The RealReal, Noelani Piters wrote that the trunks [were] toted worldwide as a portable treasure chest of prized possessions and pointed out that many of them went on to have second lives as beloved pieces of furniture. Over the years, Piters pointed out, the trunks themselves have been the subject of customization from the likes of Supreme and Cindy Sherman, who took an already iconic design and honed it further.



Louis Vuitton himself was born in 1821, meaning that the company that shares his name was looking for a way to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth. Their method of doing that? Let 200 artists around the world reimagine the steamer trunk in their own distinct way.

In a new article at Robb Report, Shanti Escalante-De Mattei delved further into the anniversary editions. Each collaborator was given a trunk the same size as the original measurements of 50 by 50 by 100 centimeters, wrote Escalante-De Mattei. From that blank canvas, the creatives could design the trunks however they wanted, and most brought in the key materials and motifs from their own practices.



Louis Vuitton has set up a site where you can see the different trunks. It includes contributions from artist Qualeasha Wood, skateboarder Beatrice Domond and the effects company Asylum  making for a fantastic way to see how different creative teams approached the project.



If youd like to see the trunks in person, thats also in the cards  the article points out that some will be coming to store windows in the near future. Theyll be auctioned off in December, with the proceeds going to help art students in need.
This Aug. 2021 photo shows Climax Road resident Tammy Whitt in Pittsylvania County, Va. Whitt on bothered by the noise caused by construction of a large solar project surrounding her property on all sides. The project is expected to cover about 860 acres, according to Pittsylvania County's community development director.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
A 52-year-old man from Winnipeg drowned on Saturday night at West Hawk Lake.

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A 52-year-old man from Winnipeg drowned on Saturday night at West Hawk Lake.

Falcon Lake RCMP were called to the lake around 6:40 p.m.

Police said two Winnipeg men, age 52 and 51, jumped off a pontoon into the lake and immediately began to have difficulty in the water. The 52-year-old man was unable to reach a lifejacket that was thrown to him, went underwater and did not resurface.

Police, assisted by Manitoba Conservation and the local fire department, searched the water but were unable to locate the victim.

The Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART) later joined the recovery efforts and conducted an underwater search.

Around 4:20 a.m. Sunday morning, the body of the 52-year-old was recovered.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Foggy and reduced visibility conditions delayed efforts to recover the wreckage of a sightseeing plane that crashed in southeast Alaska, killing six people, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Sunday.

Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad personnel land and disembark from a Hughes 369D helicopter on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, at Temsco Helicopters Inc in Ketchikan, Alaska. The KVRS, U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and U.S. Forest Service responded to a radio beacon alert from a downed Southeast Aviation de Havilland Beaver float plane that was carrying five passengers from the Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam, according to Coast Guard, Holland America and KVRS information. The sightseeing plane crashed Thursday in southeast Alaska, killing all six people on board, the U.S. Coast Guard said. (Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP)

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Foggy and reduced visibility conditions delayed efforts to recover the wreckage of a sightseeing plane that crashed in southeast Alaska, killing six people, a National Transportation Safety Board official said Sunday.

Clint Johnson, chief of the agencys Alaska region, said efforts to reach the site Sunday were called off due to poor conditions. The team planned to try again Monday, he said.

However long it takes, we will wait for the weather and wait patiently for it. But we're going to get this done, he said.

The wreckage was in a rugged, steep area that is heavily forested, at 1,800 feet (548.6 meters) to 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) up on the side of a mountain, he said. The site is about 12 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Johnson said.

Very challenging conditions, Johnson said, adding that the wreckage would have to be removed by helicopter.

He described conditions at the accident site as having low ceilings, reduced visibility and fog.

Investigators also were conducting interviews in Ketchikan, he said.

The flight was returning to Ketchikan on Thursday from a tour of Misty Fjords National Monument when it crashed, Johnson said.

The plane carried five passengers and the pilot. The Alaska State Troopers identified the pilot as Rolf Lanzendorfer, 64, of Cle Elum, Washington. Troopers identified the passengers as Mark Henderson, 69, and Jacquelyn Komplin, 60, both of Napa, California; Andrea McArthur, 55, and Rachel McArthur, 20, both of Woodstock, Georgia; and Janet Kroll, 77, of Mount Prospect, Illinois.

The Holland America Line cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam is docked on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, at Berth 4 in Ketchikan, Alaska. Holland America confirmed Thursday that five passengers from the Nieuw Amsterdam were aboard a float plane that crashed Thursday morning during a tour of the Misty Fjords National Monument. There were no survivors, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The de Havilland Beaver aircraft was owned by Southeast Aviation LLC. (Dustin Safranek/Ketchikan Daily News via AP)

Troopers and Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad members reached the scene via a chartered helicopter Saturday afternoon and recovered the bodies, which were being taken to the state medical examiner's office in Anchorage, the troopers said.

Kathleen Grayson, Henderson's sister, told the Napa Valley Register that Henderson and Komplin had sent messages during their trip talking about how gorgeous" it was in Alaska. They were having so much fun," she said.

Henderson was retired but had worked as a public defender, while Komplin was a registered nurse and instructor at Pacific Union College, the news outlet reported.

Komplin coordinated a wellness program associated with Meals on Wheels for Community Action of Napa Valley, the group's executive director, Drene Johnson, told The Associated Press. She said Komplin was excited about the trip.

We were all wishing her well, and that's what's so hard for us to comprehend is, now she's gone, she said, describing Komplin as one of a kind.

One recent post on Kroll's Facebook page showed Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau in the background. Another was captioned: "I finally made it to Alaska! Hooray!

Davis McArthur said his mother, Andrea McArthur, and sister, Rachel McArthur, were on a girls' trip before his sister returned to college. He said Andrea McArthur was a flight attendant with Delta Air Lines and that the two women loved traveling and adventure.

Andrea McArthur had a heart of gold," he said, adding later: "If there was a need, just know it was going to get met. If you needed somebody to talk to, she was that shoulder to lean on."

You could see Jesus in her, he said.

Rachel McArthur, too, was always wanting to help out, he said. She also was independent and strong, he said.

Delta Air Lines released a statement Sunday saying that it was "mourning the loss of one of our own and our hearts and thoughts go out to the many who knew, worked with and admired her.

Lanzendorfer's Linkedin profile said he had worked for Southeast Aviation as a pilot since May 2015. Bri Kelly, a media contact for Southeast Aviation, did not provide any details about the pilot's tenure with the company and directed questions related to the accident to Johnson.

Johnson said Lanzendorfer was the pilot in a July 9 incident in which a Southeast Aviation plane hit an inlet buoy on departure near Coffman Cove and flipped. Alaska State Troopers previously reported the pilot was the only person on board and that no injuries were reported.

Johnson said that's just a piece of information that we're putting on the pile" as investigators probe Thursday's crash.

The Seattle Times reported that Lanzendorfer had been flying commercial floatplanes for more than 40 years and was described by Clyde Carlson, founder of Washington-based Northwest Seaplanes, as an excellent pilot."

Holland America Line confirmed the five passengers on the flight had been traveling on the company's ship Nieuw Amsterdam, which was nearing the end of seven-day Alaska cruise.

Ketchikan is a popular stop for cruise ships visiting Alaska, and sightseeing excursions, such as those to Misty Fjords National Monument, are among the options for exploring the area while off the ship.

The cruise line said the excursion the passengers were on was not sold by Holland America Line.

Southeast Aviation, in a statement Thursday, said it was cooperating with the agencies involved. All of us share in the anguish of this tragic incident, and our prayers go out to all affected, the statement said.

The planes emergency beacon was activated about 11:20 a.m. Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard has said.

A helicopter company reported seeing wreckage on a ridgeline in the search area, and Coast Guard crew members found the wreckage around 2:40 p.m. They reported no survivors, the Coast Guard said.

Weather conditions at the site included mist and light rain, the Coast Guard said.
WASHINGTON - The United States will remain on the sidelines for now as Canada gamely welcomes back fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents.

Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rob Gurdebeke

WASHINGTON - The United States will remain on the sidelines for now as Canada gamely welcomes back fully vaccinated American citizens and permanent residents.

As of midnight Sunday night, non-essential U.S. travellers who have had a full course of a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine will again be allowed on Canadian soil.

To be eligible, travellers must live in the U.S., have allowed at least 14 days to pass since their last dose and show proof of a negative molecular test for COVID-19 that's no more than 72 hours old.

They are also required to use the ArriveCAN app or online web portal to upload their vaccination details.

Denis Vinette, vice-president of the travellers branch of the Canada Border Services Agency, says the agency learned a lot when fully vaccinated Canadian citizens were allowed to return last month.

Vinette says about half had to be turned away during the first week because they hadn't received one of the four vaccines approved by Health Canada, or had not waited the full 14 days after their last shot.

"We found that many travellers  while they believed they met the full vaccination requirements  in fact did not, for one of two reasons," Vinette said in an interview.

"One, it had not been a full 14 days since they'd received their second vaccination shot, and secondly, there were a lot of individuals who received a non-Health Canada vaccine who believed they would have been exempt from the quarantine requirements."

Canada has approved four vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, also known as Covishield, and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson option.

"We had a lot of individuals who didn't have a full understanding of what applies and what does not apply," Vinette said. "I expect the same here. I think that from a vaccination perspective, the vaccines being administered in the U.S. are approved in Canada, so I would expect that might be a lesser issue."

The U.S., for its part, has been mum on when it might begin to ease its own restrictions on non-essential Canadian travellers at land crossings. Air and sea travellers are exempt, though passengers by rail, ferry and pleasure boat are not.

The White House did say last week that it is exploring whether to require discretionary visitors to be fully vaccinated when the time comes to ease restrictions, although it remains unclear whether that discussion specifically includes Canadian travellers.

The U.S. has maintained stringent travel limits on a number of foreign countries, including China, India, Ireland, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and the 26 European countries without border controls, known as the Schengen group.

The borders with Canada and Mexico, however, are widely seen as falling into a different category, in part because of the close trade ties between the three countries as well as the fact that visitors can enter without the help of a private-sector company like an airline or cruise ship operator.

Observers also detect a measure of unease in the White House at the idea of allowing travel to resume from Canada without doing so at the southern border, where an ever-present flow of would-be refugees continues to pose a political challenge for President Joe Biden.

While a short-lived labour dispute with Canadian border agents was resolved promptly last week, travellers looking to enter the country after Sunday would still be wise to pack some patience, given the likelihood that a lot of people will be getting turned away.

Some people "will not have perhaps the totality of information they require to be able to present themselves to enter the country for a discretionary purpose," Vinette said.

"They'll be denied entry to the country; they'll simply be sent back to the U.S., then they can choose to comply with all requirements and then seek re-entry after that case."

Travellers arriving by air can also expect delays, given that it already takes a lot of time.

Torontos Pearson International Airport, one of four in Canada that has been allowed to accept flights from outside the country, has been warning people that the international arrivals process could take more than three hours.

Canadians are growing more comfortable with air travel, which means more people in the airport, all of them dealing with augmented security and health checks thanks to COVID restrictions, said Pearson spokeswoman Beverly MacDonald.

"There are a variety of factors that impact wait times upon arrival, including additional health screening due to government travel requirements, vaccination status, immigration processing, multiple flights arriving at the same time and more," MacDonald said in a statement.

Pearson saw nearly double the amount of passengers in the second quarter than during the same months in 2020  though at an average of 11,500 a day its still significantly down from that quarter in 2019, when an average of 140,000 passengers flowed through the airport.

In June, the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport saw about 10 per cent of its 2019 volumes, which rose to 20 per cent in July, and they expect to see around 30 per cent in August.

"Even if we are used to attending to a far larger number of passengers in our facilities, there are longer wait times to be expected especially at the international arrivals level, depending on the time of the day," said spokeswoman Anne-Sophie Hamel.

The federal government is currently planning to allow vaccinated visitors from outside the U.S. to return to Canada for non-essential reasons as of Sept. 7.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2021.

 With files from Allison Jones and Elena De Luigi in Toronto

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the U.S. is allowing non-essential rail travellers from Canada. In fact, rail passengers are not exempt, only freight rail.
ISTANBUL (AP)  Turkeys wildfires have left little behind, turning green forests into ashen, barren hills. The destruction is being intensely felt by Turkeys beekeepers, who have lost thousands of hives as well as the pine trees and the insects their bees depend on.

Beekeeper Guven Karagol shows the remains of his beehives in Kalemler village of Manavgat, Antalya, Turkey, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021. Turkey's wildfires have left little behind, turning green forests into ashen, barren hills. The destruction is intensely felt by Turkey's beekeepers, who have lost thousands of hives, the pine trees and the bugs their bees depend on, in a major blow to Turkey's honey industry. (Akif Yilmaz/IHA via AP)

ISTANBUL (AP)  Turkeys wildfires have left little behind, turning green forests into ashen, barren hills. The destruction is being intensely felt by Turkeys beekeepers, who have lost thousands of hives as well as the pine trees and the insects their bees depend on.

Twelve days of deadly wildfires have dealt a major blow to Turkeys honey industry and even its longer term prospects appear bleak.

Nearly all of the residents of Osmaniye, a neighborhood in Turkey's southwestern Mediterranean resort of Marmaris, are beekeepers. Their beehives once looked out to the green hills of Mugla province where Marmaris is located and provided the main income for many families.

Ali Kaya, 33, is second-generation beekeeper. After his fathers death, he took over the honey business his father had set up in 1979. Yet this week Kaya lost 250 hives in Osmaniye to the wildfires, as well as the entire ecosystem upon which his bees depend, so just buying new hives will not solve his economic woes.

He says the entire region is in shock.

There is nothing left here, no trees left. Animals burned. Some peoples homes and roofs burned, he said. I have no idea what well do. Our heads are all messed up, our mental outlook destroyed. We cant think clearly here in Osmaniye."

The red pine trees endemic to Anatolia span the Taurus mountain system. They can be seen along Turkey's coast from the eastern Mediterranean all the way to the northern Aegean Sea, including a great number around Mugla. The pines provide a welcoming habitat for scores of shrubs and make an ideal environment for bees.

Bees in Mugla produce a special pine-based honey. Unlike most of the honey in the world, which is created from the nectars of flowers, bees in Mugla collect the secretions of Marchalina hellenica, a scale insect that lives on pine trees and feeds on their sap. What they leave behind, the bees take to make a nutritious honey.

Wildfires in Turkey started on July 28 amid a ferocious heat wave and raged on for days across more than half of Turkey's provinces. As of Sunday, some wildfires were still burning in the provinces of Mugla, Aydin and Isparta. At least eight people and countless animals have been killed. Villages and resorts had to be evacuated, with some people fleeing to beaches to be rescued by sea. The wildfires also threatened two coal-burning power plants.

The Turkish government has promised to rebuild the many burned homes and compensate villagers for their animals, along with providing other aid. But it has also been criticized for its lack of firefighting planes, poor planning and overall inability to stop the fires.

Samil Tuncay Bestoy, who heads the Environmental and Bee Protection Association, said hundreds of thousands of hives were saved purely by an accident of timing. Many nomadic beekeepers, including some from Mugla, each year move their hives to Turkey's inland upper plains in the spring and come to Mugla from mid-August on for the pine trees. Those beehives were spared from burning but their whole production cycle has been shattered.

Now they dont have anywhere to come back to, there are no forests left, said Bestoy, a beekeeper himself. The bees and the beekeepers are waiting at the plains with no idea of what to do.

Since they cannot remain on the plains for long because of their feeding needs, the association was working to find healthy, temporary forest locations in Mugla, which is already highly populated with hives.

Its a short-term solution to save the bees but points to the need for the close coordination between the government, bee-keeping associations and beekeepers to chart the way forward. Workers may have to find new beekeeping routes or even jobs in other industries.

Even before the wildfires, Turkeys beekeepers were already suffering from climate change, with droughts and high temperatures reducing the pine trees sap and killing the bugs.

Beekeeping is a fundamental culture of Anatolia and we were already warning that we may lose it to the climate crisis. These fires have added fuel to that fire, Bestoy said.

Further to the east, forests in Antalyas Manavgat district were also incinerated. Beekeeper Guven Karagol had to leave his hives behind once those flames grew near.

The fires came quickly and my beehives were burning, I could only watch. Six years of my work, this years labor, burned, he told Turkish IHA news agency.

When he returned at daybreak after the fires, he saw some bees emerging and realized that 20 out of 100 hives had somehow survived.

I thought I cant do this in a completely blackened nature, my hopes were shattered. he said. These 20 hives gave me hope.

The Turkish government has said that the burned forests would be reforested and groups have launched campaigns for saplings but many experts say the forests need to be left alone to regenerate.

Medine Yilmaz, another second-generation beekeeper in Osmaniye, also lost her hives and had spoken to Turkish officials who visited the area. She wanted the remaining trees to be allowed to stay upright to see if they could regenerate but she said authorities were planning on tearing down everything.

We rose up as younger people and stopped the bulldozers. If they come again, I will lay down in front of them and not let them cut the trees, she said.

Her husband, Yusuf, was devastated.

I dont care about the houses that burned. Our only sadness is that nature has disappeared, our only livelihood were these pines," he said. Homes will be rebuilt, wounds bandaged but nature will not heal for 70-80 years."

Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  The U.S. government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said Sunday that he was hopeful the Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month's end and predicted the potential move will spur a wave of vaccine mandates in the private sector as well as schools and universities.

Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci responds to accusations by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., as he testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Cases of COVID-19 have tripled over the past three weeks, and hospitalizations and deaths are rising among unvaccinated people. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool)

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  The U.S. government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said Sunday that he was hopeful the Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month's end and predicted the potential move will spur a wave of vaccine mandates in the private sector as well as schools and universities.

The FDA has only granted emergency-use approval of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, but the agency is expected to soon give full approval to Pfizer.

The Biden administration has stated that the federal government will not mandate vaccinations beyond the federal workforce, but is increasingly urging state and local governments as well as businesses to consider such mandates. Fauci, who is President Joe Bidens chief medical adviser, said mandates at the local level need to be done to help curb the spread of the virus.

I hope  I dont predict  I hope that it will be within the next few weeks. I hope its within the month of August, Fauci said of FDA approval of the vaccine. If thats the case, youre going to see the empowerment of local enterprises, giving mandates that could be colleges, universities, places of business, a whole variety and I strongly support that. The time has come. ... Weve got to go the extra step to get people vaccinated.

Fauci's comments come as the Biden administration is weighing what levers it can push to encourage more unvaccinated Americans to get their shots as the delta variant continues to surge through much of the United States.

Biden recently approved rules requiring federal workers to provide proof of vaccination or face regular testing, mask mandates and travel restrictions. Biden is also awaiting a formal recommendation from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on potentially requiring U.S. troops to get vaccinated.

The administration has become more vocal in its support of vaccine mandates at a moment when high-profile companies have informed employees that coronavirus vaccination requirements are in the works, and some localities have adopted or are contemplating vaccine requirements to dine indoors.

United Airlines informed its employees that they will need to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 25 or five weeks after the FDA grants full approval to one of the vaccines  whichever date comes first.

Disney and Walmart have announced vaccine mandates for white-collar workers, and Microsoft, Google and Facebook said they will require proof of vaccination for employees and visitors to their U.S. offices. Tyson Foods has also announced it will require all U.S. employees to get vaccinated by November.

There's also been pushback.

The U.S. Supreme Court last week was asked to block a plan by Indiana University to require students and employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Its the first time the high court has been asked to weigh in on a vaccine mandate and comes as some corporations, states and cities are also contemplating or have adopted vaccine requirements for workers or even to dine indoors.

Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers union, said on Sunday that she personally supports a vaccine mandate for educators.

As a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers  not opposing them on vaccine mandates, said Weingarten, who estimated about 90% of AFT members are already vaccinated.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, on Sunday all but endorsed vaccine mandates, saying, I celebrate when I see businesses deciding that theyre going to mandate that for their employees.

Yes, I think we ought to use every public health tool we can when people are dying, Collins said.

Fauci and Weingarten spoke on NBC's Meet the Press," and Collins appeared on ABCs This Week."
ORLANDO NODARSE, Cuba (AP)  Zuleydis Elledias has gotten up each morning for the past two months hoping for a phone call, a message  any news on the fate of her husband and nephew, who disappeared at sea after the boat they were in capsized as they tried to reach Florida.

Zuleydis "Zuly" Elledias, left, shows a cellphone photo of her missing husband to a child while her neighbors pose for a group picture holding up cellphone photos of their missing relatives who ventured out in homemade boats in an attempt to reach Florida, in Orlando Nodarse, about 60 kilometers west of Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Cuba is seeing a surge in unauthorized migration to the United States, fueled by an economic crisis. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

ORLANDO NODARSE, Cuba (AP)  Zuleydis Elledias has gotten up each morning for the past two months hoping for a phone call, a message  any news on the fate of her husband and nephew, who disappeared at sea after the boat they were in capsized as they tried to reach Florida.

Another half dozen families in the small town of Orlando Nodarse, 35 miles (55 kilometers) west of Havana and near the port of Mariel, are living with the same uncertainty.

Due to the pandemic my husband lost his job. Many places closed and he had been home for more than a year. Every time he went to his workplace, they told him to wait. And that made him desperate because we have a 2-year-old son, Elledias, a 38-year-old homemaker, told The Associated Press through tears.

Cuba is seeing a surge in unauthorized migration to the United States, fueled by an economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, increased U.S. sanctions and cutbacks in aid from its also-crisis-wracked Venezuelan ally. That has led to shortages in many goods and a series of protests that shook the island on July 11.

And legal ways to leave have been strained by the Trump administration's near-closure of the U.S. Consulate in 2017 following a series of mysterious illnesses among diplomatic personnel that some claimed could result from an attack  allegations Cuba bitterly denies.

Most Cubans who want to try for a U.S. visa now have to go to embassies in other countries  and getting there is almost impossible due to sharp cuts in air traffic during the pandemic. Most can't afford tickets anyway unless relatives abroad can front them the money.

That has pushed many Cubans to launch themselves into the sea on small boats or rafts to attempt the dangerous crossing of the Florida Straits to the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard said recently it has intercepted 595 Cubans at sea since the current fiscal year started on Oct. 1. That's larger than any any full fiscal year since 2017  during which the U.S. announced that even Cubans reaching U.S. shores were likely to be expelled, ending a longstanding policy of granting asylum to those who reached dry land.

FILE - In this June 29, 2021 file photo, a homemade raft used in an attempt to cross from Cuba to Florida, seized by the Cuban Border Patrol, is moored at the port of Mariel, Cuba. Cuba is seeing a surge in unauthorized migration to the United States, fueled by an economic crisis. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File)

It's still small in comparison with the nearly 5,400 halted at sea in 2016 or the dramatic crises of 1994-1995 and 1980, when Cuba's government temporarily stopped trying to block departures and tens of thousands set out en masse. Thousands died in the ocean.

It's also still far smaller than the current flow of those who have somehow made their way to the continent and worked their way north. The U.S. Border Patrol had recorded 26,196 Cubans trying to enter the U.S. without documents between Oct. 1 and June 30, most by land.

As well as her husband  45-year-old driver Fernando Quinones  Elledias is also awaiting word on her nephew, Ismel Reyes, 22, who worked on a farm.

They were among a group of 18 men and two women who left Cuba for Florida on May 25. The boat sank the following night and survivors were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard about 18 miles (29 kilometers) southwest of Key West. The search by sea, land and air lasted for days.

Something happened, I dont know, the currents, the boat flipped. The United States Coast Guard rescued eight people alive, found two bodies and there are 10 people missing, Elledias said.

Among the survivors were four cousins of Elledias, some of whom have already been repatriated to Cuba.

Elledias, her sister Sudenis  Reyes mother  and other Orlando Nodarse residents who spoke with the AP all agreed that the risky decision to head for the United States was triggered by the economic crisis and the difficulties in obtaining a visa.

Cuban historian Alina Barbara Lopez noted that two earlier mass exoduses by sea were spawned by crises and Cuban authorities opened the borders as a kind of release valve in the face of social pressure.

In 1980, with unhappy Cubans pouring into foreign embassy compounds seeking visas, Fidel Castro opened the port at Mariel for people who wanted to leave and 125,000 Cubans rushed north, setting off a political crisis for the government of U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The dire economic tailspin of the early 1990s following the collapse of Cuba's aid from the Soviet Union led tens of thousands to put to sea in innertubes, makeshift rafts and highjacked boats. Then too, many died.

But now Havana is trapped because it cannot open its borders due to migration agreements signed with the Washington in that wake of that crisis, she said.

Meanwhile, Cuba's economic reforms have only been superficial, Lopez said. The economy remains stagnant.

All this makes the underlying political foundation of this crisis much stronger than in the previous crises, she said.

Cuban authorities acknowledge there are symptoms of a possible migratory crisis but say it could be deactivated if President Joe Biden fulfills a campaign promise to jettison Trump's tighter sanctions, which were aimed at trying to drive the Communist Party from power, and resumes the dialogue launched by former U.S. President Barack Obama.

The situation we have now is the result of a number of negative factors, said Jesus Perz Calderon of the United States department at Cubas Foreign Ministry. In the first place, the deterioration of the economy as a result of COVID-19 ... but at the same time the resurgence of an economic war of blockade against Cuba by the United States.

Jose Ramon Cabanas, a former Cuban ambassador to the U.S. and current director of the Center for International Policy Research, said both nations have instruments in place to prevent an exodus to Florida,

There are agreements in force but they are not being fully applied, Cabanas said.

The United States had been providing 22,000 visas a year to Cuba for two decades until 2017, when Trump froze relations. The consulate shutdown made applying for a visa almost moot for most Cubans.

In addition, at the beginning of 2017, Obama eliminated the policy known as wet foot-dry foot" that let Cubans who reached U.S. shores remain, usually as refugees, while those caught at sea were sent back.

Back in Orlando Nodarse, Elledias hopes a miracle will bring home her loved ones.

"I would tell people who are thinking about this option (of crossing the Florida Straits) not to do it, that it is not a safe route. There is no money in the world that can pay for this suffering we are going through, she said.
Facebook already asks for your thoughts. Now it wants your prayers.

Facebook already asks for your thoughts. Now it wants your prayers.

The social media giant has rolled out a new prayer request feature, a tool embraced by some religious leaders as a cutting-edge way to engage the faithful online. Others are eyeing it warily as they weigh its usefulness against the privacy and security concerns they have with Facebook.

This image provided by Facebook in August 2021 shows a simulation of the social media company's prayer request feature. The tool has been embraced by some religious leaders as a cutting-edge way to engage the faithful online. Others are eyeing it warily as they weigh its usefulness against the privacy and security concerns they have with Facebook. (Facebook via AP)

In Facebook Groups employing the feature, members can use it to rally prayer power for upcoming job interviews, illnesses and other personal challenges big and small. After they create a post, other users can tap an I prayed button, respond with a like or other reaction, leave a comment or send a direct message.

Facebook began testing it in the U.S. in December as part of an ongoing effort to support faith communities, according to a statement attributed to a company spokesperson.

During the COVID-19 pandemic weve seen many faith and spirituality communities using our services to connect, so were starting to explore new tools to support them, it said.

The Rev. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, a Southern Baptist megachurch, was among the pastors enthusiastically welcoming of the prayer feature.

Facebook and other social media platforms continue to be tremendous tools to spread the Gospel of Christ and connect believers with one another  especially during this pandemic, he said. While any tool can be misused, I support any effort like this that encourages people to turn to the one true God in our time of need.

Adeel Zeb, a Muslim chaplain at The Claremont Colleges in California, also was upbeat.

As long as these companies initiate proper precautions and protocols to ensure the safety of religiously marginalized communities, people of faith should jump on board supporting this vital initiative, he said.

Under its data policy, Facebook uses the information it gathers in a variety of ways, including to personalize advertisements. But the company says advertisers are not able to use a persons prayer posts to target ads.

The Rev. Bob Stec, pastor of St. Ambrose Catholic Parish in Brunswick, Ohio, said via email that on one hand, he sees the new feature as a positive affirmation of people's need for an authentic community of prayer, support and worship.

But even while this is a good thing, it is not necessary the deeply authentic community that we need," he said. We need to join our voices and hands in prayer. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and walk through great moments and challenges together.

Stec also worried about privacy concerns surrounding the sharing of deeply personal traumas.

Is it wise to post everything about everyone for the whole world to see? he said. On a good day we would all be reflective and make wise choices. When we are under stress or distress or in a difficult moment, its almost too easy to reach out on Facebook to everyone.

However, Jacki King, the minister to women at Second Baptist Conway, a Southern Baptist congregation in Conway, Arkansas, sees a potential benefit for people who are isolated amid the pandemic and struggling with mental health, finances and other issues.

Theyre much more likely to get on and make a comment than they are to walk into a church right now, King said. It opens a line of communication.

Bishop Paul Egensteiner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americas Metropolitan New York Synod said he has been dismayed by some aspects of Facebook but welcomes the feature, which bears similarities to a digital prayer request already used by the synods churches.

I hope this is a genuine effort from Facebook to help religious organizations advance their mission, Egensteiner said. I also pray that Facebook will continue improving its practices to stop misinformation on social media, which is also affecting our religious communities and efforts.

The Rev. Thomas McKenzie, who leads Church of the Redeemer, an Anglican congregation in Nashville, Tennessee, said he wanted to hate the feature  he views Facebook as willing to exploit anything for money, even people's faith.

But he thinks it could be encouraging to those willing to use it: Facebooks evil motivations might have actually provided a tool that can be for good.

His chief concern with any Internet technology, he added, is that it can encourage people to stay physically apart even when it is unnecessary.

You cannot participate fully in the body of Christ online. Its not possible," McKenzie said. "But these tools may give people the impression that its possible.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union of Reform Judaism, said he understood why some people would view the initiative skeptically.

But in the moment were in, I dont know many people who dont have a big part of their prayer life online, he said. Weve all been using the chat function for something like this  sharing who we are praying for.

Crossroads Community Church, a nondenominational congregation in Vancouver, Washington, saw the function go live about 10 weeks ago in its Facebook Group, which has roughly 2,500 members.

About 20 to 30 prayer requests are posted each day, eliciting 30 to 40 responses apiece, according to Gabe Moreno, executive pastor of ministries. Each time someone responds, the initial poster gets a notification.

Deniece Flippen, a moderator for the group, turns off the alerts for her posts, knowing that when she checks back she will be greeted with a flood of support.

Flippen said that unlike with in-person group prayer, she doesnt feel the Holy Spirit or the physical manifestations she calls the holy goosebumps." But the virtual experience is fulfilling nonetheless.

Its comforting to see that theyre always there for me and were always there for each other, Flippen said.

Members are asked on Fridays to share which requests got answered, and some get shoutouts in the Sunday morning livestreamed services.

Moreno said he knows Facebook is not acting out of purely selfless motivation  it wants more user engagement with the platform. But his church's approach to it is theologically based, and they are trying to follow Jesus example.

We should go where the people are, Moreno said. The people are on Facebook. So were going to go there.

AP video journalist Emily Leshner contributed.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
LONDON (AP)  Britains competition watchdog said Sunday it will look into the cost of COVID-19 testing for travelers after Health Secretary Sajid Javid complained that high prices for the government-mandated tests were preventing some people from going on vacation.

A National Health Service worker at a pop-up Covid vaccination centre, set up at Heaven nightclub in London, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. London's Heaven club has become the UK's first nightclub to be turned into a pop-up Coronavirus vaccination centre, as authorities try to attract younger people to get vaccinated. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON (AP)  Britains competition watchdog said Sunday it will look into the cost of COVID-19 testing for travelers after Health Secretary Sajid Javid complained that high prices for the government-mandated tests were preventing some people from going on vacation.

PCR tests required for most travelers average about 75 pounds ($104) each, or 300 pounds for a family of four, but many firms charge significantly more. Prices quoted by providers listed on the government website range from 17 pounds ($24) to 250 pounds ($347).

Javid said he asked the Competition and Markets Authority to crackdown on unfair market practices by test providers.

People should be able to go on holiday, whether its to see family or just to relax, without fearing excessive fees for PCR tests, he said on Twitter.

The watchdog has the authority to intervene directly when it uncovers unfair practices but it can also provide advice directly to ministers so they can take swifter action.

We are aware of concerns about the evolving markets for COVID-19 tests for international travelers, the agency said. We look forward to providing the Secretary of State with advice on how best to ensure that travelers have access to tests that are affordable and reliable.

Health officials, meanwhile, were giving Pfizer coronavirus shots Sunday at a pop-up vaccination center that was set up for the first time in a nightclub. The center at the Heaven club in London is part of an effort aimed at encouraging young people to get vaccinated.

Follow all AP stories on the global pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
DENVER (AP)  When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer, he said he hoped he would never have to do it again.

FILE - In this July 1, 2021, file photo from left, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., wait to speak about introducing legislation to limit Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's donations, at the Capitol in Washington. Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer. At least eight GOP-controlled states have passed bans on donations to election offices this year as Republicans try to block outside funding of voting operations. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

DENVER (AP)  When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg donated $400 million to help fund election offices as they scrambled to deal with the coronavirus pandemic late last summer, he said he hoped he would never have to do it again.

Republican legislatures are granting him that wish.

At least eight GOP-controlled states have passed bans on donations to election offices this year as Republicans try to block outside funding of voting operations. The legislation often comes as part of Republican packages that also put new limits on how voters can cast ballots and impose new requirements on county or city-based election officials.

The response is spurred by anger and suspicion on the right that Zuckerberg's money benefited Democrats in 2020. Conservatives have long accused the tech mogul's social media platform of censoring right-wing voices as part of its campaign against misinformation.

Zuckerberg's money was largely distributed through a nonpartisan foundation that had liberal roots. Conservative groups cite analyses that the money went disproportionately to Democratic-leaning counties in key states such as Florida and Pennsylvania.

People saw that, and looked around, and they were increasingly concerned about why would you have a billionaire funding our elections through the backdoor, said Jessica Anderson, executive director of the conservative group Heritage Action, which has pushed the bans in several states.

But many election officials say that effort is short-sighted and fueled by paranoia. Election offices, they argue, are chronically underfunded and now cannot benefit from donations that still flow to so many other branches of government, including police, schools and libraries.

Furthermore, they say there is no sign of favoritism in the distribution of the grants from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Elections are more expensive in populous urban areas, and especially more so last year, when states scrambled to shift to mail voting to deal with the pandemic. Metro areas had to buy expensive equipment to open and sort mail ballots, a task that smaller, more GOP-leaning counties could do by hand or with less gear.

Also, Republican-leaning areas were already discouraged from accepting election grants due to conservative suspicion of Zuckerberg. The Republican attorney general of Louisiana last year ordered his state's election offices to turn down grants from the nonprofit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which distributed $350 million of the Zuckerberg money.

Every election department that applied, received funding," said CTCL's executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, adding that the distribution of the money "reflects those who chose to apply.

A spokesman for Zuckerberg declined to address the wave of new legislation.

When our nations election infrastructure faced unprecedented challenges last year due to the pandemic, Mark and Priscilla stepped up to close a funding gap and granted $350 million to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) organization, said Ben LaBolt. Mark made clear this was a unique effort to address the unprecedented challenge of the pandemic and his preference for elections to be publicly funded."

The center distributed grants to 2,500 election offices nationwide, from Alaska to Florida. The money was spent in a wide variety of ways  protective gear for poll workers, public education campaigns promoting new methods to vote during the pandemic, and new trucks to haul voting equipment.

In northern Arizona, sprawling Coconino County used its $614,000 grant to hire more election workers, particularly Navajo speakers who could do outreach on a reservation, and set up drive-up sites for voters to drop off ballots, said county recorder Patty Hansen.

She said it was the first time she had enough money to expand outreach to the entire county, which is among the biggest in land size in the country at 18,600 square miles but is sparsely populated.

Because of the legislation passed and signed by the governor, we will never be able to get a grant like that ever again, she said. Theyre cutting off a funding source to be able to provide these additional requirements theyre putting on us.

Election officials have long complained they were underfunded, but never more so than last year when they had to instantly revamp their entire operations at the peak of the pandemic. There was a huge shift to mail voting, while even in-person voting required new protective measures, and hazard pay for poll workers.

Democrats pushed for an extra $2 billion for election offices in the initial coronavirus aid bill in April but only got $400 million. After a spring and summer of troubled primaries and partisan deadlock over more funding, Zuckerberg stepped in. He and Chan donated a total of $400 million to election offices  $350 million in the form of grants to local offices that were distributed through CTCL.

The selection of CTCL raised eyebrows among some conservatives because of the group's roots. Some of its founders, including Epps-Johnson, once were at the New Organizing Institute, which provided data and training to liberal activists Still, CTCL has become respected among election officials and includes a Republican, Pam Anderson, former elected clerk of a suburban Denver-area county, on its board. In an interview, she said the group was 100% nonpartisan.

Other Republican election officials have also vouched for the impartiality of the program. I dont see why governments should be barred from trying to work with the private sector in securing grant funds, said Brian Mead, a Republican election director in Licking County, Ohio, outside Columbus, which received $77,000 from CTCL. If we can work with the private sector and secure funds where we save our taxpayers money, I think thats a good thing, Mead said.

That did not mollify conservatives, especially after the initial grants went to major, Democratic-voting cities. In Pennsylvania, one of the central battlegrounds of the presidential election, Philadelphia, with an annual election budget of $12.3 million, received $10 million from CTCL. The conservative Foundation for Government Accountability found that in Pennsylvania, Democratic-voting counties received an average of $4.99 per voter, while Republican-voting ones got $1.12 per voter.

In Florida, the differential was also dramatic, with one-third of the $18 million in total money going to Democratic-leaning Palm Beach County, and an additional $2.4 million for Miami-Dade County, which backed Democrat Joe Biden, albeit more narrowly than expected. Republican Donald Trump won the state.

If Charles Koch was doing this, well, for many of these people the shoe would be on the other foot, said Hayden Dublois, a researcher at the Foundation for Government Accountability, referring to the conservative billionaire.

In some states, including Georgia and Texas, the new laws require all donations to local election offices to be distributed by the secretary of state. In states such as Arizona, Kansas and Iowa, they are banned altogether.

Anderson, the Republican CTCL board member, said that will do real damage.

If you want to block this funding, then I want to ask if the legislators are funding elections? Anderson said. Because so many states don't.

Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistan's key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighboring provincial capital after a monthlong siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as U.S. troops complete their pullout after nearly two decades in the country.

Afghan security personnel patrol after they took back control of parts of the city of Herat following fighting between Taliban and Afghan security forces, on the outskirts of Herat, 640 kilometers (397 miles) west of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamed Sarfarazi)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Taliban fighters seized most of the capital of northern Afghanistan's key Kunduz province on Sunday, and took another neighboring provincial capital after a monthlong siege. The advances were the latest in a series of blows to government forces as U.S. troops complete their pullout after nearly two decades in the country.

The militiamen planted their flag in the main square of Kunduz city, where it was seen flying atop a traffic police booth, a video obtained by the Associated Press showed.

It was the fourth provincial capital to largely succumb to Taliban fighters in less than a week, as they ramp up a push across Afghan's regions, and wage an assassination campaign in the capital, Kabul.

Two provincial council members said the Taliban took control of the governor's office and police headquarters after a day of firefights, as well as the main prison building, where 500 inmates including Taliban fighters were freed.

Kunduz's capture would be a significant gain for the Taliban and a test of their ability to take and retain territory in their campaign against the Western-backed government.

It is one of the countrys larger cities with a population of more than 340,000, and was a key area defended against Taliban takeover by Western troops over the years.

Councilman Ghulam Rabani Rabani said that fighting was continuing at the citys airport and other parts of the city still in government hands. Kunduz is a strategic crossroads with good access to much of northern Afghanistan as well as Kabul, about 200 miles (335 kilometers) away.

Another provincial council member from Kunduz, Mohammad Yusouf Ayubi, also said Afghan forces only control the airport and main army barracks, and that the Taliban control the rest of the city.

The innocent and poor must pay the cost of the war in Kunduz and other parts of the country, both government forces and the Taliban are the enemy of civilians," said Ayubi. "One cant provide security and the other doesn't care about people's safety, he added.

The Afghan government in Kabul denies it has lost the northern city, which would be the fourth provincial capital to be largely overrun by Taliban fighters in the last week. Interior Ministry Spokesman Mirwais Stanekzai said that Afghan security forces continue to fight and have already retaken some areas from the Taliban, without elaborating.

The Taliban has long considered the city a sought-after prize. It seized Kunduz, at the heart of a major agricultural region near Tajikistan, for around two weeks in 2015 before withdrawing in the face of a NATO-backed Afghan offensive. The insurgents pushed back into the city center a year later, briefly raising their flag before gradually being driven out again.

In Washington, senior officials from the White House National Security Council, State Department and Defense Department were in close contact with U.S. embassy officials in Kabul assessing the broader impact of the fall of Kunduz, according to a senior administration official. The official was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

But the official indicated that the Biden administration remains determined to stick to its plan to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan by the end of the month despite the Talibans rapid strategic gains.

White House officials in recent days have raised concern about reports of retaliation against civilians in Taliban-controlled areas. Theyve also condemned last weeks killing of Dawa Khan Menapal, the chief of the Afghan governments press operations for local and foreign media, and a bombing that targeted acting Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, killing eight and wounding more.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that recent surge in attacks run counter to the the Taliban claim to want international legitimacy and offered that the militants do not have to stay on this trajectory.

Also Sunday, the Taliban forces overran Taleqan, the capital of Takhar province which lies next to Kunduz, two Afghan lawmakers said. Takhar, a city of some 200,000, has particular significance for the anti-Taliban northern alliance fighters who joined the U.S.-led coalition to oust the religious militia in 2001.

Sayed Sharafuddin Aini, a member of the Afghan parliament from from Takhar province, said the Taliban managed to take the city in the afternoon after three months of advances during which it took control of all of the province's countryside.

Another MP from the area, Nazifa Yousefi Beg, said that all provincial officials including the governor, police chief, and council members were on the run . She said she worried about their safety and wanted the government to send reinforcements to the city.

Both lawmakers spoke by telephone in Kabul, where they live. They said they had been in touch with officials and provincial council members in the morning and early afternoon, and Beg was appealing directly to the acting defense minister at his office.

Taleqan had been under siege in recent weeks and largely cut off from the rest of the country by Taliban forces that had taken control of the surrounding countryside over the past three months.

The insurgents have been on a country-wide offensive that intensified as U.S. and NATO troops began to wrap up their withdrawal from the country this summer. With Taliban attacks increasing, Afghan security forces and government troops have retaliated with airstrikes aided by the United States. The fighting has raised growing concerns about civilian casualties.

On Saturday, Taliban fighters entered the capital of the northern Jawzjan province after sweeping through nine of 10 districts in the province. Several other of the countrys 34 provincial capitals are threatened as Taliban fighters sweep through large swaths of Afghanistan at a surprising speed.

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Earlier last week their fighters captured the ninth of 10 police districts of Lashkar Gah, the capital of southern Helmand province. Heavy fighting there continues, as do U.S. and Afghan government airstrikes, one of which damaged a health clinic and high school.

The Defense Ministry confirmed airstrikes occurred but said they targeted Taliban positions, killing 54 fighters and wounding 23 others. It made no mention of a clinic or school being bombed in its statement. Deputy provincial council chairman Majid Akhund said the facilities had been under Taliban control when they were struck.

As they rolled through provincial capitals, the Taliban issued an English language statement on Sunday saying that residents, government employees, and security officials had nothing to fear from them.

No former civil servant and other government employee including those who worked in the security sector ... should have any fear of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, nor flee towards other places, said the statement.

Revenge attacks and repressive treatment of women have been reported however in areas now under Taliban control.

Rohan contributed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon contributed from Islamabad, Pakistan, and Aamer Madhani from Wilmington, Delaware.
Minnesota State Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) celebrated the selection of the city of Caledonia for a $1.28 million grant from the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority to improve the citys drinking water infrastructure.

The grant will allow Caledonia to move forward on the construction of Wellhouse No. 8, associated wellhead improvements, a water main, and the installation of a natural gas generator. The 20-year PFA loan will save local taxpayers almost $12,000 in interest compared to market-rate alternatives.

This PFA grant is fantastic news for the community of Caledonia, said Miller. I know how hard local leaders have been working to make this a reality. I could not be happier for Mayor DeWayne Schroeder, City Administrator Adam Swann, members of the city council, city staff and all residents of Caledonia.

The Minnesota PFA provides financing and technical assistance to help communities build and maintain infrastructure that protects public health and the environment and promotes economic growth. Since 1990, the PFA has financed more than 1,300 public infrastructure projects, in almost 600 communities throughout Minnesota.

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Covid-19 hospitalizations are reaching all-time highs in parts of the South, with some patients unable to get the care they would normally receive.

Susan Walker has been calling out-of-state hospitals trying to get help for her husband, who did not get vaccinated against Covid-19 and is now in a medically induced coma.

"He is on a ventilator and in dire need of an ECMO treatment, which is not available at the hospital that he is in," the Florida mother said Sunday.

"All the beds are taken up by Covid victims also getting ECMO."

An ECMO treatment uses external machinery that can function as the heart and lungs. It's been used with some severely ill Covid-19 patients, including young adults.

"We have searched every hospital from the south of Florida to the north part of Florida" trying to find availability, Walker said.

"To transfer him to a hospital in Florida is next to impossible."

Across the country, states are struggling to fend off the Delta variant -- the most contagious strain of coronavirus yet.

But the situation in particularly worrisome in several Southern states.

Louisiana set a new record for Covid-19 hospitalizations last week.

Florida's hospitalizations recently jumped 13% above the state's previous peak on July 23, 2020, according to a survey by the Florida Hospital Association.

The FHA said it expects 60% of the state's hospitals to face a "critical staffing shortage" by this week.

And at Houston's United Memorial Medical Center, "We have no beds. The emergency department is full of patients just waiting to be able to get into the hospital," Chief of Staff Dr. Joseph Varon said Sunday morning.

"Over the last 12 hours, we have lost more patients than ... in the last five to six weeks."

According to data published Sunday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50.1% of the total US population is now fully vaccinated -- more than 166 million people.

As of Sunday, Mississippi has fully vaccinated 35.2% of its residents. That makes Alabama -- with 34.8% of its residents fully vaccinated -- the only state in the US to have fully vaccinated less than 35% of its residents.

The seven-day average of doses administered each day is now 706,323 doses, per the CDC data, and an average of 449,000 people are initiating vaccination each day.

More hospitalizations and deaths expected

The US now is averaging more than 100,000 new Covid-19 cases every day -- the highest in almost six months, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Because it can take days or weeks for some Covid-19 cases to lead to hospitalization or death, doctors are bracing for an ugly repeat of scenes from 2020.

"It's bad. For me, this is a deja vu of what we had last year," Varon said.

"And the worst part about this is this was foreseeable. And this was preventable. So not only are (we) exhausted, we're annoyed. And we're annoyed because people are not doing the right thing."

The vast majority of those getting hospitalized with or dying from Covid-19 are not fully vaccinated, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, said last week.

And Americans who have already had Covid-19 shouldn't assume they don't need a shot.

For adults previously infected with Covid-19, vaccines give better protection against reinfection than natural immunity on its own, according to a CDC study published Friday.

The study suggests people who got Covid-19 in 2020 and didn't get vaccinated were more than twice as likely to be reinfected in May or June 2021, compared with people who also had Covid-19 but were later fully vaccinated.

"If you have had Covid-19 before, please still get vaccinated," Walensky said Friday.

There is no minimum time to wait between recovering from Covid-19 and getting vaccinated, the CDC said.

"Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you," Walensky said, "especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country."

Children's hospitals are getting overwhelmed

Almost half the country is not fully vaccinated, including children under 12 who are not yet eligible but are still vulnerable to Covid-19.

Scientists say the Delta variant is as contagious as chicken pox, with each infected person potentially infecting eight or nine other people.

Delta may also cause more severe disease than other strains of coronavirus, according to studies cited in an internal CDC presentation.

Now some hospitals are seeing younger Covid-19 patients than before.

"Something very scary now is happening in the Southern United States. We are seeing this massive surge of hospitalizations of young people that we've never seen before in hospitals across the South," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

"It's many, many young people, including, I'm sorry to say, many children's hospital admissions. And for the first time that I can remember, we're starting to see pediatric intensive care units get overwhelmed, which we never really saw before."

As of Tuesday, an average of 192 children with Covid-19 were admitted to US hospitals every day over the past week, CDC data shows.

That's a 45.7% increase from the previous week in daily new hospitalizations among Covid-19 patients ages 0 to 17.

In the Miami area, "our children's hospitals are completely overwhelmed," said Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University.

"Our pediatricians, the nursing, the staff are exhausted. And the children are suffering," Marty said.

"It is absolutely devastating ... We've never seen numbers like this before."

In Texas, Ava Amira Rivera -- an 11-month-old Covid-19 patient -- had to be airlifted to a hospital 150 miles away because of a shortage of pediatric beds in the Houston area.

None of the major pediatric hospitals in the area had beds available, said Amanda Callaway, a spokeswoman for Harris Health System.

The baby's condition has since stabilized, and she is no longer intubated.

Who might need booster doses first

With more than 164 million Americans fully vaccinated, tens of thousands might get Covid-19 later on, Walensky said.

Even though there's no coronavirus in any of the vaccines used in the US, breakthrough infections are expected -- like with other vaccines.

Those who do get breakthrough infections generally have mild or no symptoms. As of late July, more than 99.99% of fully vaccinated Americans have not had a Covid-19 infection leading to hospitalization, according to CDC data.

The tiny fraction of breakthrough infections that do lead to hospitalization can include those who are immunocompromised or elderly.

Those two groups may be among the first to get an additional dose of vaccine, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Because the Covid-19 vaccines require an immune response to work, those who are immunocompromised or taking immune-suppressing drugs might not get adequate protection with a vaccine.

"We will almost certainly be boosting those people before we boost the general population that's been vaccinated," Fauci said Sunday. "And we should be doing that reasonably soon, I believe."

He said the next group that may need boosters sooner than the general population are those over age 60. Fauci said the CDC is studying different age groups to see how long vaccines may stay effective.

"As soon as they see that that level of durability of protection goes down, then you'll see the recommendation to vaccinate those individuals," he said.

Long-haul Covid victim: 'I didn't think I fit the profile'

Quentin Bowen said he had scheduled an appointment to get vaccinated but had to cancel because of work.

The 41-year-old farmer from Nebraska said he assumed delaying his vaccination wasn't a big deal.

"I didn't think I fit the profile of who Covid (could) attack," Bowen said Saturday. "I was healthy. I was younger. And I was going to get (the vaccine). And I figured I'd been exposed to it before and never got it, so I thought I had time."

But Bowen fell sick with Covid-19 in May. He recalled going to the hospital and asking his friend to tell his kids he loved them.

"I knew I wasn't coming home that day. And I didn't know if I'd come home ever," Bowen said.

He survived a pulmonary embolism but is still struggling with complications three months later.

Bowen urged Americans to get vaccinated as soon as they can, when they still have the power to help preserve their health.

"Once you walk through the hospital door," he said, "it's all out of your hands."

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the capacity at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. The hospital, a 309-bed pediatric specialty hospital, had a total of 214 admissions on Saturday. Of those, 18 were Covid-19 positive and five were in intensive care units.

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Here's a look at Myanmar, a country in southeast Asia formerly known as Burma.

About Myanmar

(from the CIA World Factbook)

Area: 676,578 sq km (slightly smaller than Texas)

Population: 57,069,099 (July 2021 est.)

Median age: 29.2 years

Capital: Naypyidaw

Ethnic Groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Religion: Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, Other 0.2%, None 0.1% (2014 est.)

Unemployment: 4% (2017 est.)

Other Facts

Prono: MEE'-an-mar

Myanmar shares borders with China, India, Laos, Bangladesh and Thailand.

The United States officially still calls the country Burma.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there were more than 773,000 people of concern, including stateless and internally displaced people, in Myanmar in 2019.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine State thought to number about one million people at the beginning of 2017. Myanmar does not recognize them as citizens or one of the 135 recognized ethnic groups living in the country. According to Human Rights Watch, laws discriminate against the Rohingya, infringing on their freedom of movement, education and employment.

According to the UN's Inter Sector Coordination Group, over 700,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since 2017, bringing the total Rohingya refugee population in Cox's Bazar to more than 880,000. (As of July 2021).

Timeline

1824-1886 - Burma becomes part of British India after fighting three wars with Great Britain over 62 years.

January 1947 - After negotiating with the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL), Great Britain agrees to give Burma its independence.

July 1947 - AFPFL leader Aung San is assassinated.

January 4, 1948 - Burma gains independence from the United Kingdom.

March 1962 - The military government is established under Ne Win after a bloodless coup.

August-October 1988 - Mass anti-government demonstrations take place throughout Burma. The official Radio Rangoon figure is 450 dead; the actual number is believed to be much higher.

September 1988 - Gen. Saw Maung takes over in another military coup.

1989 - Burma changes its name in English to Myanmar and the name of the capital from Rangoon to Yangon.

May 1990 - General elections are called by the junta. Activist Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD (National League for Democracy) party wins easily, but the military refuses to hand over power.

April 23, 1992 - Gen. Than Shwe replaces Saw Maung as head of the junta.

July 23, 1997 - Myanmar joins the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

March 2006 - Naypyidaw becomes the new administrative capital.

August 19, 2007 - Protests break out in Yangon after the government raises petroleum and diesel prices by 100%.

September 22, 2007 - In her first public appearance in over four years, Suu Kyi greets monks as they march past her house in Yangon.

September 24, 2007 - Buddhist monks lead about 100,000 in the largest anti-government demonstrations since 1988.

September 26, 2007 - As protests continue, Myanmar security forces crack down -- clubbing and gassing protestors and arresting as many as 200 monks.

September 30, 2007 - Special UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari meets with Suu Kyi and with military officials (separately) to attempt to resolve the situation.

October 20, 2007 - The UN General Assembly approves a resolution condemning the government crackdown and asking for the release of political protesters.

May 2, 2008 - A cyclone kills more than 70,000 people. The United Nations later estimates that more than two million people are severely affected by the storm.

May 20, 2008 - It is announced that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be allowed to tour the devastated area hit by the cyclone. Also, shipments of aid barred from coming into the country will be allowed in.

June 5-10, 2010 - More than 4,000 ethnic Karen leave Myanmar for Thailand after clashes between the Karen National Union rebel group and the Myanmar army.

June-July 2010 - Floods and landslides kill 68 people and displace thousands.

October 22, 2010 - Cyclone Giri hits Myanmar, leaving at least 27 people dead and close to 75,000 homeless.

November 7, 2010 - Myanmar holds its first elections in 20 years. The Union Solidarity and Development Party, backed by the military, claims victory with 80% of the votes.

November 13, 2010 - Opposition leader Suu Kyi is released from house arrest.

January 31, 2011 - Myanmar convenes its first parliament in more than two decades in the capital, Naypyidaw.

February 4, 2011 - The parliament elects Prime Minister Thein Sein as president. Suu Kyi's NLD party boycotts the elections, calling it a sham.

March 30, 2011 - A civilian government is sworn in to replace the military junta.

October 12, 2011 - Dozens of political prisoners are released as part of a mass amnesty.

November 30, 2011 - Hillary Clinton arrives in Myanmar, the first visit by a US secretary of state in more than 50 years.

December 13, 2011 - The NLD is granted permission to register for future elections in Myanmar.

April 1, 2012 - Suu Kyi wins a seat in parliament in the first multi-party elections since 1990.

April 13, 2012 - British Prime Minister David Cameron arrives in Myanmar. He is the first British prime minister to visit the country.

April 28, 2012 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton meets with Suu Kyi. The European Union has suspended most of the sanctions it had imposed on Myanmar, citing the "transparent and credible" election that brought Suu Kyi to office and other reforms.

April 29, 2012 - UN Secretary-General Ban arrives in Myanmar to meet with President Thein Sein and Suu Kyi.

May 2, 2012 - Suu Kyi takes the oath of office for Myanmar's parliament, resolving an impasse that had been preventing her from taking her seat in the legislature. She and 33 other newly elected members of the National League for Democracy had been delaying their swearings-in due to objections to the wording of the oath they would have to take.

June 2012 - Unrest breaks out in the western state of Rakhine. Religious violence leaves more than 200 dead and close to 150,000 homeless -- predominantly members of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

November 19, 2012 - US President Barack Obama becomes the first sitting US president to visit Myanmar. He meets with President Thein Sein and activist Suu Kyi.

March 10, 2013 - Suu Kyi wins reelection as Myanmar's leader of the NLD.

March 22, 2013 - A state of emergency is declared as ethnic clashes between Muslims and Buddhists lead to killings.

May 2, 2013 - US President Obama extends sanctions against Myanmar for one year while lifting the 1996 visa ban.

April 7, 2014 - The UN's Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tomas Ojea Quintana, reports that the recent persecution of the Rohingya group "could amount to crimes against humanity."

May 15, 2014 - Obama extends sanctions against Myanmar for another year.

May 15, 2015 - Obama extends sanctions against Myanmar for another year.

August 3, 2015 - Authorities say that heavy monsoon rains in the past month have left at least 47 people dead and displaced more than 200,000.

August 7, 2015 - Government officials say that the death toll from the flooding has risen to 88 and 330,000 others have been affected.

November 13, 2015 - The Myanmar election commission announces that Suu Kyi's NLD party has won the majority in the nation's first democratically held parliamentary elections. They will choose the country's next president.

March 15, 2016 - Myanmar's parliament elects Htin Kyaw as the country's new president. Htin Kyaw was elected to the position by 360 votes, more than a third of the parliament's available 652 votes.

October 9, 2016 - About 300 men armed with knives, pistols and swords attack border posts in Rakhine State, killing nine police officers. Rakhine State is home to a large population of Rohingya Muslims. The attacks spark an intense crackdown by the Myanmar military, which they call "clearance operations" in the Rohingya villages to find the suspects involved, and to retrieve their weapons.

February 3, 2017 - A UN report alleges Myanmar's security forces are waging a brutal campaign of murder, rape and torture in Rakhine State. Aye Aye Soe, a spokeswoman for the Myanmar government, says the government has seen the report and is "very concerned about the allegations" and will investigate.

August 25, 2017 - Myanmar's state media reports 12 security officers were killed during a series of coordinated attacks targeting at least 20 police outposts and an army base in Rakhine State. An insurgent group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, formerly known as Harakat al-Yaqeen -- or "Faith Movement" -- claims responsibility for the attack on Twitter. In response to the attacks, Myanmar's military renews an offensive inside the state against what it says are "terrorists."

September 11, 2017 - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein says the continuing Myanmar military operation against the minority Rohingya people appears to be a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," but the full humanitarian situation in Rakhine State can't be fully assessed because of Myanmar's refusal to give access.

September 19, 2017 - In a 30-minute televised address from Nyapyidaw, Suu Kyi does not denounce alleged atrocities against the Rohingya community and claims the government needs more time to investigate the exodus of more than 400,000 members of the group from Myanmar. Amnesty International describes the speech -- in which Suu Kyi only once refers to the Rohingya by name -- as a "mix of untruths and victim blaming."

December 12, 2017 - According to a report released by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), at least 6,700 Rohingya died as a result of violence in Rakhine state between August 25 and September 24.

December 2017 - Reuters journalists Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are detained after working on an investigation into the mass killing of a number of Rohingya villagers in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

March 12, 2018 - Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee says that Myanmar's ongoing crackdown on the Rohingya may amount to genocide. She states, "I am becoming more convinced that the crimes committed following 9 October 2016 and 25 August 2017 bear the hallmarks of genocide and call in the strongest terms for accountability."

March 21, 2018 - The government announces President Htin Kyaw has resigned due to poor health.

March 28, 2018 - Myanmar's parliament elects Win Myint as the new president.

March 31, 2018 - The United Nations announces that Myanmar and the UN have reached a deal to work together to repatriate hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in the country in the last year.

May 22, 2018 - An Amnesty International report finds members of the Rohingya militant group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) allegedly massacred dozens of men, women and children, execution-style in Hindu villages in Myanmar's Rakhine State in August 2017.

September 3, 2018 - After being convicted of breaking the Official Secrets Act during their investigation, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are sentenced to seven years hard labor by a Myanmar court. Reuters, with special mention of the two journalists, is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in April 2019.

September 18, 2018 - A UN fact-finding mission releases an extensive 440-page report detailing atrocities carried out by the Myanmar military against Rohingya Muslims, in support of its call for the country's generals to face an international tribunal on charges of genocide.

May 7, 2019 - Reuters reporters Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are released after being jailed for more than 500 days. They are released as part of an amnesty of 6,520 prisoners by President Win Myint.

August 22, 2019 - 3,450 Rohingya refugees, from a list of more than 22,000 provided by Bangladesh, are cleared to return to Myanmar. Caroline Gluck, UNHCR's Senior Regional Public Information Officer, says "If any refugee expresses interest in returning, we would carry out a second interview with the individuals in a confidential setting to reconfirm their voluntariness and provide them as much information as we could about prevailing conditions in Myanmar." It remains unclear if any refugees accepted the offer of voluntary repatriation.

January 23, 2020 - The International Court of Justice orders Myanmar to prevent acts of genocide against the Rohingya and to stop destroying evidence that could play a part in the case.

July 2, 2020 - A landslide triggered by heavy rain kills at least 116 people at a jade mine in the Hpakant area of Kachin State in northern Myanmar.

November 13, 2020 - The NLD, the ruling party of Myanmar, wins enough parliamentary seats to form the next government, according to official results of a general election.

February 1, 2021 - Myanmar's military seizes power in a coup and declares a state of emergency, after detaining Suu Kyi and other senior government leaders in early morning raids.

March 27, 2021 - Myanmar's military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing throws a lavish dinner party while his troops reportedly shoot dead at least 114 people during demonstrations and force thousands of people to flee into neighboring Thailand. It is the deadliest day since the army seized power in a coup and overthrew the country's elected government on February 1.

April 16, 2021 - Opponents of the military junta announce a National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow civilian government, with Suu Kyi named as the de facto leader.

April 24, 2021 - Following a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Southeast Asian leaders say they have agreed on a plan with Myanmar's junta chief to end the crisis in the violence-hit nation, but Min Aung Hlaing did not explicitly respond to demands to halt the killing of civilian protesters.

August 1, 2021 - State media reports that Min Aung Hlaing has taken on the role of Prime Minister in a newly formed caretaker government, six months after the army seized power from a civilian government. In a speech, Min Aung Hlaing repeats a pledge to hold elections by 2023 and says his administration is ready to work with a future regional envoy on Myanmar.

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, 83 of Buffalo, OK. Funeral service was held at 10:00AM Friday August 13, 2021 at the First Christian Church in Buffalo. Burial at the High Point Cemetery, Buffalo, under the direction of Wilkinson Funeral Service Buffalo.
Bangor-on-Dee racecourse praised for its continued success by new MS

New MS for North Wales Sam Rowlands has praised a local race course for attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Mr Rowlands MS was commenting during a visit to Bangor-on-Dee racecourse, along with fellow politicians, Gareth Davies MS who represents the Vale of Clwyd and fellow North Wales regional MS, Llyr Gruffydd.

He said: I was delighted to be shown around Bangor-on Dee racecourse and to see what happens on race days. I was very impressed with what I saw and it was great to meet with representatives from the British Horseracing Authority, who enforce the horse racing rules, to discuss the future of racing in North Wales.

It is a wonderful venue, and a real jewel in the crown for North Wales. Like every tourist attraction the racecourse has had to deal with the fall-out from Covid but it was good to see how it is bouncing back.

The course is owned by the Chester race Company which also runs the highly successful Chester Racecourse, just over the border in Chester.

It is an extremely popular racecourse and on a big meeting can attract over 5,000 people which is amazing. It is also family friendly and all ages can have a good day out.

I also had the opportunity to visit the training yard of Oliver Greenall, a licensed trainer for both flat and national hunt, who regularly has runners at Bangor-on-Dee.

It was all very fascinating and I was pleased to visit such a successful attraction and appreciate the contribution it makes to the local economy.

Bangor-on-Dee racecourse was established in February 1859 and is overlooked by the Welsh hills and it attracts many of the top trainers including Donald Mc Cain, Nicky Henderson and Jonjo ONeill.

Apart from holding regular race meetings it is also a venue for conferences, team-building exercises, specialised dining events and weddings.

Top pic: Sam Rowlands MS at Oliver Greenalls training yard with (centre) Oliver Greenall, Gareth Davies MS and Llyr Gruffydd MS.
Rhug Estate hosts Casgliad Pop-up Shop that champions makers and artists from across Wales

Rhug Estate say they are delighted to host its first Pop-up Shop.

Casgliad, an online collection of contemporary Welsh homeware and artwork, will be available to view and buy from today until the 13th August in the Old Forge building on the Estate.

Casgliads mission is to champion makers and artists from across Wales on one single online platform. Lowri Rhys Roberts created the website www.casgliad.com where people can find and order contemporary homeware and artwork that is designed and made in Wales.

Lowri said, We are excited to host our first pop up shop at Rhug Estate next week where we will be showcasing a variety of items created by many talented artists and craftspeople. Rhug symbolises the finest showcase of Welsh and artisan food and drink in its farm shop, helping to promote the best local produce. Next week visitors to north Wales will not only be able to shop for the finest food and drink but also get to see and buy the finest artwork and crafts that Wales has to offer.

The Old Forge building is situated at the far end of Rhug Estates car park, near the entrance to the Drive Thru, and has been re-roofed and refreshed during lockdown to create a perfect space for rental.

Lord Newborough, Owner of Rhug Estate, said he is delighted to be hosting Casgliads Pop-up shop, We have a prime location here along the A5. The perfect setting to showcase what Wales has to offer to those heading to Snowdonia or the Llyn Peninsula. There is so much scope for collaboration here and Im looking forward to seeing Lowri benefit from our location.

Rhug is ideally situated in the centre of north Wales to attract visitors. The Estate has good access off the busy A5 and is the perfect location for those needing a pitstop on their journey.

The suitability of the estates location for supporting local businesses was echoed by Estate Manager, Emma Story. She said, Casgliad is just the sort of business wed like to offer a platform to, Lowris acumen has progressed a strong concept into a successful business, and we hope to offer some space to more like her in the future. Large employers and industry are an important part of an economy but there is a lot of stability to be gained from multiple diverse micro businesses, and I believe that rural Wales is well suited to foster these.

The estate say they are always keen to hear from local businesses looking for rental space  and if you have an interest, please contact them on contact@rhug.co.uk or 01490 413 000.
Wales wont use vaccine bribes and threats to boost uptake among young people

Mark Drakeford has said the Welsh government wont be offering vaccine bribes in order to boost uptake amongst the younger population.

In England vaccine bribes are being offered to young people to bolster the numbers having the jab, they include free food and discounts on things like cinema tickets and UBER.

Also in England, young people are being told not to miss out on the good times by getting both of their COVID-19 jabs in a UK government advertising campaign on billboards and social media focusing on the freedoms that vaccinations allow  from nightclubbing to foreign travel.

Mr Drakeford was asked if this sort of strategy will be adopted in Wales in a bid to boost vaccine take up in the younger population.

In Flintshire, 80% of those aged between 18 and 29 have had a first vaccine dose and 59% have had both.

Speaking to BBCs Today programme: Neither of those are part of our approach here in Wales.

We have over 75% of people aged 18 to 29, already having received a first dose of a vaccine and 55% have been doubly vaccinated already.

So our appeal to young people is not one that either threatens them by saying you wont be able to do things or tries to induce them by offering them prizes.

But just says to them, you have a contribution to make, you can keep yourself, but also other people who matter to you safe.

That appeal, I think means that weve succeeded in getting our vaccination numbers in that cohort up higher than in other parts of the United Kingdom.

There is more to do, it is a population who youve got to work hard to make sure you make vaccination easily and readily available.

But we think that the better way to persuade young people to play their part is to appeal to that sense of being part of a Wales-wide effort to keep ourselves safe from the virus and we think that that is succeeding.

Earlier this week, the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination issued new guidance, confirming that people aged 16 and 17 will be offered Covid vaccines.

The Welsh government has welcomed the guidance and is working with the NHS on the arrangements needed to offer the vaccination to all 16 and 17 year olds.

The JCVI have not recommended vaccinating under-16s without underlying health conditions but will keep its position under review based on the latest data.
Against a backdrop of rising social tensions, widening inequality and emerging resistance by the working class to austerity, New Zealands Labour Party-Greens government is preparing new hate speech laws that will severely limit free speech and muzzle political dissent.

The Justice Ministry last month released a discussion document, Proposals against incitement and discrimination, for a six-week public consultation period before legislation is finalised and taken to parliament. The document, which invites responses to six vaguely worded proposals, reveals no precise text of the foreshadowed law, although planning is doubtless well advanced.

The Socialist Equality Group (NZ) unequivocally condemns the governments attack on freedom of speech and warns that, whatever its declared intentions, the law will inevitably be used against the working class, and target left-wing and socialist organisations and individuals as the emerging rebellion against the assault on living standards and basic rights intensifies.

PM Ardern visiting Muslim community at Phillipstown Community Centre, 16 March 2019 (Source: Wikipedia - Kirk Hargreaves)

Labour intends to alter two sections of the Human Rights Act 1993, which currently outlaws communications that are intended to excite hostility or ill-will against, or bring into contempt or ridicule any group on grounds of their colour, race, or ethnic or national origins. The proposed changes expand the list of protected groups to include those based on gender, religion, sexuality, marital status, age, employment status and political opinion.

The changes will apply to Section 61 of the Act, which contains civil provisions against inciting hostility on the basis of race or ethnicity, and Section 131 which make such activities a criminal offence. Under the reworked Section 61 any person who encourages others to treat members of a protected group worse or differently than others would be breaking the law and could trigger a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

Section 131 will become a new offence within the Crimes Act, where it will have substantially increased penalties. The maximum fine is lifted from $7,000 to $50,000, and the maximum term of imprisonment raised from three months to three years.

The new section will specify that anyone who intentionally incites, stirs up, maintains or normalises hatred against a protected group breaks the law if they do so by being threatening, abusive or insulting, including by inciting violence, regardless of whether this is done verbally, in writing or online.

The terms used are vague and open to interpretation. What counts as normalising hatred or abusive language will be determined by the state.

Under the Bill of Rights Act 1990, everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form. However, several long-standing legal provisions already restrict what people can say or publish. The Summary Offenses Act 1981 makes it illegal to use racist slurs. The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 regulates extreme tweets or Facebook messages while film classification rules target harmful material and content that breaches societys standards.

The legislation is being promoted by the media and the government on the basis of middle class identity politics: the notion that the fundamental divisions in society are those of race, gender, religion and sexuality, and that a stronger state is required to protect diverse groups. A typical op-ed by Donna Miles-Mojab on the Stuff website, for example, declared that the new law would make our great country a more inclusive, safe and tolerant place for all. She dismissed concerns about the impact on free speech, saying I trust [the courts] to get the balance right.

In fact, the governments discussion document pays scant attention to the basic democratic right of freedom of speech, and has nothing to say about how it should be protected. In two brief paragraphs, the Justice Ministry baldly asserts that legal limits on free speech are justified in a free and democratic society. The law preventing incitement will, it declares, prohibit the expression of attitudes that are incompatible with human rights and Aotearoa New Zealands democratic values.

The changes will purportedly clamp down on intolerance, prejudice, and hatred and defend our values of inclusiveness and diversity. In fact, New Zealand society is sharply riven on class lines, with deepening inequality, child poverty, an uncontrolled housing crisis and crumbling health system. The contention that the new law will foster greater social cohesion and encourage unity and continue to strengthen our society is as absurd as it is dangerous.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi has, unsurprisingly, been evasive about how the law might operate. Asked by Newshub reporter Tova OBrien whether younger people hating older Boomers for the high cost of housing was hate speech, Faafoi replied that potentially such statements could trigger prosecutions. Prominent rugby player Israel Folau could also, he admitted, face prosecution if he was in NZ for his repeated anti-gay statements. Faafoi said that ultimately police would decide what prosecutions to take.

The law has been justified as a response to the March 2019 terror attack in Christchurch, in which 51 people were massacred in two mosques by the fascist Brenton Tarrant. Last years Royal Commission of Inquiry into the attack recommended stronger penalties for hate speech and to include religion as a protected category, in order to foster social cohesion and prevent the development of harmful radicalising ideologies and downstream violent extremism.

Wellington vigil in solidarity with Muslim community following fascist terror attack on Christchurch mosques in March 2019 (WSWS Media)

Nobody should believe that the law will be used solely, or even primarily, against the extreme right. After initially denying it, Prime Minister Ardern admitted that political opinion could be declared a protected category. Section 21 of the Act currently lists political opinion among the prohibited grounds for discrimination. On this basis, the new law would make it unlawful to insult or incite hatred towards a group or party because of their political program or views.

This is being put forward in the context of rising, and completely justified, anger among workers towards the governments austerity measures, including a three-year public sector pay freeze. During the June 9 strike by 30,000 nurses and healthcare workers, Health Minister Andrew Little was shouted down and booed off the stage while trying to justify the governments actions to workers outside parliament. It is entirely conceivable that, in the future, such protesters could be accused of hate speech.

There are already clear indications that the government is preparing to target left-wing opponents. A report commissioned by the Department of Internal Affairs, published last month by the UK-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, claimed that in addition to 170 far-right social media accounts, there were 25 left-wing extremist accounts or websites in New Zealand. It declared that the latter unidentified groups or individuals were more politicised than any other group and most likely to be active on standalone forums and to use action-oriented or aggressive language [emphasis added].

The report said these groups were often influenced by communist and anarchist ideologies, reject the principles of social democracy and rely on extra-parliamentary struggle against capitalism and refuse to compromise with political actors who advocate maintaining the status quo. The report must be taken as a serious warning that the government is laying the basis for the criminalisation of aggressive anti-capitalist and anti-establishment speech.

The hate speech proposal is only the latest in a series of measures that have exploited the Christchurch attack to boost the powers of the state and intelligence agencies, while advancing demands by governments internationally for censorship of the internet.

Since the attack, the political establishment and media have largely suppressed discussion about the political roots of the atrocity. New Zealands chief censor promptly banned possession of Tarrants manifesto, which expressed admiration for US President Donald Trump and contained racist, anti-immigrant and anti-socialist exhortations.

The Royal Commission identified weaknesses in the current Act and called for the criminal provision to outlaw extreme speech and to specifically include electronic communications.

The commissions report meanwhile whitewashed the police and intelligence agencies in Australia and New Zealand, which overlooked the danger of fascist violence and ignored specific warnings about Tarrant. The inquiry, moreover, covered up the record of Labour and its then-governing coalition partner, the right-wing populist NZ First, which was responsible for stoking Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment.

Ardern has collaborated internationally with right-wing French President Emmanuel Macron, other world leaders and technology company executives to promote the so-called Christchurch Call to Action, intended to develop mechanisms to censor online content deemed to be inciting terrorism or violent extremism. The government has also doubled funding to the Office of the Censor and introduced legislation to expand its power to immediately take down online content, including social media posts.

The hate speech law is another step in this ever-expanding process. There is, however, widespread public opposition. A straw poll released by Newshub gained 5,345 responses in 24 hours, with an overwhelming 84 percent against the law and just 12 percent in support. Reasons cited include a lack of transparency, excessive overreach and the inherent right to freedom of speech.

The right-wing parties are seeking to exploit the opposition by falsely posturing as defenders of free speech and democratic rights. ACT Party leader David Seymour, for example, said: Hate speech is subjective and politicised. Faafoi knows Police will end up facing pressure to prosecute people with unpopular views. The previous National-ACT government, while overseeing a major increase in social inequality, vastly expanded the powers of the state surveillance agencies to spy on the population and joined the global witch-hunt against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The Labour-Green governments widening assault on basic democratic rights is enabled, above all, by the trade unions and pseudo-left groups. None of the unions has uttered a word about the policy. The pseudo-left groupsSocialist Aotearoa, International Socialist Organisation (ISO), and Organise Aotearoaare equally complicit, all of them assiduous promoters of the very identity politics nostrums being advanced to justify the new law.
Spirit Airlines -- which has been beset by flight disruptions all week -- canceled almost 300 flights as midday Friday ET, according to data from FlightAware.

The number of cancellations has been rising during the morning hours and comprise more than one-third of its Friday schedule.

So far, the data shows that Friday cancellations are the lowest the airline has seen since Sunday.

The Florida-based airline said "overlapping operational issues" kicked off a cascade of cancellations for the ultra-low-cost carrier that began Saturday.

Spirit axed 450 flights -- or more than half of its schedule -- on Thursday.

"We're continuing with our way forward to fly as much as we can while also make progress on repairing our operation and repositioning our crews," Spirit head of communications Erik Hofmeyer told CNN in a statement. "We still have work to do, but we are now in the position to see reductions in cancellations in the days to come."

Even still, Spirit passengers have become stranded at airports at airports across the country -- expressing their frustration on social media and vowing to never fly with the carrier again.

Industry analyst Brett Snyder of Cranky Traveler told CNN on Thursday that while issues might damage Spirit's reputation in the short-term, there will be no long-term business impact.

"Eventually, people will forget if the ticket price is right," said Snyder.

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Charleston, WV (25301)

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Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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Morgantown, WV (26505)

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Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

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Morgantown, WV (26505)

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Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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Partly cloudy this evening with thunderstorms becoming likely overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

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Two on-the-rise directors, Maria Perez Sanz (Karen) and Maddi Barber (Land Underwater), have signed on to direct episodes in Present, a singular exploration by Spains Garde of a new generation of women artists, both cineastes and writers, who broke out last decade.

Part of a broader literary-film project, This Is Not a Poem (Esto no es una poesia), Present (Presentes) is being introduced to potential co-producers and distributors by Garde founder Cristina Hergueta at Locarnos Match Me, a networking forum which kicked off Aug. 6.

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Perez Sanz will bring to the screen a text written by Cristina Morales, winner of Spains 2019 National Narrative Prize for Lectura Facil. Barber will create a film from a poem by Maria Sanchez, whose first book of poetry, Cuaderno de campo, was published in 2017, and has quickly run through multiple editions.

Both Perez Sanz and Barbers films are conceived as part of a first series of arthouse shorts in This Is Not a Poem.

Identified by Variety in 2017 as a Spanish talent to track, Caceres-born Perez Sanz broke through with her feature Karen, an imagining of the final days in Africa of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa.

Blixen was a non-conformist, so is Perez-Sanz, choosing to profile Blixen and what she stood for through her relationship with her highly efficient Somali farm manager Farah Aden rather than the dashing Hon. Denys George Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford in the famed movie adaptation. In her newspaper articles, Morales comes through as a caustic critic of the unthinking cliches of much contemporary thought.

Showcased at the San Sebastian Festivals 2019 Zabaltegi-Tabakalera section, Barbers medium-feature doc Land Underwater  as were her shorts, 2018s Above 592 Meters and 2020s Gorria  charts mans vestigial and ambivalent relationship to nature in Navarres Pyrenees. A rural vet, Sanchez explores her clear affinity with nature as a source of joy, a family legacy and a connection to other women writers.

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Present will feature two more shorts from women directors, inspired by and representing the work of two more female writers, Hergueta told Variety.

Based out of Caceres in South-West Spain, Garde has meanwhile tapped Sevilles BNV Producciones and Sarao Films (Once Again) to co-produce its other top Match Me project: Horses (Caballos).

Described by Garde as a horse movie and experimental doc feature, it is directed by Pedro G. Romero (Nueve Sevillas). It records a flamenco concert for horses that took place in the Tempietto di Bramante in Rome. At the same time, however, it is also a reflection on our way of looking, trying to escape the anthropocentric gaze, hegemonic since the dawn of modernity, as well as a reflection on the language of cinema, Hergueta said. The project has been well-received by those who have read it in Spain.

Garde was launched in 2017 by Hergueta, a production co-ordinator on The Hanged Man, by Manuel Gomez Pereira (Between Your Legs), and line-producer of Los mundos sutiles, from Eduardo Chapero-Jackson (Sky Rojo).

Gardes production credits to date take in co-producing Guillermo Benets Los Inocentes, which scored a special jury mention at last Novembers Seville European Film Festival. El Sur Films opened Los Inocentes in Spanish theaters in March. Outside Spain, it has screened as Austrias Crossing Europe festival and Romanias Transilvania Film Festival.

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Red flag warnings are persisting across parts of the West as dozens of large wildfires continue to scorch through homes and dry earth.

A cold front bringing gusty winds and the possibility of thunderstorms is expected to pass through parts of southern Montana and southern Wyoming Sunday afternoon. Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 50 mph in some regions, while humidity will remain low -- at just 12% to 18%, according to forecasts.

PHOTO: A view shows Highway 89 with burned trees on one side and unburned trees on the other at the site of the Dixie Fire, a wildfire near the town of Greenville, California, Aug. 7, 2021. (Fred Greaves/Reuters)

More than 100 large fires are currently burning in the West, with the majority located from Northern California to western Montana.

The Dixie Fire, now the second-largest fire in California history after it has been burning near the Feather River Canyon since July 13, had singed through more than 463,000 acres by Sunday morning and was just 21% contained.

MORE: 4 people missing as Dixie Fire continues path of destruction in California

Firefighters had previously made progress on containing the Dixie Fire, but the fire re-exploded after jumping containment lines last week amid dangerous fire conditions. It has now destroyed 404 buildings as well as 185 other minor structures, damaged 27 structures and is continuing to threaten 13,871 structures.

Well over 100 home sand businesses in the downtown area of Greenville, California, about 150 miles northeast of Sacramento were decimated after dry, gusty conditions fueled the flames even further on Wednesday night.

PHOTO: California Gov. Gavin Newsom examines a scorched utility pole while surveying Dixie Fire damage, Aug. 7, 2021, in Greenville, Calif. (Noah Berger/AP)

Four people in the vicinity of the Dixie Fire are missing, the Plumas County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Saturday. Four firefighters were injured Saturday night while battling the Dixie Fire after a tree branch fell and hit them, according to officials.

The River Fire, near Colfax, California, is now 56% contained after its explosion last week prompted evacuations.

MORE: Out-of-control wildfire destroys town of Greenville, California, as dry, gusty conditions encourage rapid spread

The McFarland Fire in Wildwood, California, just north of the Mendocino National Forest, has blazed through more than 30,000 acres and is 21% contained.

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Six firefighters were injured on Friday while battling the McFarland Fire in Shasta Trinity National Forest. The heat was so intense that some suffered from first and second-degree burns, officials said.

PHOTO: An American flag is placed on a burned fire engine at a burned fire station in downtown Greenville, California, Aug. 7, 2021. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

Places around the world like the Western U.S. have become a "tinderbox ready to burn with any spark," Kristina Dahl, senior climate scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists, told George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" Sunday.

"Around the world what were seeing is that very hot conditions tend to worsen any drought conditions that places might be experiencing," Dahl said. "So you end up with severe drought, coupled out with the drying out of vegetation, and that vegetation then becomes fuel for fires to burn."

MORE: Gusty winds expected to spread massive wildfires in West

Michael Mann, director of Penn State's Earth System Science Center, told Stephanopoulos that "dangerous" climate change has already arrived.

"We can see the impacts of climate change playing out now in real time on our television screens and in our newspaper headlines," Mann said. "...at this point its a question of how bad were willing to let it get."

PHOTO: Dozens of burned vehicles rest in heavy smoke during the Dixie fire in Greenville, California, Aug. 6, 2021. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

The effects of the fires are also being experienced up to 1,000 miles away as the smoke from the fires travels east with the jet stream. Air quality alerts have been issued for nine states.

On Saturday afternoon, Denver had the worst quality ranking in the world, according to IQ Air, a data tool that measures and ranks air quality in cities around the world. Denver remained in the second spot on Sunday afternoon.

Air quality was also dangerous in Utah near Salt Lake City, prompting the National Weather Service to warn residents to remain indoors as much as possible.

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Closer to the fires, white ash from the Dixie Fire was falling in the Lake Tahoe Basin, SF Gate reported.

Residents in Sacramento reported seeing hazy skies as a result of the smoke as the weekend rolled in, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Air quality alerts have also been issued in Southern California. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District a health alert Saturday stating that the changing weather pattern would affect air quality in the area through Monday afternoon.

PHOTO: Smoke from western wildfires funnels along Colorado's Front Range and obscures the skyline, Aug. 8, 2021, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP)

Experts advised residents in the Bay Area that they could expect smoky skies and bad air quality for decades to come.

"I think residents of the Western US are just going to have to get used to smoky skies and bad air quality as we go through the next few decades," Craig Clements, director of San Jose State University's Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center, told ABC San Francisco station KGO. "These fires are burning hotter, they're burning more intensely and so, they are creating a lot of smoke and it could really impact communities. So, we have to get used to that unfortunately."

ABC News' Brittany Borer and Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.

Dangerous fire conditions continue as dozens of wildfires devastate the West originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Allyson Felix says her daughter inspired her to keep racing as critics doubted her ability to compete after giving birth

Allyson Felix has become the most decorated woman in American track and field history after winning gold in the Olympic women's 4x400-meter relay. Getty

Allyson Felix became the most decorated US track athlete after winning gold in the women's 4x400.

Felix addressed critics who said her career would suffer after giving birth to her daughter in 2018.

She said her daughter, Camryn, gave her "courage" to keep racing after becoming a mother.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Allyson Felix said her daughter gave her "courage" to keep racing despite critics who suggested motherhood would stop her from running at an elite level.

Felix and the US women's 4x400-meter relay team won gold over Poland by more than three and a half seconds on Saturday at the Tokyo Olympics, as the Associated Press reported. The victory awarded the 35-year-old her 11th Olympic medal - making her the most decorated US track and field athlete in history.

The AP reported that Felix surpassed legendary American track star Carl Lewis, who gained 10 Olympic medals, and sits only behind Finland's Paavo Nurmi with 12 medals.

While speaking to reporters after her relay win, Felix said she overcame obstacles to return to the Olympic stage, including critics who suggested motherhood would dampen her elite-level performance.

Allyson Felix holds her daughter, Camryn, after running a race in July 2019. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

"I had to go through challenges in the fight," Felix said, as People reported. "I'm absolutely where I'm supposed to be. You know, sometimes I think you just have to fight through and I think it's unfortunate. It's not just me. And I think that that's the biggest thing."

Felix told reporters that her daughter was one of the reasons she pushed herself.

"There have been so many women before me who had to stay silent about their fight," Felix continued. "And so for me to be able to step out and I think my daughter gave me the courage to do that. But I think that was really the thing, that this has been going on for far too long. And I hope that we're really changing things."

Felix is a vocal advocate of maternity protection for athletes who are parents. She gave birth to her 2-year-old daughter, Camryn, in November 2018 after undergoing an emergency c-section at 32 weeks due to severe preeclampsia.

Story continues

Felix split ties with her longtime sponsor Nike in 2019, claiming the company offered her a salary that was 70 percent lower than her previous paycheck and did not explicitly support the maternity protections she requested in her contract.

Allyson Felix celebrates with her daughter Camryn after day nine of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on June 26, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

She later said Nike was "beyond disrespectful" to ask her to appear in female-empowerment ads while privately disputing maternity protections.

In March 2020, Felix said she was afraid she wouldn't be at her "top level" after pregnancy - but she broke Olympic medalist Usain Bolt's gold medal record just 10 months after giving birth.

"I feel at peace," Felix told reporters after her 4x400 relay race in Tokyo, the AP reported. "I went out, had all the confidence in these amazing women. I wanted to take it all in one last time around, and it was special."

Read the original article on Insider
Workers in orange vests are seen outside Tesla's primary vehicle factory after CEO Elon Musk defied local restrictions by reopening the plant in Fremont, California, May 12, 2020. Stephen Lam/Reuters

A former Tesla employee has won $1 million after alleging his supervisors called him racial slurs.

Melvin Berry alleged that the work environment was vandalized with swastikas and hate symbols.

Berry's experiences led him to resign from his job, citing emotional distress from his experience.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A former Tesla employee who took legal action against the company, alleging that he was called racial slurs on the job, was awarded more than $1 million, according to media reports.

Tesla will have to pay Melvin Berry roughly $266,000 in damages and $756,000 in attorney's fees, the arbitrator ruled, according to court documents obtained by CBS News.

Berry started working at Tesla in 2015 but resigned a little more than a year later after being called the N-word by supervisors in the "abusive and hostile" workplace at the California-based factory, according to the documents.

The work environment was vandalized with racist imagery, which "included graffiti with swastikas and other hate symbols or messages," court documents said.

Multiple witnesses named in the documents alleged that "the N-word was commonplace and tolerated." In one instance, Barry's supervisor said: "N-----, what took you so long," resulting in Barry taking the next day off work, the documents alleged.

Berry testified that his time on the job caused him emotional distress, and that he cried or had panic attacks after alleged racist confrontations, according to the documents.

In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch on Friday, the lawyer representing Berry, Jeannette Vaccaro, said: "We hope that this award of over $1 million will inspire change at Tesla and send a message to all employers that harassment and discrimination have no place at work."

Berry's allegations are not the first racial harassment allegations from Black Tesla employees. As Insider's Allana Akhtar previously reported, in a sworn testimony a Black worker said he was called the N-word "approximately 100 times."

Story continues

"I hope the world knows that an arbitrator found Tesla treats its employees like this," Berry told Bloomberg News, which first reported the story.

CBS News reported that Tesla has previously denied Berry's allegations, and noted that in a 2017 statement, the company said it "is absolutely against any form of discrimination, harassment or unfair treatment of any kind."

Tesla did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Conor Lamb, a moderate Democrat with a track record of winning districts with large numbers of conservative voters, on Friday launched a bid for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania held by retiring Republican Senator Pat Toomey.

Lamb's entry shakes up an already crowded Democratic field seeking the party's nomination for what could be one of the most competitive races in the 2022 congressional elections.

It also highlights divisions within the Democratic party.

Lamb will face Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman - known for his advocacy of progressive policies like universal health care as well as for his casual dress, tattoos and 6-foot 9-inch (2.06 m) frame - in the Democrats' nomination contest next June.

Lamb has said progressives in his party have veered too far to the left, such as by pushing police funding cuts to address police brutality and systemic racism.

"You have this progressive versus centrist battle going on," said Jessica Taylor, a political analyst at the Cook Political Report, which rates the Pennsylvania race as a likely toss-up between whichever candidates the Democrats and Republicans ultimately field.

Moderate Democrats have recently prevailed over progressives in high-profile contests including a special Ohio primary for a U.S. House seat and the New York mayoral primary.

Other Democratic candidates for the Pennsylvania Senate seat include Valerie Arkoosh, who chairs the county board of commissioners for Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

While Democrats lost ground in 2020 congressional races even as Democrat Joe Biden won the presidency, Lamb has won three straight elections in tightly contested swing districts.

Taylor said the Pennsylvania contest is likely the best chance Democrats have to pick up a Republican-held seat in the Senate, which Democrats currently control by the narrowest of margins.

On the Republican side of the contest, fealty to former President Donald Trump promises to be a key issue in the party's nomination contest.

Story continues

Republican candidate and conservative commentator Sean Parnell has backed Trump's efforts to overturn Biden's winning of Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 presidential contest. Businessman Jeff Bartos, another leading Republican candidate, has said he voted for Trump, but he has not backed Trump's baseless claims that Biden's victory owed to fraud.

In a video announcing his candidacy, Lamb said the election would be a key battleground for heading off Trump's influence.

"The other side denies reality and worships Trump. They're making it harder to vote and lying about our elections," he said.

Fetterman has dominated the field in fundraising, ending June with $3 million in the bank. Lamb had $1.7 million while Bartos had $1.8 million and Parnell about $600,000.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Steve Orlofsky)
Camila Cabello Wishes Shawn Mendes a Happy 23rd Birthday After NYC Party: 'Some Real Bday Love'

Camila Cabello/Instagram

Shawn Mendes rang in his 23rd birthday over the weekend with some help from girlfriend Camila Cabello and friends.

The three-time Grammy Award nominee, 23, received a sweet tribute on Sunday from Cabello, 24, who posted a photo of herself kissing him on the cheek. "Feliz cumpleanos mi amor," she wrote in the caption. "Thankful for your existence everyday."

Mendes shared a post of his own with video from the previous night's festivities, which took place at Little Sister Lounge in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. "Some real bday Love !!! Thank you so much," Mendes wrote in the caption, before teasing his new single. "Feeling extremely grateful for all of the people in my life today! also SUMMER OF LOVE NEXT WEEEEEK."

RELATED: Shawn Mendes Says Girlfriend Camila Cabello Made Him Sing 'Every Word Perfectly' in New Spanish Song

The Wonder artist appeared to have a blast at his birthday party, as the video showed a friend lifting Mendes above his head on the dance floor. Waitresses brought out a cake garnished with lit sparklers and a big marquee sign that read "Happy bday Shawn."

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He and his friends previously took turns recording a TikTok video in the bathroom, as they each predicted who would get the most drunk by the end of the night. He and Cabello both picked their friend Brian, as did most of their squad.

RELATED: Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes Accidentally Lock Themselves Out of Their Car After Lunch Date

Mendes also posed on a balcony with the Manhattan skyline in the background in photos posted on Sunday, his official birthday. "23," he wrote in the caption, as friends and followers flooded the comments. "Lionsgate bday let's gooo," Lizzo wrote.

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The former Vine star recently returned from a trip with Cabello to Mallorca, Spain, where he teased "Summer of Love" during a gorgeous hillside drive in a convertible. He strategically placed a hat printed with the song's title on the dashboard, after sporting a hoodie with the same print, while strumming a guitar on the beach at sunset.

Mendes' next single "Summer of Love" is expected to drop at the end of this coming week.
Jim Acosta has called for new Covid variants to be named after GOP politicians (AFP via Getty Images)

CNN anchor Jim Acosta has suggested the next variant of Covid-19 to emerge should be named after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Mr Acosta tore into anti-science Republican politicians in states with surging cases of the Delta variant who are sending mixed messages to the public about getting vaccinated.

In Florida, which now makes up a fifth of new cases in the United States, Mr Acosta said Mr DeSantis was prolonging the pandemic after he banned schools from issuing mask mandates as children head back to school next week.

People should not have to die so some politicians can own the libs, Mr Acosta said on his Saturday afternoon CNN show .

Theyre not owning anybody, but they may end up owning the pandemic because theyre prolonging it.

Perhaps its time to start naming these new variants that may be coming out after them. Instead of the Delta variant, why not call it the DeSantis variant.

Mr Acosta also cited Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy, and Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene for spreading misinformation about mask mandates and vaccinations.

The nation remains divided between states fighting the virus and states fighting the science. States led by politicians who know better.

New cases surged to more than 100,000 across the United States last week to figures not seen since the winter surge.

In June, the country had been averaging about 11,000 cases a day. By Thursday, that figure had skyrocketed to 107,143.

Cases of the hyper-transmissable Delta variant are spreading unchecked through unvaccinated populations in states such as Texas, Florida, and Louisiana.

Doctors in Austin, Texas, where an emergency siren usually reserved to warn of natural disasters was activated on Saturday , have warned that hospitals have become overrun.

Read More

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August is in full swing, and while Stranger Things 4 isnt coming until 2022, there are still plenty of Netflix releases to look forward to during the week of August 8th. Netflix is adding several new original movies and shows. For some of you, The Kissing Booth 3 may be at the top of the list, bringing an end to this rom-com trilogy. For others, the anime Shaman King will require a binge-watch. Theres also a new baking show, a horror-drama starring Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel), a comedy special from award-winning comedian Phil Wang, and a new season of the Fast & Furious series for kids.

Scroll down to check out all the Netflix releases coming during the week of August 8th.

Netflix Releases | Week of August 8th

Sunday, August 8th

Quartet

Monday, August 9th

SHAMAN KING  NETFLIX ANIME Medium Yoh Asakura enters a battle tournament held every 500 years, competing with other shamans in a bid to become the all-powerful Shaman King.



Tuesday, August 10th

Gabbys Dollhouse: Season 2  NETFLIX FAMILY More paws-itively purr-fect fun awaits as Gabby and her dollhouse friends find new ways to learn, create and celebrate in a whimsical world of joy.

Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang  NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL Multi-award winning comedian Phil Wang makes his first hour Netflix Stand-up comedy special debut with Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang. Following countless appearances on shows including Live at the Apollo, QI and Netflixs The Comedy Lineup, the comedic star takes centre stage at The London Palladium, exploring race, romance, politics, and his mixed British-Malaysian heritage.

UNTOLD: Malice at the Palace Directed by Floyd Russ (Zion) and featuring never-before-seen footage, the famous Pacers-Pistons brawl is unraveled by those who lived it.



Wednesday, August 11th

Bake Squad  NETFLIX SERIES In each episode of Bake Squad, four individually brilliant bakers will battle it out to see whose dessert will be chosen for someones extra special big day. These bakers have been personally selected by Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, who built an empire on delicious cookie dough. For her next sweet trick, Tosi has built this squad of bakers who have one mission and one mission only: Make dessert dreams come true! High hopes, high temperatures, high stakesall courtesy of the Bake Squad.

The Kissing Booth 3  NETFLIX FILM Its the summer before Elle heads to college, and shes facing the hardest decision of her life: whether to move across the country with her dreamy boyfriend Noah or fulfill her lifelong promise to go to college with her BFF Lee. Whose heart will Elle break?

La diosa del asfalto

Misha and the Wolves  NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY As a little girl, she escaped the Holocaust and lived among wolves. Or did she? An extraordinary story elicits sympathy  then draws scrutiny.



Thursday, August 12th

Story continues

AlRawabi School for Girls  NETFLIX SERIES The bullied outcasts at prestigious Al Rawabi School for Girls plot a series of risky takedowns to get back at their tormentors.

Lokillo: Nothings the Same  NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL WFH, homeschooling, hand-washing, no hugs. In this post-pandemic world, comic Lokillo Florez brings much-needed laughs about life as we now know it.

Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild  NETFLIX ANIME In a world where humans and fearsome monsters live in an uneasy balance, young hunter Aiden fights to save his village from destruction by a dragon.



Friday, August 13th

Beckett  NETFLIX FILM Following a tragic car accident in Greece, Beckett, an American tourist, finds himself at the center of a dangerous political conspiracy  and on the run for his life.

Brand New Cherry Flavor  NETFLIX SERIES A filmmaker heads to Hollywood in the early 90s to make her movie but tumbles down a hallucinatory rabbit hole of sex, magic, revenge  and kittens.

Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Season 5: South Pacific  NETFLIX FAMILY When Tony, the heart of the Spy Racers family, is captured by Russian arms dealers, the team travels to the South Pacific to save him, and foil a plan to take over the world in the process.

Gone for Good  NETFLIX SERIES Ten years after losing the two people he loved most, a man finds himself plunged into another dizzying mystery when his girlfriend suddenly vanishes.

The Kingdom  NETFLIX SERIES After his running mates murder, a controversial preacher ascends as Argentinas presidential candidate. But nothing about him is as holy as he seems.

Valeria: Season 2  NETFLIX SERIES The four friends support and lift each other up as they each make momentous decisions that will affect their respective careers and love lives.



Netflix Departures | Week of August 8th

Monday, August 9th

El Cartel: Season 1

El Cartel 2: Season

Nightcrawler

Thursday, August 12th

Safety Not Guaranteed

Scary Movie 5

Saturday, August 14th

Mother Goose Club: Seasons 1-2

Those are all of the Netflix releases for the week of August 8th. Well be back next week with more new movies, TV shows, and specials. In the meantime, check out everything coming and going on Netflix in August, plus the calendar of release dates for all of Netflixs originals.

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New Delhi: Royal Enfield is all set to launch the 2021 model of the Classic 350 in the Indian two-wheeler market. Several reports suggest that the second-gen Classic 350 bike is expected to launch on August 31. As of now, the Chennai-based automaker hasnt officially revealed the launch date yet. However, a recent advertisement shooting that was spotted by netizens points out that the launch of the 2021 model of Royal Enfield Classic 350 is around the corner.

According to a report by GaadiWaadi, the second-gen Classic 350 could launch on August 27, four days earlier than the expected date of August 31. However, these are mere speculations and the retro-themed motorcycle could launch at a date earlier or later than the suggestive date.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 is one of the most popular bikes sold by the Chennai-based automaker. The bike along with Royal Enfield Bullet 350 currently dominates the 350cc segment in India.

Royal Enfield Classic 350 competes against the likes of Jawa Jawa, Jawa 42, Benelli Imperiale 400, and Bajaj Bajaj Dominar 400, among others. However, the bike currently outperforms all its rivals in terms of sales.

Royal Enfield will be expecting similar market performance with the 2021 model which will be built on the J platform. Previously, Royal Enfield had launched the Meteor 350 cruiser on J platform, which helps in reducing the kerb weight of the bike while improving its cornering capabilities. Also Read: THIS feature improves Microsoft Teams' search functions

Price of Royal Enfield Classic 350 2021 model

As of now, Royal Enfield hasnt officially revealed the prices of the Classic 350 2021 model. However, reports suggest that the bike would get a price hike of Rs 10,000 to the rates of the existing Classic 350 model in the market. Also Read: Neeraj Chopras golden run: Check list of rewards promised to gold medallist by brands

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The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has extended the deadline for registration of the ICAI CA Foundation Exam 2021 slated to be held in December. Notice concerning the same has also been published on the official website of the institute at icai.org.

Earlier, the institute had decided to give CA aspirants, who could not appear for exams in some cities of Maharashtra, another chance to appear for exams. Students could not give exams due to harsh weather conditions.

ICAI has been informed about the adverse weather conditions in the cities of Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Sangli and Satara. Due to exceptional natural calamities and circumstances beyond the control of the examinees of the entry-level examination, it has been decided that an opportunity be given to the examinees who are absent in the Foundation examination, Paper  1, Principles and Practice of Accounting only held on July 24, 2021, to write the said paper on a date which will be intimated after the conclusion of Foundation Examination i.e. July 30, 2021, an official statement issued by ICAI said.

ICAI CA Foundation examination 2021: Simple steps to register

1: Visit the official website of ICAI at icai.org

2: Log in to the CA portal using your credentials.

3: Fill the application form

4: Submit

Candidates can now register themselves for the ICAI CA Foundation exam till August 16, 2021, now. Students must note they will need to send their class 12 exam mark sheets to the Additional Secretary, Examination Department of the institute latest by September 10.
New Delhi: Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has announced the dates for ICSE, ISC Exam 2021. ICSE, ISC improvement and compartment exams are scheduled to start on August 16, 2021.

Students can check the notification on the official website of CISCE: cisce.org. The result of the compartment and improvement exam will be announced around September 20, 2021.

Important Dates for compartment and improvement exam:

The compartment and improvement exams for ICSE class 10 will begin on August 16 and will end on September 2, 2021

The compartment and improvement exams for ISC class 12 will begin on August 16 and will end on September 7, 2021.

ALSO READ: NEET PG 2021: NBE to reopen registration and correction window on August 16, details here

The Class 10 exams will be conducted from 11 am to 1 pm and Class 12 will be conducted from 2 pm to 5 pm on all days. Additionally, 15 minutes time will be given to the students for reading the question paper.

The notification states that those candidates who pass the compartment exams and whose overall results will change from PCNA to PCA, must return the previous statement of marks in original to the Council through their school. The revised statement of marks and pass certificate will be sent to the candidate's school. For more related details candidates can check the official site of CISCE.

On the other hand, the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), on Thursday (August 2), informed the Supreme Court that the improvement exams for students will take place from August 25 to September 15. The results of the same will be declared on September 30.

ALSO READ: Karnataka becomes first state to issue order for implementation of NEP

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New Delhi: India and France are soon set to launch a Space Security Dialogue at the heart of which is protecting space assets like satellites. The idea was discussed during French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's India visit in April and the visit of the head of France's newly created Space Command, Michel Friedling in March.

Interestingly, Friedling visited India just a week after Aster X, the French space military exercises, the first-ever in Europe. The US and Germany took part in the exercise. The space dialogue will be first France is establishing with any country in Asia.

The development comes even as space is seen as the next frontier of militarisation. By 2019, 2000 satellites were in space for communication and other purposes. The US has its space force and several countries like India, Russia, China have anti-satellite weapons.

Space cooperation has been part of the conversation between India and France. During the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India in 2018, India-France Joint Vision for Space Cooperation was issued. During the April visit of Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, he visited the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) office in Bengaluru and an agreement was signed on cooperation in Indias first human space mission - Gaganyaan.

Both countries have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space, since the 1960s with the construction of Sriharikota launch-pad with French technical assistance.

India's ISRO and the French Space Agency, CNES have been carrying on various joint research programs and collaborating in satellite launches and joint fleets of satellites for climate sciences.

As part of the ongoing bilateral cooperation between ISRO and Arianespace, GSAT-11 was launched from Kourou (French Guyana) in December 2018 and GSAT-30 was launched in January 2020. France has been a major supplier of components and equipment for the Indian space program.

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Agra: BJP chief JP Nadda Sunday (August 8) said the government managed the COVID-19 crisis effectively, while the Opposition behaved irresponsibly and made "baseless allegations" around vaccines and the ongoing inoculation drive.

Nadda praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's in the state in tackling the pandemic.

"So far, we have given 50 crore doses to people and by December, we will vaccinate 135 crore people of India. It is the largest and the fastest vaccination program in the world," Nadda said.

On the second day of his visit to Uttar Pradesh, he took part in an organisational meeting here with party workers which was also attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

They were welcomed by party workers who showered flower petals on them from Kheria airport till the venue of the organisational meet at a hotel in the city.

Speaking at the meet, Nadda said the BJP government managed the COVID-19 crisis effectively, while the opposition parties behaved irresponsibly. He also added that some of the opposition leaders made baseless allegations about vaccines and called it a "BJP vaccine".

"How such narrow-minded people (Opposition) will lead such a big state?" he said.

Just as the vaccine was being rolled out in the country in January, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had called it the "vaccine of the BJP" and said he would not take the shot.

"How can I trust the vaccine, which will be used for vaccination by the BJP? We cannot get vaccinated by the BJP''s vaccine," Akhilesh Yadav had said.

Nadda also lauded frontline and key workers. "I can feel doctors' mental situation while working during the coronavirus pandemic and I appreciate your valuable effort. I thank you for your efforts. We have lost many doctors during the COVID-19 crisis."

Talking about tackling the future COVID-19 crisis, he said, "We are going to train 4 lakh volunteers for 2 lakh villages who would help health workers to tackle the future crisis of COVID."

There were 385 medical colleges in the country in 2014 and now there are 532, he said, adding, there are 88,000 medical seats now as against 52,000 in 2014.
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday (August 8) carried out raids at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

An NIA official related to probe said that the agency sleuths along with the CRPF are carrying out searches at multiple locations in 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The anti-terror probe agency is carrying out searches at the premises linked to senior members of banned terror outfit Jamaat-e-Islami.

An official said that the searches are underway in at least 40 locations, according to news agency IANS.

Searches are being carried out in Doda, Budgam, Kishtwar, Ramban, Anantnag, Ganderbal, Shopian, Rajouri and other districts of the union territory.

Searches are being held at the premises of Gul Mohd War, a resident of Manigam Ganderbal, who is the district head of JEI; Abdul Hamid Bhat, a resident of Gamchipora Batweena; Zahoor Ahmad Reshi, JEI member and former teacher now running a shop at Safapora; and the premises of Mehrajdin Reshi in Safapora.

Reshi is a former terrorist and now runs a shop.

In recent days, the NIA has carried out searches at different locations in two separate cases and also arrested a few people.

The Jamaat-e-Islami is an outfit that was banned by the central government in 2019 due to its pro-Pakistan and pro-separatist leanings.

A senior DIG and a team from Delhi had flown to Srinagar before the raids.

Earlier on July 10, the NIA had arrested six people from across Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a terror funding case.

This comes a day after eleven employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government were sacked for having terror links.

(With inputs from news agencies)

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Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in Karnataka at the premises of a suspect believed to be involved in making fake identity proof documents for Bangladeshi traffickers and their victims, the probe agency said on Sunday.

In a press release, the agency said that the searches were carried out at two locations on Saturday. During the searches, various incriminating documents, six digital devices, including hard disks and mobile phones, used for making the forged documents were seized, the NIA said.

In June a raid was conducted by the Karnataka Police at a rented house and seven Bangladeshi women and a child were rescued from the custody of human traffickers. A case was registered against 13 accused in this matter at Bengaluru's Ramamurthy Nagar police station, the statement said.

The women were trafficked to India from Bangladesh by the accused on the pretext of providing them jobs but were forced into prostitution instead.

The NIA re-registered the case under sections of the IPC, the Foreigners Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Further investigation in the case continues.
Thiruvananthapuram: Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in Kerala, the state government has decided to hold Onam celebrations on virtual mode, informed State Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas on Sunday (August 8).

The virtual celebration of the Onam festival will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 14th."Events that introduce tourism destinations, art and culture, and food diversity will also be conducted with the help of visual media.

Malayalees from all over the world can upload their Onampookkalam ( Floral decoration) on the Department of Tourism`s digital platform. There will be special prizes for entries from Kerala and abroad. The registration facility on the website of the Department of Tourism will start on August 10," he said.

The Minister said that discussions are being held with various foreign Malayalee organizations." In collaboration with the digital media and television channels, preference will be given to the traditional arts and thereby creating opportunities for artists," he added.

Talking about ease in tourism, he said "Those who have been vaccinated with at least one dose will be allowed to stay in hotels. Protocol compliance should be adopted, including on beaches. An application is being made to inform tourists about new tourism destinations in the state."When asked about the impact of COVID-19 on tourism in the state, Minister said that a loss of 33,000 crores has been estimated from March 2020 to December 2020.

Onam is a harvest festival celebrated by Malayalees. The date is based on the Panchangam which falls on the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam in the month Chingam of Malayalam calendar, which in the Gregorian calendar falls between August-September.

The state government had recently eased lockdown curbs and allowed shops and other establishments to operate for six days a week but it was decided to continue restrictions on Sunday. According to a health bulletin, in the last 24 hours, the state has reported 20,367 new positive cases and 139 fresh deaths.

(With inputs from agency)
New Delhi: Qatar's Special Envoy for counter-terrorism and mediation of conflict resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, who was on a 2 day visit to India, has briefed the Indian side about the Afghan peace process.

On Saturday he held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla during which he agreed that the process should be inclusive to ensure its success.

During the meetings, Joint Secretary (PAI), J. P. Singh was also present. In a tweet after the meeting, EAM said,"Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter" and "peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected."

Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 7, 2021

The special envoy during the various meetings was concerned about external players as much as internal. The visit comes amid a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban makes territorial gains.

Last week at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan under India Afghan envoy to the United Nations Ghulam M. Isaczai exposed Pakistani support to the Taliban's ongoing offensive.

He said,"Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan."

He also called on Secretary (CPV and OIA) Sanjay Bhattacharya.

Qatar has played an important role when it comes to the US-Taliban pact and hosting the intra Afghan talks between the Afghan govt and the Taliban.

Al-Qahtani has the same Qatari official who earlier this year confirmed that some kind of talks is happening between India and the Taliban.

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New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the United Nations Security Council meeting that will be chaired by Indian PM Narendra Modi on Monday (August 9). The meet on maritime security will begin at 5.30 pm IST.

V.V. Putin will participate in a video conference within the framework of the UN Security Council on the subject of Enhancing Maritime Security: A Case for International Cooperation. The event is held at the initiative of Narendra Modi, the prime minister of the Republic of India which chairs the UN Security Council in August of this year, Kremlin press service in a statement said.

The participation of the Russian president shows Moscow's backing to the India-led initiative and the close relationship between both countries.

Russia is a permanent member of the council - P5 and has been coordinating with New Delhi since it took a seat at the high table. India is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a 2-year term which started on January 1, 2021.

PM Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to preside over a UNSC open debate. The meet will see several heads of states and governments participating, including the President of Congo. It will focus on finding ways to counter maritime crime and insecurity and strengthening coordination in the maritime domain.

A Ministry of External Affairs release said, This will be the first time that maritime security will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high-level open debate".

The release added, given that no country alone can address the diverse aspects of maritime security, it is important to consider this subject in a holistic manner in the United Nations Security Council.

India has been in the past coming out with policies on the issue. In 2015, India put forth the vision of SAGAR or Security and Growth for all in the Region.

At the East Asia Summit in 2019, India announced Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative or IPOI in which countries like France, Australia have joined. IPOI has seven pillars of maritime security which are Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building and Resource Sharing, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation, and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport.

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New Delhi: Chief Justice of India N V Ramana on Sunday (August 8) highlighted the issue of custodial torture by police that still prevails in the country.

He said that the threat to human rights and bodily integrity are the highest in police stations and that even those from the privileged classes are not spared.

The CJI was speaking at an event organised by the National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA).

The threat to human rights and bodily integrity are the highest in police stations. Custodial torture and other police atrocities are problems that still prevail in our society. Going by the recent reports even the privileged are not spared third-degree treatment, CJI Ramana said.

He said that despite the constitutional declarations and guarantees, lack of effective legal representation at the police stations is a huge detriment to arrested or detained persons.

He said that it was necessary to bridge the gap of accessibility to justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable.

To keep police excesses in check dissemination of information about the constitutional right to legal aid and availability of free legal aid services is necessary. The installation of display boards and outdoor hoardings in every police station or prison is a step in this direction, he said.

The realities of socio-economic diversity which prevail in our nation, cannot ever be a reason for denial of rights. If, as an institution, the judiciary wants to garner the faith of the citizens, we have to make everyone feel assured that we exist for them. For the longest time, the vulnerable population has lived outside the system of justice, he added.

He suggested that the postal network can be utilised to spread awareness regarding the availability of free legal aid services and to increase the outreach of legal services to persons residing in far-flung areas of the country.

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New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is expected to release the admit card for UPSC EPFO 2020 recruitment exam anytime soon. The UPSC recruitment drive is for 421 posts of Enforcement Officers-Accounts Officers, EPFO 2020 and the exam will now be held on September 5, 2021, the civil services commission stated. Candidates are requested to keep an eye on the official website of UPSC  upsc.gov.in.

The UPSC EPFO exam will be held in an offline pen-and-paper mode. The syllabus comprises subjects such as General English, Indian Freedom Struggle, Current events and Developmental issues, Indian Polity and Economy, general accounting principles, general science and knowledge of computer applications, quantitative aptitude, and social security in India, among a few others.

UPSC EPFO Admit Card 2020: Steps to download

1: Visit the official website  upsc.gov.in

2: On the homepage, click on the link that reads, UPSC EPFO admit card (once the link is activated)

3: Enter the required credentials and click on Submit

4: Your UPSC EPFO admit card will appear on the screen

5: Download it and take a printout for future reference.

The UPSC EPFO exam was scheduled for 4 October 2020 but due to the ongoing pandemic, the exam was postponed. The admit card will be released this month.
Aurangabad: Aurangabad AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel on Sunday (August 8) decried the lack of anyone from the minority communities in the three names approved recently as Maharashtra Public Service Commission members.

He said the Congress and NCP, which are in power in the state along with the Shiv Sena, called themselves "secular" but it seems they needed the minority communities only for votes.

"The MPSC board is an all-inclusive one and representation is given to all communities. Why is there no one from the minority communities in this board when two names were finalised," he asked.

Speaking on another development, Jaleel said he had met Union Minister Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari two days ago and proposed a flyover on Jalna road and the latter had promised a feasibility check within a month.
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has invited applications to fill up various posts in the Group C Civilian category.

A total of 282 vacancies have been released. The various posts include Superintendent, Lower Division Clerk, Store Keeper, Cook, Painter, House Keeping staff, Laundry Staff, Coppersmith, Mess staff, Tailor, Multi-tasking staff, Typist etc.

In a notification, the IAF said that interested candidates can apply within 30 days of publication of the advertisement in the employment newspaper. Therefore, the candidates must apply before September 7, 2021.

IAF Group C Recruitment 2021 - Age Limit: 18 to 25 years

The applications are required to be submitted in offline mode through registered post, speed post or courier.

The form typed in English or Hindi needs to be submitted to the concerned Air Force Station along with supporting documents.

Interested candidates can check details about IAF and the posts advertised on the official website at indianairforce.nic.in.

Also Read: Indian Army Recruitment: Apply online for Sepoy, Soldier GD and other posts, check details

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New Delhi: The Indian Army has invited applications for the recruitment to the posts of officers under the Territorial Army. Interested and eligible candidates can apply for these posts (Indian Army Recruitment 2021) by visiting the official website of the Indian Army, jointerritorialarmy.gov.in. Candidates must note that the last date to apply for these posts is August 19, 2021.

Apart from this, candidates can also directly apply for these posts (Indian Army Recruitment 2021) by clicking on this DIRECT link. They are also advised to go through the official notification of the Indian Army before applying for the recruitment drive.

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Important dates

Online application began on: July 20, 2021

Last date to apply online: 19 August 2021

Exam date: 26 September 2021

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Vacancy details

Territorial Army Officer

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Eligibility criteria

Candidates should be graduate from any recognized university.

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Age limit

Candidates age limit should be between 18 to 42 years.

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Application fee

Candidates will have to pay Rs. 200/- towards application fee.

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be called for screening (interview followed by written test) by the Preliminary Interview Board (PIB) of respective Territorial Army Group Headquarters. The final selection will be based on tests conducted by Services Selection Board (SSB) and Medical Board.

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Payscale

Lieutenant  Level 10- 56,100  1,77,500 15500/-

Captain  Level 10A  6,13,00  1,93,900 15500/-

Major  Level 11  6,94,00  2,07,200 15500/-

Lieutenant Colonel  Level  12A- 1,21,200  2,12400 15500/-

Col  Level 13  1,30,600  2,15,900 15500/-

Brigadier  Level 13A  1,39,600  2,17,600 15500/-
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Sherlyn Chopra has alleged that businessman Raj Kundra, who has been arrested in a porn film production case, had told her that his wife Shilpa Shetty liked her work.

Sherlyn told ANI that Raj Kundra contacted her for making films and she signed an agreement in March this year. "He wanted me to join him and the name of the app would be the Sherlyn Chopra app. Sherlyn Chopra was summoned by the property cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch on Friday for questioning in connection with the porn film production case in which Kundra was arrested last month.

She said Kundra wanted different videos in the app, which are glamour, high fashion, fitness, fun and other things. She said the concept was glamour in the beginning and then she was told about semi-nude and nude films.

"During the shoot, I was encouraged. They used to say I am doing great and Shilpa has seen your photos and videos and has appreciated my work. And when you get so much praise from the seniors it does not make you feel that you are doing something wrong and it makes you think to do better," she said.

"I was told that whatever they are doing is not wrong, during that time no legal notice was given to us.... at that time it did not seem that anything wrong was happening".

Asked about pornography being illegal and why did she got involved in the movies, she asserted that she was "the one who first went to Maharashtra Cyber Crime branch".

"I never denied I did not run my own app. I have recorded my statement in the cyber branch," she said. "I have never given any false assurance to someone or by misleading someone. I did not make a film, I did not make a porn film on the pretext of giving work to any girl," she added and left the interview in between.

The Bombay High Court had on August 2 reserved its order on petitions filed by Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe challenging their arrest in a case in connection with the pornography racket case.

During the proceedings of the court, the investigating officer told the court that 68 pornography videos were found on Kundras laptop. Police added that a film script with sexual content was also found on Kundras personal laptop.

On July 27, a court in Mumbai sent Kundra along with his associate Ryan Thorpe to judicial custody for 14 days. Kundra was arrested by police on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films. Earlier on July 25, police had informed that four employees of Kundra have turned witnesses against him in the pornography racket case.
New Delhi: The Punjab government has decided to bring nearly 8.5 lakh farmers and their families under the ambit of the health insurance cover for the year 2021-22. All the farmers having 'J' forms and 'sugarcane weighment slips' would be eligible for this health scheme. 'J' forms are needed for availing finance, subsidy claims and tax waivers. To facilitate the farmers to apply for this scheme in the easiest way, the Punjab Mandi Board has launched a dedicated portal for first time from this year.

Now, the farmers need not to visit market committee office to apply manually as was the case earlier. The interested farmers can simply apply on Mandi Board's portal, www.Emandikaran-pb.In, uploading related documents, said an official statement on Sunday quoting Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Lal Singh.

Singh added that the Board would pay the entire premium for the insurance cover of all the farmers, who will get cashless treatment facility up to Rs 5 lakh per annum. He further said all these farmers and their families will now be covered with effect from August 20, 2021.

He also informed that the number of farmers covered under the health insurance scheme during the last year of the scheme stood at around 5.01 lakh based on 'J' forms and 'sugarcane weighment slips'.

Now, the number of farmers has reached nearly 8.5 lakh, with 7.91 lakh farmers having 'J' forms registered with the Mandi Board and 55,000 cane growers, he added.

Singh also said these 5.01 lakh farmers, who have already been registered under the Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana last year, need not re-apply on portal. They will be extended the benefit for the next year based on earlier documents, but remaining nearly 3.5 lakh farmers registered as 'J' form holders and 'sugarcane weighment slips' after October 1, 2020, would have to apply on portal for availing health

Insurance.

The Market Committees have also been directed to facilitate every farmer, in case he needs any help to avail this cashless treatment facility in a seamless manner, he said.

Meanwhile, Mandi Board Secretary Ravi Bhagat said the eligible farmers can apply online on portal to avail the health facilities from empaneled hospitals from August 20 this year.

He further said that apart from the family head, husband/wife, father/mother, unmarried children, divorced daughter and her minor children, widowed daughter-in-law and her minor children would also be considered eligible to derive benefit under the scheme.

These farmers can approach any of the 642 empanelled private hospitals and 208 government hospitals for treatment facility of up to Rs 5 lakh for 1,579 diseases. Also Read: Get your LPG cylinder refilled by just giving a missed call! Save THIS number and never visit agency again

Under the health insurance scheme, medical conditions including major surgical treatments such as heart surgery, cancer treatment, joint replacement and accident cases, among others, are covered. Also Read: Have you booked Revolt Motors electric bike? Check important delivery update
New Delhi: The US space agency, NASA, is recruiting for a year-long mission on Mars and is looking for four applicants to live in a simulated Martian exploration habitat. The aim is to send astronauts to Mars and thus prepare them for the real-life challenges of future missions to the red planet.

On Friday, the space agency started taking applications for participants to live for a year in Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat created by a 3D-printer that is inside a building at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Calling all Martians! @NASA is recruiting four crew members for a year-long mission that will simulate life on a distant world, living in Mars Dune Alpha, a 3D-printed habitat. Want to take part in research for the first human Mars mission? Learn more! https://t.co/v3dL7qzRk9 pic.twitter.com/k5sviRXvtV  NASA Mars (@NASAMars) August 6, 2021

"In preparation for the real-life challenges of future missions to Mars, Nasa will study how highly motivated individuals respond under the rigor of a long-duration, ground-based simulation," Nasa said in a statement.

The habitat will simulate the challenges of a mission on Mars, crew tasks may include simulated spacewalks, scientific research, use of virtual reality and robotic controls, and exchanging communications, the Nasa statement read.

Nasa is planning three of these missions -- known as Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog -- with the first one starting in fall (September 1-November 30) next year.

The analog is critical for testing solutions to meet the complex needs of living on the Martian surface said Grace Douglas, lead scientist for Nasas Advanced Food Technology research effort at Nasas Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Simulations on Earth will help us understand and counter the physical and mental challenges astronauts will face before they go," he added.

Here are the criterion to apply:

The application is open only to US citizens or permanent residents in the age group 30-55. Other criteria for selection include proficiency in English, good physical health and no smoking habit.

On the educational front, a masters degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical or computer science from an accredited institution is required. Additionally, the candidates who have completed two years of work on a doctoral program in STEM, or completed a medical degree, or a test pilot program will also be considered.

With four years of professional experience, applicants who have completed military officer training or a Bachelor of Science in a STEM field may be considered, the Nasa statement read.
New Delhi: Google is reportedly planning to build a campus that will house a huge hardware hub in the Silicon Valley. According to a report in CNBC on Saturday, the campus called `Midpoint` will have 20 per cent office space and 80 per cent space focused on manufacturing devices, storage, distribution and other purposes.

Google has bought land in northern San Jose, California, spending more than $389 million for the five-building hardware research and development centre.

"It will sit adjacent to three industrial buildings that will house some operations for its hardware division, including Nest products, according to several planning documents," the report mentioned.

The company`s hardware chief Rick Osterloh recently said that Google is geared up make a big splash in the hardware space.

The company currently has an impressive hardware line-up, including smart home speakers Nest, flagship Pixel smartphones and the PixelBook laptops.

Last week, Google announced it has developed its own custom-built chip to power the next generation of Pixel 6 smartphones that will arrive in the market later this year.

Called Tensor, the AI-enabled System on a Chip (SoC) has been developed specifically for Pixel phones.

In 2016, Google launched the first Pixel. Also Read: Ready-to-cook idli, dosa, porridge mix to attract 18% GST

Google previously said its midrange Pixel 5A would arrive later this year. Now, a new report suggests that the smartphone is likely to arrive on August 26 for $450. Also Read: Audi RS 5 Sportback India launch tomorrow: Check price, design and specs details
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has announced that it will launch the new Mi Pad 5 series along with Mi Mix 4 smartphone next week at an event in China.



Xiaomi took to its official Weibo post and addressed that the Mi Pad 5 will be launched on 10th August. Old leaks have suggested the development of three tablets - Mi Pad 5, Mi Pad 5 Pro, and Mi Pad 5 Lite.



At the same event, Xiaomi will "also showcase the Mi Mix 4-- its new concept flagship with an innovative full-screen design".



The news has arrived a few days after reports emerged that Xiaomi will return to the tablet segment and take on the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Huawei in the premium space.



The launch invite also confirmed that the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 will support stylus input. A new stylus might also be announced at the event too.



Reportedly, there will be three models in the Mi Pad 5 family at different price points. The three would be differentiated by the chipset, with the base variant expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 860, while the others might use the Snapdragon 870 with the top model even offering 5G.



The Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 "is said to come with a 2K LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a large 8,720mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging, and a dual-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor.

Meanwhile, the Mi Mix 4 will be equipped with a 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Plus chipset, 5000mAh battery with 120W rapid charging and 70W or 80W fast wireless charging support, LPDDR5 RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. The phone is said to come up with a secondary display on the rear camera module.

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#mute
New Delhi: Bigg Boss OTT has already created a lot of buzz on social media and so the makers of the show are making sure to keep up the excitement level of their fans regarding the upcoming show.

Now, the makers have released a new promo featuring Rubina Dilaik from the sets of 'Shakti- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki' where the actress can be seen informing her director that she cant be shooting anymore post 8 pm from now onwards. When quizzed further, she said because Bigg Boss OTT is going to come LIVE 24x7 on Voot from August 8. She even said, Ess baar kuch crazy hone wala hai.

Sharing the video on official Voot account, the makers wrote, OG Sherni ka hukum hai ki aap #BiggBossOTT dekhein 24x7 live! Aur abhi dekhein curtain raiser on #VootSelect!

@voot @beingsalmankhan

@karanjohar @rubinadilaik

#ItnaOTT #BiggBossOTTVootSelect #VootSelect #BBOtt24x7 #Voot

@rubinadilaik_instaclub..

For the unversed, this is the first time the Bigg Boss show will have a special digital segment. After the completion of the digital exclusive, the show will move seamlessly into Colors with the launch of Season 15 of 'Bigg Boss'.

What's even more interesting is that viewers will have total access to the doings of the contestants as with 24x7 direct camera footage.

The show will air on Sunday (August 8) at 8 pm. It will be hosted by director Karan Johar for the first six weeks. Then from Monday-Saturday, the episodes will air at 7 pm on Voot and on Sunday, at 8 pm.
New Delhi: It's only a few hours before the grand premiere of the reality show Bigg Boss OTT and the makers are keeping excitement high with interesting promos and sneak peeks into the Karan Johar hosted show. In their latest promo, we witness the fun conversation between YouTuber Zeeshan Khan and Karan. The hyperactive actor was seen wearing a funky outfit which made Johar compare him to Ranveer Singh as he also has a peculiar sense of fashion.

Later, Karan also jokingly asked him if he's trying to show off his body or did he forget the buttons on his shirt. Zeeshan really set the stage on fire with his contagious energy and charisma.

The promo's caption read, "Inki hyperactive energy ko toh hum screen ke bahar bhi feel kar sakte hai, Kaisa laga aapko Zeeshan ka style, cool ya uber cool? Bigg Boss OTT starts streaming today at 8 pm only on Voot."

Check out the hilarious promo:

For the unversed, this is the first time the Bigg Boss show will have a special digital segment. After the completion of the digital exclusive, the show will move seamlessly into Colors with the launch of Season 15 of 'Bigg Boss'.

What's even more interesting is that viewers will have total access to the doings of the contestants as with 24x7 direct camera footage.

The show will air on Sunday (August 8) at 8 pm. It will be hosted by director Karan Johar for the first six weeks. Then from Monday-Saturday, the episodes will air at 7 pm on Voot and on Sunday, at 8 pm.
New Delhi: Kumkum Bhagya actor Zeeshan Khan is one of the confirmed contestants of Bigg Boss OTT which premieres on August 8, weeks ahead of the main show. The actor who is super excited about his journey in Bigg Boss house shared his game plan, favourite food and motive behind entering the show. While speaking exclusively to Zee News Digital, Zeeshan expressed his happiness over joining the reality show which is happening for the first time on a digital platform.

My whole idea of doing my vlogs and everything was that I am not like other actors, I am someone who does things differently. Everyone has a set pattern in their mind and I do things differently. Bigg Boss OTT is coming on VOOT so there will be no restrictions and no rules and so I can bring my entire craziness on the show", he said.

When asked about his strategy to survive in the house, Zeeshan quipped, "I have no such strategy in my head as I full faith in myself and I have planned to show my crazy side to the world. There is nothing to stop me, I dont have to care about anything or any restriction because it is an online platform. I love challenges and so this game is made for me.

Sharing his motive behind saying yes to the show, he said, I come from a middle-class family, although my parents have given me everything which I have asked for now I think its my turn to get them the things which they want in life because while getting me things which I wanted, they have sacrificed a lot over their choices and their dreams and so I want to make them feel proud of me.

Zeeshan shot to headlines after entering the airport premises in a bathrobe some time back. Opening up on the incident, he said, "With that bathrobe and panda controversies, peoples response was crazy and even Kartik Aaryan was extremely supportive to my thing, he was like whatever you are doing is really crazy but you are killing it man and it motivated me a lot more.

Sharing his views on why he was offered Bigg Boss OTT, he said, I havent got it because I was an actor in Kumkum Bhagya, I got it because of my crazy vlogs which I put up and this keeps me pumped up.

On being asked, what will he miss the most while being in the house, Zeeshan said, "Obviously, my parents and homemade food but apart from that is Ill miss some really good food. My favourite dessert is caramel custard. Nutella is another thing about which I am extremely crazy.

For the unversed, the show will start from August 8 and all the episodes will stream on Voot from Monday  Saturday at 7:00 pm & 8:00 pm every Sunday.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong`s justice secretary said on Sunday (August 8) that a mainland Chinese law to counter foreign sanctions could also be adopted in the China-ruled city by writing it into Hong Kong`s mini-constitution, pending a decision by the Chinese parliament.

Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng`s comments are the strongest official indication so far that Hong Kong would embrace the mainland law, passed in June to counter foreign sanctions as the U.S. and EU step up pressure over trade, technology, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang.

Under the law, individuals or entities involved in making or implementing discriminatory measures against Chinese citizens or entities could be put on an anti-sanctions list by relevant departments in the Chinese government.

Cheng wrote in an official blog entry that the "most natural and appropriate way" to introduce the anti-sanctions law into Hong Kong would be to add it to an annex of the Basic Law, or Hong Kong`s mini-constitution.

She added that such a move needed first to be approved by the highest organ of China`s parliament, the National People`s Congress. Local media have reported that a decision would likely be made during a meeting in Beijing on Aug 17-20.

Critics have warned that the anti-foreign sanctions law could undermine Hong Kong`s reputation as a global financial hub, and tarnish sentiment among foreign firms.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 with a guarantee of a high degree of autonomy and freedom.

The U.S. government issued a business advisory last month warning firms that they are subject to the territory`s laws, including a China-imposed national security law, under which foreign nationals, including one U.S. citizen, have been arrested.

The U.S. government has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials over Beijing`s crackdown on the city`s freedoms under the sweeping security legislation.

Without naming the United States directly, Cheng wrote that countermeasures were acceptable. "Unilateral coercive measures are without a doubt at odds with the principle of non-intervention, unbecoming of any civilised nation," she wrote.

"In the face of international illegal acts, a State is justified in deploying any countermeasures as a response." Under China`s anti-foreign sanctions law, individuals could be denied entry into China or be expelled.

Their assets within China may be seized or frozen. They could also be restricted from doing business with entities or people within China.



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Kathmandu: Nepal received the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from Japan, local media reports said.

Japan`s envoy to Kathmandu Kikuta Yutaka handed over 5,13,420 vaccines to Nepal`s Minister of Health and Population Umesh Shrestha at the country`s Tribhuvan International Airport.

On Sunday evening, the vaccine`s second batch will arrive in Kathmandu. The remaining half doses will be brought to the country soon, The Himalayan Times reported quoting Nepal`s Foreign Affairs Ministry as saying.

Through the vaccine sharing scheme COVAX, Japan had promised to provide nearly 1.6 million doses of coronavirus vaccine to Kathmandu.

"Nepal appreciates Japan for their generous provision of life-saving vaccine to Nepal through COVAX. These Japanese-made AstraZeneca COVID vaccines will be administered to the senior citizens who are waiting for second shots of vaccines of this group," the country`s foreign affairs ministry said in a press release on Saturday.

On Saturday, the country reported 2,231 new infections in the last 24 hours with the total number of cases reached to 7,12,740.

Nepal has vaccinated nearly 68,02,415 people so far across the country.

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Islamabad: At least two policemen were killed and eight others injured on Sunday when a powerful blast targeted their vehicle near a luxury hotel in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's troubled southwestern Balochistan province, officials said.

"The initial probe showed that the bomb was fitted with a motorbike," Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said.

He said that two policemen were killed and eight others injured in the blast that targeted the police mobile van at Tanzeem Square near Serena Hotel in Quetta.

The security agencies have surrounded the area and launched a manhunt to arrest the culprits, he added.

The injured have been shifted to the city's Civil Hospital, a senior police official said, adding that the windows of nearby buildings were shattered due to the explosion.

No group took the responsibility for the blast but the Baloch nationalists are active in the province and often target the security forces. They accuse the federal government of exploiting the natural resources of the province.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan has condemned the incident.

"Terrorist elements want to ruin the province's peace. [We] will never allow terrorists to succeed in their nefarious plans," he was quoted as saying in a statement.

The attack comes more than three months after a powerful bomb exploded in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel, killing five people and wounding a dozen others.

The Chinese ambassador was staying in the hotel but was out at the time of the attack.